Exploring Marketing Research William G Zikmund Chapter 4

Exploring Marketing Research William G. Zikmund Chapter 4: The Human Side of Marketing Research

Mission Statement • Identifies the research department’s purpose within the organization

Continuum of Marketing Research Sophistication Intuition-Centered Stage of intuitive Decision Making decision making Stage of development Stage of sophistication Research-Center Decision Making

Research Departments Perform a Staff Function • • Clients Director of research Research analysts Cross-functional teams

Medium-Sized Research Department Director of marketing research and sales forecasting Research analyst (project director) Research assistant (entry-level trainee) Manager of sales research Forecast analysts

Manager s 1. Decision oriented 2. Intuitive 3. Managers like to confirm 4. Time orientation toward: a. project immediacy (“I need it now. ”) b. results about future behavior (“what will sales be next year? ”) 5. Frugal (“keep the cost down”) 6. Results orientation: a. managers do not like surprises-when they are surprised they tend to reject the results b. concern (“aren’t we number one yet? ”) c. certainty (“is it or isn’t it? ”) 7. Proactive Researcher s 1. Technique oriented 2. Analytical 3. Researchers like to explore 4. Time orientation toward: a. Project prolongment (“later when we have time for a complete study”) b. results about past behavior (“our trend has been. . . ”) 5. Not cost conscious (“you get what you pay for”) 6. Results orientation: a. researchers love surprises b. abstraction (“our exponential gain. . . ”) c. probability (“may be”) 7. Reactive

Top Management-Marketing Research Conflict • • Research responsibility Research personnel Budget Assignments Problem definition Research reporting Use of research

Research Supplier • A commercial marketing research service that conducts marketing research activities for clients • Syndicated service • Standardized service • Provides customized research

Greenbook 2000 -2001 : International Directory of Marketing Research Companies and Services (Serial)

Considerations for Hiring Outside Suppliers • • Expertise Urgency of the decision Personnel resources Economic factors Objectivity Confidentiality Quality control

Ethical Issues • Philosophical questions • Societal norms • Codes of behavior

Rights and Obligations of the Respondent • • The obligation to be truthful Privacy Deception The right to be informed

Rights and Obligations of the Researcher • • The purpose of research is research Objectivity Misrepresenting research Protect the right to confidentiality of both subjects and clients • Dissemination of faulty conclusions • Advocacy research

Rights and Obligations of the Client Sponsor (User) • • • Ethics between buyer and seller An open relationship with research suppliers An open relationship with interested parties Privacy Commitment to research Pseudo-pilot studies

Advocacy Research • Research to support a specific legal claim

Pseudo-Pilot Studies • The researcher is told that the study is the first of many in a more comprehensive study