Market and Social Research Part 1

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Market and Social Research

Study Skills and Learning Resources - http://www.griot.org

Demands of the module:

Will all students please note that if you put ‘Research for Marketing Practitioners’ in the subject line of your email it will speed up the response that we are able to provide

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Module aims

The aims of this module are to enable students to:

develop their understanding of the main methods and applications of marketing research and its role in the marketing environment.

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Core text:

Bradley, N (2010); Marketing Research Tools and Techniques Oxford University Press

 Recommended texts:•  Brace, Ian (2004) Questionnaire Design Kogan Page

•Bryman, A and Bell E (2007), Business Research Methods,(2nd Ed) Ou

•Chisnell, P(2005)., Marketing Research (7th Ed) McGraw Hill

•Malhotra, N.K. and Birks, D.F (2007)., Marketing Research An Applied Approach

(3rd European Ed),  Harlow, Pearson

•McGivern, Y (2006)., The Practice of Market and Social Research An Introduction

2nd Ed. Prentice Hall

•Huff, D., How to lie with Statistics Penguin

•Malhotra, N.K. and Birks, D.F (2007)., Marketing Research An Applied Approach

(3rd European Ed),  Harlow, Pearson

•McGivern, Y (2006)., The Practice of Market and Social Research An

Introduction 2nd Ed. Prentice Hall

•Proctor, T (2005)., Essentials of Marketing Research (4th Ed) Prentice Hall

•Wilson, A., Marketing Research An Integrated Approach Prentice Hall

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Module delivery and student support:

For this module, students should attend a four hour teaching block. The general structure of this block will include:

•The first session which will normally be a formal lecture•A second session, where students will work on groups on an exercise related to the lecture topic•A third session where the exercise is discussed, and possible approaches which could have been followed are discussed, and a second group exercise – usually including the case study takes place•A final session where individual groups will present their findings

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Dates and responsibilities:

•Weekly work – please carry out the required weekly reading, and prepare for seminar periods as appropriate•Assignment A is a group presentation. You need to start to organise yourselves into groups of four as quickly as possible•Assignment B is an individual report, due to be submitted when you come back after Christmas

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Please read both the general guidance for the submission of written work, and the guidance that was given to last year’s students on submission of the similar assignment, will be made available during this semester.

IT IS ASSUMED THAT STUDENTS WILL HAVE READ ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, AND WILL BE PENALISED FOR ERRORS WHERE IT IS CLEAR THEY HAVE NOT CARRIED OUT THIS BASIC PRELIMINARY READING.

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The Role of Market Research

‘I don’t know how you are expected to make intelligent decisions without facts.’

William Dillard, Founder and Director of Dillard’s Departmental Stores

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The Role of Market ResearchWhat is Market, or Marketing,

Research?

Marketing Research is the function that links an organisation to its market through the gathering of information. The information allows for the identification and definition of market driven opportunities and problems. The information allows for the generation, refinement, and evaluation of marketing actions. It allows for the monitoring of marketing performance and improved understanding of marketing as a business process.’ (The American Marketing Association)

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The Role of Market Research

Or, a second definition - Market Research....‘....includes social and opinion research, is the systematic gathering and interpretation of information about individuals or organisations using the statistical and analytical methods and techniques of the applied social sciences to gain insight or support decision making. The identity of respondents will not be revealed to the user of the information without explicit consent and no sales approachwill be made to them as a direct result of their having provided information.’

(As defined in the ICC/ESOMAR INTERNATIONAL CODE ON MARKET AND SOCIAL RESEARCH)

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The Role of Market ResearchSo what is the role of market research for

management and strategic plans?• Understanding the marketplace and customers• Improving the quality of decision making• Finding out what went wrong• Gathering and presenting statements of fact

(descriptive)• Explaining data or actions (diagnostic)

• Predicting – how can a firm take advantage of opportunities as they arise?

• Linking the consumer to the organisation• Specifying information needs• Managing data collection

Understanding customers is critical.....

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The need for research in decision making:

Absolute Uncertainty Complete Ambiguity Certainty

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Possible careers in Market Research:

Interested in product development, customer relations or influencing government policy? One career path can take you to all three:

Market researchsocial researchopinion research.

This graduate-led industry thrives on new ideas and challenging initiatives, responding to rapidly changing consumer tastes and utilising new technology to inform all levels of economic, social and political decision-making.

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There are three main roles in the research process: those who commission research (Client side), those who carry out research, and those who use research. Those who carry it out can be either internal to an organisation, or an external consultancy

Graduate entrants in research agencies (those who carry it out) are involved in managing the entire research project: from the planning process before data collection begins, through to analysing the results, interpreting their business implications and communicating these to the client. the two sides

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There are various specialities in research, such as quantitative and qualitative, industrial and consumer, ad hoc and longitudinal, data processor and data analyst. It is usual to specialise in a particular area.

It is important to know where your skills and expertise lies….

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• How do I find a job?• Research magazine, published monthly by

the Market Research Society (MRS), and its companion website www.research-live.com carry job advertisements..

• A list of recruitment agencies specialising in market research opportunities can be found in the Research Buyer's Guide, published annually by MRS. The online version at www.theresearchbuyersguide.com I ncludes free searchable listings.

If you have a query about a career in the industry visit the Careers Q&A facility at www.research-live.com.

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Career progression How do you ‘get up the ladder’?

Career progression can be very fast. Graduates would expect to be a ResearchExecutive for 18 months, then a Senior Research Executive. Promotion isthrough merit – many candidates manage accounts and teams by age 30. Progression through the MRS membership grades also matches experience with graduates starting as Associate Members (AMRS).

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For an interview with a young market researcher, taken from the Market Research Society website, look at ‘A job in Research’ on Studynet.