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OTHER TYPES OF BUSINESS RESEARCH In addition to marketing research, other forms of business research include:
TYPES OF MARKETING RESEARCH Marketing research techniques come in many forms, including:
All of these forms of marketing research can be classified as either ''problem-identification research'' or as ''problem-solving research''. A similar distinction exists between ''exploratory research'' and ''conclusive research''. Exploratory research provides insights into and comprehension of an issue or situation. It should draw definitive conclusions only with extreme caution. '''Conclusive research''' draws conclusions: the results of the study can be generalized to the whole population. Both exploratory and conclusive research exemplify ''primary research''. A company collects primary research for its own purposes. This contrasts with '''secondary research''': research published previously and usually by someone else. Secondary research costs far less than primary research, but seldom comes in a form that exactly meets the needs of the researcher. MARKETING RESEARCH METHODS Methodologically, marketing research uses four types of research designs, namely:
Researchers often use more than one research design. They may start with secondary research to get background information, then conduct a focus group (qualitative research design) to explore the issues. Finally they might do a full nation-wide survey (quantitative research design) in order to devise specific recommendations for the client. The unicist approach integrates the rational/functional aspects of market behavior, with the psychological aspects and the conceptual structure of the consumer. SOME COMMONLY USED MARKETING RESEARCH TERMS Many of these techniques resemble those used in political polling and social science research. Meta-analysis (also called the Schmidt-Hunter technique) refers to a statistical method of combining data from multiple studies or from several types of studies. '''Conceptualization''' means the process of converting vague mental images into definable concepts. '''Operationalization''' is the process of converting concepts into specific observable behaviours that a researcher can measure. '''Precision''' refers to the exactness of any given measure. ''' Reliability ''' refers to the likelihood that a given operationalized construct will yield the same results if re-measured. ''' Validity ''' refers to the extent to which a measure provides data that captures the meaning of the operationalized construct as defined in the study. It asks, “Are we measuring what we intended to measure?” Applied research sets out to prove a specific hypothesis of value to the clients paying for the research. For example, a cigarette company might commission research that attempts to show that cigarettes are good for one's health. Many researchers have ethical misgivings about doing applied research. Sugging (or Selling Under the Guise of market research) forms a sales technique in which sales people pretend to conduct marketing research, but with the real purpose of obtaining buyer motivation and buyer decision-making information to be used in a subsequent sales call. Frugging comprises the practice of soliciting funds under the pretense of being a research Organization . SEE ALSO
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