Marketing research 173
situation under investigation and not some
cartoon-like image with distorted features.
There are many definitions of marketing
research; here is a sample:
Marketing research is the function which links
the consumer, customer and public to the
marketer though information – information
used to identify and define market opportun-
ities and problems; generate, refine and
evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing
performance; and improve understanding of
marketing as a process.
Marketing research specifies the informa-
tion required to address these issues, designs
the method for collecting information; manages
and implements the data collection process;
analyses the results; and communicates the
findings and their implications.
(The American Marketing Association, 1988,
The Dictionary of Marketing Terms)Marketing research is the systematic and objec-
tive approach to the development and provi-
sion of information for the marketing decision
making process.
(Kinnear and Taylor, 1996)Marketing research is the systematic and objec-
tive identification, collection, analysis and dis-
semination of information for the purpose of
assisting management in decision-making
related to the identification and solution of
problems and opportunities in marketing.
(Malhotra, 1999)Through these definitions two key words recur:
systematic and objective.
Systematic: the research process should be well
planned and organized, with rules set in
advance of the project being instigated, to
govern the types of data to be collected, the
way in which it is to be collected, the system
of analysis to be employed etc.
Objective: the research should be conducted in
a way that eliminates, as far as possible, bias
and the corruption of data by
subjectivity/emotion. Marketing research does
not take place in a laboratory but it should, at
all times, aim for ‘scientific’ objectivity.
Types of research
Webb (2002) classifies marketing research into
three groups:1 Exploratory research.
2 Conclusive research.
3 Performance monitoring (routine feedback)
research.Each stage in the decision-making process
determines the appropriate class of research
that should be employed.Exploratory research
This is usually employed in the initial stages of
the research project, when uncertainty/ignor-
ance are at their highest. It is characterized by
flexibility, an absence of formal structure and/
or the desire to measure. It may be used to
define the parameters of the environment in
which the problems/opportunities exist, and to
uncover those salient variables which are rele-
vant to a full understanding of that environ-
ment. Exploratory research may alert the
researchers to any temporal/seasonal effects
which may have an impact upon the results
(Radas and Shugan (1998) say: ‘Virtually every
product in every industry in every country is
seasonal’); it may identify any dialects/jargon
which may be the common currency, and it
may allow an estimation to be made as to how
easy/difficult it will be to carry out any
subsequent research. Data sources may include
secondary sources of data, observation, mini-
surveys, interviews with experts and case
histories.Conclusive research
This can be employed to generate information
to evaluate and to select course(s) of action.
Conclusive research is formal, objective and