Posts Tagged ‘marketing’

Question by Rocket Chips: The marketing research department for a computer company used a large city to test market their new product.?
The marketing research department for a computer company used a large city to test market their new product. They found that the demand equation was p = 1296 – 0.12x^2. If the cost equation is C = 830 + 396x, find the number of units that will produce maximum profit.
Haha. That’s the given question. I don’t know anything more than that.

Best answer:

Answer by O’Neil
if u wd clarify wot d variables stand for,
then only wd i b able 2 answer…

Give your answer to this question below!

Internet Marketing Research Firm

Market research is the way that companies gather information about their customers, competitors, and the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns for those of you who are wondering what it is. In recent years the internet has had a huge affect on the way that companies have been conducting their market research through the various methods that are available for them to use. Companies know that almost everyone and their dog get on the internet for one reason or another and this is a great way for them to be able to gather information about what their consumers want as well as keep an eye on what their competitors are doing. The internet is also a great way for companies to test and try different marketing campaigns before they spend millions of dollars on them. There are a few different ways that the internet has had an effect on the way that market research is conducted.

One thing that companies are able to do is called keyword research. Conducting research on different keywords is how businesses find out what words and phrases their customers are using when they are searching for the products that they are selling. This is a great advantage because it allows the company to focus on certain words and phrases that will gain them popularity. Also, if the company has a website they will be able to move their website into a better position by building links back to their site that focus on these specific keywords. Internet Marketing Research Firm

Companies can also take surveys and put up polls on different topics that will help them to get the opinion of the consumers that buy their products. This helps the company to know what they are doing right so that they can do more of it and it also helps them to gather information that they can use to make their customers happier.

A company can also easily check out what their competition is doing by looking them up. They will be able to see where their competition is getting backlinks from, and they will be able to see what methods their completion is using to be able to gain more customers. There are a lot of different tools that a company can use to be able to find out what their competition is doing on the internet very quickly and easily. One of the biggest advantages that a company has when they use the internet for market research is testing different advertising campaigns to find out which one works the best. There are a lot of different ways to advertise both online and offline and companies pay a lot of money each year to advertise their business. By doing their market research online they will be able to find out which campaign will bring them the most success before they pay out all of the money to run it.

Over the past few years the internet has dramatically affected the way that market research is being conducted. It will have an even larger affect as we move forward into the future. It will be very necessary for every company to have knowledge of Internet Marketing so that they will be able to quickly and effectively do their research online. Internet Marketing Research Firm

Increased sales for less cost is fast becoming a business mantra. For any company it is critical to understand precisely why people buy into what you have to offer. When times are tough research budgets are often first to go in an effort to drive costs down. However some types of research have been proven to dramatically increase profits.

Market research is the systematic gathering and interpretation of data using analytical methods and techniques to gain insight or support decision making. Market Research is actually any planned venture to gather data about competitors, markets or customers and in the past has been an important element of company strategy.

But, the phrase is commonly, and wrongly, confused with the practice of Marketing Research or Research for Marketing yet, there is an important and distinct difference between the two. Marketing research is the objective gathering and interpretation of data using analytical methods and techniques to gain insight and intelligence about audience buying habits.

Do you appreciate the difference? – Market research gathers information on potential markets, marketing research gathers information on why they buy and who from.

The main purpose of Marketing Research is to identify the buying strategies of the audience. Typically it is the science of understanding how and why customers and potential customers react, or not, to your marketing communications. Marketing Research, when done correctly should tell you precisely how to push the buttons that will make more of your audience respond to your message or proposition. And it will give you that information simply, quickly and cost effectively.

Because of the need for greater accountability, more and more companies are moving away from the ‘soft’ information provided by market research and are moving towards the ‘hard’ intelligence provided by marketing research. In this context, information is traditionally defined as ‘hard’ when it provides specific, detailed and quantifiable direction for future advertising campaigns. The fact that it is measurable and can directly influence bottom line profitability has caused this type of research to be described as “research for a new business age” by marketing professionals and that “traditional methods may produce findings that are interesting – yet who these days has the time and budgets unless there is a measurable purpose and payback?”

Whilst many research companies allege to offer bespoke marketing research, in truth, most are simply variations of their everyday research offering. These rarely provide information that can be used to direct and evaluate marketing campaigns. For example, if your research company recommend focus groups as part of a marketing research project as that is typically an indication that they have just adapted their usual offering to fit.

Modern marketing research techniques use research processes that are adapted from behavioural psychology to provide insights into your situation that are instantly actionable, useful and designed to repay your need for better sales.

So which type of research is best for you?

If you already have an understanding of who your customers are; their demographics, how old they are, how much disposable income they have, their lifestyle, etc, then you may nott need to spend money on market research. Yet if you need your advertising and marketing to produce more inquiries and sales then you are more likely to find marketing research more profitable.

Whichever direction you decide to take, ensure that you act upon the knowledge you receive as, in these troubled times, it could make or break your enterprise.

Market research – Market is a location where trading is carried out by people. It follows the theory of supply and demand. Market research includes a form of applied sociological study which concentrates on understanding the behaviors and preferences, mostly current and future, of consumers in a market-based economy.

Market research – What would one do before introduction a new company or a new product or before buying shares in the market, smart person is said to be the one who does market research. This gives him rough idea of what are the problems he is going to face in future and can think over it in advance. Market research is necessary for any sort of business. It helps us to be familiar with the market conditions, desire of consumers and rules laid out by Government. Market research – Also you know number of competitors and their hold in a market, economic trends, technological advances, and numerous other factors that make up the business environment.

Market research – Involves a systematic, objective collection and analysis of data about your niche markets in order to gain an in-depth understanding of its various aspects like industry audience, competition and prevalent trends therein. Market research processes include accumulation of a variety of related and non-related facts that are further used to create meaningful and relevant information that helps support business decisions.

Market survey research : What makes a market survey research a good survey? There is no simple answer to this question, and it is not one aspect, but various aspects together that make for a good piece of research. Indeed, market research is very much a balancing act where the researcher often has to deal with decisions that have conflicting consequences. Market survey research – the researcher needs to balance out the various elements to ensure that much of what is gained on the swings is not lost on the roundabouts.

Market survey research – While online marketing is becoming an increasingly important part of the marketing mix, the very basis for its success is often ignored. Many companies are jumping straight into conducting online marketing campaigns without doing the upfront hard work of market research.

Market research analyst: Prior to a service or product being launched, a lot of research is required about exactly where and how to do it. Market research analyst collects data on national, regional, and local levels to discover the potential sales of a service or product. Market research analyst: -they put together sets of questions and get people to answer them. Launching a service or products involves high expenses, so it is a high priority to find out if it will be a failure or success, hence as industry continues to grow, so will the demand for Market research analyst.

Market research company – Market research becomes vital, when it comes to form a marketing plan for any business. The business owner, no matter, how small the size of his establishment is, wants to find everything he can about his potential customers. Market research company – He wants to know more about them and their buying potential, ascertaining that his prices are competitive. He wants to make sure that he is able to provide the required products or services, in his area at the required time. This helps him to evolve marketing tools accordingly and offers a clear comparison between him and his professional rivals.

marketing research surveys online – Online surveys have followed the manner of survey and market research to establish sales and promotion practices, examine and compare product/service qualities and prices, and collect hints for improving consumer satisfaction. Market research company have designed various ways to poll consumer opinions through the Internet, Online Surveys, telephone surveys, door-to-door surveys, or focus groups. Market research companies have, however, understood that in order to obtain quality statistical information from their surveys, they need to incentivize consumer participation.

marketing research surveys online : are giving marketing professionals dynamic tools to help measure, analyze, and grow their business. The latest Internet survey software provides valuable insights into how customers make decisions. Marketing research surveys online – It helps businesses make smarter choices about the four P find out supporter in the souk – product, price, placement, and promotion.

Market research companies – Market research is a multi-billion dollar industry. Market research companies want feedback from general public regarding their products or services and how to improve them. Before launching new products or services, they need to find out consumer preferences. For these, they conduct surveys and utilize the results to improve their products. Market research companies conduct surveys and other forms of consumer research on behalf of these companies. Previously, surveys used to be conducted in person and over telephone. With the emergence of the internet they have recognized the potential for its use for marketing research surveys online in the form of online surveys.

market research agency as a market research consultant I do, from time to time, attend local networking meetings with other owners of SMEs across a wide variety of sectors. As we introduce ourselves to each other I often, frustratingly, find myself explaining what market research is in basic terms rather than promoting my business. As an industry market research has historically been fairly poor at promoting itself to the wider business community. Although many large Market research companies have specialist market research departments they often struggle to get heard internally despite holding the key to a vast amount of information that should help shape all areas of the business. Amongst SMEs specialist market research knowledge is rare with even those heavily involved in sales and marketing typically only having a indistinguishable idea of how market research can be used to help them.

market research firms – Startup businesses should consider that a successful business marketing plan has little to do with a gut feeling or a guess; it is rather based on sound market research. A competitive advantage will be given to any small business that realizes this. This is not however, where entrepreneurs focus their attentions. Market research firms – Even though well done market research is crucial for understanding the competition, most entrepreneur ideas center on entrepreneur business opportunities and creating successful products. If an entrepreneur spends time understanding competition on all levels: product competition, segment competition, demand competition, technology competition and future competition, entrepreneurs would be well equipped to implement competition strategies will be highly effective.

market research surveys – When companies look for ways to increase revenue, they have few options. They can attract more customers for their existing products, raise prices, or offer new products to the public. market research surveys – the problem is that the development costs of creating a new product are often significant. Investing limited resources in that development carries a certain level of risk. After all, if a new product fails to generate sales, the resources that were allocated to its development are wasted.

market research surveys – the main reason to survey your market prior to developing a new product is to identify the likelihood of generating sales. This goes far beyond merely asking people if they would buy it. These surveys can help you determine if a need or desire for the product exists in the market. And if so, will people pay for it? A market research surveys should help you gauge whether those who show interest in your company’s new product have the necessary discretionary income and the willingness to spend it.

Section 1: Market research proposal

Introduction

Cheung Bei Computer Industrial Company Limited (abbreviated as CB) is a Chinese based company that specialises in the production of computers and computer related products. CB has also been producing a particular notebook computer known as DIL. In order to ensure that its clients are satisfied with the product, it is imperative for this company to find out what their clients are looking for in the ideal notebook computer. (Tiu & Crimp, 2000)

Information from this research will be important in determining the success of the new product. This is largely because the company is likely to include this information in launching their product into the market. Most DIL consumers emanate from the professional segment; consequently, prices of this commodity were a bit on the high side. The latter issue has attracted the attention of this company to consumers representing the personal segment or ordinary consumer segment. It is expected that this group may be concerned about the issue of price and the latter proposal will ascertain whether this is a true fact or not.

The client has set a period of eight weeks for the completion of the project. Consequently, all the tasks in the research will be distributed evenly within this period. Allocations will be done depending on the weight of the task and how many parties will need to be involved in the process.

2.0 Research objectives

The following research objectives have been identified and agreed with Cheung Bei

2.1)            To identify the right target audience for the notebook computer

2.2)            To identify the internal and external features that consumers look or in the notebook computer

2.3)            To explore the market psychology of notebook consumers prior to purchasing the commodity – market features such as price will be considered

2.4)            To determine what features make CB’s competitors do well

3.0 Information coverage

Information for this research will be collected according to the following hierarchy of needs:

(Hague & Jackson, 1998)

3.1) Focus group information

The focus group will be essential in determining the factors that consumers consider when making decisions about the purchase of notebook computers. Besides this, they will also reveal information about sources of information that they rely on before choosing to buy a notebook computer.

3.2)  Notebook computer information

This part will dwell on how the notebook computer is regarded by clients in terms of its appearance.

Information such as the computer’s exteriors design will be looked into. For example colour, design and thickness

Information about the interior features of the computer will also be imperative. Things such as display cards, memory, CPU, mainboard and other features will be examined

3.3) Competitor’s information

Information about the kind of features that make competitors more successful within the market will be sought. This is especially because the market has become relatively competitive today. Special emphasis will be given to price offerings in this particular industry segment as it was a serious concern by CB

4.0 Methodology

A budget of two thousand pounds allows one to do more secondary than primary research. (Aaker & Day, 1990) The information sought during the research will represent both quantitative and qualitative portions of the paper. Quantitative aspects will cover the numerical elements of the research such as price. Additionally, qualitative aspects of the research will be reflected by looking into consumer experiences especially with regard to the decision making process. These two aspects govern exactly how the kind of

4.1 Desk research

This part of the research will entail an examination of data sources that may have contain information about related topics to the one under consideration. Here, their methods or processes and their results will be thoroughly be examined in order to ascertain that the right procedure is being followed. Additionally, related computer websites will be consulted so as to seek information from e-forms. Competitor information will also be obtained from this segment of the research. The following computer related journals will be sought

-21st Century computer hardware

-Personal computer market

-Today’s computer

-The notebook computer market reports

The following websites will be

-Pchome (http://www.hardware.pchome.net/ )

-eNet (http://www.enet.com.cn)

-yesky (http://www.myhard.yesky.com/)

-Pconline (http://www.pconline.com.cn/)

4.2 Questionnaire

The latter portion of the research will entail structured online questionnaires. This is because of the fact that they can reach greater numbers of people at any one time. On top of that, they save on time and allow greater room for data analysis. E-forms are also particularly useful in this research because they will allow collection of more research information. (William, 2000)

Online structured questionnaires have a format that will be applied in the depth interviews thus saving on time and crucial resources. It should be noted that the issue of time is also particularly important because the research deadline was set at eight weeks.

4.3 Depth interviews

Depth interviews will be carried among members of the focus group. (Tiu & Crimp, 2000)

These individuals will represent the new market segment that CB will be targeting i.e. students and family members. There will be ten representatives from each section and each interview shall last for a period of twenty to thirty minutes depending on how well respondents understand the questions and how they respond to them. This means that the entire interview process will take a period of one month. It should be noted that an allowance has been given for the differences in geographical areas as each interviewee will represent a different city.

Participants will be expected to answer questions derived from the e-form mentioned in the latter section. On top of this, the staff members hired for the research will also come up with special questions designed to address issues that had not been fully covered in the e-form. Depth interviews are particularly interesting because of the fact that they can produce very satisfactory data to be used in the data analysis phase. (Malhotra & Birks, 2000)

Respondents could possess knowledge about CB as a company and its notebook product or they may not. However, it will imperative for these participants to have at least used a notebook computer or to have purchased one so that they can have adequate knowledge about it.

The research will be done through random probability sampling. However, the sample population will be such that fifty percent of the respondents will be family members while the remaining will be students. Selection of the twenty participants will then be randomly done. Numbers will be generated automatically through a computer and names will then be numbered and listed alphabetically. The participants will be chosen through the random numbers appearing on the computer screen.

4.4 Personal interviews with frontline salesmen

Frontline salesmen have a mastery of notebook computer information because they have to know what they are selling. Also, they have interacted with consumers widely and are therefore at a greater position to asses the psychology of the decision making process. Depth interviews were chosen for this part of the research because they will bring in a different angle to the research. Besides that, it will go a long way in ascertaining that some hidden truths will be revealed in the process. (Brassington and Stephen, 2000)

5.0 Accuracy levels

In order to ensure good accuracy levels within the research, findings from the primary phase will be compared to other related findings so as to see whether they correlate. Consequently, personal judgement will come into play. Also, triangulation is another method for ensuring high accuracy levels within this research. The latter term refers to the use of a series of methods in research so as to minimise the biases associated with the use of one source alone. The research will employ the use of three methods i.e. Depth interviews, structured online questionnaires and Desk research. The inadequacies in one method will be neutralised by the strength in another method hence the term strangulation.

5.1 The manner in which a structured questionnaire has been designed can contribute greatly towards the research’s accuracy levels.  If the questionnaire is well structured, interactive and comprehensive, then chances of success are much higher. These are all qualities that will be adhered to promptly within the interview process. The target audience will also be given an imperative for thinking within this research and this will therefore contribute towards greater accuracy.

5.2 The focus group and sampling population will reflect what the potential consumers of the notebook computer will be. (Guba and Lincoln, 1989)This is especially in terms of the demographics of the target group and also in terms of its knowledge base. It can therefore be said that these people’s thoughts and advice will be realistic enough to minimise bias during the research process. The sales men who will take part in the depth interview will also be thoroughly experienced so as to affirm that the information given will be representative of the notebook market.

5.3 Selection of staff members to carry out the research will be done carefully and accurately. Only those who are well trained and experienced in the computer notebook industry will be sought. Additionally, a lot of care will be carried out during the data collection process so as to heighten accuracy.

5.4 Statisticians have asserted that data accuracy can always be improved when the sample size chosen is higher than usual. (Procter, 2000) It is likely that the study will be accurate because of the fact that the websites chosen for the research are visited very frequently. This means that response rates will be very high and good data analysis can therefore be done.

6.0) Resources

Time and money are the most valuable resources within this research and the latter section shows how finances will be utilised

Task

Amount

Questionnaire & Interview Gifts

(20 × £6)+ (40 × £4) = £ 280

Internet questionnaire (cooperation with two famous websites

£ 400

Travelling

£ 300

Accommodation and meals

£ 400

Staff salary

£ 500

Printing of questionnaires and reports

£ 50

TOTAL

£ 1980

6.1 Staffing

Since the research will entail visits to different cities, then some assistance will be required. In this case, two staff members will be chosen for the job.

7.0 Research timetable

Time

Research

Week 1

Design questionnaires and contact websites

Week 2

Desk research, questionnaire completion

Week 3

Carrying out depth and personal interviews

Week 4

Continue with primary research in first city

Week 5

Go to second city

Week 6

Collection of competitor information

Week 7

Data analysis and data processing

Week 8

Finalise report writing

8.0 Quality Issues

8.1 In order to ensure sound quality within this research process, then the research designer should have an experience of five years at minimum. However, for successful completion of the project, then a total of ten years will be necessary. The two staff members chosen for this work need to have a minimum of three years within this field. Additionally, they need to have travelled outside the city and must have worked independently. (Patton, 2002)

8.2 The websites chosen for the research will also contribute towards high quality maintenance because they need to demonstrate that they have been in the business for a period of five years or more. On top of the latter a total of twenty thousand persons per day should be visiting this website.

Critical commentary of the market research proposal for notebook computer

1.0 Introduction

William et al (1990) define market research as “the systematic gathering, recording, processing, and analyzing of marketing data, which – when interpreted – will help the marketing executive to uncover opportunities and to reduce risks in decision making.”

The latter critical commentary aims at examining the research proposal for notebook computer section by section in order to justify some of the choices that had been made in the research process. This will include reasons for the research question, why a certain research methodology was chosen, the sampling process and achievement of the objectives within the research proposal.

Generally speaking, the latter research proposal will be particularly useful owing to the fact that it will allow CB (the client and organization under consideration) to fully understand what would make their product successful. Market researches enable clarifications of a number of issues and thus give companies a way forward in terms of marketing or even producing a certain commodity. Since the company had suspected that price would be a determinant factor when clients are looking for the ideal notebook computer, then this research proposal will go a long in ascertaining whether price is important or not.

2.0 The research question

A research question is important in determining the kind of information to be sort in the research. In other words, this will be a guiding factor during the research process and will go a long way in shaping other parts of the research process. (Chisnall, 1997)

The development of the research question was guided by the issue of competition within the computer industry. These days, there are plenty of companies that offer computer accessories and computers in general. Consequently, the nature of the notebook computer has changed dramatically. Companies are offering different notebooks for different accessions and this makes such products highly competitive. Additionally, it is excessively difficult to find one notebook that fits all occasions or one that can deal with various demographic groups at the same time. This was the reason why CB saw it fit to introduce a new notebook computer to meet some of these needs. Therefore, the research question was derived from this perspective. CB needed to know what qualities of the notebook computer can make it ideal from the consumer’s perspective. (Smith & Fletcher, 2001)

2.1 In order to ensure success of the research it is imperative to choose the right research population. This is because a research population will be the basis upon which the samples will be collected and they should therefore possess the right qualities. In the research proposal, students, family members and frontline salesmen were chosen as target populations. This was because the former two categories represent the qualities of the potential market for the new notebook computer. Frontline salesmen were chosen because they have real time experiences with clients and would therefore introduce new information that may not be easily found in textbooks and other literature.

2.2 The research objectives were chosen in that particular manner because it is imperative to implicitly describe the features of the ideal notebook computer. This was the reasons why external information such as weight, colour and thickness were chosen. Additionally, a notebook computer would be functionless without its internal components hence the need to select factors such as memory, video card, main board, software were chosen. If the new product is to meet consumer demands, then it needs to meet and exceed these high expectations.

2.3 Certain market forces must also be considered by consumers when making decisions to buy a notebook computer. Price has always been a determinant factor in the process of purchasing a commodity and it would therefore be imperative to consider such an issue when doing market research in any industry. (Proctor, 2000) However, for this company, price was particularly important owing to the fact that it was targeting different potential consumers who were considered as price sensitive.

Prior to the research, CB had been offering their notebook computer mostly to professionals. Consequently, in order to reach out to other market segments, it would be imperative for this company to offer them market qualities that they had not been able to get before. One such quality is price. Understanding the psychology of the decision making process is very important for this company because it would then allow them to meet those expectations or even to exceed them.

2.4 In China, there is an old saying that knowing one’s enemies as much as oneself can cause one to fight a hundred battles without having danger of defeat. In this case, a good market report would be incomplete if there was no competitor information. This proposal takes that matter into consideration by looking at prices, selling point and products offered by competitors in the computer market. Possessing knowledge about competitors will go a long way in sharpening CB’s product tactics. They will be in a position to minimise all their desirables and maximise all the undesirables.

3.0 The research methodology

Research methodologies are crucial in determining whether the research objectives are achieved since the former depends on the latter. Since there are numerous research methodologies to choose from, it would be advisable to settle for one that has the most favourable qualities.

3.1  Desk research

This method refers to the use of secondary data or information that has already been published and collected for a specific research. Secondary data has a lot of advantages that primary sources may not be able to offer. First of all, it is possible for one to get information rapidly. This is because there may be a lot of information on a particular topic already and all one has to do is to select the relevant information. Secondary data also spares individuals from having to conduct massive surveys that may cost too much. Usually, carrying out research on a nationwide scale may not be cost effective especially when that information is already available. (Marks, 2000)

Secondary research minimises biases that arise out of relying on one source of information. This mode of research can allow one to critically analyse different perspectives on the matter thus enabling one to come up with the right conclusion on the research topic. Despite these advantages, secondary data is not an ideal research method; it may be taken out of context or it may not be able to answer all the research objectives. Consequently, one must resort to another method which in this case is primary research.

3.2  Questionnaire

Crimp and Liu (2000) assert that questionnaires are a common way of collecting information from markets. This means that they must solicit positive outcomes for the respective users. The latter method of research is useful both in qualitative and quantitative aspects of research as is the case in the proposal.

However, in order to reap maximum benefits from such a method, it is crucial for one to adhere to certain rules of thumb. The words used for each questionnaire must be clear and concise. They must also refrain from any form of deviation and they must be in a position to meet the research objectives. These features will be adhered to in the latter research. Structured questionnaires were chosen specifically because they save on time, they minimise deviation from the research objectives and also solicit responses that can be easily analysed.

Online questionnaires were chosen specifically for this research because of the fact that it can be excessively difficult for one to reach large numbers of respondents through paper questionnaires. This case is particularly applicable in the research proposal because people from diverse geographical locations will be sought. It would therefore be more cost effective to reach out to such people through the internet. Additionally, the latter method allows one to save on labour costs that would have been utilised if the questionnaires were answered manually.

3.3  Research population and research sample

It is imperative for one to ensure that they have elected the right sample for any particular research. In this case, families and students were chosen as the target population. This was largely because they represent potential consumers. Besides that, it was also necessary to select the right kind of target population for personal interviews. The latter group was represented by frontline salesmen. They were chosen because they have a lot of experience with the sale of notebook computers and are in a position to understand the psychology of the decision making process.

3.4  Depth interviews

This method of research was chosen because it can be likened to long psycho analytic sessions in which the different sources of feelings are revealed or those in which free association is promoted through the use of an unstructured question guide and also through the skills of the interviewer. There was a lot of quantitative information obtained from the online structured questionnaire. In order to balance the research, it was also necessary to obtain some qualitative information which was best achieved through this unstructured information. (Creswell, 1998)

4.0 Achievement of objectives

In the research proposal, there were three major research questions that had been laid out. The issue of understanding the psychology of the decision making process could be done through the use of personal interviews with frontline salesmen. Additionally, competitor information can be found through desk research. The online questionnaire will assist in determining the features that consumers look for in notebook computers. Consequently, all the research objectives can be achieved through this research.

5.0 Data analysis

A systematic approach will be imperative in ascertaining that the data collected is holistic. Usually, this starts with data collection followed by immersion, reduction, categorisation, synthesis and eventually evaluation. The quantitative aspect of the research i.e. the online questionnaire will require data collection which will then be followed by a reduction process that will be done through analysis of vital information. This can then be followed by a categorisation of all the similar answers. Afterwards, a synthesis of the overall revelations in the research will be done and an evaluation of these outcomes will follow. The latter section will entail a comparison with other pieces of research in this topic. (Creswell, 2003)

Conclusion

The latter research is a combination of both qualitative and quantitative aspects. It seeks to look into the psychology of the decision making process; a qualitative aspect. Additionally, it also examines some competitor information and features of the notebook computer; quantitative aspects. By combining these two aspects, then an insightful analysis will be done qualitatively while at the same time offering suitable facts and figures to explain market trends.

References

William R. Dillon, Thomas J .Madden & Neil H. Firtle (1990) Marketing Research In A Marketing Environment, (2nd Ed.) Produced by Times Mirror/Mosby College Publishing

David A. Aaker & George S. Day (1990) Marketing Research, Fourth Edition. Produced by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

T. Procter (2000), Essentials of Marketing Research, 2nd Edition, Produced by Pearson Education Limited

Len Tiu wright & Margaret Crimp (2000), The Marketing Research Process, fifth edition, Produced by Pearson Education Limited

Frances Brassington and Stephen Pettitt (2000) Principles of Marketing, (2nd Ed.) Produced by Pearson Education Limited

William, Zikmund (2000) Business research methods, 6th edtn, Dryden

Smith, D. & Fletcher, J. (2001):  Inside information – making sense of marketing data; Wiley

Malhotra, K. & Birks, D. (2000): Marketing research – an applied approach; Prentice Hall

Proctor, T. (2000): Essentials of marketing research, 2nd ed, Financial Times Management

Hague, P. & Jackson, P. (1998): Do your own market research, 3rd ed, Kogan Page

Chisnall, P. (1997): Marketing research, 5th ed, McGraw-Hill

Marks, L. (2000): Qualitative research in context; Routledge

Creswell, J. (1998): Qualitative inquiry and research design – Choosing among five traditions; Sage Publications

Creswell, J. (2003): Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Methods Approaches; Sage Publications

Guba, E. and Lincoln, Y. (1989): Fourth Generation Evaluation; Sage Publications

Patton, M. (2002): Qualitative research & evaluation methods; 3rd edtn; Sage Publications.

More Market Research Articles

Breadth and scope of international marketing research:

A basic difference between domestic and international marketing research is the broader scope needed for foreign research. Research can be divided into three types based on information needs:

general information about the country area and or market
information necessary to forecast future marketing requirements by anticipating social, economic and consumer trends within specific markets or countries, and
Specific market information used to make product, promotion, distribution and price decisions and develop marketing plans.

In domestic operations, most emphasis is placed on the third type, gathering specific market information, because the other data are often available from secondary sources.

A country’s political stability, cultural attributes and geographical characteristics are some of the kinds of information not ordinarily gathered by domestic company marketing research departments but which are required for a sound assessment of a foreign country market. This broader scope of international marketing research entails collecting and assessing information that includes the following:

 

Economic: general data on growth of the economy, inflation, business cycle trends and the like, profitability analysis for the division’s products, specific industry economic studies, analysis of overseas economies and key economic indicators for the home country and foreign countries.
Sociological and political climate: a general non-economic review of conditions affecting the division’s business. In addition to the more obvious subjects such as cultural differences, it also covers ecology, safety, leisure time and their potential impact on the division’s business.
Overview of market conditions: a detailed analysis of market conditions the division faces, by market segment, including international.
Summary of the technological environment: a summary of the state-of-the-art technology as it relates to the division’s business, carefully broken down by product segments.
Competitors: a review of competitors market shares, methods of market segmentation, products and apparent strategies on an international scale.(Samuel and Craig, 1997)

 

 

The marketing research process and the international dimension

 

1Topic and research problem

2.Research design and plan

3.Data collection and measurement

4.Data analysis and interpretation

5.presentation of the findings and report

 

Source : Ghauri & Cateora(2006)

Centralized vs. Decentralized Research

Centralized research is done when the researcher conducts research in two or more countries from the headquarters. Decentralized research is done when the researcher has the company office in each country conduct the research based on the guidelines from the headquarters(Kumar,2000)

Single-country Research

This type of research is done when there arises a need for organizations to conduct research in a single foreign country market(Kumar,2000)

Multi-country Research

Multi-country research, as the name indicates, involves research conducted in

more than one country market(Kumar,2000)

What are the main additional complexities faced by the International marketing Researcher?

Complexity of research Design:

Designing research for International marketing decisionsis more complex than where a single country is concerned. The conduct of Research in different countries implies that much greater attention is required to define the relevant unit and level of analysis that is, countries versus groups of countries or regions or national markets versus global market segments as well as the scope of the research. In addition the definition of the problem needs to be assessed and whether this is similar in structure and relevant parameters for example, whether products are the same across countries.   (Samuel and Craig, 1997)

While countries are convenient and the most commonly used units of analysis due to the existence of political and Organizational boundaries, as well as because much secondary data are available on a country-by-country basis, these may not be the most appropriate units from a marketing stand point     ( Douglas and Craig 1997)

The relevant respondent may differ country to country. Example: the role of women in financial and insurance decisions or traditional male purchases, such as automobiles may vary from country to country.

*Analysis can become yet more complex where attention is focused on the examination of similar subgroups and entries across countries.

 

Difficulties in establishing comparability and equivalence

Considerable difficulties are likely to be encountered in establishing equivalence and comparability of research in different countries, both with secondary and primary data and with methods of data collection. For example: secondary data on motor vehicle registration may not provide equivalent data between companies.
Similarly many of the concepts, measurement instruments and procedures for primary data collection have been developed and tested in the US and Western Europe. Their relevance and applicability in other countries are far from clear. Concern with equivalence and comparability as well as accuracy may be particularly critical where secondary data are collected from the internet. (Wind and Douglas,1982)
Establishing the comparability of data administration procedures posses further difficulties. In one country certain method of data collection, for example: mail questionnaires, may be known  to have a given level of reliability, in another country, personal interview rather than mail questionnaire may have an equivalence level of reliability.

 

 

Complexity of Coordination of research and data collection across countries:

The conduct of research in the international environment adds considerably to the complexity of research design and data collection. The research instruments and data collection procedures also have to be harmonized. This can result in substantial difficulties and coordination problems. These can add considerably to research costs and also lead to considerable time delays (Samuel and Craig, 1997).

 

Complexity of Intra-functional character of international marketing decisions

There are some complexity are likely to be encountered in coordinating intra-functional research. For example: The accounting or finance department might want to focus on measures of profitability such as  cash flow and return on investment (ROI) while marketing and sales dept. are more concerned with market share and sales.

 

Complexity of Economics of International Investment & Marketing Decisions:

The lack of familiarity with foreign environments and with operations within these environments implies that much research, especially in the initial entry stages, should be viewed as an investment rather than a current expense (Samuel and Craig, 1997).

 

How International marketing different from Domestic Marketing? (PEST ANALYSIS)

The process of international marketing research though involves the same disciplines as domestic research, has some differences compared to its domestic version.

The major differences are

• The national differences between countries arising out of political, legal, economic, social and cultural differences and,
• The comparability of research results due to these differences.

 

National Differences

The main factors that affect the way in which people from different cultures behave are:

A Cultural Differences: Culture refers to widely shared norms or patterns of behaviour of a large group of people. It is defined as the values, attitudes, beliefs, artefacts and other meaningful symbols represented in the pattern of life adopted by people that help them interpret, evaluate and communicate as members of society. The need for greater cross cultural awareness is heightened in our global economies. Cross cultural differences in matters such as language, etiquette, non-verbal communication, norms and values can lead to cross cultural blunders as illustrated by the following marketing mix:

Product: A soft drink was introduced into Arab countries with an attractive label that had six-pointed stars on it. The Arabs interpreted this as pro-Israeli and refused to buy it. Another label was printed in ten languages, one of which was in Hebrew again the Arabs did not buy it (Payne, website).

Price: An American firm was trying to get an acceptable price for their product from a Japanese buyer. The Americans presented a very detailed presentation and offered what they felt was a reasonable price. After a few moments of silence, the Americans thought the Japanese were going to reject the offer so they lowered the price. There was more silence by the Japanese. The Americans then said they would lower their price one last time and that this was the lowest they could go. The Japanese accepted this offer after a brief silence. The Japanese later said the first price was within an acceptable range, but it was their custom to consider the proposal silently before giving their decision. The Americans lost a lot of profit by jumping the gun and believing that Japanese respond just like the Americans do(InternationalBusinessCommunication,(http://www.cba.uni.edu/buscomm/InternationalBusComm/blunders.htm).

Place: A well known drinks company tried to introduce a two litre drinks bottle into Spain, but found it hard to enter the market – they soon discovered this was because few Spaniards had fridge doors large enough to accommodate the large size bottle (Payne, website).

Promotion: When Pepsi co advertised Pepsi in Taiwan with the ad “Come Alive with Pepsi” they had no idea that it would be translated into Chinese as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead.”

B. Racial Differences: This would refer to the differences in physical features of people in different countries. For example, the types of hair care and cosmetic products needed in U.S would differ from those needed in South East Asia.

C. Climatic Differences: This would include the meteorological conditions like degree of rain and temperature range in the targeted foreign market. For instance, Bosch-Siemens had to alter their washing machines with a minimum spin cycle of 1,000 rpm and a maximum of 1,600 rpm in Scandinavia, owing to irregular sunshine. In Italy and Spain, on the other hand, it is sufficient to have a spin cycle of 500 rpm as there is abundant sunshine (Stevens & Davis, 1997).

D. Economic Differences: The level of economic development in a market can affect the desired properties of a product and in this way can inspire a company to adapt its products in order to meet the needs of the local market. The level of economic progress in a market can be assessed by a series of indications:

 

The level of revenue and buying power of local consumers:

This will have an influence on the technical conception and marketing of exported products. In richer countries where the state of economic progress is more advanced, consumers generally having a higher purchasing power and tend to prefer purchase of more sophisticated products with advanced functions, while people in poorer markets would be interested in a simplified version of the product.

 

The state of infrastructure in the market:

The general level of the quality of infrastructure in the country consisting of elements such as transport, energy communication systems, etc. can affect how the product is constituted as it can bring about different conditions of use. For instance when car manufacturer Suzuki entered India, it had to reinforce the suspension or the “road clearance level” of the cars as the state of the roads were poor.

E. Religious Differences: Religion has many impacts on products, more particularly on the ingredients, that constitute them. For example, in Islamic countries, companies, exporting grocery products based on beef have to furnish a certificate declaring that the animals have been slaughtered respecting “Halal” methods. Alcoholic drinks are equally banned in Middle Eastern countries. Religious restrictions can therefore require product adaptation (Kumar, 2000).

F. Historical Differences: Historical differences help explain facts such as the playing of cricket in England, as opposed to game of boules in France. These differences have slowly evolved over time but have a profound effect on consumer behaviour. For example, drinking Scotch whiskey is considered prestigious and trendy in Italy, but old-fashioned and almost boring in Scotland (Kumar, 2000).

G. Language Differences: Language is an important aspect of international marketing research. Inappropriate use of language could result in loss of market apart from turning out to be a cross cultural gaffe. For instance, U.S. and British negotiators found themselves at a standstill when the American company proposed that they “table” particular key points. In the U.S. “Tabling a motion” means to not discuss it, while the same phrase in Great Britain means to “bring it to the table for discussion” (Ricks, 1999).

 

H. Differences in Actual and Potential Target Groups: In countries like England and

Germany it is possible to do national samples. Small towns and villages can be included because distances are not great. In Spain, interviews can be conducted only in cities with populations of over 100,000 people, as the cost of interviewing people in small towns and villages is prohibitively high (Kumar, 2000).

In addition, the international marketing researcher may also have to deal with other factors such as differences in the way that products or services are used, differences in the criteria for assessing products or services across various markets and differences in market research facilities and capabilities.

 

The negative aspects of standardization

Despite the benefits of standardization, there are a number of potential drawbacks associated with a standardization strategy. As Douglas and Wind (1987) pointed out, global marketing standardization is feasible only under certain conditions. These include the existence of a global market segment, potential synergies from standardization, and availability of a communication and distribution infrastructure to deliver the firms’ offerings to target customers worldwide. One key drawback of a standardization approach is that it implies a product orientation, rather than a customer and competitor orientation (Douglas and Wind, 1987). A product orientation is myopic and pres byopic and is likely to lead to failure (Cateora, 1993; Laughlin et al., 1994). More importantly, cultural differences and competitor strategy are external factors related to standardization. Marketers must be aware of and sensitive to the diverse cultures in foreign countries to survive and prosper in international markets (Cateora, 1993; Ricks, 1983).

Personal Interviews: Tend to be the dominant mode of data collection outside the United States and Canada (Monk, 1987). Lower wage costs imply that personal procedures are cheaper than in the United States. In Latin countries, and particularly in the Middle East, interviewers are regarded with considerable suspicion. In Latin countries, where tax evasion is more prevalent, interviewers are often suspected of being tax inspectors. In the Middle East, where interviewers are invariably male, interviews with housewives often have to be conducted in the evenings when husbands are at home.

Mall Intercept Surveys are very popular in the United States and Canada, though not commonly used either in the European countries or in developing countries.

Telephone Interviews are not as advantageous in international marketing research as low levels of telephone ownership and poor communications in certain countries limit the coverage provided by telephone surveys. In countries such as India, which is predominantly rural, the telephone penetration is only 1 percent, and hence telephone surveys may not be the ideal method to adopt (Sopariwala, 1987). Even in relatively affluent societies such as Great Britain, telephone penetration is only 80 percent, and telephone interviewing is not widely used because many practitioners are still skeptical about it. In Britain and France, there are substantial declines in telephone response rates in large cities. The Eastern European countries and countries in the newly formed Commonwealth of Independent States have a poor telecommunication system. In such countries, conducting telephone surveys may not be a good idea.

 

Conclusion:

In the complex diverse and continually changing international environment International marketing research assume a vital role in helping management keep abreast and in touch with development in fluctuating in market throughout the world.

 

 

 

RFERENCES:

1)Craig CS and Douglas SP(1997) “The changing dynamic of consumer behaviour :implication for cross cultural research,” international journal of research in marketing 14,379-395.

2)Cateora, P.R. (1993), “International Marketing,” Irwin, Boston, MA.  Laughlin, J.L., Norvell, D.W. and Andrus, D.M. (1994), “Marketing presbyopia”, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, Vol. 2 No. 4, pp. 1-10.

3)Douglas, S.P. and Wind, Y. (1987), “The myth of globalization”, Colombia Journal of World Business, Winter, pp. 19-29.

4).Ghauri and Cateora(2006),”International Marketing research”, Edition 2nd McGraw-Hill.

5). Monk.M (1997)”. Marketing research in Canada. European Research,” (November), 271-274.

6). Kumar, V. (2000), “International marketing research.” Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

7) Stevens, & Davis. (1997). Battle of the brands. Appliance, (February), B21
Visionary marketing, Lost in translation. Retrieved October 20, 2005, from

8). Sopariwala. (1987). India: Election polling in the world’s largest democracy. European  Research (August), 174-177

9) Ricks, A. (1999).” Blunders in international business”, 3rd Ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing

 

 

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