(Business Research Methods)

Top 50 Marketing
Research Organizations

19
20
21
22
23
24
25
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36

22
19
23
17
21
38
26
22
19
23
17
21
38
26
28
25
27
24
29
34
33
30
31
39
32

Burke Inc.
Macro International Inc.
Roper Starch Worldwide Inc.
Abt Associates Inc.
Elrick & Lavidge
IntelliQuest Inc.
Wirthlin Worldwide
Burke Inc.
Macro International Inc.
Roper Starch Worldwide Inc.
Abt Associates Inc.
Elrick & Lavidge
IntelliQuest Inc.
Wirthlin Worldwide
Total Research Corp.
MORPACE International
C&R Research Services Inc.
Walker Information
Lieberman Research Worldwide
Diagnostic Research International Inc.
IPSOS-ASI Inc.
Yankelovich Partners Inc.
Custom Research Inc.
Harris Black International Ltd.
Market Strategies Inc.

43.8
42.9
40.0
39.3
37.1
36.5
35.5
43.8
42.9
40.0
39.3
37.1
36.5
35.5
33.1
31.2
31.1
30.9
28.6
26.7
26.7
26.4
25.8
25.7
25.2

22.8
38.5
17.8
0
5.7
29
16
22.8
38.5
17.8
0
5.7
29
16
27.2
17.9
0
21.8
13.3
3.1
0
0
0
7.4
1.6

10
16.5
7.1
0
2.1
10.6
5.7
10
16.5
7.1
0
2.1
10.6
5.7
9
5.6
0
6.7
0
0.8
0
0
0
1.9
0.4

35 39 Harris Black International Ltd.

36 32 Market Strategies Inc.
37 37 ICR-Int'l Communications Research
38 36 Data Development Corp.
39 35 Chilton Research Services
40 40 Market Decisions
41 -- National Research Corp.
42 43 Response Analysis Corp.
43 -- Marketing and Planning Systems
44 46 MATRIXX Marketing Research
45 41 RDA Group Inc.
46 45 Guideline Research Corp.
47 48 Directions Research Inc.
48 44 Conway/Milliken & Associates
49 49 TVG Inc.
50 50 Savitz Research Center Inc.

25.7
7.4
25.2
1.6
22.3
0
22.2
8.7
21.5
0
18.2
0
16.3
0
15.9
0
14.2
6
14.1
41.1
14.0
30
13.3
2.3
13.2
0
13.0
0
12.3
0
12.0
0
$5,479.7 39.30%
Subtotal, Top 50
535.7
All other (124 CASRO member companies not included in Top
50)****

1.9
0.4
0
1.9
0
0
0
0
0.9
5.8
4.2
0.3
0
0
0
0
$2,153.20

Selected Marketing Research

Career Descriptions
Research Director

Also part of senior

Vice President of Marketing Research

management

Part of companys top

management team

Heads the

Directs companys entire market

development and

research operation

execution of all

Sets the goals & objectives of the

marketing research department

Assistant Director of Research

research projects
administrative assistant to
director
supervises research staff
members

Senior Project Manager

Responsible for design, implementation, &
research projects

Senior Analyst

Statistician/Data Processing

Participates
in the
Fig 1.5 Contd.
development of projects
Carries out execution of
assigned projects
Coordinates the efforts of
analyst, junior analyst, & other
personnel development of
research design and data
collection
Prepares final report

Serves as expert on theory and

application on statistical
techniques
Oversees experimental design,
data processing, and analysis

Analyst

Handles details in execution of

project
Designs & pretests
questionnaires
Conducts
Preliminary analysis of data
Junior Analyst

Secondary data analysis

Edits and codes questionnaires
Conducts preliminary analysis of
data

Field Work Director

Handles selection, training,

supervision, and evaluation of
interviewers and field workers

A Sample of
Marketing
Research Jobs

Marketing Research at
Marriott Corporation

Marriott functions in three main areas: lodging (Marriott Hotels and

Resorts, Marriott Suites, Residence Inns, Courtyard Hotels, and
Fairfield Inns), contract services (Marriott Business Food and
Services, Education, Health-Care, In-Flight Services, and Host
International, Inc.) and restaurants (family restaurants, Travel Plazas,
and Hot Shops). It is probably best known, however, for its lodging
operations.

Marketing research at Marriott is done at the corporate level

through the Corporate Marketing Services (CMS). CMSs
goals include providing the management of the different
areas of Marriott with the information they need to better
understand the market and the customer.

RIP 1.6 Contd.

CMS conducts many different types of research. They use quantitative and
qualitative research approaches such as telephone and mail surveys, focus
groups, and customer intercept to gain more information on market
segmentation and sizing, product testing, price sensitivity of consumers,
consumer satisfaction, and the like.
The process of research at Marriott is a simple stepwise progression. The first
step is to better define the problem to be addressed and the objectives of the
client unit and to develop an approach to the problem. The next step is to
formulate a research design and design the study. CMS must decide whether
to conduct its own research or buy it from an outside organization.

If the latter option is chosen, CMS must decide whether or not to use multiple
firms. Once a decision is made, the research is carried out by collecting and
analyzing the data. Then, CMS presents the study findings. The final step in the
research process is to keep a constant dialogue between the client and the
CMS. During this stage, CMS may help explain the implications of the research
findings or may make suggestions for future actions.

Marketing Research

 www.attik.com
Scion Toyota car for Generation Y

11

Decision-Making is the process of resolving a

problem or choosing amongst alternative
opportunities

What is the problem or opportunity?

How much Information is available?
What Information is needed?

Complete
Certainty

Decision-Making
Situation

Absolute
Ambiguity

Value of Research
12

Exploratory Research:

undertaken with the aim of clarifying ambiguous

problems
general problems usually known but not sufficiently
understood
the purpose is to get more information, not to uncover
specific courses of action (subsequent research)

Determining a specific course of action to follow is not a

purpose of exploratory research!
Example: Child-Care support programme for employees

13

Descriptive Research:

undertaken with the aim of determining the

characteristics of a population or phenomenon
Previous knowledge of problem exists
High degree of precision or accuracy required

Examples:
Who are the main consumers of organic foods?
How many students read the prescribed course
literature?
Where do most holiday-makers travelling overseas go?
When do petrol stations tend to raise their prices?

14

Causal Research:

undertaken with the aim of identifying cause and

effect relationships amongst variables
are normally preceeded by exploratory and
descriptive research studies
Often difficult to determine because of the influence
of other variables (concommitant Variation and the
presence of other hidden variables)

Example: Higher ice-cream consumption causes more

people to drown (indicative of a causal relationship (?))

15

Define
Problem

Planning a
Research Design

Conclusions
and Report

Planning
a Sample

Processing and
Analysing the Data

Gathering
the Data
16

Forward Linkage The earlier stages of a research

project determine the design at a later stage
Example: The goal of the research project will
determine the selection of the sample and the way
data is collected

Backward Linkage The later stages of a research

project determine how its earlier stages are
conducted
Example: The company executives require certain
specific information which the researcher anticipates
and for which he or she plans the data collection and
analysis steps accordingly
17

Problem Discovery

Selection of
exploratory
research technique

Secondary (historical) data

Pilot Study
Experience Survey
Case Study

Problem Definition
(Statement of research objectives)

Selection of
basic research
method

Survey (Interview, Questionnaire)

Experiment (Laboratory, Field)
Secondary Data Study
Observation

18

Survey (Interview, Questionnaire)

Experiment (Laboratory, Field)
Secondary Data Study
Observation

Collection of Data (Fieldwork)

Editing and Coding Data

Sample Design

Probability
Sampling

Non-Probability
Sampling

Data Processing and Analysis

Interpretation of Findings

Report
19

 Ethics & Morals

Societal norms and values
Divergent perceptions of what

is
considered ethical and unethical
What is ethical in business
research?
Ethical Guidelines and professional
associations
20

Subjects Rights

Clients Rights

Researchers Obligation

Researchers Obligation

Research
Subject

Research
Sponsor

Researcher

Researchers Rights

Researchers Rights

Subjects Obligation

Clients Obligation

Subjects Rights & Clients Obligation

21

Truthfulness in giving information to the

researcher if a research subject or respondent
gives his or her consent to participate in a
research study

Sustained cooperativeness with the researcher

throughout the course of the research study

Adhere to responsibility if informed consent is

given to the researcher

State any constraints or limitations in advance

22

No deception, be forthright and do not conceal

the true purpose of the research
Maintain objectivity, courtesy and high
professional standards through scientific process
No falsification, alteration or misrepresentation of
data for political or other purposes
Protect the confidentiality of the research
subjects and research sponsors
No faulty conclusions
No inclusion or use of information or ideas
contained in competing research proposals

23

No request for submission of competitive bids by

researchers if selection of the researcher has already
been made
Avoid manipulation and influencing of the researcher
with a view to discrediting individuals or organizations
The conclusions drawn from research work should be
consistent with the data and not influenced by other
undesirable conditions or motives
Observe the confidentiality of the research subjects
and researcher
Avoid Advocacy Research

24