Definition:- American Marketing Association has defined Marketing Research as follows:- Marketing research is the function which links the consumer, customer and public to the marketer through information-
information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems, generate, refine and evaluate marketing actions, monitor marketing performance and improve understanding of market as a process
Definition :- Marketing Research is a systematic and continuous process of collecting data, classifying it to analyse and convert in to a relevant information and interpreting it to achieve better decision making in Marketing of service and products, marketing research helps in identifying situations in market which can be utilized for achieving business targets.
Marketing Research is scientific and systematic process and act as Management Information Tool.
Marketing research can be done to achieve the following objective
1 To help manager make strategies and make better tactical decisions
2 To find out a marketing problem, diagnose it.
3 To find out alternative solutions for marketing problems.
4 To find out suitable alternative solution which can give the best results to the firm.,
5 To improve the knowledge of the marketing manager to take better decision making like conducting like forecasting changes in trend, sales forecasting, production planning, product improvement and modifications etc.
6 Marketing research also helps in finding new product ideas, conceptualizing ideas in to product or service offerings, positioning the product and other such marketing issues.
Research Proposal
Definition:- Research proposal is a formal proposal made by research company or research consultant or researchers who are interested in doing the research. Research proposal are made to give the overview of the research plan made by them it, research proposal highlight various aspects of the research.
Research proposal are made to fulfill following objectives
1) To tell the client or organization or the institution what the researcher is promising to accomplish.
2) To make the client or organization or the institution understand the various steps, researcher is going to follow in the research like
- Problem Definition
- What will be research design
- Description of the sampling process, sample size etc
- Methodlogies which will be followed for collection, classification and analysing the data etc
- Research proposal also highlight the methods of interpretation of the data and conversion of data in to meaningful information.
- To give appropriate details of time required to complete the research.
- To provide the client with the details of funds required for the study.
- To give the details of terms and conditions of payment. or to request the grants required or budget requested.
- To give clear picture of the research its objective.
Research Proposal should avoid the following mistakes
1 It should give clear picture of all aspects of the research, and should avoid misunderstanding and confusion.
2 Should be made in simple and easy to understand language, using unneccessary jargon or technical language will only make it difficult to understand.
3 All the details like the research design, sampling methods etc should not be ambiguous
4 Avoid omissions, any thing missed out in the proposal can cost you very dearly as once the porposal is accepted, the term and condtions will be defined accordingly and any changes will be very difficult at later stage.Anything which is not specified by the researcher will not be provided.
Evaluation of any Research Proposal should be done keeping in mind the following.
Client should analyse the research proposal thoroughly to ensure that there are no false promises or fake objective listed in the proposal.
client should always check that whatever the researcher is asking for can be provided to them ( like budget, time and anyother resources)
In case of any doubt clarifications should be sought some times the information required for conducting the research is available internally in the company.
Client should go through the terms and conditions,as once accepted the client has to fulfill the considerations.
Parts of Research Proposal
Executive Summary :- Executive Summary is the summary of all the important points covered in the Proposal. The executive summary is made for the top officials who doesn't have enough time to go through the total details. In case they wanted to go through further details they can refer the detailed sections in the proposal it self.
Background :- Background details highlights the environmental and other related factors under the influence of which the research will be conducted. It may include details of cultural , social, economical and trends in the envirnment.
Problem Definition/Objective of the research:-
Approach to the problem
Research Design :- This section provide the details like what information will be required to undertake the study.
It also tells about types of research required to be undertaken like Exploratory, Descriptive or causal research etc.
It enlist specific procedures that will be adopted for measurement and scaling.
It will also list out the sampling procedures that will be followed along with methods of data collection, size of sample etc.
Data Collection Method:- This part specifically describe about the methods of data collection i.e how the data will be collected, who will collect it,time required for data collection and field surveys etc.
Data Analysis :- This part specify that how collected data will be analysed and how the data will be interpreted and converted into information required for drawing out conclusions.
Reporting:- This part specify whether the reports will be given at the last stage or can be given on intermediate basis.It also specify the details of presentation of the report and timeliness of reports and presentations.
Cost and Time factors:- It covers the costs involved in the projects at various stages and level. A CPM or PERT chart can also be included. Payment schedule is also provided.
Appendices and Addenda:- Any detailed information which is relevant and of the interest of the client, or any other information which might be required by the client during the negotiations of the projects
Research Report
Research report is the final document, which is formulated to depict the findings of the research in a systematic manner,Research Report provide the conclusions, recommendations, suggestions to the end user to take any decisons on the topic.
A formal Research Report has following part( these parts are suggestive and reports can have many other parts depending on the topic and type of research).
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Acknowlegements
Introduction
Research Objectives
Background details of the topic
Research Methodologies giving details about Sample Designs, Field Work Plan and dates.Analysis and expected outcome etc. Details of Questionnaire and relevant information.
Classifucation and Analysis of Data
Findings
Limitations : the limiting factors which might have effected the research process in any way.
Recommendations, conclusions or suggestions:- Statement which states suggestive decisons or recommendation of action the end user can take based on the research, or statement reflecting the outcome or conclusion of the research i.e acceptance or rejection of a hypothesis etc.
Bibliography and list of refernces:- list of various books, literature sources( journal, magzines etc) websites etc from which any relvant data is picked.
Annexures :- The copies of questionnaires used in survey or interviews, Spread sheets used in classifying the data etc
