Transcript Exploratory Research & Secondary Data

Exploratory Research &
Secondary Data
Exploratory Research
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What if problem cannot be defined?
What if managerial problem cannot be
transferred to a research problem?
What if hypotheses cannot be generated?
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EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
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Research whose primary objective is to insights
into a problem situation
Exploratory Research
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Objective of Exploratory Research
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Gather ideas and insights for developing a better
understanding of a problem
Help define a problem
Help develop hypotheses
Establish priorities for future research
Not answers
Characteristic of Exploratory Research
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Flexibility (not rigid)
Types of Exploratory Research
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Exploratory Research Methods
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Secondary Data/Literature Reviews
Experience Surveys
Analysis of Stimulating Examples (i.e., Case
Analyses)
Unstructured Methods (i.e., Qualitative Research)
Assignment
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Starbucks’ mission – stay “local” with a global
brand
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What does it mean to stay local? How can
Starbucks do find that out (via research)?
Literature Reviews/Secondary Data
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Literature Reviews
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Review of previous studies and articles
Internal and external sources should be consulted
Guidelines for search
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Ideas and insights -- not conclusions
Literature Reviews/Secondary Data
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Secondary Data -- data gathered for
purposes other than the present study
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Advantages
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Cheap in terms of time and money
Disadvantages
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Data Fit
Accuracy
Literature Reviews/Secondary Data
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Types of Secondary Data
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Internal -- originates within the organization for
which the research is being conducted
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Least costly type of secondary data
External -- data found from sources external to the
organization commissioning the research
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Cost more than internal data, but a wealth is available
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Library Sources
Government Sources
Syndicated Sources
Literature Reviews/Secondary Data
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Internal Secondary Data
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Financial Statements
Sales Reports (by Region, Sales Person, Etc.)
Customer Databases
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Collection of data about customers developed from
internal sources (could be from MR activities)
Needs to be large and extensive to be effective
Literature Reviews/Secondary Data
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Internal Secondary Data
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Customer Databases
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Data mining (use of statistical techniques to identify
patterns hidden in a database) is needed
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Complex statistical methods need to be used
Uses of data mining
 Customer Acquisition -- look to identify “types” of
customers to whom we appeal
 Customer Retention (Abandonment) – identify
customers to keep (get rid of)
Literature Reviews/Secondary Data
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Secondary Data (External)
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Library Sources (Magazines and Other
Publications – many on Internet)
Government Sources
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Census data
State/Country economic data
Literature Reviews/Secondary Data
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Secondary Data (External)
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Standardized Marketing Information Services
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Market Share Data
 Nielsen Retail Index
Nielsen Retail Index
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ACNielsen provides information like the following to the
grocery, health & beauty care, tobacco, snack foods and
beverage industries.
Sales volume - How big is my market?
Trends - Is my market growing or shrinking?
Shares - Are competitors taking my business?
Pricing - Can I raise my price and increase profits?
Brand Shifting - Who will my new products get volume
from?
Distribution- Can consumers find my new product?
Trial and Repeat - Who is trying my new product? Will
they buy it again?
Tracking What Happens at the
Retailer Point of Sale . . .
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ACNielsen Collects Data in:
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In over 36,000 retail outlets (US)
Through Scanning and in store Auditing
ACNielsen Consumer Panel
Tracking what happens in the home
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61,500 Households
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Geographically dispersed
& demographically
balanced
Methodology allows for
all-channel and retail
account analysis
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Projectable at the
national, regional, market
& account level
ACNielsen Links Store Data to the
Consumer Behind the Purchase
• Who buys what
•What brand sold
•At what price
•Under what conditions
•Where do they shop
Consumer
Panel
•How often do they
shop
•What’s in the shopping
basket
(e.g., coupon used?)
Retail
Measurement
•How loyal are
shoppers
•Are shoppers
switchers
Other Types of Exploratory Research
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Experience Surveys -- attempts to tap the
knowledge and experience of those familiar
with the subject being investigated
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Not a probability sample, a purposive sample
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Sample should be comprised of people who may have
ideas
Provide sample with freedom in providing insights
-- don’t limit their responses
Other Types of Exploratory Research
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Analysis of Stimulating Examples (i.e., Case
Analyses) -- an intensive study of selected
cases of the phenomenon under investigation
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Seek possible explanations rather than testing
explanations
Seek many possibilities (more better than less)
Intensely analyze possibilities
Other Types of Exploratory Research
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Unstructured Methods (e.g., Qualitative
Research) -- a collection of various small
scale techniques that uses sampling but nonrigorous standards
Types of Exploratory Research
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Unstructured Methods
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Depth Interviews -- unstructured extensive
interview in which the researcher probes for indepth answers to questions
Requires a skilled interviewer and sometimes
multi-media equipment
Other Types of Exploratory Research
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Focus Groups -- unstructured interview with a small
group of respondents
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Idea -- synergy among group members will lead to
responses and ideas that would not be generated in
individual settings
Keys to focus group success
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Moderator
Purposive Sample
Objective -- ideas, not answers
Group Composition -- 6-10 homogeneous members
Environment -- professional with ability to have researchers
observe
Planned, but loose, agenda
Other Types of Exploratory Research
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Unstructured Methods
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Projective Techniques -- Disguised unstructured
method that allows respondents to project beliefs
or feelings to a third party
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Story-telling approach (e.g., tap childhood memories’)
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Nescafe Example
Other Types of Exploratory Research
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Unstructured Methods
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Develop on-line communities
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Create membership
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Allow on-line WOMC
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Gather demographic data on users
Have users feel part of a community (they are not alone)
Monitor and get ideas and insights
Built-in research participants
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Sound out ideas
Assignment
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Briefly “design” an on-line community for
Laczniak Yogurt
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Objectives
What “data” would you gather from members?
EXPLAIN.