problem definition Flashcards
(21 cards)
What are the objectives of the lecture on the Market Research Process?
Discuss the stages in the research process, nature of marketing problems, importance of problem definition, process of defining the problem, role of theory, formulating research questions and hypotheses, and research objectives
What is the first stage of the research process?
Defining the Problem
What are the characteristics of marketing problems?
- Complex
- Uncertain
- Vaguely conceived
What are the six interrelated steps in the process of defining the problem?
- Ascertain the Decision Makers Objective
- Understand the Background of the Problem
- Conversations with Decision Maker
- Literature Review
- Secondary Data (Internal and/or External)
- Situation Analysis
- Pilot Studies
What is the Iceberg Principle in problem definition?
It refers to the unseen portion of a problem (causes) that, if omitted, may result in inadequate problem definition.
What are common symptoms of marketing problems?
- Loss of sales
- Decreasing brand loyalty
- Decreased market share
- Low trial rates
- Low advertising impacts
- Non-results from sales promotions
How does a marketing problem differ from a marketing research question?
Marketing Problem focuses on what the decision maker needs to do, while Marketing Research Question focuses on what information is needed and how it should be obtained.
Define ‘theory’ in the context of marketing research.
A formal, logical explanation of some event(s) that includes descriptions of how things relate to one another.
What are the three types of variables in marketing research?
- Categorical/nominal variables
- Ordinal Variables
- Continuous Variables
What is a dependent variable?
A variable that is to be predicted or explained.
What is an independent variable?
A variable that is expected to influence the dependent variable.
What is a hypothesis?
An unproven statement or proposition; a possible answer to a research question or objective.
What are the characteristics of good hypotheses?
- Follow from research questions
- Written clearly and simply
- Must be testable
What is exploratory research?
Techniques used when little is known about the research problem to narrow down the research scope.
What is descriptive research used for?
To describe characteristics of a population and answer who, what, when, where, and how questions.
What is the main goal of causal research?
To identify cause-and-effect relationships among variables.
What is a research proposal?
A written statement of the research design explaining the purpose of the study.
What is the relationship between research objectives and research design?
The research objective will influence the choice of research design/s and corresponding method/s to collect the required data.
Fill in the blank: _______ entails determining what information is needed and how it can be obtained in the most feasible way.
The marketing research problem
Fill in the blank: _______ are refined statements of the specific components of the problem.
Research questions
True or False: The best research design is the one that addresses the problem the best.
True
