Statement of the Research Problem
As apparent in numerous reports we are receiving from the fields concerning our marketing performance, there are geographical regions, within our marketing area, that experience high levels of sales. Similarly, there are sectors that register extremely dismal sales. This research process focuses on the two extreme regions. The objective is to establish the reasons for the acute disparity in sales across such a geographical divide. Achievement of this is through practical marketing research where researchers will go to the field and administer questionnaires. The researchers also aim to carry out face to face and telephone interviews to help unravel the underlying problem.
According to Churchill & Brown (2006), Marketing is a financially viable concept describing the procedural scheduling and execution that leads to the creation, costing, advertising, and distribution of thoughts, merchandise and services. This gives rise to procedures that gratify individuals and managerial entities. The research process focuses on the concerns evident in these processes. As such, the problem arises from disparities in the concept of marketing, which emphasize client contentment rather than income maximization. It entails acquisition of information on client desires and marketing intelligence to enhance satisfaction of the stated needs.
Consequently, marketing research is the decisive fraction of a marketing aptitude system. It reinforces the management decision-making process by providing pertinent, precise and opportune information. Every verdict provides inherently exclusive needs for information and relevant strategies based on the information assemblage through the events of marketing research (Churchill & Brown, 2006).
Preliminary Market Research Discussion
Bradley (2007) sees market research as a procedural undertaking for gathering and analyzing facts associated to merchandise and services, capabilities and industry practices inline with the marketplace to gratify one’s customer needs. Additionally, market research is an informational contribution to decisions, and not a measly tool for evaluating decisions that are in progress. However, on its own, market research cannot warrant success but its intelligent relevance is significant in attaining the predictable business goals (MSR, 2011). This insinuates that through such a process, it is simple to determine the disparities across the geographical divide.
According to Churchill & Brown (2006), practical market place reviews involve such daily practices as checking advertisements from a variety of media outlets, sharing with co-workers about their experiences with attention-grabbing merchandise and services and checking out deals of the day in online promotional outlets. It is significant to note that the context for critical decision is the market planning process. This will provide a platform for determining the flavors.
According to Churchill & Brown (2006), promotional decisions engross issues ranging from elemental shifts in the positioning of an industry to tapered tactical questions. This four-stage parade entails situational scrutiny, policy advance, promotional program development and exploit. In essence, marketing research is not a conclusive undertaking; the past-premeditated decisions serve as inputs to the present situational assessment. In each juncture, marketing research significantly contributes to the illuminative resolution of issues and aids in making knowledgeable choices among the decision substitutes (Churchill & Brown, 2006).
Choice on the market investigation is extremely significant and is dependent on the kind of information sort by a premise. MSR (2011) defines quantitative research as a research aimed at obtaining numerical information about the researched aspects of the market. Furthermore, it entails querying a diminutive number of people who paints the view of a larger populace. This representation is only feasible if the people investigated are the right number required. The target group should be the right target group and if they are queried the rightly followed by a precise analysis of the data obtained.
Qualitative research is an undertaking aimed at investigating not only what potential clients prefers but why they like such a preference, (MSR, 2011). Qualitative research entails exploratory enquiry tactic that involves discussions other than the rigid and uniform approach associated with quantitative approach. Its time intensiveness has led fewer respondents participate in the investigations. However, the preference on when and how to carry out a market research is subject to such factors as the consequence of the envisioned research, type and nature of information sought, the research timing, accessibility to resources and cost benefit scrutiny of the research (MSR, 2011).
Churchill & Brown (2006) indicates that, at times, the information generated through market research is not predominantly useful to the executives in decision-making. This is attributable to copious factors, both in-house and external. Aspects that may manipulate the sensible relevance of a market research includes the research excellence, conformity to prior prospects, intelligibility of presentation, its political satisfactoriness within the argument and its challenge to the status quo. Evidently, the practical quality of a market research significantly determines its expediency. Additionally, the exploit of information is a function of the unswerving and meandering effects of the ecological, organizational, informational and personage factors. Moreover, researchers have the dependability to their occupation, clients, and respondents. They, thus, must conform to elevated ethical standards ensuring that both the function of the information and the information itself are not in disrepute. M.R.S (2011) notes the two categories of marketing exploration.
Accordingly, “marketing research is either quantitative or qualitative” (Bradley, 2007). This classification is dependent on the question one seeks to answer by performing a marketing research. If the research seeks to obtain conclusive numerical connotations concerning the aspects of the merchandise or service marketed, then such is a numerical research. Similarly, if numbers are not of concern, but an understanding of the customers’ perception about a given product or service is sort then a quantitative research is in order. Irrespective of the research performed, they both entail the addressing of all or one of the ‘four Ps’ promotion. The 4Ps are reportedly “product, price, place, and promotion” (Bradley, 2007).
The necessity of a market research
The research aims to tap the potential benefits associated with the knowledge of valuable information about customers such as their current preference, what influence their choices and related aspects. Theoretically, the concept of marketing emphasizes client contentment rather than income maximization. In view of this, obtaining information on client desires and marketing intelligence to encourage the satisfaction of these said needs optimally is hugely significant. In any business establishment, marketing research is the decisive fraction of a marketing aptitude system. It reinforces the management decision making by providing pertinent, precise and opportune information, (Churchill & Brown, 2006). Every verdict poses inherently exclusive needs for information and relevant strategies devised based on the information assemblage through these events of marketing research.
The result of this activity is information that has the potential to dictate the future profitability of the business. Considerably, its ability to influence the magnitude of sales evidently qualifies it as a crucial pillar that supports the spine of the business.
Research Methodology
The research will involve both “quantitative and qualitative research techniques” (Bradley, 2007). The aim of this composite approach is to tap on the prospective benefits of both methods. Quantitative approach will give an overview of the market trends. The numerous respondents involved will afford a decent representation of the entire market assortment. The Qualitative technique will apply to all sectors of the market. The aim of the approach is to identify the professed changing trends in consumer’s flavor. The face-to-face spoken interview applies only to representatives acknowledged by suppliers in the different regions.
Data Collection
Bradley (2007) defines data assortment as applied in market research in an interesting manner. As such, it is the procedure of collating pertinent information about clients. The gathered information includes a client’s flavor, desires and preferences. The data gathered about regulars are either “first hand data or second hand data” (Bradley, 2007). Primary data encompass initial facts collected from the field while “secondary or second data” refers to the already accessible information about consumers.
In the research, the second hand data assortment method preferred is the desk research. Second hand data comprise the published and the unpublished data available within the company’s information system. These includes data from fabrication lines, sales and marketing departments, customers’ finance records, government publications regarding the intended consumers and in print regulations. Administrative policies are similarly available online in government websites, (Bradley, 2007).
First hand, data collection techniques entail such methods as “sampling, questionnaires, Telephone interviews and personal interviews,” Bradley (2007). Sampling is one of the most extensively used principal data gathering techniques, (Churchill & Brown, 2006). Sampling has the advantage of the convenience. Furthermore, it gives the researcher an opportunity to judge and discriminate the target groups to obtain a favorable target.
The administration of questionnaires is directly through either phase-to-phase interviews or telephone interviews. There are different types of questionnaires, “structured non disguised questionnaires, Structured disguised questionnaires, non structured non disguised questionnaires and none structured disguised questionnaires” (Churchill & Brown, 2006).
Interviews directly or indirectly administered through telephone calls. Telephone interviews have the benefit of coverage. It is possible to interview many people through telephone calls as compared to face-to-face interviews. However, one on one interviews have the advantage of deducing the accuracy of the received information. This is possible given the advantage of direct observation of the respondent, (Churchill & Brown, 2006).
Data Analysis
There are numerous methods of data analysis. However, they all fit in to two main categories. These are “quantitative analysis and qualitative data analysis” (Churchill & Brown, 2006). In quantitative analysis, data collected from respondents are expressed in numerical form. In qualitative analysis, the information from field, studies are directly analyses to derive a meaning. This method of analysis exemplifies the implied denotation in the represented texts and numbers (Churchill & Brown, 2006). Quantitative data analysis methods involve the calculation of statistical values such as mean and median. Computer based software such as “excel and SPSS aids in quantitative analysis” (Churchill & Brown, 2006).
Research plan
Goals of the Research
The goal of the research is to investigate and unravel the reasons behind the disproportionate sales the organization is currently experiencing across the geographical marketing region. This aims to aid in the design of an appropriate marketing strategy to better the present marketing performance.
Research Objectives
The first aim of the research is to investigate and determine the reasons behind the disproportion in sales in the dissimilar sectors of the market. Secondly, the market research aims to establish the alteration in consumer savor and inclination across the market. The Implementation of the two objectives will concisely address the immediate
Collection Channels
The data collection will entail sampling of the target population. The research wil uses online surveys to test the sampled population’s interaction with the company’s products. Other techniques will entail itinerant device usage, social media, crowed sourcing and face-to-face interviews.
Research Questions
- Is there any interrelationships between the changing consumer taste and preferences with the enormous disparity exhibited in sales a cross the market region?
- Is the disparity in sales a result of the recent changes in marketing policies?
Allocation of questions to collection channels
Question A will be assessed through the social media, mobile device usage, crowed sourcing and face to face interviews. Question B will be assessed using face-to-face interviews and crowed sourcing.
Data collection
Gather data from the various outlets, monitor the discussions in the social media, and note the significant contributions.
Data analysis and Representation
Start the analysis of the data. Use both “quantitative and qualitative methods” (Bradley, 2007).
Withdraw conclusions and Discussion of the result
Research Time Table
References
Bradley, N. (2007). Marketing research: tools and techniques. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Web.
Churchill, G. A., & Brown, T. J. (2006). Basic Marketing Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Web.
MSR. (2011). Market and Social Research for Newcomers. Web.