Unit 1: Introduction to marketing research
Marketing Research notes · PTU syllabus (MBA 302-18)
On this page
Unit summary
Marketing research supplies the information that reduces risk in marketing decisions. This unit covers the definition, nature and scope of marketing research for marketing decisions, the marketing research process, exploratory, descriptive and causal research, and commercial and non-commercial sources of secondary data.
After this unit you can
- Define marketing research and explain its nature and scope
- Explain the marketing research process
- Distinguish exploratory, descriptive and causal research
- Identify commercial and non-commercial secondary data sources
PTU syllabus topics
- Definition
- nature and scope for marketing decisions
- marketing research process
- descriptive/exploratory/causal research types
- commercial and non-commercial secondary data sources
- 1
Define the problem
- 2
Develop the approach and hypotheses
- 3
Research design
Exploratory, descriptive or causal
- 4
Fieldwork and data collection
- 5
Prepare and analyse data
- 6
Report and present
Topic 1
Definition and nature of marketing research
Marketing research is the function that links the consumer, customer and public to the marketer through information — used to identify opportunities and problems, generate and evaluate marketing actions, monitor performance and improve understanding of marketing as a process (American Marketing Association).
- Nature: systematic, objective, decision-oriented, continuous, interdisciplinary, uses scientific method; supports but does not replace managerial judgement.
- Marketing research vs market research: market research studies a market (size, share, trends); marketing research covers all marketing problems — product, price, promotion, distribution and customers.
Topic 2
Scope of marketing research for marketing decisions
Market research
Market size, potential, share, trends, segmentation
Product research
Concept and product testing, packaging, brand name tests
Pricing research
Price sensitivity, conjoint analysis, competitor pricing
Distribution research
Channel performance, store location, retail audits
Promotion research
Ad pre-testing and post-testing, media research, campaign tracking
Consumer research
Needs, motives, satisfaction, loyalty, behaviour
Digital research
Web analytics, social listening, online panels
Example
Before launching a new flavour, a snack company runs concept tests, taste tests and a test market in two cities — each a marketing research decision point.
Topic 3
The marketing research process
- 1
Define the problem and research objectives
Management decision problem → research problem
- 2
Develop the approach
Theory, models, hypotheses
- 3
Formulate the research design
Exploratory, descriptive or causal
- 4
Fieldwork and data collection
- 5
Data preparation and analysis
- 6
Report preparation and presentation
- Problem definition is the most important step — a wrongly defined problem wastes the whole study. Example: "sales are falling" (symptom) vs "loss of share to lower-priced private labels in tier-2 cities" (research problem).
Topic 4
Exploratory, descriptive and causal research
Exploratory
Gain insight and define the problem; flexible
Secondary data, expert interviews, focus groups, pilot surveys, case studies
Descriptive
Describe market characteristics and relationships; structured
Cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys, panels, observation
Causal
Establish cause-and-effect between variables
Experiments, test marketing
- Descriptive designs: cross-sectional (one-time sample) and longitudinal (same panel measured repeatedly — consumer panels).
- Research often moves from exploratory to descriptive to causal as understanding grows.
Topic 5
Secondary data sources
- Secondary data: data collected for another purpose; quick and cheap but may be outdated, inaccurate or unsuitable. Evaluate by specifications, error, currency, objective, nature and dependability.
Government
Census of India, NSO surveys, RBI database, DGCI&S trade data
Nielsen retail audits (NielsenIQ)
Industry bodies
CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, industry associations
Kantar household panels
International
World Bank, IMF, UN data
Euromonitor, Statista
Academic and media
Journals, theses, business newspapers
CMIE Prowess, Capitaline (company data)
Internal company records
Sales, CRM, accounts
BARC (TV ratings), Comscore (digital)
- Internal secondary data (sales invoices, CRM, loyalty data) is usually the cheapest starting point.
Key terms
- Marketing research
- Systematic gathering and analysis of information for marketing decisions
- Research problem
- Information needed to solve the management decision problem
- Causal research
- Research establishing cause-and-effect relationships
- Longitudinal design
- Repeated measurement of the same sample
- Syndicated data
- Commercial data collected and sold to many clients
Quick revision
- AMA definition; nature; marketing vs market research.
- Scope: market, product, price, distribution, promotion, consumer, digital.
- Process: problem → approach → design → fieldwork → analysis → report.
- Exploratory, descriptive (cross-sectional, longitudinal), causal.
- Secondary data: internal; non-commercial (government, industry); commercial (Nielsen, Kantar, CMIE).
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.Define marketing research.
- Q2.Distinguish marketing research and market research.
- Q3.Why is problem definition important?
- Q4.Distinguish exploratory and causal research.
- Q5.What is a consumer panel?
- Q6.Name two commercial sources of secondary data in India.
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Explain the nature and scope of marketing research.
- Q2.Describe the marketing research process.
- Q3.Compare exploratory, descriptive and causal research designs.
- Q4.Discuss commercial and non-commercial sources of secondary data and their evaluation.
Stuck on this unit?
Message SBS on WhatsApp for help with Marketing Research, or to ask about studying MBA at Synetic.