Case Solution:

Burke: Learning and growing through marketing research

Summary:
Burke is a century-old market research firm that uses a reliable research process and cuttingedge technology to help its clients. In recent years the emphasis has been on generating
information to improve the decision making of the client, so that the client are more valuable
to their respective companies . Over this period marketing research has become an integral
part of the decision-making process. Burke does not just provide data collection, but takes
clients full circle in the market research process. The first, and most important step, is to
define the research problem. Burke works with clients to help them identify what information
is needed to make a decision they are facing. With a series of creative methods, Burke makes
sure that what the client thinks the problem is, is really the problem. Once the research
question is defined, Burke develops a blueprint for the research process. Along with this
Burke follows all other steps that are included in chapter 1 including development of an
approach to the problem, research design formulation, data collection, data analysis, and
report preparation and presentation.

Burke continuously improving marketing research

process which helping to grow clients and increasing learning of Burke.

1. Describe the evolution of marketing research. How the role of marketing

research changed as the field has evolved?
Answer: Marketing research is first done in 1895 or 1896 by sending questions using
telegrams to advertising agencies. Next it is done in 1930 by ladies in white gloves who
asked people about cake mixes by door-to-door surveys. After the second world war
researcher identified psychological side of the marketing research and in 1950s to 1960s
television became the best source of advertising and hot area of marketing research. In the
1960s and 1970s marketing researchers began to work more with their clients on how to use
new ideas to make decisions. During this period marketing research has become an important
part of the decision-making process. After 2009 the industry is looking for creative methods
to conduct marketing research using telephone interviews, mall intercept, web interviews,
mobile phone surveys and multimode methods.

2. What is Burkes view of the role of marketing research?

Answer: By defining marketing research problem, developing an approach, research desigh, data
collection, and analysis and report preparation and presentation Burkes view of the role of
marketing research is to guide the clients with desired and authentic information, understand their
business practices and make them more efficient, reducing risk associated with any decision and to
support decision making. Burke is expertise in designing and executing objectives-based research that
allows clients to make the most informed decisions possible.

3. What is Burkes view of the importance of defining the marketing research

problem?
Answer: According to Burke it is critical to define marketing research problem for a
successful research project and much effort is needed to define the problem especially
examining the background or the environmental context of the problem. This is the step
where a company will find out what the symptoms are and work to identify the causes and
also includes identification of specific components and precise definition. To define the
marketing research problem the account executive will sit down with the client to determine
if the client perceives the problem correctly. It may be the case that Burke would need to
change or broaden the scope of this problem.

4. What is Burkes view of the marketing research project? How does it

compare with the one given in chapter 1?
Answer: Burke using six-step marketing research project which includes1) Defining the marketing research problem, 2) development of an approach to the problem, 3)
research design formulation, 4) data collection, 5) data analysis, and 6) report preparation
and presentation.
This six-step marketing research process is related with the steps mentioned in Chapter 1 of
this book.