Exploring

Marketing Research
William G. Zikmund

Chapter 4:
The Human Side
of Marketing Research

Mission Statement
Identifies the research departments purpose
within the organization.
Mission should be directly linked to the
decision makers needs.

Continuum of Marketing Research Sophistication

Neither ignorant
nor informed

Intuition-Centered
Decision Making

Stage of intuitive
decision making

Managers believe research

is confined to ivory tower

Stage of development

Stage of
sophistication

Research-Centered
Decision Making

Mangers recognize
difference between good
and bad research

Research Departments Perform

a Staff Function

Clients
Director of Research
Research Analysts
Cross-Functional Teams

Structure of a Medium-Sized Research Department

Director of marketing research
and sales forecasting

Research analyst
(project director)

Research assistant
(entry-level trainee)

Manager of
sales research

Forecast
analysts

Managers

Researchers

1. Decision oriented

1. Technique oriented

2. Intuitive

2. Analytical

3. Managers like to confirm

4. Time orientation toward:
a. project immediacy (I need
it now.)
b. results about future behavior
(what will sales be next year?)

3. Researchers like to explore

5. Frugal (keep the cost down)

6. Results orientation:
a. managers do not like surprises--when
they are surprised they tend to reject the results
b. concern (arent we number one yet?)
c. certainty (is it or isnt it?)

4. Time orientation toward:

a. Project prolongment (later when
we have time for a complete
study)
b. results about past behavior
(our trend has been . . .)
5. Not cost conscious (you get what you
pay for)
6. Results orientation:
a. researchers love surprises
b. abstraction (our exponential gain. . .)
c. probability (may be)
7. Reactive

7. Proactive

Probable Areas of Top ManagementMarketing Research Conflict

Research responsibility
Research personnel

Budget
Assignments
Problem definition
Research reporting
Use of research
Pseudo-research

Research Suppliers
A commercial marketing research service that
conducts marketing research activities for clients.
Syndicated service
Some research is too expensive to perform in-house.

Standardized service
Specialize in a particular area

Limited-service vs Full-Service research suppliers

Greenbook 1998-1999 :
International Directory of
Marketing Research Companies
and Services

Considerations for Hiring Outside Suppliers

Expertise
Urgency of the decision
Personnel resources

Economic factors
Objectivity
Confidentiality
Quality control

Ethical Issues
Philosophical Questions
Societal Norms
Codes of behavior adopted by a group

Rights and Obligations of the Respondent

The obligation to be truthful
Privacy
At home

On the internet
Deception
Assume no physical danger or psychological harm

Must inform respondent of concealment or deception after

research ends.
The right to be informed

Rights and Obligations of the Researcher

The purpose of research is research
Objectivity
Misrepresenting research
Protect the right to confidentiality of both subjects and clients
Dissemination of faulty conclusions
Advocacy research

Rights and Obligations of the Client Sponsor (User)

Ethics between buyer and seller
An open relationship with research suppliers
An open relationship with interested parties
Advocacy research
Privacy
Commitment to research
Pseudo-pilot studies