Secondary Data - Introduction

• Secondary data is data that is collected for some purpose other than the problem
at hand. Collecting secondary data often takes considerably less time than
collecting primary data where you would have to gather every information from
scratch. It is thus possible to gather more data this way. The following are some
ways of collecting secondary data:

• Books Records
• Newspapers
• Published censuses or other statistical data
• Data archives
• Internet articles
• Research articles by other researchers (journals)
• Databases

Secondary data is data collected by someone other than the user.

Common sources of secondary data for social science include censuses,
surveys, organizational records and data collected through qualitative
methodologies or qualitative research.
Primary vs. Secondary Data
 ADVANTAGES OF SECONDARY DATA

• Inexpensive
• Obtained Rapidly
• Information is not Otherwise Accessible
 DISADVANTAGES OF SECONDARY
DATA

• Uncertain Accuracy
• Data Not Consistent with Needs
• Inappropriate Units of Measurement
• Time Period Inappropriate (Dated)
 Uses Of Secondary Data
• Identify the problem
• Better define the problem
• Develop an approach to the problem
• Formulate an appropriate research design
(for example, by identifying the key variables)
• Answer certain research questions and test
some hypotheses
• Interpret primary data more insightfully
 Criteria for evaluating Secondary Data

 Data Specifications: Methodology Used to Collect

the Data
 Error: Accuracy of the Data
 Currency: When the Data Were Collected
 Objective(s): The Purpose for Which the Data Were
Collected
 Nature: The Content of the Data
 Dependability: Overall, How Dependable Are the
Data
 Evaluating Secondary Data
Does the data help to
answer questions
set out in the
problem definition?
Applicability
to project
objectives Does the data apply to
the time period of
interest?

Does the data apply to

the population of
interest?
 Evaluating Secondary Data (continued)

Do the other terms

and variable
classifications
Applicability presented apply?
to project
objectives
Are the units of
measurement
comparable?

If possible, go to the
original source of the
Accuracy data?
of the data
 Evaluating Secondary Data (continued)

Is the cost of data

acquisition worth it?

Accuracy Is there a possibility

of the data of bias?

Can the accuracy

of data collection
be verified?
OBJECTIVES FOR SECONDARY DATA
STUDIES

• Fact Finding

• Model Building

• Data Based Marketing

 COMMON RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
FOR SECONDARY DATA STUDIES

Fact Finding - Identifying consumption patterns

- Tracking trends
Model building - Estimating market potential
- Forecasting sales
- Selecting trade areas and sites
Data Base Marketing - Development of Prospect Lists
- Enhancement of Customer Lists
 DATA BASED MARKETING

• PRACTICE OF MAINTAINING A CUSTOMER

DATA BASE
• NAMES
• ADDRESSES
• PAST PURCHASES
• RESPONSES TO PAST EFFORTS
• DATA FROM NUMEROUS SOURCES
 A Classification of Secondary Data

Secondary Data

Internal External

Required
Ready To Computerized Syndicated
Further Published
Use Data Services
Processing Material Bases
 INTERNAL DATA

 INTERNAL AND PROPRIETARY DATA

IS MORE DESCRIPTIVE

 ACCOUNTING
INFORMATION
 SALES INFORMATION
 BACKORDERS
 CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS
 Internal Secondary Data
Department Store Project
Sales were analyzed to obtain:
• Sales by product line
• Sales by major department (e.g., men's wear, house
wares)
• Sales by specific stores
• Sales by geographical region
• Sales by cash versus credit purchases
• Sales in specific time periods
• Sales by size of purchase
A Classification of Published Secondary Sources

Published
Secondary Data

Govt. Sources General

Business Sources

Other
Census Data Guides/ Statistical Indexes
Govt.
Directories Data
Publications
 Syndicated sources Unit of
Measurement

Households/ Institution
Consumers

Diary
Panels Retailers Wholesalers Industrial
firMs

Purchase Media Audits

Surveys Electronic Direct Clipping Corporate

Scanner service Enquiries services Reports

Psychographic Advertising Volume Scanner Diary Scanner diary

And Lifestyles General Evaluation Tracking data Panels panels with
cable TV
DATA MINING
 Traditional Distribution
Information Producer
(Central Government)

Indirect Channel
Using Library
Intermediary (Storage of
government
documents
and books)

Company User
 Traditional Distribution

Information Producer
(Central Government)

Direct Channel

Company User
Direct, Computerized Distribution

Information producer’s
(Just-in-time inventory partner)
computerized database

Company user
 Modern Distribution of Secondary Data
Information producer A Information producer B Information producer C
(Central government- (Grocery store-retail (Audience research company-
census data) scanner data) television viewing data)

Vendor/external
distributor
(Computerized database
integrating all three data
sources for any
geographic area)

Company User
 SINGLE SOURCE DATA
DIVERSE TYPES OF DATA OFFERED FROM A SINGLE SOURCE

Single-source data provide integrated information on household

variables, including media consumption and purchases, and
marketing variables, such as product sales, price, advertising,
promotion, and in-store marketing effort.

– E.G. TELEVISION VIEWING AND SCANNER PURCHASE DATA

 Secondary data: Examples

Government Organization

Registrar General of India- It is an office which generates

demographic data. It includes details of gender, age, occupation
etc
Central Statistical Organization- This organization publishes the
national accounts statistics. It contains estimates of national income
for several years, growth rate, and rate of major economic activities.
Annual survey of Industries is also published by the CSO. It gives
information about the total number of workers employed, production
units, material used and value added by the manufacturer.
Director General of Commercial Intelligence- It gives information
about foreign trade i.e. import and export. These figures are provided
region-wise and country-wise.
Ministry of Commerce and Industries- This ministry through the office
of economic advisor provides information on wholesale price index.
These indices may be related to a number of sectors like food, fuel,
power, food grains etc.
 Secondary data: Examples Cntd

Government Organization

Planning Commission- It provides the basic statistics of Indian

Economy
Reserve Bank of India- This provides information on Banking Savings
and investment. RBI also prepares currency and finance reports.
Labor Bureau- It provides information on skilled, unskilled, white collared
jobs etc.
National Sample Survey- This is done by the Ministry of Planning and it
provides social, economic, demographic, industrial and agricultural
statistics
Department of Economic Affairs- It conducts economic survey and it
also generates information on income, consumption, expenditure,
investment, savings and foreign trade
State Statistical Abstract- This gives information on various types of
activities related to the state like – commercial activities, education,
occupation etc.
 Secondary data: Examples Cntd

Non-Government Organization

The Indian Cotton Mill Association

Various chambers of commerce
Various Associations of Press Media.

Syndicate Services

Operations Research Group (ORG)

The Indian Marketing Research Bureau (IMRB).

International Organization

The International Labor Organization (ILO)

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and development
(OECD)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Example of computerized data base - Population Research Bureau,
Censusindia.net