Market Research in Practice : An Introduction to Gaining Greater Market Insight

As organizations become increasingly sophisticated, the need to profile customers, deliver customer satisfaction, target certain audiences, develop brands, and optimize prices is even more important. Introducing market research tools, approaches, and issues, this book provides a clear, step-by-step guide from the beginning steps of planning and executing a project through to analyzing and presenting the results. This fully updated third edition has been revised to reflect the most recent trends in the industry. Ten new chapters cover issues including: ethics in market research, qualitative research, quantitative research, as well as key concepts such as international research, how to design a questionnaire, how to choose a sample, and how to carry out interviews. There are also tips, advice, and new international case studies from the authors’ own experiences, which ground the concepts in business reality. Market research has never been more important. As organizations become increasingly sophisticated, the need to profile customers, deliver customer satisfaction, target certain audiences, develop their brands, optimize prices and more has grown. Lively and accessible, Market Research in Practice is a practical introduction to market research tools, approaches and issues. Providing a clear, step-by-step guide to the whole process - from planning and executing a project through to analyzing and presenting the findings - it explains how to use tools and methods effectively to obtain reliable results. This fully updated third edition of Market Research in Practice has been revised to reflect the most recent trends in the industry. Ten new chapters cover topical issues such as ethics in market research and qualitative and quantitative research, plus key concepts such as international research, how to design and scope a survey, how to create a questionnaire, how to choose a sample and how to carry out interviews are covered in detail. Tips, and advice from the authors' own extensive experiences are included throughout to ground the concepts in business reality. Accompanied by a range of online tools, templates, surveys and guides, this is an invaluable guide for students of research methods, researchers, marketers and users of market research. Online resources include a range of tools, templates, surveys and guides. Part 1. Planning a market research study. Market research design Uses of market research Part 2. Qualitative research. Qualitative research Desk research Focus groups Depth interviewing Observation and ethnography Part 3. Quantitative research. Quantitative research Sampling and statistics Questionnaire design Face-to-face interviewing Telephone interviewing Self-completion questionnaires Online surveys Data analysis Part 4. Using market research. Using market research to segment markets Using market research to improve a brand position Using market research to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty Using market research to achieve optimum pricing Using market research to enter a new market Using market research to test advertising effectiveness Using market research to launch a new product Reporting Part 5. The market research industry. International market research Research trends Ethics in market research. Learn the fundamentals of market research with this essential resource for students, new researchers and marketers.