the PRACTICE OF MARKET RESEARCH : an introduction.

Learn the techniques and practical tasks involved in designing and running a research project The Practice of Market Research: From Data to Insight, 5th edition, by McGivern offers a thorough introduction to the practice of market and social research. It is structured around the research process – from defining the problem to be researched to communicating the insight which the research produces. An ideal companion for a market research student or anyone doing a research project, the book takes you through data analytics and data mining in a market research context, in addition to explaining the ethical, legal and regulatory context in which research operates. The ‘Industry Insights'draw real-world examples from successful market research projects in companies such as Formula One, BBC, IBM, PayPal, Twinings and Volvo. There are also examples of research on social issues including the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-social behaviour, HIV/AIDS, cancer support and many more. The new edition supports the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research Practice. This is a great applied marketing research text that will be suitable for students going beyond the basics of research and learning about how marketing research works in practice Ben Lowe, Professor of Marketing, Kent Business School, University of Kent Marketing research clearly explained as a professional practice - with practical advice on issues to consider and ways forward - and as an academic discipline with methodological and theoretical concerns. Dr Philippa Ward, Reader in Services Marketing, University of Gloucestershire About the author: Yvonne McGivern has worked on both the agency and the client side and currently works as a consultant. She taught research methods at Queen's University Belfast and at Trinity College Dublin. She is Joint Chief Examiner for the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research Practice. Pearson, the world's learning company. Front Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Brief contents Contents Foreword About MRS Preface Guide to content for MRS Advanced Certificate syllabus learning outcomes Author's acknowledgements Part One Introducing market and social research 1 Research, data and insight Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter What is research? The context and use of research The value of research The limitations of research Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading 2 The practice of market and social research Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter The research process Research skills, roles and tasks The ethical, legal and regulatory context Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading 3 Types of data and research Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Types of data and research The size of the data The format of the data The source or producer of the data The nature of the data The nature of the research Continuous or 'one-off' data collection The method of data collection Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading Part Two Planning and designing research 4 Business problem and research problem Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Business problem and research problem The nature of the research enquiry Formulating research objectives Identifying ethical and legal issues Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading 5 Research design Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter The process of research design Types of research design Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading 6 Writing a research brief Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Definition of a research brief Roles in the briefing process Links between the brief and the proposal Preparing a written research brief Choosing a research supplier Checking the brief The client-researcher relationship Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading 7 Writing a research proposal Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter The purpose of a research proposal Links between the brief and the proposal Questioning the brief The contents of a research proposal Evaluating a proposal What happens next? Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading Part Three Secondary or existing data 8 Sources of existing data Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Using existing data: the context Sources of existing data Data storage and retrieval systems Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading 9 Using and evaluating existing data Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Using existing data: the rationale Using existing data: types of projects Using existing data: the process Evaluating sources Evaluating suitability and quality Evaluating technical issues Developing an analysis plan Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading Part Four Qualitative research 10 Qualitative research methods Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter What is qualitative research? Ethnography Semiotics Interviews and group discussions Deliberative methods Online research communities Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading 11 Doing qualitative research Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Tasks and skills of the qualitative researcher Sampling and recruiting participants Designing the data collection guide Interviewing and moderating skills Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading 12 Analysing data from qualitative research Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter What is qualitative data analysis? Approaches to analysis Planning the analysis Doing the analysis Computer-aided qualitative data analysis Automated data analysis Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading Part Five Quantitative research 13 Methods of data collection Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Research designs in quantitative research Asking questions and observing Interviewer-administered and self-completion Self-completion Telephone interview data collection Online data collection Mixing or switching modes of data collection Observational methods of data collection End note Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading 14 Sampling Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Sampling units and sampling elements Developing a sampling plan Sampling theory Probability or random sampling methods Semi-random sampling Non-probability sampling methods Samples in online research Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading 15 Deesigning questionnaires Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter The importance of good design The questionnaire design process Question content Question wording Question structure Designing questions on attitudes Reviewing the questions Question order Layout and appearance Questionnaire length Checking and piloting the questionnaire Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading 16 Understanding data Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Understanding data: questionnaire to dataset Data processing Making an analysis plan Data reduction Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading 17 Analysing quantitative data Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Looking for patterns and relationships Explanatory analysis Inferential analysis Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading 18 Data mining and data analytics Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Context and process Data mining and data analytics Doing a project Algorithms and machine learning Data visualisation Chapter summary Exercise References Recommended reading Part Six Bringing it all together 19 Maanaging and reviewing a project Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Project management Getting started: making it happen Organising and briefing fieldwork Organising and briefing data processing and analysis Checking and reporting progress Reviewing and evaluating the quality of the research Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading 20 Communicating the findings Introduction Topics covered Relationship to MRS Advanced Certificate Syllabus What you should get from this chapter Communicating the findings Managing insight Communicating findings from a project Presentations and reports Writing a report Presenting data in diagrams, charts and tables Chapter summary Exercises References Recommended reading Bibliography Index Publisher's acknowledgements Back Cover Learn the techniques and practical tasks involved in designing and running a research project The Practice of Market From Data to Insight , 5th edition , by McGivern offers a thorough introduction to the practice of market and social research. It is structured around the research process from defining the problem to be researched to communicating the insight which the research produces. An ideal companion for a market research student or anyone doing a research project, the book takes you through data analytics and data mining in a market research context, in addition to explaining the ethical, legal and regulatory context in which research operates. The Industry Insights draw real-world examples from successful market research projects in companies such as Formula One, BBC, IBM, PayPal, Twinings and Volvo. There are also examples of research on social issues including the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-social behaviour, HIV/AIDS, cancer support and many more. The new edition supports the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research Practice. This is a great applied marketing research text that will be suitable for students going beyond the basics of research and learning about how marketing research works in practic e Marketing research clearly explained as a professional practice - with practical advice on issues to consider and ways forward - and as an academic discipline with methodological and theoretical concerns. About the Yvonne McGivern has worked on both the agency and the client side and currently works as a consultant. She taught research methods at Queens University Belfast and at Trinity College Dublin. She is Joint Chief Examiner for the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research Practice. Pearson, the worlds learning company. "This fifth edition of The Practice of Market Research: From Data to Insight is most timely; it has been comprehensively updated to reflect the changes in the MRS Advanced Certificate syllabus providing candidates the ideal foundation as they undertake their studies. This book provides a comprehensive, straightforward account of the practice of market and social research that is both easy to read and easy to understand. In preparing this new edition changes have been made to the structure and content to reflect changes in practice and methods and in the ethical, legal and regulatory context in which research operates. The changes are also in response to changes in the syllabus of the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research Practice, and in response to customer feedback. In brief, in terms of structure, there are now six sections: Introducing Market and Social Research; Planning and Designing Research; Secondary or Existing Data; Qualitative Research; Quantitative Research; and Bringing It All Together. In terms of content, all chapters have been updated to reflect changes in practice and methods and the language used to describe them, and to provide better explanations of areas that students find difficult. One such area is that covered in Chapter 4 where there is greater explication of the link between understanding the business problem and defining the problem to be researched. Other topics which have significant new content are Chapter 8 on sources of existing data, which includes an expanded section on databases and data warehouses; Chapter 9 on the evaluation of those sources; and Chapter 18 which covers data mining and data analytics in much greater detail than the previous edition"-- Provided by publisher