BASIC RESEARCH ISSUES

As technology advances, marketing researchers continually look for ways to adapt new technology to the practice of research. However, researchers must never forget that research basics cannot be overlooked. Rather, what must be done is to adapt the new techniques and technologies to these basics. All studies must address the following basic issues (Anderson, Berdie, & Liestman, 1984):
1 - ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
 This is the essence of project design and the heart of proper planning. Every project is unique, and as
 such must be tailored to the user’s needs.
2- ASK THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
 The goal of sample design should be that only those people who are of interest to the researcher are
 contacted, and that those contacted are representative of the group of interest
3 - ASK QUESTIONS THE RIGHT WAY.
 It is not enough to be able to ask the right questions; they must be asked the right way. This is the
 essence of questionnaire design. If the wording of the questions is not clear to the respondents, the
 results will be useless. Pretesting the questionnaire is crucial for ensuring that responses are the ones
 that are needed.
4 - OBTAIN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.
 Data collection is central to all marketing research. The techniques used should minimize
 non-response while maximizing response.
5 - RELATE ANSWERS TO THE NEEDS OF THE RESEARCH USER/CLIENT.
 Data seldom speaks for itself. Proper data analysis is needed if a study is to have any value to the user.
 Here there is a risk of letting advanced techniques become the master of the researcher rather than
 the opposite. Common sense is a valuable tool for the researcher when considering alternative analysis
 approaches for any project.
6 - COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY AND IN A WAY THAT THE CLIENT UNDERSTANDS.
 Many good projects are ruined because the information that is reported to the user is in a form that is
 not understandable. Reports must tell the user what information is relevant, and how it is relevant to
 the issues at hand.

HOW TO FORMULATE THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Problem formulation is simplified once we define the components of the research problem.
1. Specify the Research Objectives
A  clear statement of objectives will help you develop effective research. It   will help the decision makers evaluate your project. It’s critical that you have manageable objectives. (Two or three clear goals will help to keep your research project focused and relevant.)

2. Review the Environment or Context of the Problem
As a marketing researcher, you must work closely with your team. This will help you determine whether the findings of your project will produce enough information to be worth the cost. In order to do this,
you have to identify the environmental variables that will affect the research project. These variables will be discussed in-depth in later chapters.

3. Explore the Nature of the Problem
Research problems range from simple to complex, depending on the number of variables and the nature of their relationship. If you understand the nature of the problem as a researcher, you will be able to
better develop a solution for the problem. To help you understand all dimensions, you might want to
consider focus groups of consumers, sales people, managers, or professionals to provide what is sometimes much needed insight.

4. Define the Variable Relationships
Marketing plans often focus on creating a sequence of behaviors that occur over time, as in the adoption of a new package design, or the introduction of a new product. Such programs create a commitment to
follow some behavioral pattern in the future. Studying such a process involves:
• Determining which variables affect the solution to the problem.
• Determining the degree to which each variable can be controlled.
• Determining the functional relationships between the variables and which variables are
 critical to the solution of the problem.

During the problem formulation stage, you will want to generate and consider as many courses of action and variable relationships as possible.

5. The Consequences of Alternative Courses of Action
There are always consequences to any course of action. Anticipating and communicating the possible
outcomes of various courses of action is a primary responsibility in the research process. Exhibit 1.3
provides an example of a company introducing a new product based on research that did not examine
relevant variables in the consumer purchase decision.