Utilitat de les Dades Secundàries

• In commercial research investigation, errors can be classified based on the phase of the investigation process (as shown in the figure on the slide).
• Errors, once they occur, accumulate from one stage to the next and throughout the entire investigation process.
• The formulation of the research problem is the phase where the most errors occur.
• Every research process is new, but it can be more or less innovative or repetitive. All research processes have the potential for errors.
• In the market research phase, errors can occur at all stages. The earlier the error, the greater its impact on the final results.

Market research problem definition:

• All studies begin with the identification of a problem by the company in relation to its market.
• Clear definition of the problem is essential; it is the foundation of the rest of the research process.
• The level of technical knowledge and specialization of the researcher/research team is not enough. Client involvement is necessary.
• The problem presented is usually framed by the company's management or marketing department, focusing on the solution.
• The market research must translate this business problem into a research problem to treat it as such.

Problem definition:

• Communication between the company and the research team is essential to avoid misguided investigations.
• For example, if the goal is to study the effectiveness of a marketing campaign, the researcher might ask about the number of people who have seen it, while the company might mention an increase in sales.

Problem of investigation vs. decision-making problem:

• A problem of investigation is essentially a redefinition of a decision-making problem in terms of research.
• They are related but not the same: Decision problem: what action should be taken. Research problem: what information needs to be obtained, how can it be obtained, and what is the best way to do it.

Environment of the problem:

• To formulate the problem well, it is necessary to understand it better and, therefore, to explore and understand three dimensions: Who is the client? Who is the company? What is the market?

Client:

• Identify the relevant objectives of decision-makers and ensure there is no conflict between them.
• Understand the company's objectives, historical background, and marketing/technological profile.
• Determine available resources and limitations.

Market:

• Obtain information about the past and future of the market being studied (sales, market quotes, technology, consumer behavior, population, legal and economic environment, savings, and income).
• Conduct interviews with the decision-maker and experts in the field.
• Analyze secondary information.
• Consider conducting exploratory research.

Problem operationalization:

• Define and delimit the population or universe of study (UOE) as the group from which information is to be obtained.
• Translate the decision-maker's problem into the researcher's problem by defining specific research objectives, hypotheses, and required information.
• Precise and measurable information needs to be obtained, moving from general to specific.
• Objectives, hypotheses, and required information should be clearly agreed upon between the decision-maker and researcher.