The purpose of marketing research is to provide relevant, accurate,
and unbiased information to solve management problems, whether your management
problem is in:
- Identifying and defining marketing
opportunities and problems
- Generating, refining, and evaluating marketing
actions
- Monitoring marketing performance
- Improving understanding of marketing as a
process
Statistical Reasoning can assist in this process by helping to define the
information gaps, formulate the research objectives, identify key stakeholder
groups and sample frames, define key issues to frame questionnaire items, and
develop a suitable data collection plan.
The research design phase of a project outlines the how, what, where, and who of
the research project. Specifically, research design is, conceptually, a
framework for specifying the relationships among the study variables.
Operationally, it is a blueprint that outlines each of the procedures in the
research process from hypothesis definition to sampling and data collection
methodology determination, to the analysis plan.
The MR vignette presents a case example whereby several research designs were
proposed in evaluating the impact of a salesforce incentive program on customer
satisfaction.
Click here to learn more on how Statistical
Reasoning can help you define and recruit a valid and accurate online sample. 
Click here to learn more on how Statistical
Reasoning can help you develop a meaningful and reliable survey instrument.
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| :: POST- THEN PRE-TEST DESIGN :: | In a post- then pre-test design, respondents would be recruited from the two stores which have implemented the salesforce incentive program.
This approach would allow for direct reporting from customers on their perceived changes in service and satisfaction relative to the customers’ past experiences at that store.
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| :: PRE-TEST, POST-TEST DESIGN :: | In a pre-test, post-test design, respondents would be recruited from a single store which has yet to implement the salesforce incentive program. Customers would be asked to report on their perceptions about the service they received at that store, as well as their overall satisfaction with their experience (i.e., pre-test measure).
In a subsequent administration of the survey (e.g., 3-months following the deployment of the program at that store), the same set of respondents will be contacted via email and asked to participate in a follow-up study, which would include the same set of questions previously asked.
The longitudinal data derived from this design would allow for direct one-to-one comparisons to determine the impact of the incentive program.
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| :: BETWEEN-SAMPLES DESIGN :: | In a between-samples design, respondents would be recruited from two (or more) stores.
This approach seeks to establish a benchmark for customer satisfaction using data from stores which have yet to implement the salesforce incentive program, and then draw comparative conclusions on the impact on satisfaction levels based on stores that had already implement the Program.
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Research Design
The purpose of marketing
research is to provide relevant, accurate, & unbiased information to solve
management problems.
