| Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 127

Chapter 4 | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 127

techniques—called customer relationship management (CRM)—

Discuss the special issues some

that integrate, analyze, and apply the mountains of individual cus-

marketing researchers face, including public policy

tomer data contained in their databases.

and ethics issues . (pp 121–126)

Marketing information has no value until it is used to make better marketing decisions. Thus, the MIS must make the informa-

Some marketers face special marketing research situations, such as tion available to managers and others who make marketing deci-

those conducting research in small business, not-for-profit, or inter- sions or deal with customers. In some cases, this means providing

national situations. Marketing research can be conducted effectively regular reports and updates; in other cases, it means making non-

by small businesses and nonprofit organizations with limited budg- routine information available for special situations and on-the-

ets. International marketing researchers follow the same steps as spot decisions. Many firms use company intranets and extranets

domestic researchers but often face more and different problems. to facilitate this process. Thanks to modern technology, today’s

All organizations need to act responsibly to major public policy and marketing managers can gain direct access to marketing informa-

ethical issues surrounding marketing research, including issues of in- tion at any time and from virtually any location.

trusions on consumer privacy and misuse of research findings.

KEY Terms

OBJECTIVE 1

Survey research (p 109) Customer insights (p 99)

OBJECTIVE 3

Experimental research (p 110) Marketing information system

Marketing research (p 103)

Focus group interviewing (p 111) (MIS) (p 99)

Exploratory research (p 103)

Descriptive research (p 103)

Online marketing research (p 112)

Online focus groups (p 113) OBJECTIVE 2

Causal research (p 103)

Sample (p 114) Internal databases (p 100)

Secondary data (p 104)

Primary data (p 104)

OBJECTIVE 4

Competitive marketing intelligence

Commercial online databases (p 106)

(p 101)

Observational research (p 107)

Customer relationship management

Ethnographic research (p 107)

(CRM; p 119)

• Check your understanding of the concepts and key terms using the mypearsonmarketinglab study plan for this chapter. • Apply the concepts in a business context using the simulation entitled Marketing Research.

DISCUSSING & APPLYING THE Concepts

Discussing the Concepts

Applying the Concepts

1. Discuss the real value of marketing research and marketing

1. Perform an Internet search on “social media monitoring” to find information and how that value is attained. (AACSB:

companies that specialize in monitoring social media. Discuss Communication)

two of these companies. Then find two more sites that allow

2. Discuss the sources of internal data and the advantages and free monitoring and describe how marketers can use these to disadvantages associated with this data. (AACSB:

monitor their brands. Write a brief report on your findings. Communication)

(AACSB: Communication; Use of IT; Reflective Thinking)

3. Explain the role of secondary data in gaining customer

2. Summarize an article describing a marketing research study. insights. Where do marketers obtain secondary data, and

Describe how the data were collected. Is the research what are the potential problems in using such data? (AACSB:

objective exploratory, descriptive, or causal? Explain your Communication)

conclusions. (AACSB: Communication; Reflective Thinking)

4. What are the advantages of Web-based survey research over

3. Focus groups are commonly used during exploratory research. traditional survey research? (AACSB: Communication)

A focus group interview entails gathering a group of people to discuss a specific topic. In a small group, research how to

5. Compare open-ended and closed-ended questions. conduct a focus group interview and then conduct one with When and for what is each type of question useful in

six to ten other students to learn what services your university marketing research? (AACSB: Communication; Reflective

could offer to better meet student needs. Assign one person Thinking)

in your group to be the moderator while the others observe

6. What are the similarities and differences when conducting and interpret the responses from the focus group research in another country versus the domestic market?

participants. Present a report of what you learned from this (AACSB: Communication)

research. (AACSB: Communication; Reflective Thinking)

128 Part Two | Understanding the Marketplace and Consumers