Marketing Research

Lecture 10 –
Chapters 13 & 22

Course Lecturer:
Prof. Noha El-Bassiouny
 Chapter 13:
Fieldwork

Chapter 22:
Report Preparation
and Presentation

Dr. Noha El-Bassiouny and Dr. Sara Hamed 2

 The Marketing Research Process

Step 1: Problem Definition

Step 2: Development of an Approach to the Problem

Step 3: Research Design Formulation

Step 4: Field Work or Data Collection

Step 5: Data Preparation and Analysis

Step 6: Report Preparing and Presentation

Dr. Noha El-Bassiouny and Dr. Sara Hamed 3

 The Marketing Research Process

Step 1: Problem Definition

Step 2: Development of an Approach to the Problem

Step 3: Research Design Formulation

Step 4: Field Work or Data Collection

Step 5: Data Preparation and Analysis

Step 6: Report Preparing and Presentation

Dr. Noha El-Bassiouny and Dr. Sara Hamed 4

 Fieldwork / Data Collection Process

Figure 13.1

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 Fieldwork / Data Collection Process
Step 1: Selection of Fieldworkers

Selection of fieldworkers is done by the researcher as

the first step in the fieldwork process.

The researcher should:

1. Develop job specifications for the project, taking into
account the mode of data collection.
2. Decide what characteristics the fieldworkers should
have.
3. Recruit appropriate individuals.

Interviewers should be selected to match

respondents’ characteristics.

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 Fieldwork / Data Collection Process
Step 1: Selection of Fieldworkers

Qualifications of Fieldworkers:
• Healthy: Field workers must have the stamina
required to do the job.
• Outgoing: The interviewers should be able to
establish rapport with the respondents.
• Communicative: Effective speaking and listening
skills are a great asset.
• Pleasant Appearance: If the field worker's physical
appearance is unpleasant or unusual, the data
collected may be biased.
• Educated: Interviewers must have good reading and
writing skills.
• Experienced: Experienced interviewers are likely to
do a better job.

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 Fieldwork / Data Collection Process
Step 2: Training of Fieldworkers

Training of fieldworkers is critical to the quality of

data collected.

Training should cover the following:

• Making the Initial Contact
• Asking the Questions
• Probing
• Recording the Answers
• Terminating the Interview

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 Fieldwork / Data Collection Process
Step 3: Supervision of Fieldworkers

Supervision of fieldworkers means making sure that they

are following the procedures and techniques in which they
were trained.

Supervision includes:
• Quality Control and Editing: This requires checking to
see if the field procedures are being properly implemented.
• Sampling Control: The supervisor attempts to ensure that
the interviewers are strictly following the sampling plan.
• Control of Cheating: Cheating involves falsifying part of a
question or the entire questionnaire. Cheating can be
minimized through proper training, supervision, and
validation.
• Central Office Control: Supervisors provide quality and
cost-control information to the central office. Central office
control includes tabulation of quota variables, important
demographic characteristics, and answers to key variables.

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 Fieldwork / Data Collection Process
Step 4: Validation of Fieldwork

Validation of fieldwork means verifying that the

fieldworkers are submitting authentic interviews.

Validation process includes:

• The supervisors call 10 - 25% of the respondents
to inquire whether the fieldworkers actually
conducted the interviews.
• The supervisors ask about the length and quality
of the interview, and reaction to the interviewer.
• The demographic information is cross-checked
against the information reported by the
interviewers on the questionnaires.

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 Fieldwork / Data Collection Process
Step 5: Evaluation of Fieldworkers

Evaluation of fieldworkers is important to:

• Provide fieldworkers with feedback on their
performance.
• Identify the better fieldworkers and build a
better, high-quality field force.

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 Fieldwork / Data Collection Process
Step 5: Evaluation of Fieldworkers

Evaluation of fieldworkers includes evaluation of:

• Cost and Time: The interviewers can be compared
in terms of the total cost (salary and expenses) per
completed interview.

• Response Rates: It is important to monitor

response rates on a timely basis so that corrective
action can be taken if these rates are too low.

• Quality of Interviewing: To evaluate interviewers

on the quality of interviewing, the supervisor must
directly observe the interviewing process.

• Quality of Data: The completed questionnaires of

each interviewer should be evaluated for the quality of
data.

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 The Marketing Research Process

Step 1: Problem Definition

Step 2: Development of an Approach to the Problem

Step 3: Research Design Formulation

Step 4: Field Work or Data Collection

Step 5: Data Preparation and Analysis

Step 6: Report Preparing and Presentation

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 The Report Preparation and Presentation Process

Reasons for the importance of the report and its

presentation as parts of the marketing research
project:
1. They are the tangible products of the research effort.
2. Management decisions are guided by the report and
the presentation.
3. The involvement of many marketing managers in the
project is limited to the written report and the oral
presentation.
4. Management's decision to undertake marketing
research in the future or to use the particular
research supplier again will be influenced by the
perceived usefulness of the report and the
presentation.

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 The Report Preparation and Presentation Process

Figure 22.1

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 Report Preparation
Report Format

I. Title page
II. Letter of Transmittal
III. Letter of Authorization
IV. Table of Contents
V. List of Tables
VI. List of Graphs
VII. List of Appendices
VIII.Executive summary
a. Major findings
b. Conclusions
c. Recommendations

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 Report Preparation
Report Format

IX. Problem Definition

a. Background to the problem
b. Statement of the problem
X. Approach to the Problem
XI. Research Design
a. Type of research design
b. Information needs
c. Data collection from secondary sources
d. Data collection from primary sources
e. Scaling techniques
f. Questionnaire development and pretesting
g. Sampling techniques
h. Fieldwork

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 Report Preparation
Report Format

XII. Data Analysis

a. Methodology
b. Plan of data analysis
XIII.Results
XIV. Limitations
XV. Conclusions and Recommendations
XVI. Appendices
a. Questionnaires and forms
b. Statistical output
c. Lists

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 Report Preparation
Report Format

Letter of Transmittal: A letter of transmittal

delivers the report to the client and summarizes the
researcher’s overall experience with the project,
without mentioning the findings. The letter should
also identify the need for further action on the part
of the client, such as implementation of the findings
or further research that should be undertaken.

Letter of Authorization: A letter of authorization

is written by the client to the researcher before
work on the project begins. It authorizes the
researcher to proceed with the project and specifies
its scope and the terms of the contract.

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 Report Preparation
Tables and Figures/Graphs

All tables and figures/graphs should be

numbered.

Types of Graphs:
• Geographic and Other Maps
• Pie Charts
• Line Charts
• Pictographs
• Bar Charts and Histograms
• Schematic Figures and Flowcharts

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 Report Preparation
Figures/Graphs: Geographic and Other Maps

Geographic and other maps can communicate

relative location and other comparative information.
• Geographic maps can pertain to countries, states,
counties, sales territories, and other divisions.

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 Report Preparation
EXAMPLE: Product-Positioning Map

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 Report Preparation
EXAMPLE: Geographic Map – Coca Cola

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 Report Preparation
Geographic Map – GEOmarketing Research Services

GEOmarketing: This is a research tool that links

geography with marketing expertise, and research.
• All results obtained are plotted on a map and the
client is given action points, standards, plans by
area.
• Areas are referred to as catchment areas and
the analysis of each area is referred to as
catchment area analysis.
• Catchment Areas: The geographical locations
served by an institution.
• It is offered by Nielsen and other marketing
research agencies.

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 Report Preparation
EXAMPLE: Geographic Map – GEOmarketing Research Services

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 Report Preparation
Figures/Graphs: Pie Charts

Pie Chart: A round chart divided into sections.

• The area of each section, as a percentage of the
total area of the circle, reflects the percentage
associated with the value of a specific variable.
• A pie chart is not useful for displaying
relationships over time or relationships among
several variables.

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 Report Preparation
EXAMPLE: Pie Charts

Figure 22.2: Pie Chart of Auto Sales by Manufacturer (2004)

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 Report Preparation
Figures/Graphs: Line Charts

Line Chart: A chart that connects a series of data

points using continuous lines.
• This is an attractive way of illustrating trends and
changes over time.
• Several series can be compared on the same
chart, and forecasts, interpolations, and
extrapolations can be shown. If several series are
displayed simultaneously, each line should have a
distinctive color or form.

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 Report Preparation
EXAMPLE: Line Charts

Figure 22.3: Line Chart of Auto Sales by Manufacturer (2000-2004)

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 Report Preparation
Figures/Graphs: Pictographs

Pictograph: A graphical depiction that makes use

of small pictures or symbols to display the data.
• Pictographs do not depict results precisely.
Hence, caution should be exercised when using
them.

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 Report Preparation
EXAMPLE: Pictographs

Figure 22.5: Pictograph of Auto Sales by Manufacturer (2004)

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 Report Preparation
Figures/Graphs: Bar Charts and Histograms

Bar Chart: A chart that displays data in bars positioned

horizontally or vertically.
• The bars are positioned over a label that represents a
categorical (qualitative) variable.
• The height of the bar indicates the size of the group
defined by the column label.
• Bar charts can be used to present absolute and
relative magnitudes, differences, and change.

Histogram: A vertical bar chart in which the height of

the bars represents the relative or cumulative frequency
of occurrence.
• The bars are positioned over a label that represents a
continuous (quantitative) variable.
• The bar label can be a single value or a range of
values.

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 Report Preparation
EXAMPLE: Bar Charts and Histograms

Bar Chart

Histogram

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 Report Preparation
Figures/Graphs: Schematic Figures and Flowcharts

Schematic figures and flowcharts take on a

number of different forms. They can be used to:
• Display the steps or components of a process
• Classify items in classification diagrams

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 Report Preparation
EXAMPLE: Schematic Figures and Flowcharts

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 Report Preparation
EXAMPLE: Schematic Figures and Flowcharts

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