Business Research Design: Exploratory

Exploratory Research Design:
Secondary Data

Chapter Outline
1) Overview
2) Primary versus Secondary Data
3) Advantages & Uses of Secondary Data
4) Disadvantages of Secondary Data

5) Criteria for Evaluating Secondary Data
i. Specifications: Methodology Used to Collect
the Data
ii. Error: Accuracy of the Data
iii. Currency: When the Data were collected
iv. Objective(s): The Purpose for Which the
Data were Collected
v. Nature: The Content of the Data
vi. Dependability: Overall, How Dependable
are the Data

6) Classification of Secondary Data
7) Internal Secondary Data
8) Published External Secondary Sources
i. General Business Sources
a. Guides
b. Directories
c. Indexes
d. Non-governmental Statistical Data
ii. Government Sources
a. Census Data
b. Other Government Publications
Census
Data

9) Computerized Databases
i. Classification of Computerized
Databases
ii. Directories of Databases
10) Syndicate Sources of Secondary Data

11) Syndicated Data from Households
i. Surveys
a. Psychographics & Lifestyles
b. Advertising Evaluation
c. General Surveys
d. Uses of Surveys
e. Advantages & Disadvantages of Surveys
ii. Diary Panels
a. Diary Purchase Panels
b. Diary Media Panels
c. Uses of Dairy Panels
d. Advantages & Disadvantages of Dairy Panels
iii. Electronic Scanner Services
a. Volume Tracking Data
b. Scanner Diary Panels
c. Scanner Diary Panels with Cable TV
d. Uses of Scanner Services
e. Advantages & Disadvantages

12) Syndicated Data from Institutions
i. Retailers & Wholesalers
a. Uses of Audit Data
b. Advantages & Disadvantages of Audit Data
ii. Industry Services
a. Uses of Industry Services
b. Advantages & Disadvantages of Industry
Services

13) Combining Information from Different
Sources: Single-Source Data
14) Applications of Secondary Data
i. Computer Mapping
15) International Marketing Research
16) Ethics in Marketing Research
17) Internet and Computer Applications
18) Focus on Burke
19) Summary
20) Key Terms & Concepts
21) Acronyms

Primary Data Secondary Data
Collection purpose For the problem at hand For other problems
Collection process Very involved Rapid & easy
Collection cost High Relatively low
Collection time Long Short
A Comparison of Primary &
Secondary Data
Table 4.1

Criteria Issues Remarks
Specifications &
methodology
Error &
Accuracy
Currency
Objective
Nature
Dependability
Data collection method, response
rate, quality & analysis of data,
sampling technique & size,
questionnaire design, field work.
Examine errors in approach,
research design, sampling,data
collection & analysis, & reporting.
Time lag between collection &
publication, frequency of updates.
Why were the data collected?
Definition of key variables, units of
measurement, categories used,
relationships examined.
Expertise, credibility, reputation, &
trustworthiness of the source.
Data should be reliable,
valid, & generalizable to
the problem.
Assess accuracy by
comparing data from
different sources.
Census data are updated
by syndicated firms.
The objective determines
the relevance of data.
Reconfigure the data to
increase their usefulness.
Data should be obtained
from an original source.
Table 4.2 Criteria for Evaluating Secondary Data

A Classification of Secondary Data
Secondary Data
Internal External
Ready to
Use
Requires
further
processing
Published
Materials
Computerized
Databases
Syndicated
Services
Fig. 4.1

Type of Individual/Household Level Data
Available from Syndicated Firms
RIP 4.1
I. Demographic Data
- Identification (Name, address, telephone)
- Sex
- Marital status
- Names of family members
- Age (including ages of family members)
- Income
- Occupation
- Number of children present
- Home ownership
- Length of residence
- Number and make of cars owned

II. Psychographic Lifestyle Data
- Interest in golf
- Interest in snow skiing
- Interest in book reading
- Interest in running
- Interest in bicycling
- Interest in pets
- Interest in fishing
- Interest in electronics
- Interest in cable television
There are also firms such as Dun & Bradstreet and American
Business Information which collect demographic data on
businesses.

Statistical
Data
Published
Secondary Data
General Business
Sources
Government
Sources
Guides Directories Indexes Census
Data
Other
Government
Publications
A Classification of Published
Secondary Sources
Fig. 4.2

American Business Information: Here,
There, and Everywhere
RIP 4.2
American Business Information Inc. markets subsets of
its data in a number of forms, including the professional
on-line services (LEXIS-NEXIS and DIALOG), the
general online services (CompuServe and Microsoft
Network), the Internet (look-ups), and on CD-ROM. The
underlying database on which all these products are
based contains information on 110 million residential
listings and 11 million business listings. ABI also assigns
credit scores to company listings. The ABI database
most business researchers are familiar with are the
American Business Directory and the Canadian Business
Directory.

Bibliographic
Databases
Computerized
Databases
On-Line Off-Line
Numeric
Databases
Full-Text
Databases
Directory
Databases
Special-Pu
rpose
Databases
A Classification of
Computerized Databases
Fig. 4.3
Internet

Unit of
Measurement
A Classification of Syndicated Services
Fig. 4.4
Households/
Consumers
Institutions

Syndicated Services: ConsumersFig. 4.4 Contd.
Households /
Consumers
Surveys
Mail Diary
Panels
Electronic
scanner servicesPurchase Media
Psychographic
& Lifestyles General Advertising
Evaluation
Volume
Tracking Data
Scanner Diary
Panels
Scanner Diary
Panels with
Cable TV

Syndicated Services: Institutions
Institutions
Retailers Wholesalers Industrial firms
Audits
Direct
Inquiries
Clipping
Services
Corporate
Reports
Fig. 4.4 Contd.

Table 4.3 Overview of Syndicated Services

Table 4.3 Contd.

The New York Times on the Web: A
New Way to Target Consumers
RIP 4.3
The New York Times Electronic Media Company offers
The New York Times on the Web database information
to advertisers in a manner that enables firms to leverage
the site’s 2 million registrants. The database contains
demographic information, such as age, gender, income,
and Zip code, that ties to an e-mail address for each of
the members. This new database marketing system can
identify and customize user groups, target web messages
to specific segments of the population, and adjust the
message based on audience reaction. It can also increase
targeting opportunities through third-party data or
additional information supplied by the user.

For example, the database enables an automobile firm to
emphasize safety to older customers, luxury to affluent
ones, and roominess to families. The system is set up so
that near real-time data can be received from the web
that indicates how well ads are performing relative to
age, gender, and income characteristics. Thus, this
system allows a firm to maintain up-to-date information
on audiences in order to position its products effectively.

International
Organizations
Domestic Organizations
in
the United States
International Secondary Data
International
Organizations in
the United States
Organizations in
Foreign Countries
Government
Sources
Nongovernment
Sources Governments Trade
Associations
A Classification of International
Sources
Fig. 4.5