University Market Research Report: Technology's Influence

This report provides a comprehensive overview of market research, detailing its processes and the significant impact of technology on its evolution. It begins with an introduction to market research, distinguishing between primary and secondary research methods. The report then explores how technology has revolutionized data collection, moving from traditional methods like telephone surveys and questionnaires to modern, efficient online platforms. It highlights the importance of research design, sampling, and data analysis, including the use of software like IBM SPSS for gathering customer insights. The report emphasizes the benefits of internet-based market research, such as faster analysis and reduced human error, and concludes by underscoring the positive impact of technology on the field, facilitating effective marketing strategies and real-time data collection.

Running head: MARKET RESEARCH
The impact of technology on marketing research in today’s business environment
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Executive Summary
In this report a brief description about market research process has been discussed. It also
has discussion about the technologies that were previously used in market research and also how
Internet has revolutionized the way market survey works in the current time.

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Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Previously technologies used to collect data...................................................................................3
Importance of research design.........................................................................................................5
Sampling..........................................................................................................................................5
Collection and Analysis of Data......................................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
Reference List..................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
The procedure for the collection of relevant information for analysis and review for the
purpose of decision making, policy making and a smooth running of the business is called
Market research (McQuarrie 2015).
There are basically two types of market research primary and secondary. Secondary
market research is said to be conducted when there are data already available on the relevant
topic that has to be researched upon. Secondary research sets a base for primary research and
makes the process easy. Primary research on the other hand is the information that has been
gathered on first hand for a specific idea. Some of the tools of primary research are interviews,
filling up survey sheets, telephone survey, survey on the focused group etc (Malhotra, Birks and
Wills 2013).
Technology has a very important impact on the modern market research procedures it has
made complicated calculations which are necessary for analysis easy; it has also has made the
process fluid and much smoother. There Information and communication technology
advancement has let organizations conduct market surveys on a much easy rate (Poynter
Williams and York 2014).
Previously technologies used to collect data
Companies collect data to ensure the level of customer loyaty and custmer satisfaction.
Previously to conduct a market survey telephone medium was the most updated version of
technology used. A person had access to data base of the potential customers and he or she used

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to call individuals and talk to them and record their inputs. This has a lot of drawback, first of all
most of the time people are unwilling to talk to strangers and give them time from their busy
schedule to talk to them. The recorded data was hand written or was typed in computers which
took a long time to process in a way that it would make sense. The analysis process of this
technology was very slow paced. Face to face interview with the customers is affective for
industries or businesses that have to deal directly with the customers for example: restaurant
business. In this case it is feasible and people are also willing to talk to the management of a
restaurant or an eatery. But this is not an option for a multinational company or a manufacturing
industry. The impact that the analysis will draw from the market research has to efficient and
quick in order to positively benefit the company (Babin and Zikmund 2015).
Filling up questioner is also another very prevalent way of gathering information and
relevant data. Previously, first the questions had to be set and then the hardcopies of the
questioner were circulated among the potential or present customers and they had to fill in the
answers of the questions. After that the question papers used to be individually collected and
segregated (if needed) and then each question were analyzed one by one. It was a tedious task
and used to take a lot of time to come to a relevant conclusion about the research (Zikmund
2013).
The internet has revolutionized the way market research works. It has made the process
simpler and more efficient as there is less provision for any human error in the analysis of the
research. The market survey previously used to be a lengthy procedure the advent and the
modern use of internet has squeezed the time as well which has in turn made policy and decision
making process also rapid and smooth (Barnham 2015).

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IBM SPSS Data Collection Survey Reporter
This software offers valuable feedbacks and insight from the customers for an
organization. It comes with a flexible reporting, coverage treatment and visual solution. It
assures to deliver the right information to the right person at the right time, helping them to
quickly gather the importance of the results that has been calculated so that decision making
process is easy, effective and smooth.
Importance of research design
It is basically a plan for the research that is to be conducted for a particular topic. It
involves the type of research that is required, tools of research that are needed and a strategy
which has to be followed in order to maintain the efficiency of the market research. For example,
the strategy for market research of a restaurant or a hotel will be different form a hardware
company. The nature of the business, the product or services that are offer by the organization,
the scale of the business and also the objective of the research are the points that are to be kept in
mind will making a research design (Norman and Verganti 2014).
The design of the software is focused on interactive reporting so that the significant insights for
the information gathered from the customers can be used for the betterment of the organization.
As this software enables flexibility to the user to create, edit and share new variables, it helps in
research design making the process much simpler. It also enables the user create filters to ensure
accuracy and consistency and the new filter can be used more than one time.

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Sampling
This is the process by which opinion of relevant groups of people are garnered to form an
idea about the research that is going to be conducted. It also gives an insight about more
potential customers who belong to the group that is being communicated with. Sampling
distribution is crucial in research and in order to do so an individual has to be well versed with
the data (Trainor 2014).
As the new variables from other users can also be used, the sampling becomes simpler.
The software can make reports that incorporate all data types – categorical, numeric, date and
time, and text.
Collection and Analysis of Data
The main purpose of market research is to form an insight about the topic which will
further make decision making procedure easy. The collection of data via internet is a much
simpler process but it involves skilled and trained individuals to operate it in a systematic way.
There are two basic kinds of data analysis qualitative and quantitative. Regression, standard
deviation and mean can all be used with the help of applications. Online questioner can be
immediately analyzed by the website that is being after the reports are back. Inference has to
done by an individual but the calculations and analysis can be done by the websites (Price,
Wrigley and Straker 2015). Hypothesis testing and sample size determination is also a lot easier
with the help of applications that use internet to help an individual come to a conclusion. There
are new software that are being developed which require internet access to make the process easy
and error free (Nunan and Di Domenico 2013).

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The software can create interactive cross tabulations that show focused sample in survey
data, and share them with internal or external clients who can use this information to come to a
conclusion about the information gathered. It also offers easy input of data and automated table
creation, highlighted insights and much more. For more superior tabulation of the data, leverage
IBM SPSS Statistics or IBM SPSS Modeler can also be used.
Conclusion
This is the virtual era and with the modernization and advancement of technology every
sector of business has gained positively. Market research process with the help of internet can
manage bulk information and can channelize the information gathered to the right place at the
right time. The approach towards market survey has completely changed with internet it has
evolved the data collection and analysis process. Internet usage helps in the creation of effective
marketing mix, collection of real time data and also facilitates the work on a day to day basis.

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Reference List:
McQuarrie, E.F., 2015. The market research toolbox: a concise guide for beginners. Sage
Publications.
Malhotra, N.K., Birks, D.F. and Wills, P., 2013. Essentials of marketing research. Pearson.
Poynter, R., Williams, N. and York, S., 2014. The handbook of mobile market research: tools
and techniques for market researchers. John Wiley & Sons.
Norman, D.A. and Verganti, R., 2014. Incremental and radical innovation: Design research vs.
technology and meaning change. Design issues, 30(1), pp.78-96.
Babin, B.J. and Zikmund, W.G., 2015. Exploring marketing research. Cengage Learning.
Zikmund, W.G., Babin, B.J., Carr, J.C. and Griffin, M., 2013. Business research methods.
Cengage Learning.
Barnham, C., 2015. Quantitative and qualitative research: Perceptual foundations. International
Journal of Market Research, 57(6), pp.837-854.
Nunan, D. and Di Domenico, M., 2013. Market research & the ethics of big data. International
Journal of Market Research, 55(4), pp.505-520.
Price, R.A., Wrigley, C. and Straker, K., 2015. Not just what they want, but why they want it:
Traditional market research to deep customer insights. Qualitative Market Research: An
International Journal, 18(2), pp.230-248.

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Trainor, K.J., Andzulis, J.M., Rapp, A. and Agnihotri, R., 2014. Social media technology usage
and customer relationship performance: A capabilities-based examination of social
CRM. Journal of Business Research, 67(6), pp.1201-1208.