Market Research in Practice: An Introduction to Gaining Greater Market Insight

by Paul Hague

Overview

Learn the fundamentals of market research with this bestselling guide that delivers an overview of the whole process, from planning a project and executing it, what tools to use, through to analysis and presenting the findings.

Market Research in Practice provides a practical and robust introduction to the subject, providing a clear step-by-step guide to managing market research and how to effectively to obtain the most reliable results. Written by an industry expert with over 35 years' practical experience in running a successful market research agency, tips and advice are included throughout to ground the concepts in business reality. This text also benefits from real-world examples from companies including Adidas, Marks & Spencer, Grohe and General Motors.

Now in its fourth edition, Market Research in Practice is now fully updated to capture the latest changes and developments in the field and explores new tools of qualitative research using online methods as well as expanding further on online surveys such as SurveyMonkey. Accompanied by a range of templates, surveys and resources for lecturers, this is an invaluable guide for students of research methods, researchers, marketers and users of market research.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781398602823
Publisher:	Kogan Page, Ltd.
Publication date:	11/30/2021
Edition description:	4th ed.
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 1.06(h) x 9.65(d)

About the Author

Paul Hague is based in Manchester, UK and is the founder of B2B International Ltd. Their clients include some of the largest corporations in Europe and the United States. Paul Hague is the author of a dozen books on market research as well as books on customer experience and business models that share over 35 years of practical experience in running a successful market research agency. These include Kogan Page titles such B2B Customer Experience (2018) and The Business Models Handbook (2019).

Table of Contents

* Section - ONE: Planning a market research study; ** Chapter - 01: Introduction; ** Chapter - 02: Market research design; ** Chapter - 03: Uses of market research; * Section - TWO: Qualitative research; ** Chapter - 04: Qualitative research; ** Chapter - 05: Desk research; ** Chapter - 06: Focus groups; ** Chapter - 07: Depth interviewing; ** Chapter - 08: Observation and ethnography; * Section - THREE: Quantitative research; ** Chapter - 09: Quantitative research; ** Chapter - 10: Sampling and statistics; ** Chapter - 11: Questionnaire design; ** Chapter - 12: Face-to-face interviewing; ** Chapter - 13: Telephone interviewing; ** Chapter - 14: Self-completion questionnaires; ** Chapter - 15: Online surveys; ** Chapter - 16: Data analysis; * Section - FOUR: Using market research; ** Chapter - 17: Using market research to segment markets; ** Chapter - 18: Using market research to improve a brand position; ** Chapter - 19: Using market research to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty; ** Chapter - 20: Using market research to achieve optimum pricing; ** Chapter - 21: Using market research to enter a new market; ** Chapter - 22: Using market research to test advertising effectiveness; ** Chapter - 23: Using market research to launch a new product; ** Chapter - 24: Reporting; * Section - FIVE: The market research industry; ** Chapter - 25: International market research; ** Chapter - 26: Research trends; ** Chapter - 27: Ethics in market research

Editorial Reviews

"Tactics don't work without a solid strategic foundation. And you only get strategy right working from a good base of market research. This book is that base. Clear. Practical. And everything you need to know to do market research properly."

Virtual Marketing Professor Mark Ritson

"A concise, engaging and extremely accessible introduction to market research, tools, techniques and issues. This book stands out because of it succinctness, clarity, and brevity. This is a great go-to guide for anyone seeking an introduction to market research."

author and SOSTAC® Planning Founder PR Smith

"This book presents the rare combination of being comprehensive, authoritative, and eminently readable. It should become the go-to guide for researchers and research buyers seeking to understand the full research process and its many purposes."

C. Frederic John

"We are reminded of the scope of issues that market research helps us with and how exciting market research can be. Grounded in the realities of the product lifecycle along with the core strategic decisions (about products and markets) and management decisions (about the marketing mix) that are made in marketing, this is a very useful explanation and guide to using and undertaking market research.

Whether you are interested in understanding markets, customers, the offer or positioning, this book offers accessible explanations of methods and applications. With top tips and helpful summaries, this is an excellent handbook for all those seeking to implement data collection and use market research information. It will help those commissioning or undertaking market research to plan to get the best form each project. This book will be useful to those interested in information-based decisions – practitioners and students of management in both the public and private sectors. The book covers both secondary and primary data it encompasses our move to interest in big data as well as making the most of small-sample qualitative studies. In this context, it puts sampling into context and gives insight into the appreciation of validity. The section on analysis suggests practical approaches to presenting results based on descriptive outcomes and multivariate analysis to understand market segmentation.

The book clearly draws on a wealth of experience; it is credible and understandable, and I would recommend it to anyone undertaking marketing information gathering."

Manchester Metropolitan University - Prof Gill Wright

"Easy to read, easy to understand ... a book to have, not only for students, but definitely also for business people."

AkzoNobel Industrial Coatings - Jeroen Beukeboom

"Any B2B marketer who is looking to increase awareness of their own market, or even those using market research to investigate new areas, will benefit from this book."

B2B Marketing - Charlie King

"A practical introduction to market research for students and for people who want to carry out or manage their own surveys."

Journal of Economic Literature

"A great book for those who will come into contact with research at any level and are interested in the methods used or are looking for new ideas to broaden their own forms of research."

Professional Marketing

"The world of market research is constantly evolving with new methods and technologies. It’s important to have a resource that you trust to remind you of the foundations of research-done-well. A valuable tool for insights professionals of all types, this is the book that I use with my team, whether we’re searching for new inspiration or just want to go back to basics."

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. - Rebecca Cunningham

"If you are new to market research then this should be your bible. If you hate guessing what your customers are thinking, then this should be your road map. And if you are a marketer, young or old, then this masterly reference piece will serve as a timely reminder that the most effective marketing is still about thinking and planning."

Excellence Air Products - John Dodds

"[A] practical guide to the basics of marketing research.  Filled with real-world applications and important details, the book presents a step-by-step approach to conducting primary research, from planning a project through execution, analysis, and presentation of findings.  The guide not only outlines the fundamental steps, but reviews the complete ten-week market research cycle. ...Liberal use of examples and a variety of graphics peppered throughout enhance readability.  Undergraduate business students or MBA students with little prior exposure to the area will find this book very helpful."

Choice - S.D. Clark

"A really practical, down-to-earth book with clearly laid out examples and illustrations. The use of real-life scenarios helps to de-mystify the world of research through logical steps."

Molson Coors - Carol Sheppard

"An ideal textbook for college and university Business Management and Market Research curriculums, Market Research in Practice: An Introduction to Gaining Greater Market Insight will prove to be of immense and practical value to both aspiring and practicing corporate marketing directors and researchers. An absolutely essential addition to academic and corporate Business & Marketing instructional reference collections."

Midwest Book Review - Reviewer's Bookwatch

"A nice job of explaining the whole process of research, from the initial inkling of the need to do research through reporting the results."

Quirk's Marketing Research Review

"Accessible and attractively presented with a good structure built on years of first-hand experience. Provides insights with clear tips for success throughout."

Manchester Business School - John Pal