Marketing Research

By the end of this session you will be able to:

Understand the need for marketing research in leisure & tourism

Review the methods used for marketing research

Construct a questionnaire

Definition

The Objective gathering, recording & analysing of all the facts about problems relating to the transfer and sale of goods and services from producer and services to consumer or user. CIM

Collection of data with the single intention of using it to make an organisation’s marketing activities more effective Swarbrook & Horner (1999)

Thus marketing research should include the constant collection, analysis & dissemination of information for planning, control and decision making purposes

Specific Uses of Marketing ResearchSwarbrooke & Horner (1999) Identify opportunities for product development Set prices in relation to those of competitors and to what consumers

are wiling to pay Ensure the distribution network is working effectively Select the best combination of promotional techniques and the most

appropriate advertising media. Subdivide the total market into segments which can be targeted by

the organisation Make adjustment to customer service in the light of customer

comments Review & change brands and logos Make decisions about investment in new facilities Choose locations for eg new hotels/theme parks Suggest opportunities for diversification

Data Required

Statistical profiles of tourists Statistical records of tourist behaviour Info on tourists purchasing decisions Consumer perceptions Tourist satisfaction Trends Segmentation criteria Product positioning Attitude of non users Cultural & national differences

Practicalities

What information is needed Depends on the objectives of the receiving

organisation Must be agreed between decision makers

and specific information requirements identified

Market Research Programme Research Brief

Plan of Work

Collection of Data

Analysis of Data

Presentation of Data

Methods

Basic Marketing Research Applied Marketing Research http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqEFtz2YGyA Proactive Reactive

Quantitative Qualitative

Sources of Marketing Research Data

Marketing Research

Internal Information

In-house research

External/secondary information

Outside research of existing resources

Primary Information

Commissioned research

External Sources of Tourism Information Domestic socio-economic data Industrial classification data Mintel reports Leisure Forecasts (Sheffield Leisure Industries

Research Centre) Trade Journals Social Trends Henley Centre for Forecasting/Keynote Staruk.org.uk

Primary Data Collection

Involves the collection of new data which is to be used for a specific purpose.

Defining the Population - who is it?

Census v Sample Census – everybody in the relevant populationSample – subset selected

Sampling Most common – why?

Sample must Be large enough to ensure statistical reliability Representative of the population about which

conclusions are to be drawn.

Types of Sampling Methods Random stratified random Convenience cluster Quota

Survey MethodsAccess the sample – things to bear in mindMore likely to cooperate if Purpose of survey is clear They have the time and place to complete Incentive They do not have to make a special effort

Methods Face to face interview Postal survey Telephone survey Surveys provided at point of contact

Questionnaire Design Why use questionnaires?

Veal (1999)

Quantified information that questionnaires provide can inform decision making of organisations

Provides a transparent set of research procedures Able to study change over time using longitudinal

surveys Can provide information in a succinct easily

understood form Where data is required from samples which are

explicitly representative of a defined wider population

IssuesVeal 1999

Depends on power of recall and honesty of respondents

Chase & Godbey (1983) respondents exaggerate levels of participation

Clarke & Critcher (1985) “there is always a gap between what people say and what they actually do” p27

FINN et al (2000) “Response rates of between 10 and 40% are quite common” p102

PRACTICAL STEPS TO QUESTIONNNAIRE DESIGN

What is the aim of the research? From the aim identify the research questions

Turn the objectives into research questions

Construct the questionnaire questions from the research questions

How will you identify the influence of different variables?

ASKING THE QUESTIONSWHAT TYPES OF QUESTIONS CAN BE

ASKED? Closed v open questions Sequencing Length of questions Length of questionnaireTYPES OF QUESTIONS Dichotomous Ranking Interval level measurements Likert scale Bipolar

QUESTION CONSTRUCTION

USE A LINGUISTIC FORM APPROPRIATE TO THE POPULATION UNDER INVESTIGATION

BIAS, LEADING AND LOADED QUESTIONS

RESPONSE LISTS

METHOD OF SURVEY

POSTAL TELEPHONE ELECTRONIC http://www.surveymonkey.com/?cmpid=gb:ps:google&gclid=CNDHp

frajaACFZqY2AodJ1SseQ

http://www.esurveyspro.com/article-steps-online-questionnaire.aspx

INTERVIEW – FACE TO FACE

Reading

Finn, M., Elliott-White, M. and Walton, M. (2000) Tourism and Leisure Research Methods, Harlow: Longman - Chapter 6

Veal (1999) Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism, Harlow: Longman - Chapter 9

Saunders.M, et al (2007), Research methods for business students