DESCRIPTIVE AND CAUSAL DESIGN OF THE RESEARCH

Abstract

Marketing research as a critical part of the marketing decision making process contributes to improving the quality of decision making by providing relevant, accurate and timely information. Each marketing research project is unique in a particular sense, and each decision requires unique information needs, and based on this information it is possible to develop relevant strategies. Often, marketing research is viewed as simplified as collecting and analyzing data that someone else will use. In fact, organizations can achieve and maintain a competitive advantage through the creative use of marketing information. This, marketing research is viewed as input for decisions, but it is important to point out that marketing research alone does not guarantee success, but intelligent use of marketing research is needed in order to achieve the desired business improvements. It turns out that in order to achieve a competitive advantage in addition to having the necessary information of great importance and the way this information is used. As decision makers primarily focus on market performance, the following issues are important when deciding:  Who are potential consumers, What consumers want from products and services, How and where consumers want to be available or delivered specific products and services, What price consumers are willing to pay, etc.

However, due to globalization, and complicated systems of affiliates, wholesalers and retailers, barriers between managers and consumers are created, so managers as individuals, whose final analysis depends on the success or failure of the organization, are separated and remote from consumers. In addition to the distance from consumers due to organizational hierarchy, The reasons why managers need information from marketing researchers are the increasing demands and expectations of consumers, as well as the growing number of companies facing  international competition. By looking at the general overview of business events, it is considered that organizations around the world lose half their consumers every five years, and more than two- thirds of organizations fail to meet expectations and meet consumer needs due to misperceptions about what consumers really want.

The goals of marketing research can relate to research of products and services, research of supply and demand, consumer research, competition research, research on the basic elements of marketing mix. Regardless of whether qualitative or quantitative research is concerned, the main objective of marketing research is to provide the management with relevant information necessary for optimal decision making. Therefore, one needs to emphasize once again that marketing research does not guarantee success and is only a decision-making tool, and not a decision-making tool in terms of direct decision-making.