The purpose of this report is to explain the four steps of the marketing research process and investigate and justify which of the steps is the most difficult to undertake

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Table of contents

Executive Summary                                                  1

1        Introduction        2

1.1.        Purpose        2

1.2.        Scope        2

1.3.        Method        2

1.4.        Limitations        2

1.5.        Assumptions        2

1.6.        Definition of Supermarket Industry & Industry Overview        3 

2        Porter’s Five Forces Model _        3

2.1 The threat of new entrants ………………………………………………………………...4

2.2 The bargaining power of buyers …………………………………………………………..4

2.3 The bargaining power of suppliers ..………………………………………………………5

2.4 The availability of substitutes ……………………………….............................................6

2.5 The intensity of rivalry ……………………………………………………………………6

2.6 Market Position Classification ……………………………………………………………6

3        The Generic Strategies        ……………………………………………………………………..7 

3.1        Cost Leadership Strategy…………………….…………………………………………..7

3.2        Differentiation Strategy        …………………………………………………………………7

3.3        Focus Strategy …………….……………………………………………………………..8

4   Value chain analysis ………………………………………………………………………… 8

5        Trends & Recommendations        9

5.1 Petrol vouchers issue ………………………………………………………………………9

5.2 Plastic bags issue ………………………………………………………………………….9

5.3 Food safety concerns ……………………………………………………………………..9

6   Appendix ………………………………………………………………………11

7        References        13

  1. Introduction

  1. Purpose

The purpose of this report is to explain the four steps of the marketing research process and investigate and justify which of the steps is the most difficult to undertake.

  1. Scope

The report generally describes each step in the marketing research process. The report also discusses the hardest step in the whole process and provides an appropriate example.

  1. Method

In order to complete this report, journal articles, secondary data contained in books are used to research the topic. Besides these, internet resources are selected to supplement the report.

  1. Limitations

The limitations of the report were limited resources relating to the topic and the report may not cover completely the whole information in this area as the words limitations.

  1. Assumptions

In preparing the report, it was assumed that all information gathered for this report is relevant and unbiased.

  1. Background

During this century many factors have led to the need for mare and better information. Especially, in carrying out their marketing activities, managers continually need a great deal of information. Many companies have invested in quite sophisticated marketing information systems in order to provide managers with good information to assist their decision-making. Marketing research is an important part of marketing information system; therefore the discussion of the marketing research process is required.

  1. Marketing Research

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“Marketing research is the systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in decision making related to the identification and solution of problems and opportunities in marketing” (Malhotra, Hall, Shaw and Oppenheim, 2002, p.11). It is an efficient, cost-effective management tool that gets marketers close to the consumer, customer and public through the relevant, accurate, reliable, valid and current information. The most common researches are measurement of market potential, market share, long-range forecasting and so forth (Kotler, Brown, Adam and Armstrong, 2004). Whether an organization does marketing research relied on its own ...

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