Marketing-Research英语教程课件

MarketingResearchAlvinC.BurnsRonaldF.BushThiscourseisaboutgatheringinformationinordertomakebetterdecisions.Andyouwilllearnaboutthebasicprocessmarketingresearchersusetoprovidemanagerswiththeinformationtheyneedtomakebetterdecisions.havealreadystudiedfundamentalsofmarketingandelementarystatistics.Chapter1IntroductiontoMarketingResearchLearningObjectivesToknowtherelationshipofmarketingresearchtomarketing,themarketingconceptandmarketingstrategyToknowhowtodefinemarketingresearchTounderstandthepurposeandusesofmarketingresearchstudiesToknowhowtoclassifydifferenttypesofmarketingresearchstudiesTodescribeaMISandunderstandwhymarketingresearchoccupiesaplaceinanMIS1.1TherelationshipofmarketingresearchtomarketingMarketingresearchispartofmarketingWhatismarketing?MeetingneedsprofitablyThedefinitionofferedbytheAmericanMarketingAssociation:marketingisanorganizationalfunctionandasetofprocessesforcreating,communicatinganddeliveringvaluetocustomersandformanagingcustomerrelationshipsinwaysthatbenefittheorganizationanditsstakeholders.TangibleproductviewofmarketingService-centeredviewofmarketingInordertopracticemarketing,marketingdecisionmakersneedinformationinordertomakebetterdecisions.Intoday’sworld,informationismoreimportant.Successfulcompanieshavetherightinformationtohelpthemmakedecisionsleadingtosuccess.Marketingresearchprovidesinformationtodecisionmakers.Sotopracticemarketingcorrectly,managersmusthaveinformationthisisthepurposeofmarketingresearch.Marketingresearchisapartofmarketing;itprovidesthenecessaryinformationtoenablemanagerstomarketideas,goods,andservicesproperly.

how?Havingtherightphilosophy,followedbypropermarketingstrategyTheimportanceofphilosophiesandthephilosophywecall“themarketingconcept”asystemofvalues,orprinciples,bywhichyoulive.Amanager’sphilosophywillaffecthowheorshemakeday-to-daydecisioninthebusiness.Amuchbetterphilosophyiscalledthe“marketingconcept”.PhilipKotler’sdefinition:Themarketingconceptisabusinessphilosophythatholdsthatthekeytoachievingorganizationalgoalsconsistsofthecompanybeingmoreeffectivethancompetitorsincreating,delivering,andcommunicatingcustomervaluetoitschosentargetmarkets.ThecustomersisGod.The“rightphilosophy”isanimportantfirststepinbeingMustputtogetherthe“rightstrategy”The“rightmarketingstrategy”Strategymeansdevelopingplansofattackthatwouldminimizetheenemy’sabilitytorespond.So,bystrategy,wemeanaPlan,andonethatshouldanticipatecompetitors’reactions.

Amarketingstrategyconsistsofselectingasegmentofthemarketasthecompany’stargetmarketanddesigningtheproper“mix”ofproduct/service,price,promotion,anddistributionsystemtomeetthewantsandneedsoftheconsumerswithinthetargetmarket.Inordertodevelopthe“right”strategy,thefollowingquestionsmustbeanswered:Whatisthemarket,andhowdowesegmentit?Whatarethewantsandneedsofeachsegment,andwhatisthesizeofeachsegment?Whoareourcompetitors,andhowaretheyalreadymeetingthewantsandneedsofconsumers?Whichsegment(s)shouldwetarget?Whichmodelofaproposedproductwillbestsuitthetargetmarket?Whatisthebestprice?Whichpromotionalmethodwillbethemostefficient?Howshouldwedistributetheproduct/service?Inordertomaketherightdecisions,managersmusthaveobjective,accurate,andtimelyinformation.Marketingresearchsuppliesmuchofthisinformation1.2DefiningmarketingresearchMarketingresearchistheprocessofdesigning,gathering,analyzing,andreportinginformationthatmaybeusedtosolveaspecificmarketingproblem.TheAMAdefinitionis:Marketingresearchisthefunctionthatlinkstheconsumer,customer,andpublictothemarketerthroughinformationinformationusedtoidentifyanddefinemarketingopportunitiesandproblems;generate,refine,andevaluatemarketingactions;monitormarketingperformance;andimprovetheunderstandingofmarketingasaprocess.1.3Whatisthepurposeofmarketingresearch?Thepurposeofmarketingresearchistolinkthecustomertothemarketerbyprovidinginformationthatcanbeusedinmakingmarketingdecisions.Marketingresearchinformationisalsoroutinelycollectedonentitiesotherthantheconsumer:membersofdistributionchannels,employees,andalltheenvironments,includingcompetitors.Notice:Sometimesmarketingresearchstudiesleadtothewrongdecision.1.4Whataretheusesofmarketingresearch?

IdentifymarketopportunitiesandproblemsGenerate,refine,andevaluatepotentialmarketingactionsMonitormarketingperformance“trackingresearch”“seewhereweandourcompetitorsare”Improvemarketingasaprocessbasicresearchtoexpandourknowledgeappliedresearchtosolvespecificproblem1.5ClassifyingmarketingresearchstudiesSeetable1.1(page11)1.6Themarketinginformationsystem(MIS)Marketingdecisionmakershaveanumberofsourcesofinformationavailabletothem.AnMISisastructureconsistingofpeople,equipment,andprocedurestogather,sort,analyze,evaluate,anddistributeneeded,timely,andaccurateinformationtomarketingdecisionmakers.TheroleoftheMISistodeterminedecisionmakers’informationneeds,acquiretheneededinformation,anddistributethatinformationtothedecisionmakersinaformandatatimewhentheycanuseitfordecisionmaking.ThemarketingresearchgathersinformationnotgatheredbytheotherMIScomponentsubsystems.Marketingresearchprojects,unliketheothercomponents,arenotcontinuoustheyhaveabeginningandanend.Chapter2ExplainingthemarketingResearchProcessLearningObjectiveTogaininsightsintomarketingresearchbylearningthestepsinthemarketingresearchprocessTounderstandthecaveatsassociatedwith“aprocess”ToknowwhenmarketingresearchmaybeneededandwhenitmaynotbeneededToknowwhichstepisthemostimportantinthemarketingresearchprocessTohaveaframeworkforunderstandingthetopicstobecoveredintherestofthisbook2.1ThemarketingresearchprocessTheprocess:11stepsFirst,thestepsgiveresearchersandnonresearchersanoverviewofentireprocess.Second,theyprovideaprocedure,inthesensethataresearcher,byreferringtothesteps,knowswhattaskstoconsiderandinwhatorder.11stepsinthemarketingresearchprocessinFigure2.1

(P.20)EstablishtheneedformarketingresearchDefinetheproblemEstablishresearchobjectivesDetermineresearchdesignIdentifyinformationtypesandsourcesDeterminemethodsofaccessingdataDesigndata-collectionformsDeterminethesampleplanandsizeCollectdataAnalyzedataPrepareandpresentthefinalresearchreportStep-by-stepprocess:somewordsofcautionWhy11steps?Suchas:Notallstudiesuseall11stepsStepsarenotalwaysfollowedinorderToknowthestepsintheprocessprovideuswithaframeworktobetterunderstandmarketingresearch.Step1:establishtheneedformarketingresearchTheneedformarketingresearchariseswhenmanagersmustmakedecisionsbuthaveinadequateinformation.Managersmustweighthevaluethatmaypossiblybederivedfromconductingresearchandhavingtheinformationathandagainstthecostofobtainingthatinformation.Step1:I.CompanypolicyregardingtheuseofmarketingresearchCompanypolicytowardmarketingresearchandtherolemanagementwishesmarketingresearchtoplayintheorganizationaffectswhetherandhowmuchresearchisconducted.I.Somemanagerssimplydonotbelieveininvestingtimeandmoneyinresearchandhaveano-researchpolicy.Forexample:somemanagerssimplydonotbelieveininvestingtimeandmoneyinresearchandhaveano-researchpolicy.II.Othersusemarketingresearchbutmakechoicesastohowmuchandhowoftenmarketingresearchwilluseit.Forexample:Conductdifferenttypesofstudiesonacontinuousbasisatspecifiedintervals(periodicstudies);onan“as-needed”basisCompanypolicyregardingmarketingresearchmayalsoshowapreferenceofatypeofresearch.Suchas:focusgroupsquantitativestudiesbaseduponlargesamplestrackingstudiesStep1:II.Whenismarketingresearchnotneeded?Theinformationisalreadyavailable.Thetimingiswrongtoconductmarketingresearch.Fundsarenotavailableformarketingresearch.Costsoutweighthevalueofmarketingresearch.Whenwillresearchbemorelikelytohavegreatervalue?Step2:DefinetheproblemThisisthemostimportantstep,becauseiftheproblemisincorrectlydefined,allelseiswastedeffort.Definingtheproblemisoftendifficult.Problemsstemfromtwoprimarysources:Gapsbetweenwhatissupposedtohappenandwhatdidhappen,andgapsbetweenwhatdidhappenandwhatcouldhavehappened.Step3:EstablishresearchobjectiveResearchobjectivesaresetsothatwhenachieved,theyprovidetheinformationnecessarytosolvetheproblem.Aquestionshouldbeasked:Whatinformationisneededinordertosolvetheproblems?Researchobjectivesstatewhattheresearchersmustdoinordertoprovidetheinformationnecessarytosolvetheproblem.Researchobjectivesmustbeverydetailedandspecific.Theyspelloutexactlywhatinformationshouldbecollected,inwhatformat,bywhatmethod,andfromwhom.Theytelltheresearchersexactlywhattheymustdo.Step4:DetermineresearchdesignTocategorizeresearchprojectsbythemethodsandproceduresusedtocollectandanalyzedata.(1)exploratoryresearch(2)descriptiveresearch(3)causalresearchExploratoryresearchisthecollectionofinformationinanunstructuredandinformalmanner.Inmarketingresearch,therearetwocategories:quantitativeandqualitative.Quantitativeresearchischaracterizedbydatasetscontainingprecisemeasurementofvariablesthoughttobeimportanttothestudyathand.Qualitativeresearchisnotcharacterizedbynumericalanalysis,butisoftenusedtoexplore;tolearnmoreabouttheproblemathand.Descriptiveresearchdesignsincorporateasetofmethodsandproceduresthatdescribemarketingvariables.Descriptivestudiesinvestigatethesevariablesbyansweringwho,what,where,whenandhowquestions.Suchas:consumers’attitudes,intentions,behaviors,thenumberofcompetitorsandtheirstrategies.Causalresearchanswersthequestionofwhy?Causalresearchdesignsallowsustoisolatecausesandeffects.Itiscalledexperiments.Step5:IdentifyinformationtypesandsourcesInorderforresearchtoprovideinformationthathelpssolveproblems,researchersmustidentifythetypeandsourcesofinformationtheywilluse.PrimaryinformationsecondaryinformationinformationcollectedinformationalreadyspecificallyforthecollectedbyothersbutproblemathandmaybeusedfortheproblemathandStep6:DeterminemethodsofaccessingdataAccessingdatamaybeaccomplishedthroughavarietyofmethods.SecondarydataPrimarydataWhentheresearchermustcommunicatewithrespondents,therearethreemainchoices:(1)haveapersonaskquestions(2)useacomputer-assistedmethod(3)allowrespondentstoanswerquestionsthemselveswithoutcomputerassistance;ormakeuseofmorethanonmethod.step7:Designdata-collectionformsThedesignofthedata-collectionformthatisusedtorequestandrecordinformationgatheredinmarketingresearchprojectiscriticaltothesuccessoftheproject.questionnairesStep8:DeterminesampleplanandsizeNormally,marketingresearchstudiesareundertakentolearnaboutapopulationbytakingasampleasubsetofthatpopulation.Apopulationconsistsoftheentiregroupaboutwhichtheresearcherwishestomakeinferencesbasedoninformationprovidedbythesampledata.Thesampleplanreferstotheprocessusedtoselectunitsorelementsfromthepopulationtobeincludedinthesample.Samplesizereferstodetermininghowmanyunitsorelementsofthepopulationshouldbeincludedinthesample.Step9:collectdataDataareusuallygatheredbytrainedinterviewerswhoareemployedbyfield-data-collectioncompaniestocollectprimarydata.nonsamplingerrors:Selectingthewrongsampleelementstointerview,selectingsubjectswhorefusetoparticipateoraresimplynotathomewhentheinterviewercalls,interviewingsubjectswhointentionallygiveoutthewronginformation,orhiringinterviewerswhocheatandfilloutfictitioussurveyquestionnaires.Step10:AnalyzedataDataanalysisinvolvesenteringdataintocomputerfiles,inspectingthedataforerrors,andrunningtabulationsandvariousstatisticaltests.Step11:PrepareandpresentthefinalresearchreportThelaststepinthemarketingresearchprocessItisoneofthemostimportantphasesofmarketingresearchproperlycommunicatethestudyresultstotheclient.Chapter3definingtheproblemanddeterminingresearchobjectivesLearningobjectivesPage323.1Whatis“theproblem”andthe“researchobjective”?I.TheproblemRefertothesituationfacingthemanagerorclient.Problemsaresituationscallingformanagerstomakechoicesamongalternatives.3.1Whatis“theproblem”andthe“researchobjective”?II.TheresearchobjectiveResearchobjectivesaretotallydependentontheproblem,buttheyaredifferentinthattheystatewhattheresearchermustdo.Researchobjectivesstatespecificallywhatinformationmustbeproducedbytheresearchersothatthemanagercanchoosethecorrectalternativetosolvetheproblem.Eachtellstheresearcherwhatmustbedoneinordertohelpsolvetheclient’sproblem.3.2EstablishingtheneedformarketingresearchWhenismarketingresearchnotneeded?Asareview,marketingresearchshouldnotbeusedwhenTheinformationisalreadyavailable.Thetimingiswrong.Fundsarenotavailable.Thecostsofresearcharegreaterthanthevalueofinformationgeneratedbytheresearch.3.3TheimportanceofproperlydefiningtheproblemAproblemwelldefinesisaproblemhalfsolvedsaysanoldbutstillvalidadage.Howaproblemisdefinedsetsthedirectionfortheentireproject.Agooddefinitionisnecessaryifmarketingresearchistocontributetothesolutionoftheproblem.Abaddefinitiondoomstheentireprojectfromthestartandguaranteesthatsubsequentmarketingandmarketingresearcheffortswillproveuseless.Nothingweresearcherscandohassomuchleverageonprofitashelpingmarketingdefinetherightproblem.LawrenceD.GibsonProperlydefiningtheproblemisextremelyimportant.Othergreatproblemsolvershaverecognizedtheimportanceoftheneedtoclearlydefinetheproblem.Whenyoudefineaproblemincorrectly,thereisnothingyoucandointheresearchprocesstoovercomethiserror.So,whenthedecisionhadbeenmadetoembarkonaresearchproject,webelievedefiningtheproblemisthemostimportantofthesteps.Lookatacoupleofexamplesonpage37Notonlydoesimproperproblemdefinitionwastevaluableresources,butisalsoeliminatesthepossibilityofsecuringpropermarketingresearchinformationthatmightsetmanagementontherighttracksooner.3.4Aprocessfordefiningtheproblemandtheresearchobjectives“definingproblemsaccuratelyismoreanartthanscience……..”Figure3.1onpage38showsthecomponentsofaprocessfordefiningtheproblemanddeterminingtheresearchobjectives.Theprocessassumesmanagementisusingmarketingresearch3.5SourcesofproblemsTwosourcesofproblemsTherearetwosourcesofproblems:FailurestomeetobjectivesWhenthereisagapbetweenwhatwassupposedtohappenandwhatactuallydidhappen.(problem)OpportunityArisesfromthegapbetweenwhatdidhappenandwhatcouldhavehappened.Thissituationisanopportunitybecauseitrepresentsa“favorablecircumstanceorchanceforprogressofadvancement.”Bothofthesesituations,“failuretomeetobjective”and“opportunity”havethesameconsequenceformanagers:Theymustmakedecisionsand,hence,havewhatwedefinedearlierasa“problem.”3.6RecognizingtheproblemI.SystemsneededtorecognizesourcesofproblemsAcontrolsystem.Tohelpthemrecognizefailurestomeetobjectives,managersmusthaveacontrolsystem.Second,tohelpthemrecognizeopportunities,managersmusthaveasystemforidentifyingopportunities.Formanagerstorecognizeaproblemtheymustbeknowledgeableaboutobjectivesandactualperformance.Theyshouldbesettingobjectivesandhaveacontrolsysteminplacetomonitorperformance.To“control”isoneofthebasicfunctionsofmanagement.Unlessmanagershaveacontrolsystem,theywilllikelynotidentifyproblemsarisingfromfailuretomeetobjectives.II.Opportunityidentificationsystem.Managersmustbeawareofopportunities;unlesstheyhaveasystemformonitoringopportunitiessometimesreferredtoasaprocessofopportunityidentification---theywillnotlikelyidentifytheseproblems.Ifacompanywishestotakeadvantageofopportunitiesitmusthaveasysteminplacetohelpidentifytheopportunitieswhentheyemerge.III.TheroleofsymptomsinproblemrecognitionThesymptomsarenottheproblem,butare“signals”thatalertthemtothefactthattheyhaveaproblem.Symptomsarechangesinthelevelofsomekeymonitorthatmeasurestheachievementofanobjective.Asymptommayalsobeaperceivedchangeinthebehaviorofsomemarketfactorthatimpliesanemergingopportunity.Remembersymptomsarenotproblems;theirroleistoserveassignalstoalertmanagerstoproblems.Table3.1(P.41)listssomeexamplesofsymptomsofthetwoproblemsources:failurestomeetobjectivesopportunities

3.7problemdefinitionSometimesmanagerswilldefinetheproblemontheirownandrealizetheyhaveneedadditionalinformationinordertomakeachoiceamongdecisionalternatives,thusseekingmarketingresearchaftertheyhavedefinedtheproblem.Or,insomecases,managementisawareofthesymptomsandcallsintheresearchertohelpdefinetheproblem.Whethermanagementdefinestheproblemonitsownandthemcallsinmarketingresearchormanagementcallsinmarketingresearchtohelpdefinetheproblem,inbothcasestheresearcherplayanimportantrole.I.TheroleoftheresearcherinproblemdefinitionWhenmanagementhasalreadydefinedtheproblemintermsofadecisiontobemade.Inthiscase,theresearchhasanobligationtohelpmanagersensuretheyaredefiningtheproblemcorrectly.Researchersmustresistthetemptationto“goalong”withthefirstdefinitionsuggested.Theyshouldtaketimetoconducttheirwoninvestigationandtodevelopandconsideralternativedefinitions.

LawrenceD.GibsonInthiscase,researchersshouldconductanadditional,preliminaryinvestigation,whichmaytaketheformofatypeofexploratoryresearchsometimescalledasituationanalysis,whichisaformofexploratoryresearchundertakentogatherbackgroundinformationandgatherdatapertinenttotheproblemareathatmaybehelpfulinproperlydefiningtheproblemdecision.TheroleofITBsandRFPsITBsare“invitationstobid.”Alternatively,somefirmsuseRFPs,whichstandsfor“requestsforproposals.”Companiesusethesedocumentstoalertresearchfirmsthattheywouldliketoreceivebidsorproposalstoconductresearch.ThesignificanceoftheITBorRFPisthat(evenwhen)respondingresearchersstillhaveanobligationtoensurethatthemanagershavedefinedthedecisionproblemcorrectly.If,accordingtotheresearcher,the“ProblemIsConfirmed,”thedecisiontobemadeisstatedandwearenowreadytoproceedtothe“SpecificationoftheDecision,”whichincludesstatingthedecisionalternative,“SpecifyDecisionAlternatives”.Iftheresearchercannotconvincethemanagertoabandonanill-definedproblem,theresearcherisconfrontedwithanethicaldilemma.Short-termrewardbutlong-termcostI.TheroleoftheresearcherinproblemdefinitionWhenmanagementhasnotalreadydefinedtheproblemintermsofdecisiontobemade.ConductasituationanalysisWhenmanagementhaspreviouslydefinedtheproblem,marketingresearchersshouldconductasituationanalysis.Thisiscertainlyimportantwhenmanagementhasn’tdeterminedwhattheproblemis.Researchersneedtoconductasituationanalysistoproperlydefinetheproblem.Theprimarymethodofconductingasituationanalysisistoreviewbothinternalandexternalsecondarydata.Continuingwithsituationanalysis,theresearchershouldtrytofindoutaboutthemanager’suniquesituation.Theresearchermustassesswhat,ifany,informationgatheredduringthesituationanalysisconflictswiththeinformationthemanagerisprovidingandshoulddiscussthemwiththemanagertoresolvediscrepancies.ValidatethesymptomsoftheproblemNext,theresearchershouldclarifyorvalidatethesymptoms.Canfaithbeplacedinthesymptoms?Toassesstheveracityofthesymptoms,theresearcherneedstoassessthecontrol(oropportunityidentification)systeminplaceaswellasthesymptomsthemselves.Oncethesymptomshavebeenvalidated,theresearcherisreadytoexaminethecausesofthesymptoms.Determinetheprobablecause(s)ofthesymptomSymptomsdonotjustpopup.Itisimportanttodetermineallpossiblecauses.Ifonlyapartiallistofcausesiscompiled,itispossiblethattherealcausewillbeoverlookedandtheincorrectdecisionwillbespecified.Afterlistingallpossiblecausesundereachoneoftheabovebroadcategories,theresearcherandmanagershouldnarrowdownthepossiblecausestoasmallsetofprobablecauses,definedasthemostlikelyfactorsgivingrisetothesymptom.SpecificationofthedecisionWhenthe“probablecause”ofthesymptomidentified,thistriggersadecisiontobemadebymanagement.

SpecifydecisionalternativethatmayalleviatethesymptomManagershaveattheirdisposalcertainresources,andtheseresourcesmayprovidethedecisionalternativestheyneedtoaddresstheprobablecauseofthesymptom.Essentially,possibledecisionalternativesincludeanymarketingactionthatthemarketingmanagerthinksmayresolvetheproblem.Itisforthemanagertospecifyallofthedecisionalternativesneededtoaddresstheprobablecauseofthesymptom.“Unlesstheentirerangeofpotentialsolutionsisconsidered,chancesofcorrectlydefiningtheresearchproblemarepoor.”ConsequencesofthealternativesConsequencesaretheresultsofmarketingactions.Whatarethemostlikelyconsequenceswecananticipatewitheachdecisionalternative?Ifwedonotknowtheseconsequences,marketingresearchcanhelpusbyprovidinginformationthatallowsustopredicttheconsequences.Identifythemanager’sassumptionabouttheconsequencesofthealternativesDecisionmakersmakeassumptionswhentheyassignconsequencestodecisionalternatives.Assumptionsareassertionsthatcertainconditionsexistorthatcertainreactionswilltakeplaceiftheconsideredalternativesareimplemented.Ifwedonotfeelthatinformationisadequatetomaketheseassumptions,wewilllikelyneednewinformation.Thenewinformationwillbegatheredbyconductingmarketingresearch.AssesstheadequacyofinformationonhandtospecifyresearchobjectiveIfmanagersarecompletelycertainthattheyhaveinformationadequatetosupporttheassumptions,thereisnoneedforresearchandthedecisionmaybemade.Theproblemmaynowberesolvedbysimplychoosingthecorrectdecisionalternative(see“ChooseDecisionAlternative”inFigure3.1)However,ifaresearcherquestionsamanagerregardingtheconsequenceofcertainproposedalternatives,itmayturnoutthatthemanagerisnotreallycertain.Itisimperative,therefore,thatthemanager’sassumptionsbeanalyzedforvalidity.Informationstateisthequantityandqualityofevidenceamanagerpossessesforeachassumption.Informationgaps,whicharediscrepanciesbetweenthecurrentlevelandthedesiredlevelofinformationatwhichthemanagerfeelscomfortableresolvingtheproblemathand.Ultimately,informationgapsarethebasisforestablishingresearchobjectives.3.8ResearchobjectivesDefiningresearchobjectivesIfthemanagerhadtheinformationtoclosetheinformationgapwejustidentified,thedecisionalternativethatwillbestsolvetheproblemcouldbeselected.Sinceboththemanagerandtheresearcheragreeonthetypeofinformationneededtoclosetheinformationgap,theycanagreeontheresearchobjective.Hypothesesarestatementsthataretakenfortrueforthepurposeofargumentorinvestigation.Sincehypothesesareessentiallystatementsofthedecisionalternative’sassumedconsequences,theycanbeveryhelpfulindeterminingtheresearchobjective.Statingtheresearchobjectiveisextremelyimportant,foritdefineswhatinformationwillbecollectedfromwhomandinwhatformat.Fromwhomarewegoingtogatherinformation?Researchobjectivesshouldaddresswhohastheinformationweneed.Notonlyshouldtheresearchobjectivespecifywhoistoprovidetheinformationsought,itshouldstatehowthesepersonsaretobeincludedinthesample.Whatconstructdowewishtomeasure?Aconstructisanabstractideainferredfromspecificinstancesthatarethoughttoberelated.Memory,relevance,believability,likeability,andintentiontopurchaseareallexamplesofconstructs.Sometimesmarketingresearcherscalltheconstructstheyarestudyingvariables.Variablesaresimplyconstructsthatcanbemeasured,thatis,quantified.Aconstructprovidesuswithamentalconceptthatrepresentsareal-worldphenomenon.Table3.2listsconstructscommonlyusedinmarketingresearch.Itisimportantthataresearchobjectivemustspecifywhichconstructtomeasure.Itisimportanttomeasuretheright

construct.Whatistheunitofmeasurement?Theresearchobjectiveshoulddefinehowtheconstructbeingevaluatedisactuallymeasured.Thedefinition,referredtoas