Types of Research and Marketing Information Systems
Types of Research
There are two primary types of research:
- Qualitative: This type of research involves fieldwork. The number of individuals to whom the instrument applies may not require a rigorous process, or the results obtained may not be applicable to the entire population.
- Quantitative: This type uses a quantitative instrument. Its application involves determining a sample using statistical methods, and the results are applicable to the entire population.
Primary and Secondary Sources
Secondary Sources: These are texts based on primary sources and involve generalization, analysis, synthesis, interpretation, or evaluation. A secondary source is usually a commentary or analysis of a primary source.
Example: A primary source (Internet) and a secondary source (your notes on research methodology). A primary source is not accredited by default, unlike a secondary source. A primary source may only reflect the events as seen by one person.
Advantages of secondary sources include low cost and speed. A disadvantage is that they may not fully comply with the request.
Secondary research is divided into two types:
- Internal Secondary: Documents that form and result from previous investigations within the company or institution.
- External Secondary: Based on published studies, books, the internet, etc.
External secondary sources, according to their origin, can be:
- Public Sources: Publications, libraries, international agencies, the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade, the commercial register, etc.
- Private Sources: Directories, publications of the Spanish Confederation, magazines, media guides, etc.
Marketing Information Systems
Marketing information systems are permanent, organized, and updated structures composed of people, technology, and procedures. Their aim is to capture, handle, process, and disseminate information to facilitate decision-making by those responsible for the organization. A system is structured with a goal and must be organized to meet these objectives. Systems should also be holistic, covering the company, its industry, and its environment with a global vision. They must be updated so that the information captured is relevant, appropriate, and never obsolete.
Types of Studies
- Exploratory: Aims to deepen the understanding of the problem or objectives. It is also used to confirm secondary information or to verify hypotheses. The researcher must be clear about the level of scientific knowledge developed by previous work and research.
- Descriptive: Used to analyze how a phenomenon and its components manifest. It allows detailing the phenomenon through the measurement of one or more of its attributes. The knowledge will be deeper than in exploratory research.
- Cross-sectional Studies: This study can be seen as a photographic study of static elements, ignoring the effects of time.
- Longitudinal Studies: Measure the value of variables over time (diachronic study). This study requires supplies for a longer period.
- Explanatory: Based on experiments and analyzes the causes behind the observed facts. For example, while consumption is an effect, socioeconomic variables such as sex, age, and lifestyle are used to explain its causes. These variables are known as explanatory variables.
- Predictive: Estimates the value a variable will have in the future.
- Correlational: The researcher aims to visualize how various phenomena are related to each other or if there is no relationship between them.
- Experimental: The researcher is involved in the development of the study by altering the product to see the result.
- Non-experimental: The researcher observes the phenomena as they occur naturally, without interfering in their development.
- Transcripts: This type of study identifies people with a disease under study and compares them with an appropriate control group that does not have the disease.