BASIC MARKETING RESEARCH, 9E balances a reader-friendly, accessible approach with an ideal level of coverage. The authors introduce two dominant approaches to gathering marketing information: marketing analytics on data that exist within the firm and customer insights gathered for a specific purpose. The book merges these approaches in an ongoing example in the analysis section. Students review and work with data from multiple sources, including consumer communication and consumer behavior observed via technology. An overview details how organizations obtain and use data today. Students learn how interactions in the research process give managers and researchers confidence in the result. Readers review the information-gathering function from the perspectives of researchers who gather information and marketing managers who use it.

BRIEF CONTENTS.
Part I: INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING RESEARCH AND PROBLEM DEFINITION.
1. The Role of Marketing Research.
2. The Research Process and Ethical Concerns.
3. Problem Formulation.
4. Exploratory Research.
Part II: Working with Existing Information to Solve Problems.
5. Decision Support Systems: Introduction.
6. Decision Support Systems: Working with "Big Data".
7. Using External Secondary Data.
Part III: COLLECTING PRIMARY DATA TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
8. Conducting Causal Research.
9. Collecting Descriptive Primary Data.
10. Collecting Data by Observation.
11. Collecting Data by Communication.
12. Asking Good Questions.
13. Designing the Data Collection Form for Communication Data.
14. Developing the Sampling Plan.
15. Data Collection: Types of Error and Response Rate Calculation.
Part IV: ANALYZING DATA.
16. Data Preparation for Analysis.
17. Analysis and Interpretation: Individual Variables Independently.
18. Analysis and Interpretation: Multiple Variables Simultaneously.
Part IV: REPORTING THE RESULTS.
19. The Oral Research Presentation.
20. The Written Research Report.
Appendix.
Endnotes.
Glossary.
Index.

BASIC MARKETING RESEARCH, 9E balances a reader-friendly, accessible approach with an ideal level of coverage. The authors introduce two dominant approaches to gathering marketing information: marketing analytics on data that exist within the firm and customer insights gathered for a specific purpose. The book merges these approaches in an ongoing example in the analysis section. Students review and work with data from multiple sources, including consumer communication and consumer behavior observed via technology. An overview details how organizations obtain and use data today. Students learn how interactions in the research process give managers and researchers confidence in the result. Readers review the information-gathering function from the perspectives of researchers who gather information and marketing managers who use it. THE AUTHORS BALANCE FOCUSED INFORMATION AND CURRENT INDUSTRY TRENDS IN AN ORGANIZED, UNCOMPLICATED APPROACH. The authors use their professional strengths as marketing research professors and active participants in hundreds of real-world research projects to provide students with the information they need to conduct a successful start-to-finish project. FLEXIBLE FORMAT ACCOMMODATES CHANGING NEEDS OF STUDENTS. This edition is available in digital format or in a digital plus softcover paper version. Options are available at a variety of prices for your students to choose the format that works for them. MANAGER’S FOCUS SHORT FEATURES PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO HOW THE CHAPTER'S INFORMATION IS RELEVANT TO TODAY'S MARKETING MANAGERS. These features emphasize the role of marketing managers in the research process and offer guidelines for achieving the most usable results. These Manager’s Focus entries are inspired and written by Jon Austin, marketing research professor at Cedarville University who has a strong background working with industry clients. THE MANAGER’S FOCUS DISCUSSIONS HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE KEY DISTINCTIONS OF THIS BOOK. The authors emphasize managerial usefulness and understanding, rather than technical depth, when discussing "big data" integration and analysis, sampling, and sophisticated statistical analysis. This level is ideal for introducing the basics of exploratory research, "big data" analytics, behavioral customer insights, primary data collection, and statistical analysis. Content focuses on the uses of marketing research, key decisions, when and why to apply certain analysis techniques, and how to interpret results. BOOK PRESENTS ETHICS AS A FOUNDATIONAL DISCUSSION. Because "bad" research can violate participant trust, the authors show how sugging (using research as a sales tactic) harbors mistrust between participants and the researcher. They also demonstrate how advocacy research, or advocating for a particular position or point-of-view at the expense of seeking honest insights, is beyond what research should accomplish. The authors discuss these topics and ethical reasoning early and frequently, emphasizing that the purpose of marketing research is research, not sales or promotion. RESEARCH WINDOWS PROVIDE A VIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN TODAY'S WORLD OF MARKETING RESEARCH. These features describe what is happening in specific companies and offer how-to tips. They prompt interest in the chapter topic and provide further depth. Examples include marketing research jobs and compensation, how online focus groups and webcam interviews explore decision making, Target's "big data", how Key Ingredient used A/B tests to design an effective web site, and "driving" golfer insights at PING. COVERAGE EXAMINES THE "WHAT" AND "WHY" BEHIND "BIG DATA" AND BEHAVIORAL ANALYTICS. Both "big data" and behavioral analytics are critical in marketing and business as they consider consumers purchases and related behaviors, but sometimes researchers also need to know why consumers participated in a particular behavior. In this case "big data" may not be the best tool. This book considers the value of "what" and "why" questions when working with existing data and collecting primary data. Both types of considerations are examined together for a complete picture of data from multiple sources. A TANGIBLE, APPLIED EXAMPLE OFFERS STUDENTS AN EXCELLENT MODEL FOR COMPLETING THEIR WORK. Students often ask for a high-quality example of a student project from a past semester. Reviewing a strong, peer-produced model can help students produce top-notch work themselves. This edition highlights data collection instruments from multiple data sources, oral presentation slides, and a written research report as a tangible example of a quality research project. This eliminates guesswork when students work with firms in the community to complete their own marketing research.