Secondary Data Research in a Digital Age

If possible, go to the original source of the data?
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Is the cost of data acquisition worth it?
Accuracy of the data
Commercial Sources
• Market share data companies like A.C. Nielsen provide information about sales volume and brand share over time • Demographic and census updates—many organizations supply census updates, in easy-to-use or custom formats
Information Producer (Federal Government)
Library (Storage of government documents and books)
Company User
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• Fact Finding
• Model Building • Data Based Marketing
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Common Research Objectives for Secondary Data Studies
Traditional Distribution Direct Channel Information Producer (Federal Government)
Company User
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Direct, Computerized Distribution Using Intermediary
Data Base Marketing - Development of Prospect Lists - Enhancement of Customer Lists
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Fact Finding
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External Data
• Created, recorded, or generated by an entity other than the researcher’s organization • Government • Trade associations • Newspapers and journals
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Advantages of Secondary Data
• Inexpensive • Obtained Rapidly • Information is not Otherwise Accessible
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Data Mining
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Traditional Distribution
Indirect Channel Using Intermediary
External Data
• Government sources • Media sources • Commercial sources
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Government Sources
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Secondary Data may be Dated
The Economic Census profiles the U.S. economy every 5 years, from the national to the local level.
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Information producer’s (Just-in-time inventory partner) computerized database
Company user
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Modern Distribution of Secondary Data
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Data Based Marketing
• Practice of maintaining a customer data base • Names • Addresses • Past purchases • Responses to past efforts • Data from numerous sources
Fact Finding - Identifying consumption patterns - Tracking trends - Estimating market potential - Forecasting sales - Selecting trade areas and sites
Model building
Information producer A
(Federal governmentcensus data)
Information producer B
(Grocery store-retail scanner data)
Information producer C
(Audience research companytelevision viewing data)
• Identify Consumer Behavior • Trend Analysis • Environmental Scanning
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Model Building
• Market Potential • Forecasting Sales • Analysis of Trade Areas
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Internal ຫໍສະໝຸດ ataInternal and Proprietary data is more descriptive • • • • Accounting information Sales information Backorders Customer complaints
•Uncertain Accuracy •Data Not Consistent with Needs •Inappropriate Units of Measurement •Time Period Inappropriate (Dated)
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Government data is often free
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Disadvantages of Secondary Data
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Commercial Sources
• Attitude and public opinion research— syndicated services report the findings of opinion polls • Consumption and purchase behavior data • Advertising research—readership and audience data
Vendor/external distributor (Computerized database integrating all three data sources for any geographic area)
Information producer A (Federal governmentcensus data)
Exploring Marketing Research
William G. Zikmund
Chapter 7: Secondary Data Research in a Digital Age
Secondary Data
Data gathered and recorded by someone else prior to and for a purpose other than the current project Is often: • Historical • Already assembled • Needs no access to subjects
Is there a possibility of bias?
Can the accuracy of data collection be verified?
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Objectives for Secondary Data Studies
Do the other terms and variable classifications presented apply? Are the units of measurement comparable?
Applicability to project objectives
Accuracy of the data
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External Data
• • • • • Libraries The Internet Vendors Producers Books and Periodicals
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Evaluating Secondary Data Does the data help to answer questions set out in the problem definition? Does the data apply to the time period of interest?
Applicability to project objectives
Does the data apply to the population of interest?
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Evaluating Secondary Data (continued)