Market research Examples

It is axiomatic that sales analysis depends on detailed records of sales of a specific chemical to a specific company. Paramount to the success of such studies is the existence of data recorded on a systematic and continuous basis. It follows that these studies are done best by an ia-house staff on products already produced by the company. However, on occasion, a product new to the company can be studied by the ia-house group with the assistance of their field sales force. For example, a producer of polypropylene could use its people to secure data on the consumption of other thermoplastics by their customers. Such an exercise might identify opportunities for a new producer, but a more detailed marketing research study would probably be done before entry iato the new product area was made. 

Mail surveys are rarely used ia chemical market research studies. However, they can be useful if the right conditions prevail. Eor example, if only a few questions requiring simple answers are needed from a large number (>500) of respondents, a properly designed mail questioimaire usually generates an... 

New figures from GfK, a Danish market research agency, show that total market share for organic meat, fruit and vegetables, in the first 6 months of 2003 was 5.6%. Doorstep schemes are attracting interest. Some examples of the activities organised ... 

The SubChem project has produced numerous interesting scientific perspectives which require further examination. In the area of framework conditions, questions arise relating to the quality of markets or the type of competition as the main driving forces of innovation. An increased comprehension of the markets where companies (or supply chains) operate also reveals a novel appreciation of their scope and restrictions for action as well as their vulnerability towards other external influences. For example, market research explicidy devoted to the types of competition would be beneficial and provide comparative observations for a more precise classification than we have been able to discern with our resources. 

Other material issued by companies which relates to medicines but which is not intended as promotional material for those medicines per se, for example, corporate advertising, press releases, market research material, financial information to inform shareholders, the stock exchange and the like, and educational material for patients etc, should be examined to ensure that it does not contravene the Code or the relevant statutory requirements. 

Ideally, these two approaches, bottom up and top down, will mesh and reinforce each other. Suppose, however, they do not—what then In most cases, I would choose the bottom up results. There is no substitute for deliberate, creative, carefully executed field marketing research. In the case of engineering plastics, however, there can be opportunities which all the field work in the world will not reveal—witnfess the example of the hula hoop. When these two approaches yield widely differing results, it is a clear sign that further work is necessary. 

Every research area could provide examples of the damage done by the blanket application of the proposition. Even where it seems most relevant, there are regrettable consequences. If a drug company has to fund even the most fundamental research that might lead to profit, it will only embark on the development phase where a return on the huge investment can be foreseen. Thus minority requirements are of no interest small markets (for example, minor crops, diseases that only affect a few people or only poor people), air or sea pollution where no owner can be identified, and research where there is no product or service to sell - all will be ignored. 

Departmentalization by product organizes all funchons needed to make and markef a parhcular product under one person. For example, in the pharmaceuhcal industry, the brand manager for a producf is in charge of the marketing, research, and development funchons related to fhe producf. This allows for a coordinated and directed effort in the sales and development of the brand. Further classificahons also exist, in which the company may have several cardiovascular products and may have several brand managers within the cardiovascular group. 

Selection of items is representative of one market research group. Incidence will vary according to personnel factor, total of journals examined, and interval selected—-for example, over 50 during period July 1949-50 as in survey herein described. 

Over one hundred trade and allied associations have been discussed as examples of sources of market information. The specific data mentioned in each case have been limited to that which was, more or less, especially of interest in chemical market research. Table I lists certain of the associations mentioned above, showing in greater detail data that are available. 

In answering a customer brief such as that from Business Scents Ltd, a perfumer welcomes as much guidance as possible in how to win that brief successfully. The four disciplines mentioned above (sensory analysis, market research, statistics and psychology) together form a powerful analytical and predictive tool, different aspects of which can be used for guidance in perfume creation depending on the requirements of the brief. In the sections that follow in this chapter, a brief outline of the techniques currently used within each of these areas of expertise is given, as are examples of how they could be used to fulfil the Business Scents brief. 

To show some of the active organisations in this field, a listing of verifiers of CERs has been compiled from the market research carried out by the authors (Table 3.17). It should be noted that the majority of the companies that have sought verification are European. Some companies have an external advisory committee. For example, ICI involves three outside experts to help it develop its Environmental Burden approach. 

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