Essay Examples - Marketing Essays
Market Research in the Public Sector
Research into various fields can be an interesting yet tedious task. There are several theories for various kinds of research, and depending on the complexity of associated dilemmas, the theories are devised to deal with them.
Each theory is believed to have its unique approach. However, there are arguments against this notion because some marketing theorists believe that though theories may be unique they can still be categorized into a handful of schools of thought.
Therefore, there is more room for growth regarding schools of thought regarding marketing research. It has been said: One of the strongest signs of marketing's not yet coming-of age is the relative absence of schools of thought within the discipline. Virtually all marketers think the same way with respect to marketing method, purpose, and values . . . progress is made through a clash in perspectives (Kotler 1979:2-3). This makes it even more interesting to discuss two schools of thought and determine which of these is relevant to marketing research.
Regarding market research, theories are of significant interest with schools of thought that help in furthering a company's strategy. In this paper, two schools of thought will be discussed. Each of these is used to deal with market research in terms of identifying market needs and demands. As each school of thought is discussed and analyzed, each one's relevance will be exposed.
By exposing relevance in schools of thought, it would become clear to companies which of the two schools of thought would suit their needs best. This is because based on the relevance these schools of thought they would be able to develop their individual strategies. It can therefore be also asserted that the future of companies is directly dependent on whichever school of thought proves to be relevant. Though it is also said that the general approach remains the same in marketing research, the seemingly smaller differences between the two schools of thought can be severely magnified when it comes to developing company strategy based on them.
It is due to this consideration that it needs to be carefully decided which school of thought is more relevant. All points need to be considered and balanced with regard to a company's industry as well as services and products it may provide. After going through the discussion on each of the two marketing research schools of thought a company can begin to decide which one is more relevant.
Discussion:
Market research in the public sector is a means of providing information in order to facilitate organizations in developing strategy. How this research is conducted depends on what an organization deems appropriate or relevant. In the past there have been several different opinions regarding which of the two popular methods that an organization may implement in order to achieve information that helps in developing strategy (Vargo & Lusch, 2004, 1-17). Below are two market research schools of thought that have been used, and a detailed discussion and comparison of these reveals which of the two is more viable for an organization.
The two market research schools of thought adopted include those that are:
a) aimed at identifying potential demand for existing services and products or
b) aimed at identifying market need so that provision can be adapted to suit these needs
Both the above schools of thought have been considered to be effective in their own rights to begin with, and they have each have been relevant to the markets they are applied to. However, it is knowledge of any given market that needs to be known to begin with. In order to understand how each of these schools of thought is effective in their own right, one needs to look at them more closely.
At identifying potential demand for existing services and products:
Considering market research that is aimed at identifying potential demand for existing services and products, it can be first of all asserted that this approach determines whether there a need for a product or service can be created. Whether need does not exist does not matter, as the method involves researching potential. This potential can be in any form, and also could be embedded in almost any industry. It can also be asserted that this need could involve futuristic thought.
Futuristic Thought:
Creating a need would be futuristic thought, and may or may not depend on what exists temporarily in any industry. For example, owners of businesses may not have been introduced to the Internet and web services in the 1990s, yet popularizing the idea of using web services was brilliant for many business owners. This is because initially, few were aware of the immense business potential the Internet provided. Since its inception, many more ideas have been created. When people were more familiar with the Internet and web services, products and services on the web could be promoted. Therefore, there was potential demand for existing services and products was almost a surety.
A point also worth looking at is that realizing or creating a need for web services was futuristic yet realistic based on the fact that Internet services were at hand. From then on, the cost of these provisions has lowered significantly.
Within the above example, further examples can be observed, such as further needs created within web services and the possibility of identifying the potential needs for existing products and services in the public sector. This refers to the services provided by individuals like designers. The idea of providing designers has blossomed in recent times too because the need for quality designers is still being realized, and instead of having one's company logo designed just to create a representation of a an organization, professional designers can be hired to create an image that stands out (Vargo & Lusch, 2004, 1-17).
Keeping in mind the school of thought regarding identification of potential demand, one can observe that prior to the above having taken place, market research would include aiming to identify the potential need for designers for website owners in the public sector.
This example certainly helps in laying out potential demand for existing services and products. Research of this kind is possible through raising a question in the public sector; questions such as ones in the form of a questionnaire.
Questions considered appropriate to the example above would be: To ameliorate the quality of your website outlook and content, would you consider using the services of professional designers and content creators? It is quite likely that people would want to have the best outlook they could develop, and thus one can say that it is in accordance with the school of thought that asserts identifying potential demand for existing products and services (Cunningham, 2003, 201-212).
Taking Situations into Consideration:
In addition to surveys that may be used in the process for retrieving data on potential market need, there needs to be an overall view of the market and knowledge of opportunities available. Once again, coming back to the example of using the Internet, one can observe the immense potential. This, in fact, naturally explains why there are so many businesses on the Internet today, and many more are being added to it. However, aside from the Internet, there are opportunities created by situations as well. These may be political, geographical, social, or even economic, and may be prolonged ones as well.
Therefore, sometimes it becomes easier to predict or identify potential demand. An example of a particular situation, globalization can be used. It is a macroeconomic situation that is predictable enough because of the communication systems launched and widely used. Since nearly everyone has been included in this global system, it is thought that there is immense scope for business. Having the ability to identify possible opportunities in this type of situation is important, and therefore makes it viable and practical to conduct market research in order to identifying potential demand for existing services and products (Shaw, 1995, 7-20).
It is possible to identify potential demand through investigating current trends, as patterns in tastes can be revealed with specific probing techniques. One method in this process would certainly involve asking for possible solutions to problems. This is how additional problems are identified.
As a final example, catering to potential demand for existing products and services would include available products and services like networking. Companies that are capable of providing networking facilities can easily cater to a large number of customers should it be discovered that there is need for them.
Identifying market need so that provision can be adapted to suit these needs:
The previous market research school of thought discussed above is one that can be said to enhance business and create jobs and a whole lot of business activity. Its scope to identify potential need for existing products and services practically creates needs and merges businesses and whole industries together. This has been made significantly clear in the above examples.
In contrast to the previous school of thought discussed regarding market research, the latter school of thought, which includes identifying market need so that provision can be adapted to suit these needs, tends to tailor already existing provisions to the needs. Basically, this means that research conducted is compared with the amount a particular provision can be tailored (Golder, 2000, 156-172).
Given that there are known solutions to many problems in communication for example, it can be asserted that these known solutions can be tailored to cater to newer problems. An example would include networking that could be tailored and elaborated in accordance with an organization's need. Depending on what purpose networking is needed, solutions could be worked out. This is in contrast to the previous school of though discussed earlier that included market research in order to identify potential need for existing products and services. However, the school of thought here includes making use of provisions in such a way that it can possibly suit unique cases.
Another case that can be used as an example would include the use of CNG kits in automobiles. This is something that is quite common in several Asian countries. CNG kits have been used as a source of fuel in kitchens, and the product is small and compact enough to use in other places. Using these kits in automobiles has in fact been viable, and market research into its need proved that it could be put to use. Realizing that there was need for a cheaper source of energy meant that the already used CNG kit could be tailored for use in automobiles.
Clearly, from the above example, market research through identifying market need proves feasible. It is evident that this form of research helps to sort out an immediate solution to problems by innovation. Products and services are tailored in accordance with need. However, factors such as cost and efficiency also needs to be taken into consideration, and this approach may not be suitable for all products and services. Yet, in many cases, it proves to be worthy.
Back to: Essay Examples
Comparison:
Considering both schools of thought for market research that have been mentioned above, it can be asserted that they each have their own value. Taking the school of thought that is aimed at identifying potential demand for existing services and products, one can observe that is has immense scope for creativity. This approach has the ability to enhance the market in several ways. Out of the several ways in which markets can be enhanced, one that is noteworthy is the fact that it encourages employment growth as markets are merged. This in itself helps to set industries in motion.
In comparison with the above school of thought, identifying market need so that provision can be adapted to suit these needs also proves to be useful. However, it does not present as much scope as the former. This is because of the fact that it does not really attempt to merge markets in the manner that the other does. However, it does aim at meeting the needs of the public sector through adapting provisions, which means that it does merge markets to some extent. The extent to which it does so, may not be that large.
Since it lacks the intensity or magnitude to boost market activity in the manner that its competing school of thought does, it can be asserted that factors such as employment are not enhanced as much.
In addition to the above factors in this comparison, it can be asserted that potential for expansion and greater market activity is of great importance, and there is a toss up between the two schools of thought as to which one merges markets more effectively. Along with this, the component of 'potential' is important in taking advantage of available opportunities. Apparently, market research is about 'potential' and understanding need, and therefore the school of thought aimed at identifying potential demand for existing services and products appears to be more relevant in market research.
Conclusion:
Given that Virtually all marketers think the same way with respect to marketing method, purpose, and values . . . progress is made through a clash in perspectives (Kotler 1979:2-3), it can be asserted that both schools of though regarding market research have almost the same objective. This objective includes making products and services sell. Whether this refers to selling them as they are or tailoring them according to need, the objective remains the same.
In the process of selling products and services in existence, things like markets being merged are unavoidable, and will take place in one form or another. Along with this, the employment market will be affected, and new market relationships will be constructed. In considering these major changes that may or may not take place rapidly, it is thought that the school of thought that identifies potential demand for existing services and products is more effective and also more relevant. It is more effective because it has a greater impact and is more relevant because of the fact that it is able to assess potential demand for existing products and services as well as provisions that can be tailored to meet needs.
Asserting that the same school of thought can be used for tailoring provisions for needs in the market means that research would have to be a little flexible in order to encompass a wider range of data feedback. This is possible by creating questions that probe immediate needs as well potential demand for provisions. However, it could also be argued that the school of thought aimed at identifying market need so that provision can be adapted to suit these needs, could also serve the same purpose.
This is why it is asserted that Virtually all marketers think the same way with respect to marketing (Kotler 1979:2-3). This is generally true in a broad sense, but looking at schools of thought on an individual level reveals that they have their own specific relevance. Therefore, judging from the above description, it can be asserted that market research aimed at identifying potential demand for existing services and products appears to be more relevant.
References:
Cunningham, P. (2003) 'The Textbooks of Philip Kotler: Their Role in Defining Marketing Thought and Practice', Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 31(2): 201-212.
Golder, P. (2000) 'Historical Method in Marketing Research with New Evidence on Long-term Market Share Stability', Journal of Marketing Research 37 (May): 156-172.
Jones, D.G.B. and Shaw, E.H. (2002) 'A History of Marketing Thought', in B.A. Weitz and R. Wensley (eds) Handbook of Marketing, pp. 39-66. London: Sage.
Kotler . 1979. A Critical Assessment of Marketing Theory and Practice. In Diffusing Marketing Theory and Research: The Contributions of Bauer,Green, Kotler, and Levitt. Eds. Alan R. Andreasen and David M. Gardner. Chicago: American Marketing Association, 1-15.
Shaw, E.H. (1995) 'The First Dialogue on Macromarketing' , Journal of Macromarketing 15 (Spring): 7-20.
Vargo, S. and Lusch, R.F. (2004) 'Evolving to a New Dominant Logic for Marketing', Journal of Marketing 68(1): 1-17 .
Wilkie, W. and Moore, E. (2002) 'Marketing's Relationship to Society', in B.A. Weitz and R. Wensley (eds) Handbook of Marketing, pp. 1-38. London: Sage.
More Free Marketing Essays...
Get free marketing essays from our extensive online resource library. Hundreds of example essays available from all the major essay topics to help you with your research...
Please note: The above essay was written by a student and then submitted to us to display and help others. Thanks to all the students who have submitted work to us.
