Case 15.2 Integrated Case: Global Motors Segmentation Analysis

review QUestions/appliCations



analyses to identify the salient demographic and/or attitude

factors that are related to preferences for each of the five

automobile models under consideration. With each automobile model, prepare a summary that:

1. Lists the statistically significant independent variables

(use 95% level of confidence).

2. Interprets the directional of the relationship of each

statistically significant independent variable with



respect to the preference for the automobile model

concerned.

3. Identifies or distinguishes the relative importance

of each of the statistically significant independent

variables.

4. Assesses the strength of the statistically significant

independent variables as they join to predict the

preferences for the automoble model concerned.



431



CHAPTER



16

Learning Objectives

• Toappreciatetheimportanceof

themarketingresearchreport

• Toexaminenewtoolsmarketing

researchersareusingtomake

reportwritingmoreefficient,

includingonlinedigital

dashboards

• Toknowhowtopositionthe

reportfortheaudienceandto

learntheelementsthatshould

beincludedinthemarketing

researchreport

• Tolearnwhatplagiarismis,why

itisaseriousproblem,andhow

toproperlyreferencesources

• Tolearnthebasicguidelines

forwritingeffectivemarketing

researchreports

• Toknowhowtousevisuals,such

asfigures,tables,charts,and

graphs



The Research Report



Are Today’s Research Reports

and Presentations Yesterday’s CDs?



Visit Research Reporter at www.insightmarketing.com.

Text and logo: By permission, Chris Forbes, Research Reporter.

Technology has changed the way we do many things. Just a few years

ago I would go to the record store and buy a CD and put it in my disc

player and sit down to read and enjoy the music. If a tune came on

I really didn’t like, I would just wait for it to be over and hope I liked the

next one. Fast-forward to today. I don’t need to drive to the record store

to buy my music. I can purchase it online—right from my chair. I can

preview tracks and only buy the ones I like. After I download, I can cre-



• Tolearnhowtomakevisuals,such

astablesandcharts,usingSPSS



ate my own playlists, and I can skip tracks easily if I happen to be bored.



• Tolearntobeethicallysensitive

whenmakingvisualsinareport

orpresentation



product, current technology has changed all this to a more personalized



• Tolearnthebasicprinciplesfor

presentingyourreportorally

• Tolearnhowtoaccessanduse

anonlinereportwritingtool,the

iReportWriting Assistant,thatwill

helpyouwritebetterreports



So today, instead of having the pre-packaged, somewhat rigid music

music presentation.

How has research changed since the 1990s in terms of how we access it and consume it? We have seemed to master PowerPoint, but we

haven’t seemed to have perfected research’s equivalent of the change in

the way we access and consume music. Yet, there are reasons we need

to change. The presentations of the past are difficult, as it is nearly impossible to get everyone together. We solve this by sending out research

findings in a stack of slides via email. But this separates the report from

the presenter, so the research loses its value as readers speed-read and

flip through slides. Moreover, we are not confined to the dimly lit slide

projection room. Access of secondary information through the browser

opens the opportunity to access and compile information from multiple



sources, creating “playlists” of information applications such as new product releases

or annual market planning. But rarely does that primary data, stored away in one file of



“Where We are”

1 Establish the need for



PowerPoints, find its way into a playlist.

IT teams have developed browser-based, searchable, online research libraries.



marketing research.



Still, once a file is found, users have to muddle through the entire file in hopes of



2 Define the problem.



finding some relevant information. A solution? Why not create multiproject research



3 Establish research objectives.



summaries, collecting numerous projects and combining them all into a new file? This



4 Determine research design.



creates a “best of” album that relies on more use and reuse of past research. By



5 Identify information types



and sources.



storing research outputs into separate categories, the entries can be searched and

displayed using any criteria the users need, similar to how music tracks are stored



6 Determine methods



of accessing data.



by artist, genre, etc. Outputs can be searched by words or phrases, allowing users

to identify insights quickly. One company already doing this makes greater use of



7 Design data collection forms.



research by reviewing research findings against key growth drivers and identifies



8 Determine the sample plan



whether the finding represents a strength, weakness, opportunity, or threat (SWOT).

This results in research findings having direct input into building strategic plans. An-



and size.

9 Collect data.



other firm tags research findings to specific responsibilities, enabling someone new



10 Analyze data.



to learn from past studies about their brand or task responsibility. The research team



11 Prepare and present the final



may have to put in more time to create this type of compilation, but they save time by



research report.



not having to educate newcomers in terms of what is already known. This keeps the

investment in past research alive.

I predict that an emerging core skill among researchers

will be the capacity to quickly combine research findings to

business problems—creating insights from playlists on the fly.

Will all these possibilities replace the stack of slides sent out

via email or the dimly lit projector room with many absentees?

It may be too early to tell, but researchers need to understand

how the impact of changes affects our reports and presentations just as it did the music industry.

In this chapter you will read about the basics of writing

a research report and making a presentation. No matter

how the reports will be delivered in the future, you will

need to know these basic skills.

—Chris Forbes

Forbes is cofounder of Research Reporter, a

Melbourne, Australia, research software company. We

asked him to summarize his thoughts for you after reading

an article he wrote on this topic.1



Photo: Ionescu Bogdan/Fotolia

433



434



Chapter 16 • the researCh report



W

The marketing research

report is a factual

message that transmits

research results, vital

recommendations,

conclusions, and other

important information

to the client, who in turn

bases his or her decision

making on the contents

of the report.

To see a

description

of business

reports,

go to

www.youtube.com and

type in “The Key Forms of

Business Writing: Reports.”



To help you in writing

a marketing research

report, we have created

an online tool called the

iReportWriting Assistant.

We will refer to it in this

chapter and provide a

detailed overview of its

contents. Go to: http://

www.pearsonhighered

.com/burns/. Click on

Companion Website and

open any chapter. Look

in the left margin and

you will see a link for the

iReportWriting Assistant.

The time and effort

expended in the research

process are wasted if

the report does not

communicate effectively.



e included the opening vignette by Chris Forbes because it represents some creative thinking about the future for report writing and presentations. Like Forbes,

we don’t know when report writing will go the way of the CD, but we know it has

already changed and will likely change more in the future. In this chapter we will introduce

a concept that has been growing in terms of its use, that of digital dashboards. Also, tools

like SPSS are constantly changing and making improvements in report writing, presentation,

and distribution. We will provide keystroke instructions for making tables and graphs using

SPSS. Still, the basics of good report writing haven’t changed. Technology will continue

to impact how reports are produced, but nothing will replace the need for a well-written report with enlightening, ethical graphics that communicate the intended message to the client/

reader. This chapter will provide you with the tools you will need in order to write a good

research report and make a good research presentation.

The marketing research report is a factual message that transmits research results, vital

recommendations, conclusions, and other important information to the client, who in turn

bases his or her decision making on the contents of the report. This chapter deals with the essentials of writing and presenting the marketing research report. To help you in writing a marketing research report, we have created an online tool called the iReportWriting Assistant.

Where appropriate, we will refer to it in this chapter, and we provide a detailed overview at

the end of this chapter of the contents of the iReportWriting Assistant. Finally, we offer some

good examples from others on report writing and presentations, which appear on YouTube.



The Importance of the Marketing Research Report

The importance of the research report was addressed by the marketing research director at

Kodak, who stated that even the best research will not drive the appropriate action unless the

audience understands the outcomes and implications.2 Recently, marketing researcher James A.

Rohde noted that the presentation is important in demonstrating that the findings are relevant to

the decision maker client because these decision makers base their judgments on what they can

accomplish with the information in the final report. They are less concerned about the method

and analytical tools used by the researcher.3 This places greater importance on writing a report

that is relevant to the decisions the client must make. Good communications means that you

must be able to transfer exactly what is in your mind to the mind of the receiver of your message.

The ultimate result of all the work on the research project is communication with the client.

The marketing research report is the product that represents the efforts of the marketing

research team, and it may be the only part of the project the client will see. If the report is

poorly written, riddled with grammatical errors, sloppy, or inferior in any way, the quality of

the research (including its analysis and information) becomes suspect and its credibility is

reduced. If organization and presentation are faulty, the reader may never reach the intended

conclusions. The time and effort expended in the research process are wasted if the report

does not communicate effectively.

If, on the other hand, all aspects of the report are done well, the report will not only communicate properly, but it will also serve to build credibility. Marketing research users4 and

suppliers5 agree that reporting the research results is one of the most important aspects of the

marketing research process. Many managers will not be involved in any aspect of the research

process but will use the report to make business decisions. Effective reporting is essential, and

all of the principles of organization, formatting, good writing, and good grammar must be used.



Improving the Efficiency of Report Writing

Assuming you have written a term paper (or several!), you realize that report writing is not

easy. As we noted previously, technology has affected report writing. Word processing software now typically includes many features that increase writing efficiency. Features such



ImprovIng the effICIenCy of report WrItIng



as automatic referencing coupled with automated citation formatting, available on many of

today’s online databases, have reduced much of the tedious time spent on report writing. Most

of today’s statistical analysis packages, such as SPSS, include sophisticated tools that allow

for ease of presentation in tables, pie charts, bar graphs, and so on that allow for customization to suit the writer’s purpose.

Much of what Mr. Forbes talks about in our opening vignette, however, deals with the

distribution side of reports. How can users more easily access and interact with the reports?

One significant trend in this area in recent years has been the use of dashboards of information

made available to users online.

Dashboards provide digital interfaces that allow users to quickly and easily see information that is presented in a simplified manner. Marketing Research Insight 16.1 provides an

example illustrating how SKOPOS uses a dashboard to report findings from its service that

monitors online social media buzz about a company and/or its brands.



Marketing research insight 16.1



435



Technology has improved

the efficiency of report

writing.

One significant trend in

distribution to users and

their interaction with

reports in recent years

has been the use of

dashboards of information

made available to users

online.



Social Media Marketing



Reporting Social Media Buzz Using Digital Dashboards



Visit SKOPOS at www.skopos.info.



The earliest pilots of aircraft needed information critical

to the performance and safety of the plane reported

in an easy-to-access and easy-to-interpret manner.

Dashboards containing such critical information were

designed to fill this need. While there have been improvements, today’s dashboards have a lot in common

with their early cousins. With the evolution of computer

technology and digital displays, the dashboard concept

has been adopted as a way to make critical information

easy to access and easy to interpret by managers.

SKOPOS has a service that monitors online social

media buzz about a company and/or its brands. Billions

of minutes are spent on Facebook each day, 13 hours of

video are loaded onto YouTube every minute, more than

3 million Tweets are sent every day, and over 4 billion

photos shared on Flickr. When we add over a million

blogs to the mix, we can easily understand why companies need to know what is being said about them and

their brands. SKOPOS’ ChatBack™ service offers firms

the ability to monitor opinion, sentiment, comments,



and associations made anywhere in the social media. ChatBack

also offers clients the ability to monitor these critical components using a digital dashboard as shown below.

As shown in the ChatBack Dashboard, managers can easily

see how often their brands are mentioned over time; the source

of the information (influencers), such as Bloomberg or Facebook; the platform (a blog, the news, a forum); sentiment measured on stacked bar charts with height indicating the frequency

and color indicating positive, negative, or indeterminate comments; and other useful information. Key words may be entered

and monitored. In this case a drug, Priligy, is being monitored.



Text and Images: Copyright © 2012 by SKOPOS. Reprinted with

permission.



436



Chapter 16 • the researCh report



Online reporting software

electronically distributes

marketing research reports

to selected managers in

an interactive format that

allows each user to conduct

his or her own analyses.

Marketing Research

Insight 16.2 and an Active

Learning exercise offer

a “close encounter”

with Burke’s dashboard

concept.



Other research firms, such as Burke, Inc., provide their clients with access to online reporting tools. These services allow clients to watch data come in as they are being collected

and organizes data into presentation-quality tables. Readers can examine total results or conduct their own subgroup analysis, even down to examining the results of individual respondents. Because the reports are available online, different client users can access the reports

and conduct analyses that are important to their unit or division. Online reporting software

electronically distributes marketing research reports to selected managers in an interactive

format that allows each user to conduct his or her own analyses. To give you a “close encounter” with Burke’s dashboard concept, we provide an Active Learning exercise followed by

Marketing Research Insight 16.2.



Active Learning

Take a Tour of an Online Marketing Research Report Service

To take a closer look at Burke’s online reporting writing software, Digital Dashboard, go to

www.digitaldashboard.com. Click on “About Digital Dashboard®.” Read about the features

and take a look at the example output pages. (Don’t run the demonstration yet!) Note the

features of “In the Customer’s Words,” “Individual Reports,” and “Data Collection Status Report.” When you have read all the features, it is time to take the tour, noted at the bottom of

the screen. (The program will run automatically—just give it a few seconds.) Watch for features

such as the data filter, executive summary, trends over time, and comparison of the results of

significant subgroups; the ability to filter to examine any subgroup results desired; the option

to search for verbatim comments; the ability to conduct statistical testing using the report software; and the utility to create your own charts and titles and transfer data to spreadsheets. Can

you see how such tools can make the reporting process more efficient and the report more

usable for clients?



Writing the Report

knOW YOur audience

Marketing research reports are tailored to specific audiences and purposes, and you must

consider both in all phases of the research process, including planning the report. Before you

begin writing, you must answer some questions:

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■



What message do you want to communicate?

What is your purpose?

Who is the audience?

If there are multiple audiences, who is your primary audience? Your secondary audience?

What does your audience know?

What does your audience need to know?

Are there cultural differences you need to consider?

What biases or preconceived notions of the audience might serve as barriers to your message?

What strategies can you use to overcome these negative attitudes?

Do demographic and lifestyle variables of your audience affect their perspective of your

research?

What are your audience’s interests, values, and concerns?



These and other questions must be addressed before you can determine how best to

structure your report.



WrItIng the report



Marketing research insight 16.2



437



Practical Application



Moving Beyond the Traditional Research Report:

Digital Dashboard from Burke, Inc.

Burke, Inc., has developed an

online reporting tool that allows

clients to access and create reports that are being updated in

near real time as data are being

collected in the field. The Digital

Dashboard® is a web-based application that can be accessed

worldwide and enables users

to create custom views of their

data as well as access predefined

reports. The flexibility of this application allows users to analyze

data themselves to help them

Mike Webster

make better decisions and ensure

Senior Vice President,

that everyone involved in the reResearch Solutions

search project can interact with

the data. Traditionally, the client did not see any data until all

data were collected and analyzed and the final written report

was prepared. Additionally, the traditional printed research report was not interactive. The manager needing to examine the

data differently than reported had to make a special request and

wait for further processing. In many cases, the manager would

forgo the additional work. The Digital Dashboard is an evolution

in reporting that removes the barriers to further analyzing data

that are present in traditional reporting methods. Like a driver



Visit Burke, Inc., at www.burke.com.



monitoring a vehicle’s dashboard for important information, clients using the Digital Dashboard can monitor the entire research

project and input custom changes to make sure project results

take them to the right destination—making the correct decision.

The Digital Dashboard is comprised of modules that allow the user to interact with data in multiple ways. The Report

Builder module enables a user to create multiple charts and

tables by following a guided wizard and to analyze the data

and display it in a most meaningful way. These custom reports

can then be shared with other users in the organization. Once

shared, a user can continue to work with the report to meet his

or her needs. The Catalog Builder module enables a user to view

respondent level data. The user takes advantage of the same

guided wizard available in the Report Builder to create views in

this module as well. Data can be exported or scheduled to be

delivered at regular intervals by email from this portion of the

tool. The Project Background module provides a place for the

client to communicate important details about the project and offer guidelines for interpreting the results. The

Digital Dashboard can be used for online surveys as well

as other data collection modes, such as telephone and

mail surveys and mall-intercept surveys.

Mike Webster has played a leading role bringing Burke

Interactive to the forefront of Internet research. A key

developer of Burke’s Digital Dashboard, Webster has

designed online reporting solutions for leading-edge

clients in a wide variety of industries, including information technology, telecommunications, financial services,

and consumer goods. He serves as Burke’s resident expert on data collection and online reporting software,

working with a variety of languages and platforms. His

title is Senior Vice President, Research Solutions.



Text and images: Copyright © 2012 by Burke, Inc. Reprinted with permission.



438



Chapter 16 • the researCh report



When you are preparing

the final report, it is often

helpful “to get on the

other side of the desk.”

Assume you are the reader

instead of the writer.



When you are preparing the final report, it is often helpful “to get on the other side of

the desk.” Assume you are the reader instead of the writer. Doing so will help you see things

through the eyes of your audience and increase the success of your communication. This is your

opportunity to ask that basic (and critical) question from the reader’s point of view: “What’s in

it for me?” Once you have answered these questions, you need to organize your report.



Elements of the Report

Reports are organized in sections, or elements. If the organization for which you are conducting the research has specific guidelines for preparing the document, you should follow them.

If no specific guidelines are provided, certain elements must be considered when you are

preparing the report. These elements can be grouped in three sections: front matter, body, and

end matter. Table 16.1 depicts these three sections as well as elements covered in each section.



Front matter consists of

all pages that precede the

first page of the report.



FrOnt Matter

The front matter consists of all pages that precede the first page of the report: the title page,

letter of authorization (optional), letter/memo of transmittal, table of contents, list of illustrations, and abstract/executive summary.

title Page The title page (Figure 16.1) contains four major items of information: (1) the

title of the document, (2) the organization/person(s) for whom the report was prepared, (3) the

organization/person(s) who prepared the report, and (4) the date of submission. If names of

individuals appear on the title page, they may be in either alphabetical order or some other

agreed-upon order; each individual should also be given a designation or descriptive title.

The document title should be as informative as possible. It should include the purpose

and content of the report, such as “An Analysis of the Demand for a Branch Office of the Law

Firm of Dewey, Cheatam, and Howe” or “Alternative Advertising Copy to Introduce the New

M&M/Mars Low-Fat Candy Bar.” The title should be centered and printed in all uppercase

(capital) letters. Other items of information on the title page should be centered and printed

in uppercase and lowercase letters. The title page is counted as page i of the front matter;



iReportWriting Assistant:

Visit the online report

writing guide for a

discussion of the elements

of the marketing research

report. Templates for many

of the report parts are

provided.



Table 16.1



The Elements of a Marketing Research Report



A. Front Matter

1. Title Page

2. Letter of Authorization

3. Letter/Memo of Transmittal

4. Table of Contents

5. List of Illustrations

6. Abstract/Executive Summary

B. Body

1. Introduction

2. Research Objectives

3. Method

4. Results

5. Limitations

6. Conclusions or Conclusions and Recommendations

C. End Matter

1. Appendices

2. Endnotes



elements of the report



FIGURe 16.1

Title Page



GLOBAL MOTORS DIVISION

OF ZEN MOTORS:



A MARKETING RESEARCH STUDY OF

U.S. POTENTIAL AUTO BUYERS’ PREFERENCES

FOR SELECTED MODELS AND A PROFILE OF

MODELS’ TARGET MARKETS



Prepared for

Mr. Nick Thomas, CEO



Prepared by

Cory Rogers, Vice President

CMG Research, Inc.



July, 2013



however, no page number is printed on it. See Figure 16.1. On the page following the title

page, the printed page number will be ii.

Some experts recommend that you change the title to be brief and understandable if you

are making a presentation on the survey results.6 For example, “An Analysis of the Demand

for a Branch Office of the CPA Firm of Dean and Allen” would be simplified to “Demand for

a Branch Office of Dean and Allen.” Some additional insights on preparing for an oral presentation are provided later in the chapter.

Letter of authorization The letter of authorization is the marketing research firm’s certification to do the project. This element is optional. It includes the name and title of the

persons authorizing the research to be performed, and it may also include a general description of the nature of the research project, completion date, terms of payment, and any special

conditions of the research project requested by the client or research user. If you allude to the



439



440



Chapter 16 • the researCh report



conditions of your authorization in the letter/memo of transmittal, the letter of authorization

is not necessary in the report. However, if your reader may not know the conditions of authorization, inclusion of this document is helpful.

Use a letter for transmittal

outside your organization

and a memo within your

organization.



Letter/Memo of transmittal Use a letter of transmittal to release or deliver the document to an organization for which you are not a regular employee. Use a memo of transmittal to deliver the document within your organization. The letter/memo of transmittal describes

the general nature of the research in a sentence or two and identifies the individual who is

releasing the report. The primary purpose of the letter/memo of transmittal is to orient the

reader to the report and to build a positive image of the report. It should establish rapport

between the writer and receiver. It gives the receiver a person to contact if questions arise.

Writing style in the letter/memo of transmittal should be personal and slightly informal.

Some general elements that may appear in the letter/memo of transmittal are a brief identification of the nature of the research, a review of the conditions of the authorization to do the

research (if no letter or authorization is included), comments on findings, suggestions for

further research, and an expression of interest in the project and further research. It should end

with an expression of appreciation for the assignment, acknowledgment of assistance from

others, and suggestions for following up. Personal observations, unsupported by the data, are

appropriate. Figure 16.2 presents an example of a letter of transmittal.

table of contents The table of contents helps the reader locate information in the research report. The table of contents (Figure 16.3) should list all sections of the report that follow; each heading should read exactly as it appears in the text and should identify the number

of the page on which it appears. If a section is longer than one page, list the page on which

it begins. Indent subheadings under headings. All items except the title page and the table of

contents are listed with page numbers in the table of contents. Front-matter pages are numbered with lowercase Roman numerals: i, ii, iii, iv, and so on. Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) begin

with the introduction section of the body of the report.

List of illustrations If the report contains tables and/or figures, include in the table of contents a list of illustrations with page numbers on which they appear. All tables and figures

should be included in this list, which helps the reader find specific illustrations that graphically portray the information. Tables are words and/or numbers arranged in rows and columns; figures are graphs, charts, maps, pictures, and so on. Because tables and figures are

numbered independently, you may have both a Figure 1 and a Table 1 in your list of illustrations. Give each a name, and list each in the order in which it appears in the report.



Abstracts are “skeletons”

of reports.



abstract/executive summary Your report may have many readers. Some of them will

need to know the details of your research, such as the supporting data on which you base your

conclusions and recommendations. Others will not need as many details but will want to read

the conclusions and recommendations. Still others with a general need to know may read

only the executive summary. Therefore, the abstract or executive summary is a “skeleton”

of your report. It serves as a summary for the busy executive or a preview for the in-depth

reader. It provides an overview of the most useful information, including the conclusions and

recommendations. The abstract or executive summary should be very carefully written, conveying the information as concisely as possible. It should be single-spaced and should briefly

cover the general subject of the research, the scope of the research (what the research covers/

does not cover), identification of the methods used (i.e., a mail survey of 1,000 homeowners),

conclusions, and recommendations.

bOdY

The body is the bulk of the report. It contains an introduction to the report, an explanation of

your method, a discussion of your results, a statement of limitations, and a list of conclusions



elements of the report



FIGURe 16.2

Letter of

Transmittal

CMG Research, Inc.

1100 St. Louis Place

St. Louis, MO

July 21, 2013

Mr. Nick Thomas

Global Motors Division

Zen Motors

Motortown, USA 00000

Dear Mr. Thomas:

With your letter of authorization, dated February 25, 2013, you authorized CMG to conduct a research project for Global Motors. With this letter, I am hereby transmitting to

you the report of that project, entitled “A MARKETING RESEARCH STUDY OF U.S.

POTENTIAL AUTO BUYERS PREFERENCES FOR SELECTED MODELS AND A

PROFILE OF MODELS’ TARGET MARKETS.”

The method used to generate the findings of this report is described in detail in the report.

Moreover, the method follows that described in our proposal to you. We believe the report

accomplishes the research objectives we set out at the beginning of this process and therefore, you should be able to use the information contained herein to make the important decisions needed for Global Motors.

My colleagues and I have been pleased to work with you on this project. We are prepared

to make a presentation of the report at your convenience. Do not hesitate to call me

(877) 492-2891 should you have any questions.

Sincerely,



Cory Rogers

Cory Rogers



and recommendations. Do not be alarmed by the repetition that may appear in your report.

Only a few people will read it in its entirety. Most will read the executive summary, conclusions, and recommendations. Therefore, formal reports are repetitious. For example, you may

specify the research objectives in the executive summary and refer to them again in the findings section as well as in the conclusions section. Also, do not be concerned that you use the

same terminology to introduce the tables and/or figures. In many lengthy reports, repetition

actually enhances reader comprehension.

The first page of the body contains the title, such as “Introduction.” Whatever title you

select should be centered on the top of the page; this page is counted as page 1, but no page

number is printed on it. All other pages throughout the document are numbered consecutively.

introduction The introduction to the marketing research report orients the reader to its

contents. It may contain a statement of the background situation leading to the problem, the



441