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vi CONTENTS
Classifying External Supplier Firms 27

Full-Service Supplier Firms 28
Syndicated Data Service Firms 28
Standardized Service Firms 28
Customized Service Firms 28
Online Research Services Firms 28
Limited-Service Supplier Firms 29
Challenges Facing the Marketing Research Industry 30
Issues with the Economy 30
The Lifeblood of the Industry—Consumer Cooperation 30
Marketing Research No Longer Represents “Voice of the Consumer” 31
Marketing Research Is Parochial 31
Marketing Research Operates in a “Silo” 32
Marketing Research Is Tool Oriented 32
Using IT to Speed Up Marketing Research 32
Other Criticisms of Marketing Research 33
Certification and Education: Means to Improving the Industry 33
Certification 33
Education 34
Ethics and Marketing Research 34
Ethical Views Are Shaped by Philosophy: Deontology or Teleology 34
Ethical Behavior in Marketing Research Is a Worldwide Issue 35
Codes of Ethics 35
Sugging and Frugging 35
Research Integrity 37
Treating Others Fairly 38
Respondents 39
Summary 40 • Key Terms 41 • Review Questions 42
• Application Questions 42
Chapter 3 The Marketing Research Process—Defining the Problem

and the Research Objectives 46
The Marketing Research Process 47
The Process: Eleven Steps 47
Step-by-Step Process: Words of Caution 48
Why Eleven Steps? 48
Not All Studies Use Every Step 49
Steps Are Not Sequential 49
Introducing “Where We Are” 49
Step 1: Establish the Need for Marketing Research 49
Company Policy Regarding the Use of Marketing Research 49
When Is Marketing Research Not Needed? 50
Step 2: Define the Problem 53
Step 3: Establish Research Objectives 53
Step 4: Determine Research Design 53
Step 5: Identify Information Types and Sources 54
Step 6: Determine Methods of Accessing Data 54
Step 7: Design Data-Collection Forms 54
Step 8: Determine Sample Plan and Size 55
Step 9: Collect Data 55
Step 10: Analyze Data 55
Step 11: Prepare and Present the Final Research Report 56
CONTENTS vii
Defining the Problem 56

What Is the “Problem” and the “Research Objective”? 56
The Problem 56
The Research Objective 57
The Importance of Properly Defining the Problem 57
A Process for Defining the Problem and the Research Objectives 58
Problem Sources 58
Failure to Meet an Objective 58
Opportunity 58
Recognizing the Problem 60
Systems Needed to Recognize Problem Sources 60
Control System 60
Opportunity Identification System 60
The Role of Symptoms in Problem Recognition 60
Problem Definition 61
The Role of the Researcher in Problem Definition 61
When Management Defines the Problem in Terms of a Decision to Be Made 61
The Role of ITBs and RFPs 62
When Management Does Not Define the Problem in Terms of a Decision to Be Made 63
Conduct a Situation Analysis 63
Validate Symptoms of the Problem 63
Determine Probable Cause of the Symptom 63
Specification of the Decision 64
Specify Decision Alternatives to Alleviate the Symptom 64
Consequences of the Alternatives 65
Identify the Manager’s Assumptions About the Consequences of the Alternatives 65
Assess the Adequacy of Information on Hand to Specify Research Objectives 65
Research Objectives 67
Defining Research Objectives 67
From Whom Are We Gathering Information? 68
What Construct Do We Wish to Measure? 68
What Is the Unit of Measurement? 69
Word the Information Requested in the Respondents’ Frame of Reference 70
Completing the Process 70
Action Standards 70
Impediments to Problem Definition 71
Failure to Change Behavior for Problem Definition Situations 71
Differences Between Managers and Researchers 72
Formulate the Marketing Research Proposal 72
Chapter 4 Research Design Alternatives and Qualitative

Research 78
Research Design 80
The Significance of Research Design 80
Three Types of Research Designs 81
Research Design: A Caution 81
Exploratory Research 81
Uses of Exploratory Research 82
Methods of Conducting Exploratory Research 83
viii CONTENTS
Descriptive Research 84
Classification of Descriptive Research Studies 84
Causal Research 85
Experiments 86
Experimental Design 87
How Valid Are Experiments? 89
Types of Experiments 89
Test Marketing 90
Types of Test Markets 91
Selecting Test Market Cities 91
Pros and Cons of Test Marketing 92
Qualitative Research 92
Methods of Conducting Qualitative Research 93
Observation Techniques 93
Types of Observation 93
Direct Observation 94
Indirect Observation 95
Disguised Versus Undisguised 95
Focus Groups 95
How Focus Groups Work 95
Advantages of Focus Groups 96
Disadvantages of Focus Groups 96
When Should Focus Groups Be Used? 96
When Should Focus Groups Not Be Used? 96
Depth Interviews 96
Protocol Analysis 97
Projective Techniques 97
Word-Association Test 97
Sentence-Completion Test 98
Cartoon or Balloon Test 100
Role-Playing Activity 100
Ethnographic Research 101
Chapter 5 Information Types and Sources: Secondary Data

and Standardized Information 106
Secondary Data 107
Primary Versus Secondary Data 107
Uses of Secondary Data 108
Classification of Secondary Data 109
Internal Secondary Data 109
External Secondary Data 110
Advantages of Secondary Data 110
Disadvantages of Secondary Data 112
Incompatible Reporting Units 112
Measurement Units Do Not Match 112
Class Definitions Are Not Usable 112
Data Are Outdated 113
Evaluating Secondary Data 113
What Was the Purpose of the Study? 113
Who Collected the Information? 113
What Information Was Collected? 114
CONTENTS ix
How Was the Information Obtained? 114

How Consistent Is the Information Among Sources? 114
Key Sources of Secondary Data for Marketers 115
Census 2010 and American Community Survey 116
American Community Survey 116
What Is Standardized Information? 117
Advantages and Disadvantages of Standardized Information 120
Syndicated Data 120
Standardized Services 120
Applications of Standardized Information 120
Chapter 6 Data Collection Methods 128

Four Alternative Data Collection Modes 130
Person-Administered Surveys 130
Advantages of Person-Administered Surveys 130
Disadvantages of Person-Administered Surveys 131
Computer-Administered Surveys 131
Advantages of Computer-Administered Surveys 131
Disadvantages of Computer-Administered Surveys 133
Self-Administered Surveys 133
Advantages of Self-Administered Surveys 133
Disadvantages of Self-Administered Surveys 134
Mixed-Mode Surveys 134
Advantage of Mixed-Mode Surveys 134
Disadvantage of Mixed-Mode Surveys 134
Descriptions of Data Collection Modes 135
Person-Administered Surveys 136
In-Home Interviews 136
Mall-Intercept Interviews 136
In-Office Interviews 138
Central Location Telephone Interviews 138
Computer-Administered Surveys 140
Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews 140
Fully Computerized Interviews (Not Online) 141
Online Interviews 141
Self-Administered Surveys 142
Mail Surveys 143
Group-Administered Surveys 143
Drop-Off Surveys 144
Deciding Which Survey Method to Use 144
How Much Time Do I Have for Data Collection? 145
How Much Money Do I Have for Data Collection? 146
What Type of Respondent Interaction Is Required? 146
Are There Special Considerations to Take into Account? 146
Chapter 7 Measurement Scales 152

Question–Response Format Options 153
Open-Ended Response Format Questions 154
Categorical Response Format Questions 154
Metric Response Format Questions 155
x CONTENTS
Basic Measurement Concepts 155

Open-Ended Measurement 156
Categorical Measurement 156
Metric Measurement 157
Why the Level of a Scale Is Important 158
Commonly Used Synthetic Metric Scales 160
Symmetric Synthetic Scales 160
Nonsymmetric Synthetic Scales 165
Whether to Use a Symmetric or a Nonsymmetric Scale 166
Choosing Which Scale to Use 167
Chapter 8 Designing Data Collection Forms 174

Types of Data Collection Forms 176
Survey Questionnaires and Observation Forms 176
The Functions of a Questionnaire 176
The Questionnaire Design Process 177
Developing Questions 178
Four “Do’s” of Question Wording 179
The Question Should Focus on One Topic 180
The Question Should Be Brief 180
The Question Should Be a Grammatically Simple Sentence If Possible 180
The Question Should Be Crystal Clear 180
Four “Don’ts” of Question Wording 182
Do Not “Lead” the Respondent to a Particular Answer 182
Do Not Have “Loaded” Wording or Phrasing 182
Do Not Use a “Double-Barreled” Question 182
Do Not Use Words to Overstate the Condition 184
Questionnaire Organization 184
The Introduction 185
Question Flow 188
Computer-Assisted Questionnaire Design 190
Questionnaire Creation 190
Data Collection and Creation of Data Files 190
Data Analysis and Graphs 191
Coding the Questionnaire 191
Performing the Pretest of the Questionnaire 192
Chapter 9 Determining Sample Size and the Sample Plan 196

Basic Concepts in Samples and Sampling 198
Determining Size of a Sample 199
The Accuracy of a Sample 199
Formula to Determine Sample Accuracy 200
How to Calculate Sample Size When Estimating a Percentage 201
Variability: p times q 201
Level of Confidence: z 202
Desired Accuracy: e 202
Explaining the Logic of Our Sample Size Formula 202
CONTENTS xi
How to Calculate Sample Size When Estimating a Mean 203

The Effects of Incidence Rate and Nonresponse on Sample Size 204
How to Select a Representative Sample 207
Probability Sampling Methods 207
Simple Random Sampling 208
Systematic Sampling 210
Cluster Sampling 211
Stratified Sampling 212
Nonprobability Sampling Methods 214
Convenience Samples 215
Judgment Samples 216
Referral Samples 216
Quota Samples 217
Online Sampling Techniques 217
Chapter 10 Data Issues and Inputting Data into XL Data Analyst 224
Data Matrix, Coding Data, and the Data Code Book 226
Errors Encountered During Data Collection 226
Types of Nonresponse Errors 227
Refusals to Participate in the Survey 228
Break-Offs During the Interview 229
Refusals to Answer Specific Questions (Item Omission) 229
Preliminary Data Screening 230
What to Look for in Raw Data Inspection 230
Incomplete Response 230
Nonresponses to Specific Questions (Item Omissions) 230
Yea-Saying or Nay-Saying Patterns 230
Middle-of-the-Road Patterns 231
Other Data Quality Problems 232
How to Handle Data Quality Issues 232
What Is an “Acceptable Respondent”? 232
Introduction to Your XL Data Analyst 232
The Data Set and Data Code Book Are in the XL Data Analyst 233
Case Data Sets and Building Your Own XL Data Analyst Data Set 234
Special Operations and Procedures with XL Data Analyst Data Sets 235
Selecting Subsets of the Data for Analysis 235
Computing or Adding Variables 235
Chapter 11 Summarizing Your Data 240

Types of Data Analyses Used in Marketing Research 243
Summarizing the Sample 244
Generalizing the Findings 244
Finding Meaningful Differences 245
Identifying Relationships 245
Summarizing Your Sample Findings 246
Summarizing Categorical Variables 247
How to Summarize Categorical Variables with XL Data Analyst 248
Summarizing Metric Variables 248
xii CONTENTS
How to Summarize Metric Variables with XL Data Analyst 253

Flow Chart of Summarization Analysis 255
Chapter 12 Generalizing Your Findings 262

Generalizing a Sample’s Findings 264
Estimating the Population Value 266
How to Estimate a Population Percentage (Categorical Data) 266
Calculating a Confidence Interval for a Percentage 266
Interpreting a 95% Confidence Interval for a Percentage 268
How to Obtain a 95% Confidence Interval for a Percentage
with XL Data Analyst 270
How to Estimate a Population Average (Metric Data) 271
Calculating a Confidence Interval for an Average 271
Interpreting a Confidence Interval for an Average 273
How to Obtain a 95% Confidence Interval for an Average
with XL Data Analyst 273
Flow Chart of Generalization Analysis for Confidence Intervals 274
Testing Hypotheses About Percents or Averages 275
Testing a Hypothesis About a Percentage 276
Why Use the 95% Significance Level? 280
How Do We Know That We Have Made the Correct Decision? 280
Testing a Directional Hypothesis 280
How to Test a Hypothesis About a Percentage with XL Data Analyst 280
Is It t or z? And Why You Do Not Need to Worry About It 282
Testing a Hypothesis About an Average 282
How to Test a Hypothesis About an Average with XL Data Analyst 283
Interpreting Your Hypothesis Test 284
Flow Chart of Generalization Analysis for Hypothesis Tests 285
How to Present Generalization Analyses 285
Guidelines for Confidence Intervals 285
The General Case 285
The Findings-Specific Case 285
Guidelines for Hypothesis Tests 286
Chapter 13 Finding Differences 290

Why Are Differences Important? 291
Testing for Significant Differences Between Two Groups 292
Differences Between Percentages for Two Groups 293
Differences Between Averages for Two Groups 298
Testing for Significant Differences for More Than Two Group
Averages 303
Why Use Analysis of Variance? 303
Flow Chart of Differences Analyses for Groups 307
Testing for Significant Differences Between the Averages of Two
Variables 307
How to Present Differences Analysis Findings 310
CONTENTS xiii
Chapter 14 Determining Relationships 314

What Is a Relationship Between Two Variables? 315
Categorical Variables Relationships 316
Cross-Tabulation Analysis 317
Types of Frequencies and Percentages in a Cross-Tabulation Table 317
Chi-Square Analysis of a Cross-Tabulation Table 318
How to Present a Significant Cross-Tabulation Finding 319
How to Perform Cross-Tabulation Analysis with the
XL Data Analyst 320
Correlation: Assessing Metric Variables Relationships 324
Correlation Coefficients and Covariation 325
Statistical Significance of a Correlation 327
Rules of Thumb for Correlation Strength 327
The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient 327
How to Perform Correlation Analysis with the XL Data Analyst 328
How to Present Correlation Findings 328
Regression Analysis 330
Computing the Intercept and Slope for Bivariate Regression 330
Testing for Statistical Significance of the Intercept and the Slope 331
Making a Prediction with Bivariate Regression Analysis 331
Multiple Regression Analysis 332
Working with Multiple Regression 333
Using “Dummy” Independent Variables 335
Three Uses of Multiple Regression 335
How to Use the XL Data Analyst to Perform Regression Analysis 335
How to Present Regression Analysis Findings 337
Final Comments on Multiple Regression Analysis 338
Flow Chart on Relationship Analyses 338
Chapter 15 Preparing and Presenting Your

Research Report 344
The Importance of the Marketing Research Report 346
Improving the Efficiency of Report Writing 346
Organizing Your Written Report 347
Front Matter 347
Title Page 347
Letter of Authorization 348
Letter/Memo of Transmittal 349
Table of Contents 349
List of Illustrations 350
Abstract/Executive Summary 350
Report Body 352
Introduction 352
Research Objectives 352
Method 352
Findings 352
Limitations 353
Conclusions and Recommendations 353
End Matter 353
xiv CONTENTS
Following Guidelines and Principles for the Written Report 353

Form and Format 354
Headings and Subheadings 354
Visuals 354
Style 354
Using Visuals: Tables and Figures 356
Tables 356
Pie Charts 356
Bar Charts 356
Ensuring Ethical Visuals 357
Presenting Your Research Orally 361
Endnotes 366
Credits 383
Indexes 384
Preface
What Makes Basic Marketing Research:

Using Microsoft® Excel Data Analysis,
3rd Edition, Unique?
This book provides:
䊉 a concise presentation of the fundamentals of marketing research
䊉 an improved software package, XL Data Analyst™, which runs using
Microsoft® Excel 2010 or earlier versions
䊉 input from many professionals in the marketing research industry
䊉 an integrated case complete with a data set that gives students an experiential learning
exercise throughout the course
What’s New in the 3rd Edition?

䊉 Significantly more information about qualitative research with a new section in the chapter
on research design covering qualitative vs. quantitative research and new material
discussing several methods used in qualitative research.
䊉 Secondary data analysis is now combined with standardized information into one chapter
and we have extensive coverage of the new, annual census information available through
the American Community Survey. The text features a complete illustration of how to use
the ACS for a marketing research objective.
䊉 New Chapter (Chapter 10) on data issues and inputting data into XL Data Analyst,
describes data matrices and data coding plus data quality issues. We also describe the
organization of data and variables in the XL Data Analyst.
䊉 New flow charts on data analysis identify key considerations such as categorical or metric
data and provide guides to the selection of proper analyses.
䊉 iReportWriting Assistant is an online tool to help students with the report writing
process. It contains PowerPoints, templates for various aspects of a marketing
research report, grammar and citation help, and an example marketing research
report to use as a model. The iReportWriting Assistant can be accessed through any
chapter by clicking on the Companion Website at http://www.pearsonhighered
.com/burns.
䊉 Numerous tweaks and small improvements to make the presentation as understandable
and useful as possible have been made after a careful examination of every section of
the text.
xv
xvi PREFACE
Why Excel for Data Analysis?

Most students will not become marketing researchers and only a small percentage of them, in
their future careers, will have access to powerful software programs designed specifically for data
analysis. By having this book, they will continually have access to our Excel add-in program,
XL Data Analyst™. In this course students will learn how to use this powerful software program,
which they can access as long as they can access Excel. Instructors told us they want to teach stu-
dents a software program they will have and use in the future. Once students learn to use XL Data
Analyst™ they can use it with their Excel programs for years to come.
Microsoft Excel is a powerful computing tool that is widely used and understood by students.
Developers commonly program applications, called add-ins, that simplify Excel spreadsheet
operations. Our add-in, XL Data Analyst™, opens up Excel’s computing capabilities for market-
ing research applications in an easy-to-use format. Many features of XL Data Analyst™ make it
more desirable than some of the most widely used dedicated stat packages because it takes the
mystery and confusion out of data analysis.
Who Should Use This Textbook?

This book is written for the introductory marketing research course at the undergraduate level.
We assume students have not had a prior course in marketing research, and that they have had at
least one elementary statistics course. We focus on teaching the process of marketing research so
that students will be better users of marketing research. They should be able to evaluate the need
for marketing research and also determine the adequacy of research proposals. At the same time,
we give the students of this book the tools to conduct basic analysis techniques on their own.
A Concise Presentation
We wanted to provide a book with the basics of marketing research. Adopters have told us they
want to teach the basics of marketing research in depth as opposed to covering a large amount
of material superficially. Many professors desire to teach a course with less text material,
allowing them to supplement the course with projects or to spend more time on the basics. Basic
Marketing Research: Using Microsoft® Excel Data Analysis is shorter in length but covers the
essential, basic components of marketing research. We made every effort to write a shorter book
without sacrificing knowledge on what we consider the “basics.”
Features of XL Data Analyst™

XL Data Analyst™ is unique in that it only requires Excel, to which many students have access,
and it is written expressly for the purpose of conducting marketing research data analysis. When
we wrote the first edition of this book we knew we didn’t want to just write a shorter version of a
marketing research book. We wanted a new approach to data analysis. Specifically, we wanted a
program that would operate without statistical terms that are difficult for students to navigate. We
wanted the program to operate in a user-friendly format that was intuitive. Secondly, with many
years of teaching marketing research experience, we wanted our program to offer output in a way
that allowed students to interpret the output correctly and more easily. Those who have studied
statistics realize that many of the presentations of statistical output are based upon tradition. We
offer users an alternative. The XL Data Analyst™ has both traditional and classical statistical
format as well as output in our new easy-to-interpret format. However, the essence of our new soft-
ware is output that students can immediately interpret without a need to consult the statistical
values: our program generates polished tables with “plain English” presentations of the various
findings. This allows students to have greater focus on using marketing research to make decisions;
the purpose of marketing research. The XL Data Analyst has been tested and is fully compatible
with Excel 2010. Students may download XL Data Analyst™ at http://www.xldataanalyst.com.
PREFACE xvii
About the Text: Key Strengths

Aside from being the first marketing research text to fully integrate Excel for data analysis, this
book offers several key strengths.
Time-Tested, 11-Step Approach

The framework of our best-selling SPSS® text is the same framework for our Excel version. Our
logical 11-step process is a time-tested process used throughout this book.
New Examples
In every chapter we searched for new examples for opening vignettes that would wake the
students’ interest and understanding of marketing research. Several of these vignettes were sup-
plied from our professional contacts in the marketing research industry. Several of them reflect
current marketing research practice. In addition to these all-new chapter-opening vignettes, new
examples, many from marketing research industry sources, are integrated throughout the text.
(New) Integrated Case with Data Set

As with our previous textbooks, we wanted an integrated case which relates to students’ interests
and which was realistic. Consequently, for the 3rd edition, we developed “Advanced Automotive
Concepts,” a fictitious case about a major automobile manufacturer attempting to develop fuel-
efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles. The case addresses consumer concerns about ris-
ing gasoline prices, global warming, and their reactions to automobile concepts the company is
capable of manufacturing. The case is integrated throughout the textbook. The case resonates with
students’ interests and, at the same time, is an excellent example of teaching the marketing
research process. The cases and topics covered are:
䊉 Chapter 1, Case 1.2: The Need to Conduct Marketing Research
䊉 Chapter 2, Case 2.2: Searching for a Marketing Research Firm
䊉 Chapter 3, Case 3.2: Putting It All Together Using the Integrated Case for This
Textbook: Defining Problems and Research Objectives
䊉 Chapter 4, Case 4.2: Understanding Research Design
䊉 Chapter 5, Case 5.2: Using Secondary Data
䊉 Chapter 6, Case 6.2: Advanced Automobile Concepts Data Collection
䊉 Chapter 7, Case 7.2: Turning Measurement Principles into Survey Questions
䊉 Chapter 8, Case 8.2: Questionnaire Design
䊉 Chapter 9, Case 9.2: Balancing Sample Error with Sample Cost
䊉 Chapter 10, Case 10.2: The Advanced Automobile Concepts Survey Data Quality
䊉 Chapter 11, Case 11.2: Advanced Automobile Concepts Summarization Analysis
䊉 Chapter 12, Case 12.2: The Advanced Automobile Concepts Survey
Generalization Analysis
Differences Analysis
Relationships Analysis
䊉 Chapter 15, Case 15.1: Advanced Automobile Concepts: Using iReportWriting Assistant
䊉 Chapter 15, Case 15.2: Advanced Automobile Concepts: Making a
PowerPoint® Presentation
Also, we use the Advanced Automobile Concepts case data set to illustrate all of our data
analyses procedures discussed in our four data analyses chapters. Of course, we have an Advanced
Automobile Concepts XL Data Analyst data set for students to use in applying the various types
of data analysis covered in the textbook.
xviii PREFACE
Our Approach to Teaching Data Analysis

When we introduced the first edition of this book we said “Finally there is an alternative!” After
many years of teaching marketing research and talking with dozens of colleagues who do the
same, the authors decided it was time to do some things a different way. Weary of students strug-
gling with levels of measurement, we present measurement in terms of categorical or metric vari-
ables. Instead of having students baffled by data analysis, we present data analysis in an
easy-to-learn process. In this edition, we have provided flow charts that instruct students on the
key factors to consider when deciding what analysis to use. In addition, data analysis keystrokes
are illustrated through colorful, annotated screen captures. Experience has shown us that the
students, using XL Data Analyst™, quickly learn the tools of data analysis and complete their
projects much faster than with traditional software programs. They focus more on getting the
answers and writing their reports instead of staring at hard-to-interpret output.
Datasets
In addition to the Advanced Automobile Concepts dataset (AAConcepts.xlsm), we have a dataset on
retail store target marketing, Case 14.1, “Friendly Market Versus Circle K” (Friendlymarket.xlsm).
Chapter 10 describes how students can set up their own datasets, such as those obtained with a team
marketing research project, in the XL Data Analyst.
Ethics, Global Marketing Research, and Practical Applications

In our Marketing Research Applications, when we touch on ethical issues or give examples of the
global use of research, we use icons to alert readers to these special topics. When we illustrate a
practical application we denote this with an icon as well.
Marginal Notes, Key Terms, Review Questions, Application

Questions, and Case Studies
These proven pedagogical aids are included in Basic Marketing Research: Using Microsoft®
Excel Data Analysis, 3rd Edition.
Teaching Aids
PowerPoint Presentations (0135078261)
A comprehensive set of PowerPoint slides that can be used by instructors for class presentations
or by students for lecture preview or review.
Instructor’s Manual (0135078245)

A complete instructor’s manual, prepared by the authors, can be used to prepare lecture or class
presentations, find answers to end-of-chapter questions and case studies, and even to design the
course syllabus.
Test Item File (0135078253)

The test bank for the 3rd Edition contains over 50 questions for each chapter. Questions are
provided in both multiple-choice and true/false format. Page numbers corresponding to answers
to the questions are provided for each question.
This Test Item File supports Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
(AACSB) International Accreditation. Each chapter of the Test Item File was prepared with
the AACSB learning standards in mind. Where appropriate, the answer line of each question
indicates a category within which the question falls.1 This AACSB reference helps instructors
identify those test questions that support that organization’s learning goals.
1
Please note that not all test questions will indicate an AACSB category.
PREFACE xix
What Is the AACSB?

AACSB is a not-for-profit corporation of educational institutions, corporations, and other organ-
izations devoted to the promotion and improvement of higher education in business administra-
tion and accounting. A collegiate institution offering degrees in business administration or
accounting may volunteer for AACSB accreditation review. The AACSB makes initial accredi-
tation decisions and conducts periodic reviews to promote continuous quality improvement in
management education. Pearson Education is a proud member of the AACSB and is pleased to
provide advice to help you apply AACSB Learning Standards.
What Are AACSB Learning Standards?

One of the criteria for AACSB accreditation is the quality of the curricula. Although no specific
courses are required, the AACSB expects a curriculum to include learning experiences in such
areas as:
䊉 Communication abilities
䊉 Ethical understanding and reasoning abilities
䊉 Analytical skills
䊉 Use of information technology
䊉 Dynamics of the global economy
䊉 Multicultural and diversity understanding
䊉 Reflective thinking skills
These seven categories are AACSB Learning Standards. Questions that test skills relevant to
these standards are tagged with the appropriate standard. For example, a question testing the
moral questions associated with externalities would receive the Ethical understanding and rea-
soning abilities tag.
How Can I Use These Tags?

Tagged questions help you measure whether students are grasping the course content that aligns
with AACSB guidelines noted above. In addition, the tagged questions may help to identify
potential applications of these skills. This, in turn, may suggest enrichment activities or other
educational experiences to help students achieve these goals.
Instructor’s Resource Center

All your teaching resources in one place. Electronic versions of the instructor’s manual, test item
file, TestGen test generating software, plus PowerPoints are available online at http://www
.pearsonhighered.com/burns. (Select Instructor Resources.)
Companion Website for Students

At http://www.pearsonhighered.com/burns, students should go to the “Companion Website.”
Here, by clicking on a chapter, they can take the self study quiz. The self study quizzes are
automatically graded. To get the most out of the self study quizzes, students should study
the chapter first, and then take the sample test to assess how well they have learned chapter
material.
Also, at the “Companion Website” students will have access to: a. iReportWriting Assistant,
b. a link where they can download the XL Data Analyst™ software, and c. find information about
careers in marketing research.
CourseSmart for Students

CourseSmart goes beyond traditional expectations providing instant, online access to the text-
books and course materials students need at lower cost. They can also search, highlight and take
notes anywhere at anytime. See all the benefits to students at www.coursesmart.com/students.
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Acknowledgments
It takes many people to create a book. First, we wish to acknowledge the expert assistance we
have received from the professional staff at Pearson Prentice Hall. First, we thank our editor,
Melissa Sabella. Meeta Pendharkar served as our Editorial Project Manager. Meeta, you could
not have been more helpful, thank you! Also, thank you to Elisabeth Scarpa our Editorial Assis-
tant and Becca Richter Groves, our Production Product Manager. We owe Becca a very special
thank you for her capable assistance. We have been with Prentice Hall now for over a decade and
we are forever grateful we found such a great partnership. The entire Prentice Hall staff is cour-
teous and professional. Thank you all for being so good at what you do!
In the 3rd Edition we again benefited from the capable experience of Heather Donofrio,
Ph.D. Heather has been involved in different aspects of helping with our textbook for several
years. Her highly qualified editorial assistance is reflected throughout this book. We also wish to
thank Ashley Roberts who cheerfully and professionally helped us with many tasks during the
preparation of this book.
We both enjoy keeping up with industry trends and practice through our extensive con-
tacts in the marketing research industry. The following professionals made contributions to
the 3rd Edition:
Baltimore Research—Ted Donnelly
Burke, Inc.—Ron Tatham
Decision Analyst—Jerry W. Thomas
ESRI—Brent Roderick & Lisa Horn
Experian Simmons—John Fetto
Inside Research—Jack Honomichl & Laurence Gold
Intercampo—Luis Pamblanco
Ipsos Forward Research—Richard Homans
Ipsos Public Affairs—Paul Abbate
Moore Research Services—Colleen Moore-Mezler
MRA—Kristen Darby
NewProductWorks, GfK Strategic Innovation—Marilyn Raymond and Penny Wamback
Ozgrid Business Applications—Raina Hawley
QRCA—Shannon Pfarr Thompson
Qualtrics, Inc.—Scott M. Smith
SDR Consulting—William D. Neal
Socratic Technologies—William H. MacElroy
Sports & Leisure Research Group—Jon Last
Survey Sampling International—Kees de Jong, Ilene Siegalovsky
Talking Business—Holly M. O’Neill
TNS Global/Retail & Shopper Practice—Herb Sorensen
United States Census Bureau
xxi
xxii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We’d like to thank the professors who took part in our focus groups and shared their ideas
for this text and XL Data Analyst:
Reviewers
Brian Buckler Avila University
Aslihan Cakmak Lehman College
Doug Grisaffe University of Texas at Austin
Steven Moff Pennsylvania College of Technology
Mike Petrochuk Walsh University
Emanuel Stein Queensborough Community College, CUNY
James Swartz California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Diane Whitney University of Maryland-College Park
As always, we wish to thank our life partners who put up with our book writing exploits and,
no matter what, always smile. Thank you, Jeanne and Libbo, for your steadfast support of our pro-
fessional endeavors.
Al Burns
Louisiana State University
alburns@lsu.edu
Ron Bush
University of West Florida
rbush@uwf.edu
About the Authors
Alvin C. Burns is the Ourso Distinguished Chair of Marketing and Chairperson of Marketing in
the E.J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University. He received his doctorate in
marketing from Indiana University and an MBA from the University of Tennessee. Professor
Burns has taught undergraduate and master’s level courses and doctoral seminars in marketing
research for over 35 years. During this time period, he has supervised a great many marketing re-
search projects conducted for business-to-consumer, business-to-business, and not-for-profit or-
ganizations. His articles have appeared in the Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Business
Research, Journal of Advertising Research, and others. He is a Fellow in the Association for Busi-
ness Simulation and Experiential Learning. He resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with his wife
Jeanne and Yellow Labrador Retriever, Shadeaux (it’s a Louisiana thing).
Ronald F. Bush is Distinguished University Professor of Marketing at the University of
West Florida. He received his B.S. and M.A. from the University of Alabama and his Ph.D. from
Arizona State University. With over 35 years of experience in marketing research, Professor Bush
has worked on research projects with firms ranging from small businesses to the world’s largest
multinationals. He has served as an expert witness in trials involving research methods, often
testifying on the appropriateness of research reports. His research has been published in leading
journals including the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Advertis-
ing Research, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Business, among others. In 1993 he was named a
Fellow by the Society for Marketing Advances. He and his wife, Libbo, live on the Gulf of Mexico
where they can often be found playing “throw the stick” with their Scottish Terrier, Maggie.
1 An Introduction
to Marketing Research
Why and How We Conduct Marketing Research

LEARNING OBJECTIVES at the Sports & Leisure Research Group
䊏 To know the relationship
of marketing research to
marketing, the marketing
concept, and marketing
strategy
䊏 To define marketing research
䊏 To understand the purpose and
uses of marketing research
䊏 To classify different types of
marketing research studies
䊏 To describe a marketing
information system (MIS) What do organizations like Callaway Golf, Unilever, Carnival Cruises,
and understand why marketing Time Inc., and the PGA of America have in common? They are all
research occupies a place actively seeking to efficiently communicate with their target market,
in an MIS
many of whom are heavily involved in sports or recreation activities.
As these organizations seek to optimize their product offerings, and
the ways in which they communicate the benefits of these offerings,
they face numerous marketing decisions. At the Sports & Leisure
Research Group (SLRG) we help our clients make these decisions and
devise optimal marketing strategies, going “beyond the numbers”
by using marketing research to better understand what customers
want and how to position their products and services most effec-
tively to meet those needs.
Marketing research is the tool that we use to bring information
to our clients which allows them to make the best decisions. At
SLRG we use a variety of marketing research: qualitative and quan-
titative techniques such as focus groups, one-on-one interviews,
telephone interviews and online surveys, and purchase diaries. We
custom design research studies so our clients receive the best value
from our service. In this book you will learn about these and other
marketing research techniques.
2
Jon Last has over twenty years in marketing research including experience with Conde
Nast’s Golf Digest Publications Division, PGA of America, and a major cruise ship line. He
holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated
magna cum laude from Tufts University. Last has served as president of the Marketing
Research Association and is a recipient of the MRA’s Award of Excellence.
Visit Sports & Leisure Research Group at www.sportsandleisureresearch.com.
Source: Jon Last, Sports & Leisure Research Group.

Jon Last, Founder
and President, Sports
and Leisure Research
Group
W e wish to welcome you to the world of marketing research! Any time business managers
need to make decisions and they lack adequate information, they are likely to need mar-
keting research. In our opening vignette, Jon Last, CEO of Sports & Leisure Research, collects
marketing research information that is needed by magazine executives, advertisers, manufactur-
ers of sports equipment, and service providers such as the lodging and restaurant business to make
better decisions. In this chapter we introduce you to marketing research by (a) examining how
marketing research is a part of marketing, (b) exploring definitions, purposes, and uses of mar-
keting research, (c) learning how to classify marketing research studies, and (d) providing you
with an understanding of how marketing research fits into a firm’s marketing information system.
You will find in this book a successful statistical analysis software program that is easy to
use and interpret. The program runs off Microsoft’s Excel® spreadsheet program, so as long as
you have access to Excel® you will be able to use this. We have developed XL Data Analyst™ to
allow you to easily tap the power of Excel for purposes of marketing research analysis.
Because marketing
Now, we will show you why you conduct marketing research analyses by introducing you to research is part of
the field of marketing research. marketing, you cannot
fully appreciate
marketing research and
Marketing Research: Part of Marketing? the role it plays in the
marketing process
Before we discuss marketing research, we need to first discuss marketing. The reason is, marketing unless you know how it
fits into the marketing
research is part of marketing, and you cannot fully appreciate marketing research and the role it plays
process.
in the marketing process unless you know how it fits into the marketing process. What is marketing?
3
4 CHAPTER 1 • AN INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING RESEARCH
The American Marketing Association [AMA] has defined marketing as an organizational function
and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for man-
aging customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.1
This definition recognizes that marketing is an organizational function. The other basic
functions of business include production, finance, and human resources. It also recognizes that
marketing is a set of processes that creates something of value such as products and services,
communicates or promotes the value, and delivers or distributes the value (which includes the
notion of pricing) to consumers. This definition recognizes the domain of marketing, namely,
the four Ps (product or service; promotion, distribution (also known as “place”) and pricing).
This definition also recognizes that marketers need to manage customer relationships. This
means it is not wise for a marketer to think of a one-time transaction. “Making the sale” is not
the end of marketing if marketers want repeat buying and positive word-of-mouth promotion
of their products and services. In addition, the AMA definition points out that marketing is car-
ried out for the benefit of the organization and its stakeholders. A for-profit organization, for
example, must earn a respectable return on investment (ROI) in order to remain in business.
For many years marketing focused on providing the customer with value through a physi-
cal product that emerged at the end of the distribution channel. Marketing managers focused on
creating a physical product and then making efficient promotion, distribution, and pricing deci-
sions. Current thinking, proposed primarily by Vargo and Lusch,2 calls for a framework that goes
beyond a “manufacturing-tangible product” view of marketing (e.g., Ford creates value by
building cars). Rather, Vargo and Lusch argue that we should adopt a service-centered view of
marketing which (a) identifies core competencies, the fundamental knowledge and skills that
may represent a potential competitive advantage; (b) identifies potential customers who can ben-
efit from these core competencies; (c) cultivates relationships with these customers, allowing
them to help create values that meet their specific needs; and (d) allows one to gauge feedback
from the market, learn from the feedback, and improve the values offered to the public.
One implication of this new framework is that firms must be more than customer oriented
(making and selling what firms think customers want and need). Rather, firms must collaborate
with and learn from customers, adapting to their changing needs. A second implication is that
products are not viewed as separate from services. Isn’t Ford really marketing a service, a service
that happens to include a by-product called a car?3 This framework is referred to as the service-
dominant logic for marketing.
We do not wish to provide a discourse on how marketing thought is evolving. After all, we
are still trying to answer the question: Why do we need to know about marketing in order to better
Why do we need
to know about marketing understand marketing research? The answer is, in order to practice marketing, marketing decision
in order to better makers need information in order to make better decisions. And, in our opinion, current defini-
understand marketing tions and frameworks of marketing mean that information is more important, not less important,
research? The answer is, in today’s world. For example, the service-dominant logic for marketing implies that decision
in order to practice
makers need information to know what their real core competencies are; how to create meaningful
marketing, marketing
decision makers need relationships with customers; how to create, communicate, and deliver value to customers; how
information in order to to gather feedback to gauge customer acceptance; and how to determine the appropriate responses
make better decisions. to the feedback. Keeping these information needs in mind, think about the information needed by
Ford, as the company prepared to produce the Fusion hybrid to compete with the Prius and other
successful hybrids already on the market; or by the managers at Sony, as they decided to go head
to head with Apple with an online service to compete with iTunes®; or at Apple as they prepared
Current definitions and
frameworks to launch the iPhone and the iPad. Think about all the decisions managers made at General Mills
of marketing mean that when they launched their successful organic food line, Small Planet Foods, or how the managers
information is more at CBS’s highly watched television show, 60 Minutes, have continued to make good decisions
important, not less regarding their broadcasts year after year. The same applies to not-for-profits such as the American
important, in today’s
Red Cross, which earns donations and support by creating value in the sense that it provides
world.
donors with “piece of mind for helping others.” In order to make the decisions necessary for
MARKETING RESEARCH: PART OF MARKETING? 5
such actions, the decision makers in these organizations needed information. As you will learn,
Not all firms “hear the
marketing research provides information to decision makers. voice of the consumer.”
The phrase “hearing the voice of the consumer” has been popularized to mean that compa- They do not conceive of
nies have the information they need to effectively satisfy wants and needs in the marketplace. products or services that
While we just cited some successful firms, we recognize that not all firms hear this voice. They meet the needs and
do not conceive of products or services that meet the needs and wants of the market. They do not wants of the market.
provide value, and their sales come from short-term exchanges, not enduring customer relation-
ships. These companies produce the wrong products or services. They have the wrong price, poor
advertising, or poor distribution. Then they become part of the many firms that experience prod-
uct failure. The Irridium telephone needed 500,000 customers to break even yet attracted only
50,000 subscribers.4 General Motors’s first electric vehicle, the EV1, was a failure. McDonald’s
veggie burger, the MacLean, was taken off the market.
The GfK Strategic Innovation’s NewProductWorks® studies product failure in order to help
clients glean ideas for successful new innovations. For example, a firm introduced scrambled
frozen eggs in a push-up tube. The eggs came with cheese, bacon, or sausage and the idea was
to quickly heat it up and take it with you for a convenient, eat-on-the-go breakfast. You could
have eggs and bacon while driving to work! Although this sounded great in the board room,
IncrEdibles were taken off the market as buyers found the eggs often ended up in their lap as
they tried to push up another bite. There was inadequate information on how real consumers
would use the product. Out! International, Inc. came up with what sounded like a cute name for
a new bug spray: “Hey! There’s a Monster in My Room!” What information did the company How can a marketer
fail to pick up on? The name alone scared kids when Mommy told them there was “a monster in know and understand
how to deliver value to
the room!” The product failed. Marketing Research Application 1.1 illustrates other examples
the customer so well?
of product failures supplied to us from the marketing researchers at NewProductWorks®. The answer is, by
Of course, it is easy to play “Monday morning quarterback” and keep in mind that all these having information
companies have many successful products to their credit. Peter Drucker wrote that successful about consumers. So to
companies are those that know and understand the customer so well that the product conceived, practice marketing
correctly, managers
priced, promoted, and distributed by the company is ready to be bought as soon as it is available.5
must have information,
Drucker is on target with his statement, but how can a marketer know and understand how to and this is the purpose
deliver value to the customer so well? The answer, as you can now see by our examples, is by of marketing research.
having information about consumers. So to practice marketing correctly, managers must have This is why we say that
information, and this is the purpose of marketing research. This is why we say that marketing marketing research is a
part of marketing;
research is a part of marketing; it provides the necessary information to enable managers to market
it provides the necessary
ideas, goods, and services properly. But how do you market ideas, goods, and services properly? information to enable
You have probably already learned in your studies that you must begin by having the right phi- managers to market
losophy, followed by proper marketing strategy. We call that philosophy the “marketing concept.” ideas, goods, and
services properly.
The Marketing Concept: The “Right” Philosophy

Often we find that students do not understand how important philosophies are to them. First, what
Philosophies are
is a philosophy? We can think of it as a system of values, or principles, by which to live. But, more principles, values by
importantly, why is one of your philosophies important to you? The answer may be a surprise. which to live. They are
Your philosophy is important because it dictates the decisions you make and what you do every important because they
day. Think about your philosophy regarding the importance of higher education. Isn’t this dictate how we behave
philosophy affecting your daily decisions? every day.
You go to college classes daily, you listen to professors lecture daily, and you are reading this
book, aren’t you? Well, the same is true for business managers. A manager’s philosophy will affect
how he or she makes day-to-day decisions in running a firm. There are many different philosophies
that managers may use to guide them in their decision making. “We are in the locomotive business;
we make and run trains.” Or, “To be successful, we must sell, sell, sell!” The managers who guided
their companies by these philosophies guided them right out of business. A much better philoso-
phy that grew in popularity in the mid-1950s we call the marketing concept.6
MARKETING RESEARCH APPLICATION 1.1
Practical Could Better Information Have Helped to Avoid These Failures?

Applications
Practical Application lightly carbonated iced coffee beverage. Customers were will-
ing to try it once, based on the Starbucks name alone, but the
Ice Breakers Pacs went into distribution in November
drink failed to encourage repeat sales.
2007. Pacs were small, dissolvable pouches with a
One question is whether it was the carbonation or the coffee
flavored-powder sweetener, in orange and cool mint fla-
that put consumers off. It is true that premium coffee sales have
vors. By January 2008, The Hershey Company stopped the
boomed and carbonated beverages are still a mainstay in the U.S.
marketplace, and Coke saw
that in Japan the combination
of coffee and carbonation
was popular. Causes for fail-
ure may include (a) consumers
in the United States were not
ready to accept the taste;
Ice Breakers Pacs (b) there may have been some
confusion as to when and
production in response to criticism that the mints looked
how this type of blended bev-
too much like the tiny heat-sealed bags used to sell pow-
erage could meet the needs
dered illegal street drugs (cocaine). Hershey stated the
currently being provided by
mints were not intended to resemble anything of the sort.
coffee and soda separately;
CEO David West disclosed the decision to stop produc-
and (c) perhaps consumers
tion: “We are sensitive to these viewpoints and thus have
love their coffee and they love
made the decision that we will no longer manufacture
their colas, but they don’t
Ice Breaker Pacs.” What seemed like a breakthrough,
want a combination. Would
innovative way to deliver a mint form turned out to be the
better information, prior to
opposite when consumer behaviors toward safety (for
Coca-Cola C2 the launch of Blak, have been
self, community, world) made this product unacceptable
helpful?
to the marketplace. Would better information as to the
Coca-Cola spent an esti-
market’s reaction to the packaging been helpful?
mated $30 to $50 million to
Introduced in April 2006, Coca-Cola’s Blak entered the
promote C2, a cola-flavored
U.S. marketplace as a carbonated fusion beverage, a taste
beverage introduced first in
blend of Classic Coke and coffee “essence.” Coke spent two
Japan, then later in the
years developing Blak in hopes of
United States in June 2004,
making inroads into consumers’ grow-
in response to the low-
ing taste for coffee and a booming
carbohydrate diet trend. This
premium beverage market, targeting
was Coca-Cola’s biggest
over-thirty, savvy, sophisticate-achiever
product launch since Diet
consumers. Weak product performance
Coke in 1982. Despite this
in the United States resulted in its being
support, C2 (as well as
discontinued seventeen months after
its competitor Pepsi Edge)
launch. Coke would have benefited by
failed to meet sales expecta-
taking a look at more information on
tions and was pushed out a
product history in this category. Blak
year later. This failure is due
was not the first of its kind; similar
mostly to the decline of the
blends were released in the past and
low-carb fad, and partly to
failed as well. In 1994, Pepsi began to
the success of Coca-Cola
test-market a soda called Pepsi Kona, Wolfgang Puck’s Self-Heating
Zero, a zero-calorie version
which tasted more like coffee than Latte
launched within the same
soda. In 1995, Starbucks partnered
time frame. Zero-calorie beverages had already been
with Pepsi and began to market a cof-
established, and with the advancement in the taste of
Coca-Cola Blak fee product called Mazagran. It was a
MARKETING RESEARCH: PART OF MARKETING? 7
MARKETING RESEARCH APPLICATION 1.1 (continued)
Practical Could Better Information Have Helped to Avoid These Failures?

Applications
sweeteners, the combined effect made reduced-carb bever- from stores nationwide after complaints of faulty technology,
ages obsolete. ranging from the product’s failure to reach an appropriately hot
Sources reported the Wolfgang Puck self-heating coffee temperature to it actually overheating, and spurting or leaking
containers technology took ten years and $24 million to develop. product from the can. While self-heating and self-chilling tech-
The self-heating can technology is by OnTech and is based on a nology could help meet the needs of many on-the-go con-
two-part container. The outer chamber holds the beverage and sumers, any future use of an improvement in the technology will
the inner chamber holds calcium oxide and a water puck, which have to face an even higher hurdle to regain consumers’ trust.
when its seal is broken mixes with the calcium oxide and creates
a heating effect. Launched in the spring of 2005, the product was Visit NewProductWorks® at www.gfkamerica.com.
quickly picked up for distribution by Kroger, Albertsons, and
Sam’s Club. Less than a year later, Puck’s namesake company Source: NewProductWorks®, the innovation resource center of GfK
demanded brand-licensee BrandSource Inc. to pull the products Strategic Innovation (formerly Arbor Strategy Group).
Kotler and Keller characterize the marketing concept as one that “senses and responds. The
job is not to find the right customers for your products, but to find the right products for your
customers.”7 They define the marketing concept as follows:
The marketing concept is a business philosophy that holds that the key to achieving orga-
nizational goals consists of the company’s being more effective than competitors in creating,
delivering, and communicating customer value to its chosen target markets.8
For many years, business leaders have recognized that this is the “right” philosophy.
Although the term marketing concept is often used interchangeably with other terms such as
Although the marketing
customer oriented or market driven, the key point is that this philosophy puts the customer first.
concept is often used
Time has proven that such a philosophy is superior to one in which company management interchangeably with
focuses on production, the product itself, or some promotional or sales gimmick. If you satisfy other terms such as
consumers, they will seek to do business with your company. Thus, we’ve learned that having customer oriented or
the right philosophy is an important first step in being successful. Still, just appreciating the market driven, the key
point is that this
importance of satisfying consumer wants and needs isn’t enough. Firms must put together the
philosophy puts the
“right” strategy. customer first.
The “Right” Marketing Strategy

The term strategy was borrowed from military jargon that stressed developing plans of attack that
would minimize the enemy’s ability to respond. In other words, using strategy involves a plan,
and that plan should anticipate competitors’ reactions. Firms may also have strategies in different
areas, such as financial strategy, production strategy, and technology strategy. So, what exactly is
marketing strategy?
A marketing strategy consists of selecting a segment of the market as the company’s target
market and designing the proper “mix” of product/service, price, promotion, and distribution sys-
Managers must make
tem to meet the wants and needs of the consumers within the target market. many decisions in order
We have to develop the “right” strategy—the strategy that allows our firm to truly meet the to implement a strategy
wants and needs of the consumers within the market segment we have chosen. Think of the many and they need good
questions we now must answer: What is the market? How do we segment the market? What are information in order to
make the “right”
the wants and needs of each segment? How do we measure the size of each market segment? Who
decisions.
are our competitors, and how are they meeting the wants and needs of each segment? Which
segment(s) should we target? Which model of a proposed product will best suit the target mar-
The bottom line of this
discussion is that to ket? What is the best price? Which promotional method will be the most efficient? How should
make the right we distribute the product/service? In order to make the right decisions, managers must have
decisions, managers objective, accurate, and timely information; and, because environments are forever changing,
continuously need marketers constantly need updated information about them. A strategy that is successful today
information. may need to be changed as the competitive, economic, social, political, legal, global, and tech-
nological environments change. Therefore, the bottom line of this discussion is that to make the
right decisions, managers continuously need information. As we shall learn next, marketing
research supplies much of this information.
How Do We Define Marketing Research?

At this point you understand something about marketing, the marketing concept, and marketing
strategy. You also know that marketing managers need information to carry out marketing, to
implement the marketing concept, and to design the “right” strategy. What, then, is marketing
research? Marketing research is the process of designing, gathering, analyzing, and reporting
Marketing research is
the process of information that may be used to solve a specific marketing problem.
designing, gathering, This definition tells us that marketing research is a process that results in reporting infor-
analyzing, and reporting mation that can be used to solve a marketing problem (e.g., price determination or advertising).
information that may be The focus is on a process that results in information that will be used to make decisions. (We
used to solve a specific
introduce you to this eleven-step process in Chapter 3.) Notice also that our definition refers to
marketing problem.
information that may be used to solve a specific marketing problem. We explain the importance
of this later on in this chapter when we discuss marketing information systems. Ours is not the
only definition of marketing research. The American Marketing Association formed a commit-
tee several years ago to establish a definition of marketing research. The AMA definition is:
Marketing research is the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer
through information—information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and prob-
lems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and
improve the understanding of marketing as a process.9
Each of these definitions is correct. Our definition is shorter and illustrates the process of
marketing research. The AMA’s definition is longer because it elaborates on the function (we call
it the purpose) as well as the uses of marketing research. Note that market research, a part of mar-
keting research, refers to applying marketing research to a specific market area. One definition of
market research is the systematic gathering, recording, and analyzing of data with respect to a
Market research refers
to the systematic particular market, where market refers to a specific customer group in a specific geographic
gathering, recording, area.10 The Marketing Research Association (MRA) defines market research as “the process used
and analyzing of data to define the size, location and/or makeup of the market for a good or service.”11 Notice the focus
with respect to a on a geographical market area. The MRA defines marketing and opinion research in a manner
particular market,
consistent with the way we have defined marketing research: “a process used by businesses to
where market refers
to a specific customer collect, analyze and interpret information used to make sound business decisions and successfully
group in a specific manage the business.”12 In the next two sections, we will talk more about the purpose and uses of
geographic area. marketing research.
What Is the Purpose

of Marketing Research?
The AMA definition of marketing research includes a reference to the consumer: The purpose
of marketing research is to link the consumer to the marketer by providing information that can
be used in making marketing decisions. The AMA definition expands our definition by telling
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MARKETING RESEARCH? 9
us that the information provided by marketing research for decision making should represent the
consumer. In fact, by mentioning the consumer, this implies that marketing research is consis-
tent with the marketing concept because it “links the consumer . . . to the marketer.” The AMA
definition is normative. That is, it tells us how marketing research should be used to ensure the
firm is consumer oriented. We certainly agree with this, but what should be done isn’t always
followed. Our examples of poor product decisions we discussed previously illustrate this point,
and managers have been implored to use marketing research instead of their own intuition to
make decisions. Even though the AMA definition makes the point that marketing research links
the firm to the consumer, we want to point out that marketing research information is also
collected on entities other than the consumer. Information is routinely gathered on members of
distribution channels, employees, and competitors as well as the economic, social, technological,
and other environments.13
One could argue that the point of all this research is to do a better job of satisfying consumers.
To illustrate how marketing research helps link managers to consumers, imagine what is taking
place in the golf industry during the economic slowdown we have experienced since 2008.
Managers of firms that market golf clubs and equipment, clothing, and managers in related
industries, such as the lodging and resort industry, want to know how the recession is affecting
golfers’ attitudes and buying practices. Marketing Research Application 1.2 shows how one mar-
keting research firm is linking these managers to their consumers.
Sometimes marketing research studies lead to the wrong decisions. We should point out here
that just because a manager uses marketing research doesn’t mean that the decisions based on the
research are infallible. In the examples of “failed” products we examined earlier, some marketing
research was conducted but may have been inaccurate. There are plenty of examples in which mar-
keting research showed a product would fail, yet it turned out to be a resounding success. Stella
Artois beer appealed primarily to people in urban areas. The company’s advertising agency devel-
oped an advertisement showing a peasant selling flowers in a rural setting, but the marketing
research results showed the ad to be a failure, citing below-average brand awareness and the fact
that the ad positioned the beer away from the group to which it primarily appealed. Management at
Stella Artois, however, believed that the ad was good and the marketing research was flawed. The
ad was so successful it is credited with helping to turn the company’s product from a niche beer to
one of the top-selling grocery-store beer brands in the United Kingdom.14 Another example occurred
when marketing research showed the pilot for the Seinfeld show, starring Jerry Seinfeld, was “bad.”
Later, however, a doubting executive resurrected the show, which became one of the most suc-
cessful shows in television history.15 Likewise, marketing research studies also predicted that
hair-styling mousse and answering machines would fail if brought to market.16
As we’ve mentioned, there are plenty of failures where marketing research predicted success.
Most of these failures are removed from the shelves with as little fanfare as possible. Another
classic example of this was Beecham’s cold-water wash product, Delicare. The new product
failed even though marketing research predicted it would unseat the category leader, Woolite.
Beecham sued the research company that had predicted success.17 When Duncan Hines intro-
duced its line of soft cookies, marketing research studies showed that 80% of customers who tried
Soft Batch® cookies stated that they would buy them in the future, but didn’t.18 Sainsbury’s, the
U.K. grocery chain, had an ad prepared by their agency that tested favorably in marketing
research testing. However, the company received negative reactions from customers and staff
alike when the ad ran. Sainsbury’s switched ad agencies.19
These examples do not imply that marketing research is not useful. Remember, most mar-
keting research studies are trying to understand and predict consumer behavior—a difficult
task, indeed. The fact that the marketing research industry has been around for many years
means that it has passed the toughest of all tests to prove its worth—the test of the marketplace.
If the industry did not provide value, it would cease to exist. For each one of these examples
of “failure” there are tens of thousands of success stories supporting the use of marketing
research.
MARKETING RESEARCH APPLICATION 1.2
Practical Using Marketing Research to Better Understand Customer Attitudes

Applications
Practical Application included a sample of 1,050 golfers and a control sample

of 900 nongolfing sports fans. Key findings of the research
Golf is a multibillion-dollar industry. Managers in both manu-
include:
facturing and retailing of golf clubs and equipment, golf
apparel, golf courses, resorts, lodging, and restaurants that 䊉 A large percentage (94%) of the golfers expect to play
serve golfers are greatly concerned about golfers’ attitudes. the game the same or more in 2010, which is up from
The Sports & Leisure Research Group has conducted market- the 2009 figure (77%).
ing research studies to help these managers better understand 䊉 Golfers expect to pay more for irons, drivers, and
golfers. What if you were a manager in this industry today? wedges in 2010 than they did in 2009.
How will golfers react to harder economic conditions? Are 䊉 More golfers are purchasing from sporting goods retailers;
they likely to play less golf? Are they likely to buy less golf brand loyalty is not as important. Technology is a
equipment, clothing, and other items? What will keep them “trigger” for purchasing and the ability to demo
interested in following the PGA tour? the clubs, especially “on-course trial” is important.
The SLRG regularly provides answers to these questions. 䊉 Golfers view magazines as trustworthy, television
This research not only provides current golfer attitudes, but ads as entertaining and memorable, and the Internet
because of multiple studies, they also identify how attitudes as informative and unique.
among golfers are changing. For a regular series of studies, 䊉 Golfers showed an improved outlook toward being
SLRG focuses on (1) golfers’ expectations to play golf, and better off in retirement years, an important segment
spending and retail channel preferences; (2) how clubs are for the golfing industry.
purchased; and (3) attitudes for the year ahead and how these
attitudes will affect the industry. Source: Jon Last, Sports & Leisure Research Group.
SLRG collected data during three time periods: January
2009, July 2009, and January 2010. The 2010 online survey
WHAT ARE THE USES OF MARKETING RESEARCH? 11
What Are the Uses of Marketing Research?

Now that you understand the purpose of marketing research, let’s take a closer look at its uses. In
our short definition, we simply refer to the use of marketing research as providing information to
solve a specific marketing problem, and the AMA definition spells out what some of these prob-
lems may be.
Identify Market Opportunities and Problems

For example, the identification of market opportunities and problems is certainly a use of market-
ing research. Today many managers are asking, “What opportunities are in the market?” When
everyone saw the music industry facing a terrible decline due to pirating of songs on the Internet,
Apple saw an opportunity for iTunes, which has been an overwhelming success. Some auto
manufacturers are contemplating a future where auto buyers will greatly value emission-free auto-
mobiles. Even though there is no existing infrastructure to recharge totally electric cars, Nissan sees
an opportunity for this and has designed the Leaf ® to capitalize on it. There are all sorts of oppor-
tunities, but companies must be aware and determine if they can provide a good or a service to fill that
opportunity while achieving company objectives such as ROI. Problems are typically defined as times
when we fail to meet objectives. Companies experience problems when market share, sales, profits,
customer satisfaction, among others, fall below expectations. In either case, when there are opportu-
nities or problems, managers need information to help them make the right decisions.
Generate, Refine, and Evaluate Potential Marketing Actions

Marketing research can also be used to generate, refine, and evaluate a potential marketing
action. When Apple created the iPhone, both Apple and AT&T had to evaluate the proposed used to generate, refine,
strategy of offering the wireless service for the iPhone only through AT&T. This turned out to and evaluate a potential
be a good strategy as the iPhone was a huge success and both companies benefited from the part- marketing action.
nership. Sometimes research is needed to generate actions. For example, a series of focus groups
generates information that many consumers want cookies flavored with “dark chocolate.”
Additional research could help the company refine a strategy of bringing out a line of “dark
chocolate” cookies by testing a proposed appeal that the “cookie is heart-healthy.”20 Once
several strategies are in consideration, research can be conducted to evaluate each.
Monitor Marketing Performance

The AMA definition also states that marketing research may be used to monitor marketing perfor-
mance. Many research dollars are spent by firms to simply “see where we are.” They not only want used to “see where we
to know how they are doing, but also they want information about their competitors. So, marketing and our competitors are.”
research may be used to monitor marketing performance. After companies have implemented their
marketing strategies, they want to monitor the effectiveness of their ads, sales force, in-store pro-
motions, dealer effectiveness, competitors, and customer satisfaction. Companies may also wish to
monitor sales and market shares. This monitoring is often done through what is called “tracking
research.” Tracking research is used to monitor how well products of companies such as Hershey’s,
Campbell’s Soup, Kellogg’s, and Heinz are performing in the supermarkets and other distribution
outlets (e.g., in mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart, Target, and K-Mart or drugstores or convenience
stores). These “consumer packaged goods” firms want to monitor the sales of their brands, and sales
of their competitor’s brands. Research firms Nielsen and IRI are two of several firms monitoring
the performance of products in supermarkets and other retail outlets. They monitor how many units
of these products are being sold, through which chains, at what retail price, and so forth.
Improve Marketing as a Process

The AMA definition says that one use of marketing research is to improve marketing as a process.
To improve our understanding of the marketing process means that some marketing research is
conducted to expand our basic knowledge of marketing. Typical of such research would be
Another random document with
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Cet homme énergique, cet esprit fort, qui se vantait de ne
craindre rien ni personne, affichait, en effet, le mépris le plus
insultant pour les vendeuses d’oracles et abreuvait de ses
sarcasmes les folles qui ajoutent créance à leurs dires.
IX
A toutes les tables, militaires et civils attendaient, en buvant, que

d’autres militaires, d’autres civils qui, en ce moment, étaient dans les
chambres avec ces dames, en fussent sortis pour les y remplacer.
Portant en équilibre un plateau chargé de verres pleins, le
garçon, dont le visage était baigné de sueur, circulait dans la salle
surchauffée et enfumée.
Alignés sur une banquette, ayant dernière eux les effigies de la
Russe et de l’Espagnole (un client patriote avait collé sur le sein de
celle-ci un papillon imprimé sur lequel on lisait : « A bas les
Neutres ! »), trois officiers anglais très rouges, très excités, menaient
tapage. Ils riaient, chantaient, sifflaient, frappaient à coups de
cravaches de cuir le marbre de leur table.
De temps en temps, l’un d’eux jetait son verre à terre. Alors, tous
trois hurlaient d’une seule voix :
— Tchampeine !
Le garçon, à qui Mireille avait donné l’ordre de ne point laisser
attendre ces clients fastueux, posait immédiatement une bouteille
devant eux qui faisaient sauter le bouchon en poussant de grands
rires, s’inondaient, par jeu, de vin mousseux, buvaient, brisaient
leurs verres, répétaient :
— Tchampeine !… Tchampeine !… Encore Tchampeine !…
Tchampeine… Encore !… Encore !…
L’un se leva, balaya la table de sa cravache, fit correctement le
salut militaire et, pour montrer qu’il souhaitait de parler, leva la main.
Tous les regards se fixèrent sur lui.
Des rires fusèrent, des applaudissements éclatèrent, puis le
silence régna.
L’homme émit seulement quelques mots. Mais ils eurent pour
effet de susciter une hilarité plus violente encore chez ses
camarades.
Au cours de la soirée, Mme Mireille avait remarqué qu’un sous-
officier français s’était entretenu, deux ou trois fois, avec les alliés.
Elle alla à lui :
— Qu’est-ce qu’il a dit ? s’informa-t-elle.
En voyant la directrice parler au jeune homme, les Anglais
comprirent quelle question elle lui posait.
Leur gaîté s’accentua.
— Tell her ! Tell her ! clamaient-ils.
— Qu’est-ce qu’il a dit ? répéta Mme Mireille.
L’autre rougit et refusa de répondre.
— Puisque je vous le demande ! insista-t-elle.
Il se décida. Et, comme s’il avait hôte de se débarrasser de sa
mission, il traduisit littéralement, sans chercher de détour ou de
périphrase, les paroles que venait de prononcer l’officier anglais.
— Il a dit : « C’est avec la patronne que je voudrais monter.
Qu’elle fixe son prix. Je paye ! »
Mme Mireille ne marqua par aucun signe extérieur qu’elle était
surprise ou offensée. Elle regarda son admirateur avec indulgence,
lui dédia même un sourire cordial, et retourna à la caisse en lançant
par-dessus son épaule :
— Vous pouvez toujours lui répondre qu’il repasse demain s’il a
le temps.
Une fois encore l’interprète traduisit.
— To-morrow ? All right ! prononça l’Anglais en se rasseyant.
— Tchampeine ! criaient ses amis au comble de l’enthousiasme.
Il se joignit à eux.
Le garçon apporta verres et bouteille. Les libations reprirent
jusqu’à ce que, l’heure de la fermeture étant venue, il fallût que Mme
Lucie, son frère, Mme Joujou, Mme Carmen et même Mme Bambou
poussassent les trois hommes dans la rue, où, longtemps, on les
entendit rire, chanter et répéter :
— Tchampeine ! Tchampeine !
X
Restée seule, dans le salon, comme chaque nuit, Mme Mireille

avait ouvert le tiroir-caisse où, pendant le coup de feu, billets,
monnaie d’argent et billon avaient été entassés pêle-mêle.
Elle séparait le papier du métal, réunissait les coupures par
catégories, mettait en piles pièces et sous, procédait enfin
méticuleusement au décompte de chaque tas dont elle inscrivait, à
mesure, le montant sur un registre.
Mais cette besogne, qu’elle avait accomplie si souvent, laissait
toute liberté à son esprit.
Elle pensait… Elle pensait à Adolphe, à son obstination que
jamais elle n’aurait la cruauté de combattre.
Puis elle pensait à Aimée-Désirée, à la dot qu’on lui pourrait
amasser si l’on savait profiter de cette période d’exceptionnelle
prospérité, dont, plus tard, on s’entretiendrait comme d’une chose
fabuleuse…
— Nous, maintenant, avec ce qu’on a mis à gauche, on aura
toujours assez pour vivre.
« Si nous pouvions avoir un fils, je me ferais moins de soucis. Je
me dirais que le petit suivrait le même chemin que tous les Rabier
ont suivi avant lui.
« Il reprendrait l’affaire, épouserait une femme sérieuse,
méritante, connaissant le busenesse. Ils arrangeraient leur vie tous
les deux… et serviraient une rente à Aimée-Désirée. Mais puisque
ça nous est défendu d’espérer un garçon !…
« Une fille, c’est des charges, des responsabilités. On lui doit plus
qu’à un fils. La nôtre, dans quelques années, il va falloir la faire
élever ailleurs, et le moment arrivera de songer à la marier.
« A qui la marier ? Dans notre milieu, ça manque d’hommes
qu’on choisirait comme gendres, c’est un fait. Dans les autres, on en
trouvera difficilement. L’esprit du monde est si étroit ! Et celui qui
voudra, il demandera gros pour faire passer la chose que la petite
est née dans une maison… Et ce serait rare qu’il continue le
commerce… Alors, il faudra de l’argent, beaucoup d’argent…
Un sanglot monta à la gorge de Mme Mireille.
Elle mit la main sur ses yeux, réfléchit longuement à la situation,
essaya de trouver par quels moyens elle la pourrait amender.
Un souvenir la harcelait qu’elle voulait et ne pouvait chasser : le
souvenir du temps où elle était simple dame et où, sans se parjurer
aux yeux des hommes qu’elle avait vraiment aimés, elle continuait
pourtant d’assurer son service.
L’amour ne subsiste-t-il point, intact et fidèle, au cœur de celles
dont la destinée est d’en vendre les apparences à tout venant ?
Pourquoi ce qui avait été vrai dans le passé, ne le serait-il point
dans le présent ?
Tant d’expériences antérieures ne démontraient-elles pas à
Mireille que, s’il lui arrivait de distraire des messieurs riches — qui la
paieraient très cher — elle ne retirerait rien à son mari de la
tendresse qu’elle lui avait donnée ?…
Ah ! quelle satisfaction ce serait pour elle s’il lui était loisible
d’obvier, par un travail personnel et sans d’ailleurs négliger aucune
des obligations de sa fonction, au manque à gagner qu’elle
constatait chaque nuit avec un déchirement de cœur !
Quelle joie elle ressentirait si elle pouvait contribuer à accroître le
patrimoine de la famille, à enrichir cette petite Aimée-Désirée, à la
mettre en état, pourvu que les hostilités durassent seulement deux
ans encore, de prétendre à un brillant parti !
En agissant ainsi, ne s’égalerait-elle pas à ces femmes de
France que politiques et journalistes louaient dans leurs discours et
leurs écrits parce que, peinant, au champ, à l’usine, à la boutique, y
remplaçant les morts, les mobilisés, les mutilés, elles
sauvegardaient la fortune individuelle et la fortune collective ?
Pourquoi ne lui serait-il pas permis d’accomplir son devoir avec le
même courage tranquille, simple et muet ?
Pourquoi ?…
Les yeux fixés sur les peintures murales qu’elle ne voyait pas,
elle méditait…
— Pourquoi ? murmura-t-elle. Parce que, peut-être, mon cas
n’est pas le même que celui de toutes les autres. Ce que j’ai à
donner c’est moi — et ce n’est plus à moi ! La seule activité dont je
sois capable m’est interdite depuis que je suis une femme mariée,
une patentée, une bourgeoise.
Ses yeux s’emplirent de larmes. Ses lèvres répétèrent :
— Une bourgeoise… Je suis une bourgeoise… Mireille des Trois-
Raisins est devenue une bourgeoise !… Comme la vie est difficile !…
Ses regards se posèrent sur l’argent étalé devant elle et qui
représentait la recette de la journée. Elle se secoua, fit des paquets
de billets qu’elle épingla et plaça dans un petit coffre de fer portatif.
Sur ce matelas de papier, elle coucha les rouleaux de pièces que,
pendant sa rêverie, elle avait machinalement préparés.
Sa main, passant comme un râteau sur le comptoir, fit tomber le
billon dans le tiroir-caisse qu’elle referma à clef.
Elle mit le coffre sous son bras, alla s’assurer que la porte
blindée était bien close, que les verrous en étaient poussés, revint
au salon, éteignit le lustre et, s’éclairant d’une lampe électrique de
poche, se dirigea vers l’escalier.
Depuis des années déjà, chaque nuit, à la même heure, elle
accomplissait les mêmes gestes, mais, jamais, malgré l’habitude,
elle n’avait pu se défendre d’un certain effroi au moment qu’ayant
éteint la lumière, elle montait chez elle, à pas de loup, en serrant un
trésor sur son sein.
Bien qu’elle sût que le disque de clarté qui dansait sur les
marches et les murs était projeté par l’appareil qu’elle tenait à la
main, et que, d’un coup de pouce, elle eût pu le faire disparaître,
Mme Mireille avait l’impression qu’il émanait d’une lanterne sourde,
portée par quelqu’un marchant sans bruit derrière elle et dont les
doigts allaient étreindre son cou, le serrer…
Alors, la sueur mouillait ses tempes et fraîchissait sur ses
épaules.
Cette nuit, parce qu’elle avait tant médité, souffert, pleuré et
dépensé de sa force de résistance dans le combat qu’elle venait de
livrer, sa frayeur prenait une intensité plus grande encore que de
coutume. Quand elle arriva sur le palier, jambes molles, bouche
sèche, corps en moiteur, elle haletait.
Elle atteignit le commutateur, donna la lumière et put enfin
reprendre son souffle.
Derrière les portes qui l’entouraient et qui étaient celles des
chambres de ces dames, le sommeil régnait.
— Elles ignorent les soucis, le chagrin, murmura Mme Mireille.
Elles sont heureuses !… Ah ! ne pas toujours se poser des
questions !… Être exempte de responsabilités !…
Elle se rappelait l’époque où, elle aussi, était une simple dame,
où il lui suffisait de se soumettre à la règle de la Maison au lieu
d’avoir à la faire respecter, de se comporter avec les messieurs de
façon à les satisfaire, l’époque où nul ne dépendait d’elle, où, elle
aussi, pouvait dormir lorsque sa tâche était terminée.
— C’était tout de même le bon temps.
Mais elle avait le sentiment de l’équité. Aussi se reprocha-t-elle
cette parole comme un blasphème.
Comment pouvait-elle regretter les jours où elle n’était rien au 17,
rien qu’une pensionnaire, une passante qu’on avait le droit de
chasser à toute minute ?
Comment pouvait-elle être assez ingrate pour ne pas avoir
constamment présent à l’esprit ce que la vie lui avait apporté, ce que
M. Adolphe lui avait donné : un nom, une fortune, l’amour, la
maternité ?
La maternité !
Mme Mireille se rappelait le matin de sa délivrance, la déception
qu’elle avait éprouvée au cours des premières heures qui suivirent,
puis son émotion et celle d’Adolphe qui, les yeux humides, balbutiait,
éperdu de bonheur :
— Ce petit bout… Ce petit bout… Quand on pense que c’est
nous deux… Nous deux réunis, fondus.
— Aimée-Désirée ! ma fille, notre enfant ! murmura Mme Mireille.
Elle se dirigea vers une porte, en tourna doucement le bouton, la
poussa, pénétra dans une étroite pièce où une veilleuse, voilée de
rose, posée sur une commode, répandait une faible clarté : c’était la
chambre où la fillette et sa bonne couchaient.
Roulée dans une couverture brune, la domestique dormait, le
visage tourné vers la muraille.
— Celle-là aussi est heureuse, pensa Mme Mireille, en écoutant le
souffle puissant et régulier de la montagnarde.
La lueur de la veilleuse venait mourir sur un petit lit d’acajou en
forme d’œuf où le père, le grand-père, l’arrière-grand-père du bébé
qui y était étendu avaient passé les premiers ans de leur vie.
Paupières abaissées, lèvres disjointes, son fin visage entouré de
cheveux blonds dénoués, Aimée-Désirée dormait. Sa main potelée
pendait hors du berceau.
Mme Mireille posa le coffre de fer et la lampe électrique à côté de
la veilleuse, s’agenouilla sur la descente de lit, prit les doigts de la
fillette dans les siens et y appliqua ses lèvres.
Elle discernait mal quel sentiment l’avait poussée à pénétrer
dans cette chambre, à s’agenouiller devant le lit de son enfant,
comme si elle avait eu à s’accuser d’un crime ou d’une faute.
Comment, si simple, si peu habile à s’analyser, aurait-elle
compris que, dans son trouble, dans son désarroi, elle venait,
d’instinct, à ce bébé endormi, demander un conseil, une ligne de
conduite… et une absolution, pour le cas où, un jour, elle aurait
besoin d’être pardonnée ?
Mme Mireille se releva, posa les mains sur le bord du petit lit, se
pencha sur le calme visage puéril, pareil, sous la lueur de la
veilleuse, à de la cire à peine rosée — et dont elle attendait
obscurément qu’il l’inspirât — mais qui ne lui apprit rien.
Des larmes roulèrent sur ses joues.
Elle sentait une torpeur l’envahir. Sa pensée se paralysait
progressivement. Il lui semblait qu’un rideau de brumes s’interposait
entre elle et ses soucis.
Et cette impression lui était très douce.
Dans son sommeil, la domestique balbutia quelques syllabes
confuses. Le son de cette voix ranima Mme Mireille, dissipa sa
torpeur, la remit en état de souffrir. Elle saisit de nouveau la main
d’Aimée-Désirée, la baisa, reprit son coffre, sa lampe électrique et
sortit de la chambre pour rentrer chez elle, plus lourde d’anxiété que
jamais.
En se glissant auprès de M. Adolphe endormi, elle était torturée
par l’indécision et lorsque, vers le matin, elle fut enfin accueille par le
sommeil, elle n’avait encore trouvé le chemin de son devoir.
XI
Le lendemain, vers la fin de l’après-midi, Mme Mireille faisait sa

quotidienne tournée d’inspection dans les chambres afin de
s’assurer que tout y était en ordre, pour le service du soir, lorsque sa
cousine la rejoignit :
— Un des Anglais d’hier est au salon, dit-elle.
— Lequel ?
— Celui qui a fait un discours.
— Qu’est-ce qu’il veut ?
Mains ouvertes de chaque côté du corps, Mme Lucie montra
qu’elle ignorait les desseins du visiteur.
— Il ne sait que répéter : « Patronne, patronne », dit-elle.
Mme Mireille se rappela la scène de la veille au soir, l’offre que lui
avait adressée l’officier et sa propre réponse.
Alors, sans qu’elle pût se rendre compte pourquoi elle revivait
ainsi tous ses souvenirs de la nuit, ni comment la foule des idées qui
s’étaient agitées et heurtées en elle s’enchaînaient l’une à l’autre,
elle évoqua sa méditation dans le salon silencieux, son désespoir, sa
longue station dans la chambre d’Aimée-Désirée, l’insomnie au
cours de quoi elle avait si ardemment souhaité une inspiration qui ne
lui était pas venue.
Mme Lucie observait avec surprise ce visage soudain pâli, ces
yeux aux regards fixes, ce front que trois rides creusaient entre les
sourcils, ces lèvres qui s’agitaient et dont nul son ne sortait.
Elle demanda :
— Que faut-il répondre ?
Mme Mireille sursauta.
Quoi, cet homme qui, la veille, lui avait lancé, avec l’impudeur et
l’inconscience que donne l’ivresse, une proposition qu’il était interdit
à Mme Mireille d’accepter, et qu’elle avait considérée comme la
boutade sans conséquence d’un ivrogne, s’était souvenu des mots
qu’il avait prononcés ! Et il était revenu ! Et Mme Lucie demandait ce
qu’il fallait lui répondre ?
Mais rien !
Il fallait feindre de ne pas comprendre ce qui le ramenait dans la
Maison, faire servir du champagne, appeler ces dames et s’arranger
pour qu’il choisît l’une d’elles.
— Qu’est-ce que je lui dis ? insista Mme Lucie.
Mme Mireille haussa les épaules, elle s’emporta :
— C’est toujours la même chose, alors !… Quand il y a un coup
dur c’est moi qui suis forcée de m’y coller ! Ici, c’est empoté,
emplâtre et compagnie ! Ah ! je peux me vanter d’être bien aidée !…
Tiens, laisse-moi passer, J’y vais !…
Elle descendit au salon.
Quand elle y parut, l’officier se leva, joignit les talons, se
découvrit, rougit, eut un rire timide de collégien, et commença de
parler.
Mais, très vite, il s’aperçut qu’on ne l’entendait point. Il en parut
fort surpris et tout décontenancé. Puis il sourit de nouveau, son
visage s’éclaira : il venait d’avoir une idée.
— Coloured girl, prononça-t-il.
Mme Mireille le regarda sans plus comprendre.
— Coloured girl, répéta-t-il en montrant la négresse au pagne
bleu de ciel peinte sur le mur. Puis, il fit le geste d’appeler quelqu’un
et pointa l’index vers le sol.
Mme Mireille devina qu’il souhaitait la présence de Mme Bambou.
Elle prononça très fort :
— Mme Bambou ? Appeler ?… Ici ?…
— Yes, dit l’Anglais. She speaks english.
— Mme Bambou ! cria Mme Mireille dans l’escalier, un monsieur
vous réclame !
La négresse survint.
— Demandez-lui ce qu’il désire.
L’officier parla longuement en se caressant le menton avec le
pommeau de sa cravache.
Mme Bambou, dont le vocabulaire comportait des lacunes, se fit
répéter plusieurs phrases, puis traduisit :
— Il paraît qu’hier soir, vous lui avez dit de revenir aujourd’hui
pour régler un arrangement entre vous deux. Bien qu’il ait
solidement bu, il se rappelle la chose. Et comme un gentleman ne
laisse jamais une affaire en suspens, il est exact au rendez-vous que
vous lui avez donné.
— Moi ! s’exclama Mme Mireille.
La négresse poursuivit :
— Il demande la faveur de monter quelquefois avec vous l’après-
midi, vers cette heure-ci. Il donnera ce que vous voudrez. Et il a
dans son régiment deux amis, officiers également, qui sont comme
ses frères. Ce sont ceux qui l’accompagnaient hier soir. Eux aussi
pourraient venir si vous acceptiez. Et eux aussi paieraient bien. Voilà
ce qu’il m’a chargé de vous répéter.
Continuant à se caresser le menton, l’Anglais regardait tantôt
Mme Bambou, comme pour s’assurer qu’elle reproduisait fidèlement
chacune de ses paroles, tantôt Mme Mireille, pour guetter l’effet que
sa proposition produisait sur elle.
Mme Mireille était impassible.
Ni ses regards, ni le pli de sa bouche, ni son teint, ne
permettaient de discerner ses réactions.
Elle éprouvait une impression indéfinissable. Il lui semblait que le
discours qu’elle venait d’entendre et qui eût dû l’indigner, lui avait
soudain restitué son équilibre perdu depuis si longtemps, et si
vainement recherché.
Pour la première fois, depuis des mois que, misérable et
désemparée, elle errait dans une nuit qui lui paraissait plus opaque
que celle où se mouvait Adolphe, elle voyait enfin devant soi, elle
savait ce qu’elle avait à faire.
Les puissances mystérieuses dont elle ignorait les noms mais
auxquelles, dans son fatalisme professionnel, elle croyait avec une
foi aussi solide que celle qu’elle avait dans les oracles, lui dictaient
son devoir en lui envoyant ce militaire étranger.
Pour le salut d’une enfant qui, lorsque sa saison serait venue, ne
devait pas connaître l’opprobre, ces puissances ordonnaient à sa
mère d’accomplir la seule tâche rémunératrice qui lui fût familière.
Elle n’avait qu’à se soumettre.
A se soumettre et à rassembler les souvenirs de son ancienne
vie, afin de reprendre son état de jadis sans qu’il parût trop qu’elle
ne l’avait point exercé depuis plusieurs années.
— Vous pouvez remonter, dit-elle à la négresse.
Quand elle fut seule avec l’Anglais, Mme Mireille s’assit. Elle lui
coula un regard de ses yeux noirs et respira largement. L’air, en
pénétrant dans ses narines dilatées, fit du bruit. Sa forte poitrine
tendit le satin du corsage. L’homme loucha.
Répétant, à son insu, car elle n’avait pas une très grande lecture,
une plaisanterie qu’elle avait entendu prononcer bien des fois par un
des beaux esprits de la ville et qui figure dans les œuvres de
jeunesse d’un membre de l’Académie française, elle demanda :
— Elles n’en ont pas en Angleterre ?
— Please ? s’informa l’officier.
Elle modifia l’expression de son sourire. Sans doute celui-ci fut-il
de qualité, car l’Anglais posa un billet de cent francs sur la table.
Sans cesser de sourire, sans cesser d’imprimer un mouvement
de houle à ses seins, Mme Mireille déplia lentement l’index et le
majeur.
— Yes, dit l’Anglais, qui, fouillant dans la poche extérieure de sa
vareuse, en tira un autre billet qu’il plaça à côté du premier.
Mme Mireille les prit et les glissa dans son corsage.
A ce moment, des pas résonnèrent dans l’escalier : M. Adolphe
sortait de sa chambre. Mme Mireille mit un doigt sur ses lèvres.
L’officier se raidit. Tous deux regardèrent la porte.
Bien rasé, bien peigné, la moustache soigneusement roulée, vêtu
de son élégant costume de gabardine, décoré de ses deux croix et
chaussé de ses belles bottes montantes, le héros parut. Ses mains
cherchèrent les tables, glissèrent dessus, et bientôt, il était au piano
qui commença de chanter.
— Je vais vous envoyer Mme Bambou, dit, à très haute voix, Mme
Mireille, puis, s’adressant à son mari, elle ajouta :
— C’est l’Angliche d’hier soir. Il s’en ressent pour l’ébène. Je lui
fais descendre la chose.
— Ça va, prononça placidement M. Adolphe en continuant de
caresser le clavier.
Mme Mireille adressa à l’officier des signes d’intelligence qu’il ne
comprit point et disparut. Mme Bambou arriva peu après.
Elle le prit par la main, le conduisit jusqu’à sa chambre où il
trouva, prête à le satisfaire, la femme vers qui allaient ses
convoitises et qui, pour la première fois depuis son mariage, refit,
par devoir, professionnellement, c’est-à-dire sans amour, le geste de
l’amour.
XII
Le capitaine William-George Ellis revint seul plusieurs fois rue

des Trois-Raisins. Il éprouva, à chaque nouvelle visite, la même joie
des sens à quoi s’ajoutait cette satisfaction que donne à l’homme
sérieux, et qui sait la valeur des choses, l’impression qu’il en a pour
son argent.
Puis, comme il était exempt d’égoïsme, comme, dans toutes les
armées, il est de tradition de passer à ses meilleurs camarades, afin
qu’ils la puissent apprécier, la femme qui vous a réjoui, il présenta
ses deux amis à celle qui lui avait révélé l’amour selon les méthodes
françaises, méthodes que, sans être taxés de chauvinisme, nous
sommes fondés à déclarer incomparables puisque, dans les cinq
parties du monde, on le va répétant.
Mme Mireille accueillit les trois hommes avec cette correction,
cette aménité tranquille que sa longue fréquentation des messieurs
lui avait permis d’acquérir et qu’elle tâchait, sans toujours y parvenir,
à inculquer aux dames placées sous sa direction.
Selon les conditions fixées une fois pour toutes par le capitaine
William-George Ellis, ils acquirent, eux aussi, licence de tenir entre
leurs bras cette femme puissante, saine et attentive, cette
technicienne éprouvée, douée à un si haut degré de conscience
professionnelle, en compagnie de qui ils se sentaient en si parfaite
sécurité et qui marquait tant d’empressement à les satisfaire.
Ayant le goût de l’ordre, de la régularité, ils décidèrent de faire
chacun une visite hebdomadaire à leur amie commune.
Ils établirent entre eux un roulement et choisirent les après-midi
du lundi, du jeudi, du samedi. Mme Mireille y souscrivit.
Elle les attendait maintenant dans la chambre de Mme Bambou,
car il avait bien fallu mettre la négresse dans la confidence.
Ils arrivaient toujours avec cette ponctualité qui caractérise les
gentlemen : en même temps que le quart de quatre heures sonnait à
l’Église Cathédrale.
Et leur entrée était identique. On eût dit qu’ils l’avaient réglée et
répétée ensemble, ainsi qu’un numéro de music-hall. Dès la porte
franchie, ils faisaient un plongeon, se découvraient, se dégantaient,
posaient casquette, cravache et gants sur une chaise, mettaient
avec aisance, mais sans ostentation, deux billets de cent francs sur
le marbre de la cheminée, puis, mains croisées, rougissant et se
dandinant, souriaient à Mme Mireille.
Elle était nue sous un péplum transparent de soie orange, portait
des bas rouge-vif, du fard aux joues, du koheul aux cils, du bleu aux
paupières, des œillets dans ses cheveux artistement roulés en
conque marine.
Et ces visites d’après-midi n’empêchaient point qu’ils vinssent,
presque chaque soir, au salon crier : « Tchampeine ! Tchampeine ! »,
boire plusieurs bouteilles de ce vin qui versait en eux tant
d’innocente joie et briser quelques verres sur les tables à grand
coups de leurs cravaches de cuir.
Parfois, ils amenaient des camarades. Mais sans doute ceux-ci
n’étaient point très intimes, puisque s’ils les présentèrent, comme il
se doit, à Mme Mireille, ils ne demandèrent pas à leur amie de
disposer pour eux des après-midi de liberté qu’ils lui laissaient.
Tout ce champagne, largement bu et largement payé, tous ces
verres brisés, comptés six fois leur prix d’achat, faisaient entrer dans
la caisse des sommes appréciables à quoi venaient s’ajouter, trois
fois la semaine, les deux billets de cent francs que Mme Mireille y
versait.
Les moyennes, les belles moyennes d’autrefois étaient enfin
rétablies.
La fortune des Rabier ne courait plus le risque de ne point
s’accroître selon les prévisions qu’autorisaient les circonstances
exceptionnelles. La dot d’Aimée-Désirée serait splendide.
Mme Mireille était heureuse, trop heureuse d’avoir, par sa seule
industrie, détourné la catastrophe qui menaçait, accompli, en toute
simplicité, son devoir d’épouse de mutilé et de mère pour se
demander quelles seraient les réactions de M. Adolphe si, un jour, il
apprenait la vérité, c’est-à-dire quel surcroît de travail celle qu’il avait
associée à sa vie s’imposait afin que la famille ne pâtît point de la
déchéance physique de son chef.
Rien au monde n’aurait pu la déterminer à le mettre au courant.
Mais ce qui l’induisait surtout à vouloir garder le silence, c’était
l’excès de sa délicatesse, de sa sollicitude, de son amour.
Il semblait à Mireille que dire à Adolphe l’emploi de ses après-
midi, lui parler de ses nouveaux revenus, ce serait lui adresser
indirectement un reproche, lui rappeler qu’elle devait maintenant
travailler pour deux. Or, elle était incapable de cette vilenie.
Elle dissimulait pour lui, à qui elle voulait épargner un chagrin,
non pour elle qui, ayant découvert où était la vérité, n’éprouvait nul
remords, mais seulement une joie très douce : celle que procure la
satisfaction du devoir accompli.
Bien qu’elle eût adopté cet extérieur hautain, distant, autoritaire
qu’exigeait sa double qualité de femme mariée et de directrice, il
subsistait beaucoup trop d’humilité en elle pour qu’elle attachât de
l’importance au prêt tri-hebdomadaire de ce corps innombrablement
loué jadis et s’estimât coupable envers son mari.
Coupable, elle l’eût été si elle se fût donnée pour rien, par amour,
par caprice, à un homme dont elle se fût coiffée.
Mais, puisqu’elle se vendait — et très cher — à des indifférents,
elle était innocente et ne trahissait point la foi jurée.
Mme Mireille avait même la certitude, tant sa conscience était en
repos, tant elle croyait connaître l’âme d’Adolphe, qu’il raisonnerait
comme elle si, écoutant la voix de l’orgueil qui, parfois, lui parlait
ainsi qu’à toutes les créatures imparfaites que nous sommes, elle
devenait un jour asses avide de louanges pour se vanter de sa
nouvelle activité.
Mais elle espérait bien que cette voix se tairait longtemps et qu’il
lui serait permis de continuer, sans en être infatuée, d’accroître, par
son travail personnel, la richesse de la famille où Adolphe l’avait
admise et envers qui elle savait toute l’étendue de ses devoirs.
XIII
Malgré la discrétion de Mme Bambou, ces dames n’avaient pu

ignorer longtemps pourquoi, le lundi, le jeudi, le samedi, un officier
de l’armée britannique franchissait le seuil de la Maison.
Mais, ayant deviné les raisons qui avaient déterminé Mme Mireille
à reprendre du service actif, elles l’estimaient davantage.
Bien qu’elles eussent peut-être été fondées à lui reprocher de les
avoir frustrées de clients riches et généreux, qui, sans doute, se
fussent accordés avec trois d’entre elles si Madame ne les avait
accueillis, jamais, ni par leurs paroles, ni par leur attitude, elles ne
marquèrent de ressentiment.
Elles montraient tant de réserve, elles jouaient l’ignorance avec
tant d’application, et, alors que d’autres, à leur place, eussent profité
des circonstances pour se relâcher, elles continuaient de travailler
avec tant de stricte gravité, que, parfois, Mme Mireille, qui,
cependant, ne nourrissait aucune illusion, pouvait se demander si,
vraiment, son secret était connu.
— Elles sont délicates et parfaites, disait-elle.
Et la façon dont son personnel se comportait avec elle la
consolait, dans une certaine mesure, des nouveaux soucis qui,
depuis quelques semaines, l’avaient assaillie.
Ces soucis, qui étaient de deux ordres, M. Adolphe les lui
causait.

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eTextbook 978-0135078228 Basic

Marketing Research with Excel

eTextbook 978-0134129945 Global Marketing

Basic Marketing Research 4th Edition, (Ebook PDF)

eTextbook 978-0134173054 Statistics for Managers Using

eTextbook 978-0134380995 Basic Arrhythmias (8th

eTextbook 978-0078112058 Services Marketing (6th

eTextbook 978-1111826925 Business Research Methods

eTextbook 978-0849374968 Photodermatology (Basic and

eTextbook 978-0131753723 Strategic Marketing for

Classifying External Supplier Firms 27

Chapter 3 The Marketing Research Process—Defining the Problem

Defining the Problem 56

Chapter 4 Research Design Alternatives and Qualitative

Chapter 5 Information Types and Sources: Secondary Data

How Was the Information Obtained? 114

Chapter 6 Data Collection Methods 128

Chapter 7 Measurement Scales 152

Basic Measurement Concepts 155

Chapter 8 Designing Data Collection Forms 174

Chapter 9 Determining Sample Size and the Sample Plan 196

How to Calculate Sample Size When Estimating a Mean 203

Chapter 11 Summarizing Your Data 240

How to Summarize Metric Variables with XL Data Analyst 253

Chapter 12 Generalizing Your Findings 262

Chapter 13 Finding Differences 290

Chapter 14 Determining Relationships 314

Chapter 15 Preparing and Presenting Your

Following Guidelines and Principles for the Written Report 353

What Makes Basic Marketing Research:

What’s New in the 3rd Edition?

Why Excel for Data Analysis?

Who Should Use This Textbook?

Features of XL Data Analyst™

About the Text: Key Strengths

Time-Tested, 11-Step Approach

(New) Integrated Case with Data Set

Our Approach to Teaching Data Analysis

Ethics, Global Marketing Research, and Practical Applications

Marginal Notes, Key Terms, Review Questions, Application

Instructor’s Manual (0135078245)

Test Item File (0135078253)

What Is the AACSB?

What Are AACSB Learning Standards?

How Can I Use These Tags?

Instructor’s Resource Center

Companion Website for Students

CourseSmart for Students

Why and How We Conduct Marketing Research

Visit Sports & Leisure Research Group at www.sportsandleisureresearch.com.

Source: Jon Last, Sports & Leisure Research Group.

The Marketing Concept: The “Right” Philosophy

MARKETING RESEARCH APPLICATION 1.1

Practical Could Better Information Have Helped to Avoid These Failures?

MARKETING RESEARCH APPLICATION 1.1 (continued)

Practical Could Better Information Have Helped to Avoid These Failures?

The “Right” Marketing Strategy

How Do We Define Marketing Research?

What Is the Purpose