Consumer Behaviour

1(A)What is the difference between primary and secondary research? Under what circumstances might the availability of secondary data make primary research unnecessary?

1. PRIMARY RESEARCH

Some definitions of primary sources:

1 Primary sources are original materials on which other research is based

2 They are usually the first formal appearance of results in the print or electronic literature (for example, the first publication of the results of scientific investigations is a primary source.)

3 They present information in its original form, neither interpreted nor condensed nor evaluated by other writers.

4 They are from the time period (for example, something written close to when what it is recording happened is likely to be a primary source.)

5 Primary sources present original thinking, report on discoveries, or share new information.

Some examples of primary sources:

1 scientific journal articles reporting experimental research results

2 proceedings of Meetings, Conferences and Symposia.

3 technical reports

4 dissertations or theses (may also be secondary)

5 patents

6 sets of data, such as census statistics

7 works of literature (such as poems and fiction)

8 diaries

9 autobiographies

10 interviews, surveys and fieldwork

11 letters and correspondence

12 speeches

13 newspaper articles (may also be secondary)

14 government documents

15 photographs and works of art

16 original documents (such as birth certificate or trial transcripts)

17 Internet communications on email, listservs, and newsgroups

ALSO

means gathering information directly from the consumers

which could involve

-using questionnaire.

-using focus group [ face to face interview ]

-telephone interviews

-panel interviews

-person to person interviews

1. MERITS

-from the primary source.

-original information.

-current data.

-reliable.

-clearly defined.

2. DEMERITS

-time...