A reliable marketer must have good research skills. Research findings can produce blue ocean potential, map the size and characteristics of the market, see trends, manufacture products, pricing strategies, and promotions.
On this occasion, SBM ITB invited an Associate Professor from The School of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management at Mapúa University Philippines, Satria Fadil Persada as a resource person in the Applied Marketing Research virtual class. (24/9/2021). As an academic, he shared his experiences in various researches that have been documented in scientific journals.
In theory, marketing research can be divided into two types: exploratory research and conclusive research. Exploratory seeks insight and comprehension of the marketing phenomenon, while Conclusive Research reviews and quantifies preconceived ideas. Conclusive Research can be divided into two parts: descriptive research, which attempts to explain the market, and causal research, which seeks to identify cause-and-effect relationships in a phenomenon.
Satria expanded the horizons of the event participants. “There are numerous intriguing topics to investigate further, such as experiments to measure temperature optimization in consumer drinks, looking for variables that determine customer intention in digital learning, and comparing the use of e-wallet features in online purchases versus in-store purchases. The others are trends in purchasing halal Muslim symbol products by Muslims, and research on the potential of the Peneleh area as a historical tourism village,” said the man who graduated from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology and the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology Surabaya.
Furthermore, Satria stated that many marketing topics are still unexplored and can be explored, including the current topics during the pandemic, such as digital marketing, consumer journey maps, and design thinking, also part of marketing research.
Some points should be highlighted, particularly in academic research. First, research must be conducted with full awareness and honesty for the science interest. Marketing research should not harm a person’s or company’s reputation if it is conducted based on constructive principles.
Another boundary that researchers must maintain the issue of data sensitivity. Researchers must understand which data is public and which should be kept secret or disguised. Sensitive data, such as company, banking, government, and personal data from respondents, must be considered secure. Also, there are limitations that may come from the respondents’ data limitation, error, and validity in answering. It is hoped that using these notes, marketers will address the challenges of knowledge development.
Finally, Satria provides actionable advice for market researchers. “However, there are no shortcuts; all obstacles must be overcome to achieve the best results. Plan ahead of time, improve literacy, write and review, and keep an eye out for added value that contributes. Finally, I recommend that you do not go alone. Produce more by collaborating more, just like a power ranger,” said Satria.