Market Research Methods and Process Explained | 市场调研方法与流程解析

📚 Market Research Methods and Process Explained | 市场调研方法与流程解析

Market research is the systematic gathering, recording and analysis of data about customers, competitors and the market. For CIE IGCSE Business Studies, understanding the methods and the process of market research is essential because it helps businesses make informed decisions about products, prices, promotion and place.

市场调研是系统性地收集、记录和分析有关客户、竞争对手与市场数据的过程。对于CIE IGCSE商科学习而言，理解市场调研的方法与流程至关重要，因为它能帮助企业围绕产品、价格、促销和渠道做出明智决策。

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1. What is Market Research? | 什么是市场调研？

Market research involves collecting information about the market in which a business operates. It helps answer key questions such as: Who are our customers? What do they want? How much are they willing to pay? Who are our competitors?

市场调研涉及收集企业所处市场的信息。它有助于回答关键问题，例如：我们的客户是谁？他们想要什么？他们愿意支付多少钱？我们的竞争对手是谁？

The purpose of market research is to reduce the risk of business decisions. When a business understands customer needs, it can design products that are more likely to sell, set appropriate prices, choose effective promotion methods and select suitable distribution channels.

市场调研的目的是降低商业决策的风险。当企业了解客户需求后，就能设计出更有可能销售出去的产品、制定合适的价格、选择有效的促销方式以及合适的分销渠道。

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2. Primary and Secondary Research | 一手调研与二手调研

Market research is divided into two broad types: primary research and secondary research. Primary research collects new data directly from the source, while secondary research uses data that already exists.

市场调研分为两大类：一手调研和二手调研。一手调研直接从源头收集新数据，而二手调研则利用已经存在的数据。

Primary Research / 一手调研	Secondary Research / 二手调研
Collects new, original data | 收集全新、原始的数据	Uses existing published data | 使用已有的公开数据
More expensive and time-consuming | 成本更高、耗时更长	Cheaper and quicker to obtain | 获取更便宜、更快捷
Specific to the business’s needs | 针对企业特定需求	May be outdated or general | 可能过时或过于笼统

For example, a mobile phone company conducting its own survey about customer satisfaction is using primary research. If it instead reads a government report on technology spending trends, it is using secondary research.

例如，一家手机公司开展自己的客户满意度调查属于一手调研；如果它阅读政府关于科技消费趋势的报告，则属于二手调研。

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3. Quantitative and Qualitative Data | 定量数据与定性数据

Research data can be quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative data is numerical and can be measured and expressed in statistics. Qualitative data is descriptive and provides insights into opinions, feelings and motivations.

研究数据可以分为定量数据和定性数据。定量数据是数值型数据，可以被测量并以统计形式表达；定性数据是描述性数据，能够揭示观点、感受和动机。

• Quantitative data: numbers, percentages, charts, averages. Example: ‘62% of respondents prefer online shopping.’

  定量数据：数字、百分比、图表、平均值。例如：“62%的受访者更喜欢网购。”

• Qualitative data: words, explanations, open-ended answers. Example: ‘Customers said they trust brands that respond quickly to complaints.’

  定性数据：文字、解释、开放式回答。例如：“客户表示他们信任能够快速回应投诉的品牌。”

Businesses often use both types together. Quantitative data tells them ‘how many’ or ‘how much’, while qualitative data explains ‘why’. A survey may show that sales are falling (quantitative), and follow-up interviews may reveal that poor customer service is the cause (qualitative).

企业通常将两类数据结合使用。定量数据说明“有多少”或“多少量”，而定性数据解释“为什么”。调查可能显示销售正在下降（定量），后续访谈则可能揭示糟糕的客户服务是原因（定性）。

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4. Methods of Primary Research | 一手调研的方法

There are several primary research methods. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and the choice depends on the research objective, budget and time available.

一手调研有多种方法。每种方法都有优点和缺点，选择取决于研究目标、预算和可用时间。

Questionnaires | 问卷调查

A questionnaire is a set of written questions given to a sample of people. It can be completed online, on paper, by post or by telephone. Closed questions (yes/no or multiple choice) are easier to analyse, while open questions give richer, more detailed answers.

问卷调查是向样本人群发放的一组书面问题。可以通过网络、纸质、邮寄或电话完成。封闭式问题（是/否或选择题）更容易分析，而开放式问题能提供更丰富、更详细的回答。

Interviews | 访谈

An interview is a face-to-face, telephone or online conversation between a researcher and a respondent. Interviews can be structured, with fixed questions, or unstructured, allowing free conversation. They provide deep qualitative insights but are expensive and time-consuming.

访谈是研究者与受访者之间面对面、通过电话或网络进行的对话。访谈可以是结构化的（使用固定问题），也可以是非结构化的（允许自由对话）。访谈能提供深入的定性见解，但成本高且耗时。

Focus Groups | 焦点小组

A focus group involves a small group of people discussing a product or idea under the guidance of a moderator. The moderator asks questions and encourages discussion. This method explores attitudes and reactions quickly, but the results may not represent the whole market.

焦点小组是在主持人引导下，由一小群人讨论某个产品或想法。主持人提出问题并鼓励讨论。这种方法能快速了解态度和反应，但结果未必代表整个市场。

Observation | 观察法

Observation involves watching and recording how customers behave, for example, how they move through a shop or which displays they stop at. It records actual behaviour rather than what people say they do, which can be more reliable in some situations.

观察法是观察并记录顾客的行为，例如他们在商店中的行走路线或在哪个展示区停留。它记录的是实际行为，而非人们口头所说的行为，在某些情况下更为可靠。

Experiments | 试验法

Experiments test cause and effect by changing one variable and measuring the result. For example, a business may sell a product at two different prices in two similar towns to see which price generates higher total revenue.

试验法通过改变一个变量并测量结果来检验因果关系。例如，企业可以在两个相似的城镇以两种不同价格销售同一产品，观察哪种价格能带来更高的总收入。

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5. Sources of Secondary Research | 二手调研的来源

Secondary research uses data that has already been collected by someone else. Common sources include government statistics, trade publications, newspaper articles, company reports and academic journals.

二手调研利用他人已经收集好的数据。常见来源包括政府统计数据、行业刊物、报纸文章、公司报告和学术期刊。

• Internal sources: sales records, customer feedback, delivery data, previous market research reports held by the business itself.

  内部来源：企业自身保存的销售记录、客户反馈、配送数据、以往的市场调研报告。

• External sources: government census data, industry reports from trade associations, internet articles, social media and competitor websites.

  外部来源：政府人口普查数据、行业协会的行业报告、互联网文章、社交媒体和竞争对手网站。

The main advantage of secondary research is that it is fast and inexpensive. However, the data may be outdated, inaccurate or collected for a different purpose, so it may not fully meet the business’s specific needs.

二手调研的主要优点是快速且成本低。然而，数据可能过时、不准确，或者是为了不同目的收集的，因此可能无法完全满足企业的特定需求。

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6. Sampling Methods | 抽样方法

It is rarely possible to ask every customer in a market, so businesses select a sample — a small group that represents the whole population. The sampling method affects the accuracy and cost of the research.

企业很难询问市场中的每一位顾客，因此会选择样本——即代表总体的一个小组。抽样方法会影响研究的准确性和成本。

• Random sampling: every person has an equal chance of being chosen. It is unbiased and gives a fair representation, but may be difficult and expensive to organise.

  随机抽样：每个人都有相同的机会被选中。结果无偏且具有良好代表性，但组织可能困难且成本较高。

• Quota sampling: the population is divided into groups (for example by age or gender), and interviewers select a specified number from each group. It is quicker and cheaper than random sampling, but less statistically accurate.

  配额抽样：将总体按年龄或性别等分组，访员从每组中选取规定数量的人。比随机抽样更快、更便宜，但统计准确性较低。

• Stratified sampling: the population is split into strata, and a random sample is taken from each stratum in proportion to its size. This gives more accurate results but takes more time.

  分层抽样：将总体分成若干层，并按各层大小比例从每层中随机抽取样本。结果更准确，但耗时更多。

• Convenience sampling: researchers select whoever is easiest to reach, such as shoppers in a mall. It is fast and cheap, but the sample may be biased.

  便利抽样：研究者选择最易接触到的人群，例如商场中的购物者。速度快、成本低，但样本可能存在偏差。

In IGCSE questions, you may be asked to recommend a sampling method. If the business has limited time and money, convenience or quota sampling may be appropriate. If accuracy is the top priority and budget is available, random or stratified sampling is better.

在IGCSE考试中，你可能被要求推荐一种抽样方法。如果企业时间和资金有限，便利抽样或配额抽样可能合适；如果准确性是首要目标且预算充足，随机抽样或分层抽样更佳。

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7. The Market Research Process | 市场调研流程

A successful market research project follows a logical process. CIE IGCSE students should be ready to explain or apply each step.

一个成功的市场调研项目遵循逻辑性的流程。CIE IGCSE学生应当能够解释或应用每一步。

Step 1: Identify the problem and set objectives | 识别问题并设定目标

The business must define exactly what it wants to find out. For example, ‘Why are sales of our soft drinks declining among teenagers?’ Clear objectives guide the rest of the research.

企业必须明确它到底想了解什么。例如：“为什么我们的软饮料在青少年中的销量在下降？”清晰的目标能指导后续研究。

Step 2: Decide the research method | 决定研究方法

The business chooses between primary and secondary research, quantitative and qualitative data, and specific methods such as questionnaires or focus groups. The choice depends on cost, time and the type of information needed.

企业在一手调研与二手调研、定量与定性数据之间做出选择，并确定具体方法，如问卷调查或焦点小组。选择取决于成本、时间以及所需信息的类型。

Step 3: Decide the sample | 决定样本

The target population is defined, the sample size is set, and a sampling method is chosen. A larger sample generally gives more reliable results but costs more.

确定目标总体、设定样本规模并选择抽样方法。样本越大，结果通常越可靠，但成本也越高。

Step 4: Collect the data | 收集数据

This is the execution stage. Questionnaires are distributed, interviews are conducted, or existing reports are gathered. Care must be taken to avoid interviewer bias and non-response errors.

这是执行阶段。发放问卷、进行访谈或收集现有报告。必须注意避免访员偏见和无回应误差。

Step 5: Analyse and interpret the data | 分析和解读数据

Raw data is organised into tables, charts and averages. The business looks for patterns and trends that answer the original research question.

将原始数据整理成表格、图表和平均值。企业寻找能够回答最初研究问题的模式和趋势。

Step 6: Present findings and make decisions | 呈现结果并做出决策

The findings are written into a report with recommendations. Managers then use these findings to decide on product changes, pricing, promotion or distribution strategies.

将结果写入带有建议的报告。管理层随后利用这些结果来决定产品改动、定价、促销或分销策略。

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8. Analysing and Presenting Data | 数据分析与呈现

After data collection, businesses need to make sense of the raw information. Common techniques include calculating the mean, median and mode, and presenting data in charts and tables.

数据收集完成后，企业需要理解原始信息。常用技巧包括计算平均数、中位数和众数，并用图表和表格呈现数据。

Mean = Sum of all values ÷ Number of values

平均数 = 所有数值之和 ÷ 数值个数

For example, if daily sales are 80, 90, 100, average daily sales are (80 + 90 + 100) ÷ 3 = 90. Charts such as bar charts, pie charts and line graphs help managers see trends quickly and communicate findings to stakeholders.

例如，如果每日销量为80、90、100，则平均每日销量为 (80 + 90 + 100) ÷ 3 = 90。柱状图、饼图和折线图等图表能帮助管理者快速看出趋势，并向利益相关者传达结果。

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9. Limitations of Market Research | 市场调研的局限性

Market research is a powerful tool, but it has important limitations. Understanding these helps businesses interpret results with caution.

市场调研是一个强大的工具，但它也有重要的局限性。理解这些局限性有助于企业谨慎解读结果。

• Cost: comprehensive research can be very expensive, especially primary research with large samples.

  成本：全面的调研可能非常昂贵，尤其是大样本的一手调研。

• Time: collecting and analysing data takes time, and consumer tastes can change quickly.

  时间：收集和分析数据需要时间，而消费者口味可能迅速变化。

• Bias: poorly chosen samples, leading questions or interviewer influence can distort results.

  偏差：抽样不当、诱导性问题或访员影响都可能扭曲结果。

• Inaccuracy: respondents may not tell the truth, forget important details, or misunderstand questions.

  不准确性：受访者可能不说实话、忘记重要细节或误解问题。

• Outdated data: secondary data may refer to past conditions that no longer exist in the current market.

  数据过时：二手数据可能反映的是过去的情况，而当前市场已经发生变化。

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10. Importance and Conclusion | 重要性与总结

Despite its limitations, market research is vital for business success. It reduces risk, identifies opportunities, helps understand customers better and allows businesses to monitor competitors. Without research, businesses would be forced to make decisions based on guesswork and intuition.

尽管存在局限性，市场调研对企业成功至关重要。它降低风险、识别机会、帮助企业更好地理解客户，并让企业能够监控竞争对手。没有调研，企业就只能依靠猜测和直觉来决策。

In the CIE IGCSE Business Studies examination, you should be able to define market research, distinguish between primary and secondary research, compare methods, explain sampling, and describe the process from objective-setting to decision-making. Application to real business scenarios is particularly important for higher marks.

在CIE IGCSE商科考试中，你应该能够定义市场调研、区分一手与二手调研、比较不同方法、解释抽样，并描述从设定目标到决策的整个过程。将知识应用于真实商业场景是获得高分的关键。

Published by TutorHao | Business Studies Revision Series | aleveler.com

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