TABLE OF CONTENTS Many organizations make judgements, prepare plans and reach decisions with little or no contribution from formal marketing research. This chapter indicates ways in which organization of data readily available from sources within the firm can produce information of great practical relevance. The purpose of an internal information system is to produce a continuous stream of data which can:
measure current performance
identify the characteristics of current performance
establish a baseline for change
form a basis for comparison: over time, over an industry, etc.
suggest a basis for resource allocation: geographical, profitability, product, etc.
indicate trends
monitor and track performance
signal change
provide an early warning detection system
form a basis for operating control systems
highlight performance problem areas
provide information resources
indicate areas for further research.
The aims of an internal information system are to keep the organization informed about its own performance, to enable the organization to anticipate change in its own competitive and technological environment, and to provide a guideline to focus and monitor company effort.
For all organizations the marketing research budget available is limited. It therefore makes sense to begin by making use of data that is already available. This has the advantage of being quick and relatively cheap to obtain, in addition to being private to the organization and highly relevant and specific to its products, markets and performance.
The following examples illustrate the major categories for research that begins at home.
