secondary data

Examples of secondary data in the following topics:

• Types of Data

  • Data can be categorized as either primary or secondary and as either qualitative or quantitative.
  • Data can be classified as either primary or secondary.
  • Secondary data is data that has been collected for another purpose.
  • Stated another way, those who gather secondary data get to pick the questions.
  • Differentiate between primary and secondary data and qualitative and quantitative data.

• Use of Existing Sources

  • The study of sources collected by someone other than the researcher, also known as archival research or secondary data research, is an essential part of sociology .
  • In archival research or secondary research, the focus is not on collecting new data but on studying existing texts.
  • Common sources of secondary data for social science include censuses, organizational records, field notes, semi-structured and structured interviews, and other forms of data collected through quantitative methods or qualitative research.
  • The primary reason is that secondary data analysis saves time that would otherwise be spent collecting data.
  • In the case of quantitative data, secondary analysis provides larger and higher-quality databases that would be unfeasible for any individual researcher to collect on his own.

• Plan the Research Design

  • This process is guided by discussions with management and industry experts , case studies and simulations, analysis of secondary data, qualitative research, and pragmatic considerations.
  • Decisions are also made regarding what data should be obtained from the respondents (e,g,, by conducting a survey or an experiment).
  • The research plan outlines sources of existing data and spells out the specific research approaches, contact methods, sampling plans, and instruments that researchers will use to gather data.
  • Secondary data analysis is one of the steps involved in formulating a Research Design

• Defining Objectives and Formulating Problems

  • An example of problem definition is reviewing secondary data about a recently launched product and identifying that there seem to be more unmet needs that should be further explored to enhance advertising communication and better connect with the target consumer.
  • Marketing research uses the scientific method in that data are collected and analyzed to test prior notions or hypotheses.
  • This stage involves discussion with the decision makers, interviews with industry experts, analysis of secondary data, and, perhaps, some qualitative research, such as focus groups.

• Primary Market Research

  • It is often undertaken after the researcher has gained some insight into the issue by reviewing secondary research or by analyzing previously collected primary data.
  • It is often undertaken after the researcher has gained some insight into the issue by reviewing secondary research or by analyzing previously collected primary data.
  • Compared to secondary research, primary data may be very expensive in preparing and carrying out the research.
  • It takes longer to undertake primary research than to acquire secondary data.
  • All research, whether primary or secondary, depends eventually on the collection of primary research data.

• Researching Consumer Markets

  • There are two main sources of data - primary and secondary.
  • Secondary research already exists since it has been collected for other purposes.
  • It is conducted on data published previously and usually by someone else.
  • Secondary research costs far less than primary research, but seldom comes in a form that exactly meets the needs of the researcher.

• Variations in Accuracy

  • Typically, you'll turn to scholarly sources such as academic journals, scientific research, or data.
  • You should also understand that scholarly research comes in primary and secondary sources.
  • A primary source is an original document containing content and data created or collected by the author.
  • Secondary sources are written about primary sources and include documents such as reviews, critiques, biographies, and other scholarly books or journal articles.
  • You never want to be accused of pulling information or data from an unreliable source, or worse yet, just making it up.

• Collecting Data

  • In marketing research, an example of data collection is when a consumer goods company hires a market research company to conduct in-home ethnographies and in-store shop-alongs in an effort to collect primary research data.
  • This is especially important in the data collection phase.
  • The data collected will be analysed and used to make marketing decisions.
  • Hence, it is vital that the data collection process be free of as much bias as possible.
  • There are many sources of information a marketer can use when collecting data.

• Primary and Secondary Research

• Secondary Groups

  • Some secondary groups may last for many years, though most are short term.
  • Secondary relationships involve weak emotional ties and little personal knowledge of one another.
  • The distinction between primary and secondary groups was originally proposed by Charles Cooley.
  • A secondary group is one you have chosen to be a part of.
  • Primary groups can form within secondary groups as relationships become more personal and close.