Question

Identify three major groups of people involved in the marketing research process, and then give at least one example of an unethical behavior sometimes practiced by each group.

Answer 1

Answer:

1. Data collectors

2. Statisticians

3. Report writers/presenters

Explanation:

The marketing research process is a process by which individuals working for a firm, group up to identify problems in the firm's market or with the firm's commodity, design research plans, seek data on identified problems, compile data, analyze data, and give reports.

Ethics is a philosophical principle which defines what is right from what is wrong. Unethical behavior or practices are those acts perceived as wrong, as pertains to the role an individual should play in an institution.

(A) Data Collectors

Due to the tediousness of the data collection process in most researches, data collectors leave gaps in field work. Examples of these gaps or unethical behaviors include:

- Underrepresentation of study groups - e.g. the control group, experimental group, interviewees, etcetera; depending on the method of data collection.

- Use of inappropriate data collection method for the research

- Working outside of the purpose of the research.

(B) Statisticians

This team is in charge of all computation and figure management. The figures are derived from data collected and are used to give direction and meaning to each set of data. Common unethical behaviors in this field include:

- Replacement of lost data or figures with new data or figures which were not gotten from field work or the data collection process.

- Over approximation or under approximation of figures and results; to suit personal result-interpretation desires.

(C) Report Writers/Presenters

Some unethical practices here include:

- Deliberate removal of some aspects of the project work; to simplify the report writing process