In scientific inquiry, research is primarily centred around controlled experiments. Experiments are a special form of survey and/or observation method where respondents are asked questions about some controlled conditions or their reactions to some controlled conditions are observed In experiments, the researcher alters the environment and measures the effect of these alterations/manipulations Experimentation may be defined as “a process where events occur in a setting at the discretion/option of the researcher and controls are used to identify the sources of variation in respondent’s response “ Experimental research is best suited for gathering casual information It tries to explain cause-and-effect relationships Experimentation method is used extensively in scientific research and also used in marketing research It is now used in order to remove one primary weakness of observational method which relates to the influence of uncontrolled factors Experimentation method is useful for the collection of data which cannot be collected by survey method or observation method The scope for experimentation is limited in MR as the ideal experimental conditions of laboratory testing are virtually impossible in the field of marketing. Marketing relates to human behaviour which is difficult to predict precisely
Experimentation can be undertaken under two types of setting
(a) Field setting
Field experiments are conducted at the market place but the purposes are not known to the participants in the experiment The investigator sets up the experiment before the subjects begin to participate There is more realism in this type of experimental method Field experiments are used rarely due to higher costs and longer time involved Field experiments arc usually conducted in test marketing in order to find out the acceptability of the new product by consumers For example, a company may test its new product in the local market before it is produced on a large-scale for the national market Similarly, a company can find out colour of its new product (e g soap) which is likely to be most popular after itsintroduction. In addition, experimentation is extensively used in the following areas of marketing
- Product design
- Package design
- Pricing policies
- Distribution policies
- Promotion policies.
(b) Laboratory setting
Experimentation is also possible under laboratory setting. The laboratory experimentation method is accurate but laboratory experiments are more artificial due to controlled conditions. Such experiments may be in the form of calling limited persons, offering them an article (e.g. soft drink) and asking them about their reactions. The purpose of experiment is made known to the participants and this makes them conscious. Such laboratory experiments are less costly and shorter in duration. They also give reasonably accurate results.
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