Benefits Of Marketing Research To Government:
Marketing research at the government level is conducted by various government departments concerned with agriculture, industry, commerce, industrial production, exports and imports, finance, foreign exchange and so on. These departments collect information on various aspects of national economy. In addition, government companies, public corporations, public sector banks, RBI/ etc. also collect information about various aspects of national economy.
In India population census, (census survey) crop surveys, surveys of industrial production, wholesale and retail prices, cost of living index, estimates of imports and exports etc. for the future period are conducted regularly. In addition, needs of various sectors of the economy are estimated. Information collected through these sources is used while deciding government policies, budgets, funds allocation, etc. This suggests how research activities are given adequate importance attention at the government level. The data collected through census and other surveys are used while framing economic policies, long term development plans, allocation of resources and so on.
MR at the government level is useful in the following areas:
(1) Planning and controlling national economy: For planned economic development, available resources must be allocated in different sectors of the economy in a rational manner. Nation priorities must be decided clearly. The future needs of the economy must be estimated properly and arrangements need to be made meet them properly. Misdirection of resources must be controlled effectively. For such planned economic development, data on important aspects of the economy need to be collected. For this, research activities should be undertaken at different levels.
(2) Control on production, distribution and other marketing activities: Government conducts various marketing activities on a large scale. It conducts production, looks after distribution and even restricts consumption of certain commodities through its marketing operations. The government has to bring equitable distribution of goods particularly essential commodities. Reasonable prices need to be maintained for social good. Production needs to be adjusted as per the needs of the entire economy. All such objectives can be achieved through appropriate policies. For the introduction of such policies, marketing research activities in the form of surveys, estimates and collection of data are useful. Research studies are also useful for the calculation of needs of the people, production required, consumption patterns of people and so on.
(3) Control on exports and imports: Exports and imports are usually regulated by the government through suitable Exim policy. Exports must be adjusted as per the needs of the economy and also as per the surplus production available. Imports must be allowed to supplement the internal production. Large-scale imports are also necessary for export promotion. Proper policy decisions in this regard are necessary and are also visible in the Exim policy of the government. For framing such policy, adequate data must be available. This is possible through research activities. Surveys conducted are useful for estimating surplus production for exports, domestic consumption and imports required to be made. In brief, appropriate decisions as regards exports and imports can be taken with the help of data available through MR activities conducted at the government level.
(4) Use of MR in Miscellaneous areas: Marketing research is useful to the government in many other areas of national economy. Such areas are: production plans (targets) in regard to consumer goods and industrial goods, foreign exchange requirement for the future period, regulation of production and prices, equitable distribution of goods and services, resource allocation and allocation of funds to social service at reasonable prices and so on. Census reports arc useful to the government for policy framing and decision-making on various social services such as facilities of primary education, and allotment of funds for primary education, provision for sports and recreation facilities, provision for medical facilities and provision for family planning and welfare facilities.
In brief, marketing research is useful to the government in bringing economic stability and economic growth. The government can take correct decisions about various aspects of national economy with the help of the feedback provided by marketing research activities. Finally, it can solve economic problems and difficulties with the help research activities undertaken at the government level. This suggests the importance of marketing research at the government level.
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