What are the Limitations of Marketing Research?


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Limitations of Marketing Research

 

1)    Marketing research offers suggestions and not decisions:- Marketing research is not substitute for decision making process. It only offers possible suggestion to marketing problem. It actually acts as a tool which facilitates decision making process. It guides marketing managers in taking balanced, result oriented and rational decisions. The suggestions offered by marketing researchers are usually possible solution but not the exact solution. In fact marketing research by itself is not an exact science. MR offers predication but they are not necessarily accurate or perfect. Such predictions should be taken in the right sprit by the management. It offers information and guidance to marketing manager but not the final decisions which are to be taken by manager themselves. MR does not provide readymade solution to marketing problem. It only provides indicators. The effectiveness of MR depends on the skill of the decision maker. MR aids managerial decision making but it control replace judgement and experience of marketing managers.

2)    Marketing research cannot predict accurately: – In MR, efforts are being made to estimate or predict the possible future situation. For this, certain research studies are undertaken. However, the results conclusions arrived at may not be complete, perfect or accurate. They predict possible tendencies but not certainties. The decision taken and policies framed on the basis of such research studies may not be accurate and useful for solving current marketing problems. Marketing research gives guidance to marketing managers through information and conclusion drawn but such guidance may not be accurate as it is based on the predictions about future situation. The guidance offered through activities may prove to be out dated at the time of taking current marketing decisions.

3)    MR conclusions are not dependable:- there are many who are sceptics of MR. their criticism is that MR conclusions are not dependable. There are examples where the research failed to deliver desired result or a product failed even when the research had shown promising market demand and consumer support. The classical example is that coke. Its MR should that 68% customers in US liked the taste of the new formula developed by the coca-cola corporation. However, the new coke failed and in less than six months of its launch, the coke management had to relaunch old coke under the brand name coke classic. However, this failure of MR was mainly due to conventional approach.

4)    Marketing research cannot study all marketing problem:- marketing research is rather very wide in scope. However, it cannot study all marketing problem particularly where it is difficult to collect relevant data. Similarly, research study is not useful for dealing with urgent marketing problem where quick decisions and follow up actions are necessary. Thus, all marketing problem are not researchable and all research problem are not answerable. MR fails to offer guidance to manager while dealing with specific problem. It is also argued that very many times, marketing research faced by a business unit  marketing research tends to be fragmentary in its approach it become difficult to have an overall perspective in which a marketing problem is to be viewed and studied.

5)    Resistance by marketing executives: researchers study the marketing problems and offers information and guidance to marketing executives in their decision-making process. However, some executives are reluctant to use the solutions suggested by the researchers. They feel that such extensive use will act as a threat to their personal status. Findings of the research work may bring them in difficulties if the policy-decisions taken accordingly prove to be wrong. Marketing executives may also feel that researchers suggest solutions which are academic in character and lack practical utility. There is absence of meaningful dialogue between the marketing managers and the marketing research team. Secondly, researchers should try to act as friend and guide of marketing executives. Conflicts between researchers and executives are always undesirable but do exist in many companies. It is treated as one limitation of MR activity.

6)    Lengthy and time-consuming activity: MR is a lengthy and time-consuming activity. It involves various steps which need to be completed in an orderly manner. It is not desirable to conduct research work is an haphazard manner. Naturally, the research work take longer period for completion and findings when available may prove to be old and outdated. Moreover, research work cannot be conducted overnight and marketing decision cannot be postponed till the research work is completed.

7)    Marketing research is a costly affair: marketing research is a costly as research work require the service of expert with knowledge, maturity and skill. Such experts include economists, management scientists, statisticians, psychologists and computer experts. Advance training in economics, computer technology, psychology, sociology, etc. is also necessary on the part of research staff.

8)    Non-availability of qualified staff: For scientific MR, professional marketing researcher with proper qualification, training and experience are necessary. Research work is likely to be incomplete in the absence of such expert staff.

9)    Complexity of subject: marketing research fails to give complete and full-proof solution to management. This is because marketing research itself is not an exact science. It is concerned with the study of human beings and human behaviour is always difficult to predict.

10)  Changing behaviour of consumers: Consumer is a focal point in the market research. However, his buying motives are difficult to judge precisely and accurately. This brings some sort of uncertainty in the conclusion drawn from the research activity. The findings of the research work may not prove to be accurate.


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