The Market Research Toolbox: A Concise Guide for Beginners [Paperback]

Edward F. McQuarrie (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0803958579 | ISBN-13: 978-0803958579 | Publication Date: February 13, 1996

An ideal resource for those who want to conduct market research but have little experience in doing so, The Market Research Toolbox describes how to think of market research in the context of making a business decision.

The book begins by defining market research and discussing some of the various types and techniques. It then examines what objectives can be met by doing market research and the expected payoffs. Six traditional market research techniques are covered - secondary research, customer visits, focus groups, surveys, choice modelling and experimentation. The author describes how each technique works along with its costs and uses, tips for success, when and how to use certain techniques and precautions to t

Editorial Reviews

Review

"McQuarrie presents an overview of market research for a manager and others who seek an understanding of the subject. . . .The choice of tools reflects current trends and includes business-to-business as well as consumer applications. The presentation is comprehensive, concise, and nontechnical." (W.C. Struning CHOICE ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Edward F. McQuarrie is Professor in the Department of Marketing, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University.  He received his Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Cincinnati in 1985.   His research interests include customer value, qualitative research, and market research appropriate to technology products, on the one hand, and advertising research, rhetoric and semiotics on the other.  He has also written the book, Customer Visits: Building a Better Market Focus, and published articles in the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Marketing Management, Marketing Research, Journal of the Market Research Society, Journal of Advertising Research, and the Journal of Advertising.  He serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Consumer Research.  

He is currently Associate Dean for Assessment & Improvement at the Leavey School, responsible for the assessment of learning outcomes and the evaluation of teaching.  He was Associate Dean for Graduate Studies 1996-2000, responsible for the MBA and Executive MBA programs.   Professor McQuarrie has moderated focus groups since 1980, for Burke Marketing Research among others.

He has consulted for a variety of technology firms, and has taught seminars on Effective Customer Visits, Managing Focus Group Research, Marketing Research Methods, and similar topics for Hewlett Packard, Sun Microsystems, Microsoft, Apple Computer, Tektronix, Varian Associates, Cadence Design, and other clients.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc (February 13, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803958579
• ISBN-13: 978-0803958579
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #811,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkable and perfectly titled, September 10, 2001

By 

J. Grey (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Market Research Toolbox: A Concise Guide for Beginners (Paperback)

If you're dipping your toes into the waters of market research, you need this book. Its title is perfect: This really *is* a toolbox, written concisely for beginners.

I bought this book when my boss assigned me a market research task that could determine company direction. He gave me the task because of my past work with surveys and usability testing. I wasn't comfortable flying by the seat of my pants on this one -- determining company direction isn't the same as determining what people didn't like about a Help system you created or determining what does and doesn't work well in a computer program's user interface.

So I bought this book, and I'm glad I did. McQuarrie minced no words in explaining what market research is and what market research can and can't do for you. He next helped me determine the real goal for my research, and showed me what market-research tools are best suited for achieving that goal. He even told me what tools *not* to use. He did all this in the first 35 pages. The rest of the book describes the tools in the box. I only read the chapters about the tools relevant to my task. Within two hours, I had learned exactly what I needed to know for success -- no more, and no less.

I especially appreciate McQuarrie's writing style, which Strunk and White would call "vigorous." He packs a lot of information into very few words.

Take note: McQuarrie explains that his book will help you determine what tools you should use and tell you the basics of using the tool. However, he cautions that you should hire specialists to actually use the tools, because there is a lot of specialized knowledge behind successfully using each one. If you're determined to use these tools yourself, McQuarrie tells you what other books to read to get started.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a quick reference guide, June 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Market Research Toolbox: A Concise Guide for Beginners (Paperback)

A quick reference guide for all projects. It can be just a memory check for experienced people but is invaluable in terms of time and effort for the beginner

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great "toolbox" guide, December 11, 2000

By 

Marc Butterfield (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Market Research Toolbox: A Concise Guide for Beginners (Paperback)

This is a great book to provide a guide throughout any type of market research. I particularly found the section "Combining Research Techniques into Strategies" VERY helpful. It allows you to view a la carte what items you should be aware of when you are performing a certain type of research strategy (i.e., Market Segmentation). This is a "must have" for any type of Marketing or business professional!