The Market Research Toolbox: A Concise Guide for Beginners Second Edition (Paperback)

~ Professor Edward F. McQuarrie (Author) "Market research is a marketing activity, and marketing is a philosophy concerning how to succeed in business..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Journal of Marketing, United States (more...)

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 )

Product Description

If you want to conduct market research, but feel you have little experience in doing so, we have the ideal updated and revised resource for you! Written in an engaging and active style, the Second Edition of The Market Research Toolbox: A Concise Guide for Beginners 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 techniques. It then goes on to examine what objectives can be met by doing market research and the expected payoffs.  

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc; 2nd edition (June 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1412913195
• ISBN-13: 978-1412913195
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,577 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 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)

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.

33 of 36 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

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Marc Butterfield "huskermarc" (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!