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• Module overview
• 1. What is marketing?
  • 1.1 What is marketing?
    • 1.1.1 Different uses of the term 'marketing'
    • 1.1.2 Different levels of marketing
    • 1.1.3 A definition of marketing
  • 1.2 Clarification of the marketing definition
    • 1.2.1 Outputs
    • 1.2.2 Inputs
    • 1.2.3 Exchange
  • 1.3 Development of marketing
  • 1.4 Types of marketing
  • 1.5 What is a service?
    • 1.5.1 Characteristics of services
    • 1.5.2 A service definition
    • 1.5.3 Classifications of services
    • 1.5.4 Services: a growth sector
  • 1.6 Marketing in the maritime industry
  • 1.7 Towards social and ethical responsibility
    • 1.7.1 Common criticisms of marketing
    • 1.7.2 Social impact of marketing
  • 1.8 Summary

• 2. Strategic marketing management

  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 The environments
    • 2.2.1 External environment
    • 2.2.2 Internal environment
    • 2.2.3 Mission statements and objectives
    • 2.2.4 Resources
  • 2.3 Controllable factors
  • 2.4 The strategic marketing management process
    • 2.4.1 Planning
    • 2.4.2 Implementation and control
    • 2.4.3 Marketing plan
  • 2.5 Types of marketing strategies
    • 2.5.1 Strategic considerations for services
  • 2.6 Summary

• 3. Marketing research and information systems

  • 3.1 Introduction
  • 3.2 The marketing information system (MIS)
  • 3.3 Marketing research
    • 3.3.1 Scope of research
  • 3.4 The marketing research process
    • 3.4.1 Step 1: defining the problem
    • 3.4.2 Step 2: analysing the situation
    • 3.4.3 Step 3: obtaining problem-specific data
    • 3.4.4 Step 4: interpreting the data
    • 3.4.5 Step 5: solving the problem
  • 3.5 Summary

• 4. Consumer and B2B buying behaviour

  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Consumer buying behaviour
    • 4.2.1 Psychological influences
    • 4.2.2 Cultural and social influences
    • 4.2.3 The decision-making process
  • 4.3 B2B buying behaviour
    • 4.3.1 Business buying processes
    • 4.3.2 Main types of business markets
  • 4.4 The buying of services
  • 4.5 Summary

• 5. Segmenting markets, targeting and positioning

  • 5.1 Introduction
  • 5.2 Market segmentation
    • 5.2.1 Dimensions used to segment markets
  • 5.3 Target markets
  • 5.4 Market positioning
  • 5.5 Summary

• 6. Product planning and decisions

  • 6.1 Introduction
  • 6.2 Product concepts
    • 6.2.1 The total product concept
    • 6.2.2 Product classifications
    • 6.2.3 The service offering
  • 6.3 The product mix
  • 6.4 Branding
  • 6.5 Packaging
  • 6.6 Product life-cycle
  • 6.7 Product development
  • 6.8 Summary

• 7. Pricing considerations

  • 7.1 What is the 'price' of a product?
  • 7.2 Pricing environments
  • 7.3 Pricing objectives
  • 7.4 Pricing policies
    • 7.4.1 Discount and allowance policies
  • 7.5 Price setting
    • 7.5.1 Cost-oriented price setting
    • 7.5.2 Demand-oriented price setting
    • 7.5.3 The price setting process
  • 7.6 Summary

• 8. Marketing logistics networks

  • 8.1 Introduction
  • 8.2 Definition of distribution
  • 8.3 Channels of distribution
    • 8.3.1 Selecting channels
    • 8.3.2 Main Australian channels
    • 8.3.3 Distributing services
    • 8.3.4 Managing channels
  • 8.4 Managing distribution
  • 8.5 Distribution and ports
  • 8.6 Summary

• 9. Integrated marketing communications

  • 9.1 Communication with a purpose
  • 9.2 Marketing communication process
  • 9.3 The promotional mix
  • 9.4 Managing advertising
  • 9.5 Managing publicity and public relations
  • 9.6 Managing personal selling
  • 9.7 Managing sales promotion
  • 9.8 Summary

• 10. E-commerce and direct marketing

  • 10.1 Introduction
  • 10.2 Direct marketing
  • 10.3 Electronic commerce
    • 10.3.1 Successful e-commerce
  • 10.4 Online marketing
  • 10.5 Using customer databases
  • 10.6 Privacy issues
  • 10.7 Summary

• 11. Managing the service encounter

  • 11.1 Introduction
  • 11.2 Participants
    • 11.2.1 Customers
    • 11.2.2 Service personnel
  • 11.3 Managing the service encounter
    • 11.3.1 Role theory
    • 11.3.2 Script theory
  • 11.4 Process
    • 11.4.1 Operations management and services
    • 11.4.2 Manufacturing efficiency
    • 11.4.3 Improving services efficiency
    • 11.4.4 Matching supply and demand
  • 11.5 Physical evidence
    • 11.5.1 Types of physical evidence
    • 11.5.2 Space demarcation
    • 11.5.3 Atmospherics
    • 11.5.4 Servicescapes
  • 11.6 Summary

• 12. Customer relationship management

  • 12.1 Introduction
  • 12.2 Customer relationship management
  • 12.3 Customer satisfaction
    • 12.3.1 Benefits of customer satisfaction
  • 12.4 Service quality
    • 12.4.1 Conceptual model of service quality
    • 12.4.2 SERVQUAL
  • 12.5 Summary

Marketing research and information systems

Overview

When we defined marketing in Chapter 1, we noted that our marketing exchanges should satisfy the needs and wants of customers at the same time as satisfying the objectives of our organisation. In Chapter 4 we will give some attention to the buying behaviour of both customers and businesses. However, we don't necessarily know what our customers need or want but instead we need to seek specific information in order to gain that understanding. The marketing research process, which helps us acquire and use new information that we might need about our customers, is one topic of this chapter, together with its companion, the marketing information system.

Topics

The following is the outline of the topics covered in this chapter.

• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 The marketing information system (MIS)
• 3.3 Marketing research
  • 3.3.1 Scope of research
• 3.4 The marketing research process
  • 3.4.1 Step 1: defining the problem
  • 3.4.2 Step 2: analysing the situation
  • 3.4.3 Step 3: obtaining problem-specific data
  • 3.4.4 Step 4: interpreting the data
  • 3.4.5 Step 5: solving the problem
• 3.5 Summary

Learning outcomes

The learning objectives for this chapter have been carefully constructed to reflect the most significant concepts and ideas we are going to cover, and to provide a focus for your work during the chapter. After completing this chapter you should be able to:

• discuss the main components of a marketing information system
• analyse the marketing research process in terms of each of its steps
• outline the five steps in research design
• analyse the advantages and disadvantages of different data collection methods
• distinguish between primary and secondary data.

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