Market Research for the IA

1. Depending if you are HL or SL will depend on whcih type of research you will use for your IA

1.1. SL Students your IA is SECONDARY RESEARCH based

1.2. HL Students your IA is PRIMARY RESEARCH based.

2. The IA question will dictate which type of research is best. E.g if the question was about a restuarant and customer satisfaction, perhaps an observation and survey would be suitable.

3. There will be certain issues that you will face when gathering your data and you need to be aware of them.

3.1. Reliability of sources / how do you know your sources are reliable

3.1.1. SL Students you need to be aware of the 3 year timeframe

3.2. Potential bias of the sources

3.3. If using a questionnaire is your sample reflective of your target market.

3.4. Is the sample size adequate

3.5. Have you a variety of sources that will allow you to explore your topic / question fully

3.6. HL students you need to be flexible, you may find it difficult to find a time to have an interview with a CEO / manager as they may be busy.

3.6.1. Remember that the information they might provide you could be biased

4. Overall plan, plan, plan!! Select the most appropriate sources and research methods, make sure you have a variety and always treat the information with respect.

5. There are 2 main types of research, PRIMARY & SECONDARY

5.1. PRIMARY RESEARCH

5.2. Surveys

5.3. Interviews

5.4. Focus Groups

5.5. Observations

5.6. Test Marketing

5.7. SECONDARY RESEARCH

5.8. Market reports

5.9. Academic Journals

5.10. Government publications

5.11. Libraries & Government officies

5.12. Media

5.13. Internal company records

5.14. The Internet

6. "Primary research is the collection of first hand data that is directly related to a firms needs"

7. "Secondary research is the collection of data from second-hand sources"