11. Difficulties in Applying Scientific Method in Marketing Research

Difficulties in Applying Scientific Methods in Marketing Research:

The conceptual framework of the scientific method is an easy concept to explain, but in actual practical marketing situations, it may be challenging to apply. Difficulties are common for researchers to encounter while attempting to apply this method to actual marketing problems. There are 6 primary difficulties facing the researcher. Viz.

• Complexity of subject
• Difficulty in obtaining accurate measurements
• The process of measurement may influence the results
• Difficulty of using experiments to test hypothesis
• Difficulty in making accurate predictions
• Problematic objectivity of investigator.

Each of these difficulties has been discussed below:

1. Complexity of subject:

The marketing study is complex and diverse because consumer behaviour is based on values, beliefs, and attitudes. The changing nature of the consumer makes it challenging to measure behavioural factors. The aspects of behaviour considered are uncontrollable. For example, a customer may purchase chocolate cookies four times and shift to vanilla cookies on the fifth purchase. This changing behaviour of the customer gives different results than the actual time study results that are ready to be presented.

2. Difficulty in obtaining accurate measurements:

The customer’s response may vary on the scale of attitude measurement. It may be satisfactory, very satisfactory, most acceptable, etc. These responses are difficult to measure even with the help of high-end and well-designed techniques such as Likert, Thurstone, etc. The scientific method tries to measure a variable precisely and accurately, making measuring the customer’s response difficult.

3. The process of measurement may influence results:

The scientific method may fail to measure customer responses accurately. It has been observed that the behaviour of animals kept in cages is much easier to measure than human purchasing behaviour. This is because when the respondent is aware that they will be observed to measure their purchase behaviour, they tend to improve their behaviour during the observation.

4. Difficulty of using experiments to test hypothesis:

Testing hypotheses is the foundation of scientific research, and it should take place by methodically gathering data in a controlled laboratory setting to obtain precise measurements. In marketing, precise measurement may be a problem. This is because experiments are conducted in an open marketplace, where many uncontrollable factors influence them. The lack of exactness in the data may lead to inaccurate hypothesis testing.

5. Difficulty in making accurate predictions:

In marketing, predicting consumer behaviour is challenging. Human behaviour changes and may not always be the same as previous behaviour. The reliability and validity of predictions are based on accurately measured information. This invalidates the predictions in marketing. There is no exact or foolproof technique to predict consumer behaviour. So, we have to believe in the marketing forecast.

6. Problematic objectivity of the investigator:

Objectivity plays a significant role in research. However, it may lack or overpower market research. In both cases, it may not yield accurate results. Most of the time, a lack of objectivity may result in manipulating results rather than administering accurate results. Bias in the research findings during the interview may overpower objectivity. That may be due to entering wrong questions, wrong wordings in the questions, administering the questionnaire wrongly, etc.

Objectivity should be considered an attempt to create awareness of possible problems and take corrective actions to help researchers face these difficulties.