Market research involves gathering and analysing data from the marketplace (i.e. from consumers and potential consumers) in order to provide goods and services that meet their needs.
市场研究涉及收集和分析来自市场（即来自消费者和潜在消费者）的数据，以便提供满足其需求的商品和服务。
This is research designed to gather primary data, that is, information which is obtained specifically for the study in question. It can be gathered in three main ways - Observation, questionnaires and experimentation.
这是旨在收集初级数据的研究，也就是专门为有关研究获得的信息。它可以通过三种主要方式收集--观察、问卷调查和实验。
Observation involves watching people and monitoring and recording their behaviour (e.g. television viewing patterns, cameras which monitor traffic flows, retail audits which measure which brands of product consumers are purchasing).
观察是指观察人们并监测和记录他们的行为（例如，电视观看模式、监测交通流量的摄像机、测量消费者购买哪些品牌产品的零售审计）。
Questionnaires are a means of direct contact with consumers and can take a variety of forms. Personal questionnaires (such as door-to-door interviewing), postal questionnaires, telephone questionnaires and group questionnaires (such as asking for the attitudes of a group of consumers towards a new product). Questionnaires can be a very expensive and time-consuming process and it can be very difficult to eliminate the element of bias in the way that they are carried out. It is important that every respondent must be asked the same questions in the same order, with no help or emphasis being placed on certain questions / responses.
问卷调查是与消费者直接接触的一种手段，可以采取多种形式。个人问卷（如上门采访）、邮政问卷、电话问卷和团体问卷（如询问一群消费者对新产品的态度）。问卷调查可能是一个非常昂贵和耗时的过程，而且在进行调查的过程中很难消除偏见的因素。重要的是，必须以同样的顺序向每个受访者提出同样的问题，不帮助或强调某些问题/回答。
Experimentation involves the introduction of a variety of marketing activities into the marketplace and then measuring the effect of each of these on consumers. For example, test marketing, where a new product is launched in a small, geographical area and then the response of consumers towards it will dictate whether or not the product is launched nationally.
实验包括将各种营销活动引入市场，然后衡量每一种活动对消费者的影响。例如，试验性营销，即在一个小的地理区域推出一个新产品，然后消费者对它的反应将决定该产品是否在全国推出。
This is the collection of secondary data, which has previously been collected by others and is not designed specifically for the study in question, but is nevertheless relevant. Secondary data is far cheaper and quicker to gather than primary data, but it can be out-of-date by the time that it is researched. The main sources of secondary data are reference books, government publications and company reports.
这是收集二级数据，这些数据以前由其他人收集过，不是专门为有关研究设计的，但仍然是相关的。二次数据的收集比一次数据要便宜得多，也快得多，但在研究时可能已经过时了。二手数据的主要来源是参考书、政府出版物和公司报告。
The primary and the secondary research will provide the business with much data relating to its markets and its consumers. This data can then be used to describe the current situation in the marketplace, to try to predict what will happen in the future in the marketplace, and to explain the trends that have occurred.
初级和二级研究将为企业提供许多与市场和消费者有关的数据。然后，这些数据可以用来描述市场的现状，试图预测市场未来会发生什么，并解释已经发生的趋势。
The business may also use the market research data to segment the market. This involves breaking the market down into distinct groups of consumers who have similar characteristics, so as to offer each group a product which best meets their needs. The main ways of segmenting a market are:
企业也可以使用市场研究数据来细分市场。这涉及到将市场细分为具有类似特征的不同消费者群体，以便为每个群体提供最符合其需求的产品。划分市场的主要方法是：
By consumer characteristics: this involves investigating their attitudes, hobbies, interests, and lifestyles.
By demographics: their age, sex, income, type of house, and socio-economic group.
By location: the region of the country, urban -v- rural, etc.
按消费者特征：这包括调查他们的态度、爱好、兴趣和生活方式。
按人口统计学：他们的年龄、性别、收入、房屋类型和社会经济群体。
按地点划分：国家的地区，城市与农村，等等。
Effective segmentation of the market can lead to new opportunities being identified (i.e. gaps in the market for a product), sales potential for products being realised and increased market share, revenue and profitability.
有效的市场细分可以带来新的机会（即产品的市场空白），实现产品的销售潜力，提高市场份额、收入和盈利能力。
Quantitative research 定量研究
Quantitative research involves carrying out market research by taking a sample of the population and asking them pre-set questions via a questionnaire (normally 200 respondents) in order to discover the likely levels of demand at different price levels, estimated sales of a new product, and the 'typical' purchaser of the company's products. The data is numerical and can be analysed graphically and statistically. There are several types of sample that can be used to gather quantitative data:
定量研究是指通过抽取人口样本并通过调查问卷向他们提出预先设定的问题（通常是200个以上的受访者）来进行市场研究，以发现不同价格水平下的可能需求水平、新产品的估计销量以及公司产品的 "典型 "购买者。这些数据是数字性的，可以用图表和统计学方法进行分析。有几种类型的样本可以用来收集定量数据：
Random sampling - this gives each member of the public an equal chance of being used in the sample. The respondents are often chosen by computer from a telephone directory of from the Electoral Register.
Quota sampling - this method involves the consumers being grouped into segments which share certain characteristics (e.g. age or gender). The interviewers are then told to choose a certain number of respondents from each segment. However, the numbers of people interviewed in each segment are not usually representative of the population as a whole.
Cluster sampling - this normally involves the consumers being grouped into geographical groups (or 'clusters') and then a random sample being carried out within each location.
Stratified sampling - the consumers are grouped into segments again (or 'strata') based upon some previous knowledge of how the population is divided up. The number of people chosen to be interviewed from each 'strata' is proportional to the population as a whole.
随机抽样--这使每个公众成员都有平等的机会被纳入样本。受访者通常由计算机从电话簿或选民登记册中选择。
配额抽样--这种方法涉及将消费者分成具有某些特征（如年龄或性别）的部分。然后，采访者被告知要从每个部分选择一定数量的受访者。然而，每个部分的受访者人数通常不能代表整个人口。
集群抽样--这通常涉及到将消费者分为地理组（或 "集群"），然后在每个地方进行随机抽样。
分层抽样--根据以前对人口划分的一些知识，再次将消费者分成若干部分（或 "阶层"）。从每个 "阶层 "中选出的受访者数量与整个人口成正比。
Qualitative research 定性研究
Qualitative research attempts to gain an insight into the motivations that drive a consumer to behave in a particular way. It is usually conducted through group discussions (often called focus groups) in order to discover the rationale behind consumers' purchases. The group discussion is often chaired by a psychologist in a relaxed manner, which should encourage the consumers to discuss their shopping habits and pre-conceptions concerning certain products and brands.
定性研究试图深入了解促使消费者以特定方式行事的动机。它通常通过小组讨论（通常称为焦点小组）进行，以发现消费者购买的理由。小组讨论通常由一名心理学家以轻松的方式主持，这应鼓励消费者讨论他们的购物习惯和对某些产品和品牌的预想。
This involves attempting to estimate future outcomes (e.g. the level of sales). Forecasting can be done in a number of ways:
这涉及到试图估计未来的结果（如销售水平）。预测可以通过多种方式进行：
Extrapolation - this involves identifying the trend that existed in past data and then continuing this into the future. This is often done by using a software package to establish a line of best fit for past data, and then simply extending this line into the future.
The Delphi Technique - this involves using a panel of business and forecast 'experts' who discuss and agree long-range forecasting for important issues and events.
Market research - this can be used to try and establish the purchasing intentions of consumers.
Time Series analysis - this also attempts to predict future levels from past data. There are 4 main components of time-series data : the trend, cyclical fluctuations (due to the economic cycles of recessions and booms), seasonal fluctuations and random fluctuations.
外推法 - 这涉及到确定过去数据中存在的趋势，然后将其延续到未来。这通常是通过使用一个软件包为过去的数据建立一条最佳拟合线，然后简单地将这条线延伸到未来。
德尔菲技术--这涉及到使用一个商业和预测 "专家 "小组，他们讨论并同意对重要问题和事件的长期预测。
市场研究--这可以用来尝试和确定消费者的购买意图。
时间序列分析--这也试图从过去的数据中预测未来的水平。时间序列数据有4个主要组成部分：趋势、周期性波动（由于经济周期的衰退和繁荣）、季节性波动和随机波动。
Clearly, trying to predict and forecast what will happen in the future is not easy and many variables will change in both the short-term and in the long-term which will affect the accuracy of forecasts. It is always advisable for businesses to use a variety of forecasting techniques to arrive at suitable and acceptable figures for the future (e.g. costs, revenues, sales levels, profits, etc).
显然，试图预测和预报未来会发生什么并不容易，许多变量在短期和长期内都会发生变化，这将影响预测的准确性。企业最好是使用各种预测技术来得出合适的、可接受的未来数字（如成本、收入、销售水平、利润等）。
There are a variety of techniques that a business can use to analyse the data that it collects through its market research methods.
企业可以使用多种技术来分析其通过市场调查方法收集的数据。
The mean - this is the sum of the items divided by the number of items.
The median - this is the middle number in a set of data.
The mode - this is the number, or value, that occurs most frequently in a set of data.
The range - this is the difference between the highest value and the lowest value in a set of data.
The interquartile range - this considers the range within the central 50% of a set of data. It therefore ignores the top 25% and the bottom 25% and is less prone to distortion by extreme values.
The standard deviation - this is a measure of the deviation from the mean value in a set of data.
Confidence Interval - this is a measure of the likely accuracy of the results of a sample. With a 95% confidence interval, there is a 0.95 probability that the true average will be where the sample believes it will lie (in other words, the results of the sample will be correct 19 times out of 20).
Index numbers - this is a statistical measure which is designed to make changes in a set of data (such as sales figures) easier to manage and interpret. It involves giving one item of data a value of 100 (the base period), and adjusting the other items of data in proportion to it.
平均值--这是项目的总和除以项目的数量。
中位数--这是一组数据中的中间数字。
模式--这是一组数据中出现频率最高的数字或数值。
范围--这是一组数据中最高值和最低值之间的差异。
四分位数范围--它考虑的是一组数据的中间50%以内的范围。因此，它忽略了最高的25%和最低的25%，而且不容易被极端值所扭曲。
标准差--这是对一组数据中与平均值的偏差的测量。
置信区间--这是对样本结果可能的准确性的一种衡量。有了95%的置信区间，真实的平均值有0.95的概率会在样本认为的位置（换句话说，样本的结果在20次中有19次是正确的）。
指数 - 这是一种统计措施，旨在使一组数据（如销售数字）的变化更容易管理和解释。它涉及到给一个数据项目一个100的值（基准期），并按比例调整其他数据项目。
For example, if the sales for a particular business are £200,000 in year 1, £220,000 in year 2 and £270,000 in year 3, then index numbers can be used to help identify the trend within the data. The sales in year 1 will be given an index number of 100 (this is known as the base-year). Year 2 has £20,000 more sales than in year 1 - this is a 10% rise, so the index number in year 2 will be 110. Year 3 has £70,000 more sales than year 1 - this is a 35% rise, so the index number in year 3 will be 135.
例如，如果一个特定企业的销售额在第一年是200,000英镑，第二年是220,000英镑，第三年是270,000英镑，那么指数可以用来帮助识别数据中的趋势。第1年的销售额将被赋予一个100的指数（这被称为基准年）。第二年的销售额比第一年多了20,000英镑--这是一个10%的增长，所以第二年的指数将是110。第3年的销售额比第1年多70,000英镑--这是一个35%的增长，所以第3年的指数将是135。
Moving average - this is another way of identifying the trend in a set of data. It allows extreme values to be glossed over, so as to show the underlying pattern in a set of data. For example, consider the following data referring to sales over a 5 year period for a business :
移动平均数--这是在一组数据中识别趋势的另一种方式。它允许极端值被掩盖，以显示一组数据的基本模式。例如，考虑以下数据，即一家企业5年内的销售情况：
|
Year 1 |
£100,000 |
|
Year 2 |
£120,000 |
|
Year 3 |
£ 65,000 |
|
Year 4 |
£132,000 |
|
Year 5 |
£146,000 |
The mean value of sales over this 5 year period is found by adding all 5 values together, and dividing the resulting answer by 5 (£563,000 / 5 = £112,600).
However, a 3-year moving average can give a more realistic indication of the changes in the trend over the 5 years. This is calculated by adding together the first three year's data, and dividing the resulting figure by 3 (£285,000 / 3 = £95,000).
This process is then repeated for the next 3-year period (i.e. years 2, 3 and 4). This gives a figure of £317,000 / 3 = £105,667.
The next 3-year period covers years 3, 4 and 5. This gives an answer of £343,000 / 3 = £114,333.
These figures show how the trend has moved within the data over the 5 year period.
通过将所有5个数值相加，并将所得答案除以5（563,000英镑/5=112,600英镑），就可以得出这5年期间的销售平均值。
然而，3年的移动平均数可以更真实地表明5年内的趋势变化。计算方法是将前三年的数据相加，然后将所得数字除以3（28.5万英镑/3 = 9.5万英镑）。
然后对下一个三年期（即第2、3、4年）重复这一过程。这样得出的数字是317,000英镑/3=105,667英镑。
下一个3年期包括第3、4和5年。这给出的答案是343,000英镑/3=114,333英镑。
这些数字显示了5年期间数据内的趋势如何变化。
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