solution

When P&G conduct qualitative consumer research to generate new ideas, some of the tools they use include: ? Focus group discussions: Focus groups are used for exploring ideas and making initial evaluations. A small group of people is brought together and asked to talk about consumer preference issues. ? In-home visits: Interviews are used to ask questions about how and why people use a product. Being in the home provides an opportunity to understand the actual conditions under which the task is performed and what the constraints are from the user’s point of view. – In-context visits: Ethnographic research is used to study people performing a task or using a product. This type of research provides insight into the details of how people use a product, how they judge its benefits, and which improvements they require. – In-store interviews: Intercept interviews are used to ask shoppers questions to better understand how actual purchase decisions are made at the point of sale. P&G also use quantitative research to generate facts on usage and to evaluate product prototypes. The tools they use are: Habits and practices These are large-scale studies that require respondents to keep written records of the details of product usage for an extended period of time. -Blind tests: Blind tests are product usage tests in which a new or upgraded product is given to participants who do not know the brand or the product. Participants are then asked to compare it with the current product or a key competitor’s product. -Concept aided usage test/concept and use test: Participants are first presented with a concept and then given a product to learn to use to see if the product delivers as promised. ? Quality monitoring: After people have purchased a product, they are asked if that product meets their expectations.

The result of a research project may be reported in written and or oral format, however the importance of effective reporting cannot be over emphasised as the quality of the report is often used as a major indicator of the quality of the research itself. Based on this statement,

1. Outline the primary objectives of a research report.

2. Discuss what a good research report must entail.