Generating value from market research use : doing more with less?

Abstract

The use of market research (MR) information is poorly researched, providing a limited, fragmented understanding about how users process and apply MR information in marketing decisions. From a systematic review of organizational learning literature, we propose a seven-step MR information use process, which we study using a real-time experience tracking approach in an academic institution. Users acquire and subsequently transform MR information that they disseminate among fellow users. The latter analyse and interpret this information, applying insights directly in marketing decisions or store them for future application. Value-in-use emerges at each stage of the process as users co-create insights by merging the MR information with other internal or external information. Our findings support the existence of all of these steps and determine three types of value-in-use: users define and seek specific MR information for immediate decisions (instrumental) and “store” lessons or insights for eventual use (conceptual) or used in a symbolic way to justify previously held positions if not to strengthen their relationships with others (symbolic). Users draw social value when MR information is requested from or shared with others, and draw performance value when MR information is requested from others or when it is used to produce own output.