Marketing Research Tools Marketing research is important for any organization because it adds value to the results. It is a collection of data, which translates into a tangible asset by implementing the information into active processes. Marketing research is defined by McDaniel & Gates (2007) as “the planning, collection, and analysis of data relevant to marketing decision making and the communication of the results of this analysis to management” (p. 5). Marketing research plays two key roles in the organizational structure of marketing. It is an element of the marketing intelligence process. Key information is acquired, analyzed and preserved by enabling the organization to make decisions using statistical information found through primary and secondary research. It is also used as a key tool in finding innovative ways to enter and stay in a specific target market. When an organization makes the analytical decision to target and reach its target market, it uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods to analyze the similar interests, beliefs and preferences of the consumer group. Primary and secondary research. The market study is grouped into two. categories, primary and secondary, which are defined by the source that collected data to solve a specific problem. Primary data research is carried out by the organization for a specific purpose and customized to meet that need. Aakar, Kumar, and Day (2007) define primary data as being collected for a specific purpose. If, for example, an organization attempts to determine the satisfaction rate of its buyers for a particular product using an online survey, the information collected is considered primary data research. Se...... middle of paper ...... its target market. It is evident that understanding, reviewing and executing on the information resulting from market research is a strategic approach to translating the data into higher profit maximization potential. Specifically, organizations need market research to help them make decisions that will propel their business to the next level with the goal of maximizing organizational returns. Works Cited: Aakar, DA, Kumar, V. and Day, GS (2007). Marketing Research (9th ed.). Danvers, MA: John Wiley & Sons. Burns, AC and Bush, RF (2007). Marketing Research: Online Research Applications (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. McDaniel, C. and Gates, R. (2006). Marketing Research (7th ed.). Noboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. McDaniel, C. and Gates, R. (2007). Essentials of marketing research (6th ed.). Noboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.