PROBLEMS RESEARCHERS/COMPANIES ENCOUNTER IN ACQUIRING RESEARCH DATA FOR BUSINESS MARKETING AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH

Companies encounter various problems when carrying out their research especially in area of data collection. As we all know, that over the century Research for "information advantage" has been the best way companies keep their "competitive edge" in this turbulent and ever dynamic global business environment. Even for students of Business studies a basic requirements of their Degree certification is a thorough course in business research. In this article, we have carefully highlight and briefly explain problems encountered during data collection either for PRIMARY DATA, SECONDARY DATA or GENERALLY ON BOTH while using Nigeria as a case study.

PROBLEMS OF PRIMART RESEARCH DATA IN NIGERIA

1.COST:Every research involve cost but compared to secondary data research, primary research data is very expensive to acquire. It need the involvement of a lot of marketers and expert and a great deal of expenses is undertaking in preparing and carrying out the research.

1. TIME CONSUMING : business research always involves the specification and setting of time frame because every research carried out in organisation is meant to tackle a particular problem arising at that particular time. From the start points of deciding whether to do a research and to the point of collecting and acquiring of primary data a lot of time is spent. Primary research takes more time compared to secondary data. Due to the bureaucratic nature of Nigeria organisations acquiring research data expenses more limited time.

3.NOT ALWAYS FEASIBLE : some research project data while proving to be valuable are usually not realistic to acquire due to the requirement in expenses. For instance, it would not be practical for Shoprite or McDonald's to interview every customer that visits it store every day even though it would be more accurate to do so because it requires a large number of expert and marketers and this implies cost.

4.ATTITUDES OF NIGERIANS TOWARDS RESEARCH: Nigerians carry a wrong perception of research. They see researchers trying to collect data for their project as people trying to poke nose into their life and they deny them access to valuable information out of ignorance. Even our business organisation here does the samething to research student, they accused them of trying to steal their data or a means where competitors steal their valuable data.

5.ILLITERACY:There is a high level of illiteracy among Nigerians. Even schooled Nigerians are ignorance to the purpose and advantage of carrying out a research. Literacy is a valuable item for research to happen but large number of people are illiterate and these effect the standards of research in Nigeria.

PROBLEMS OF SECONDARY RESEARCH DATA IN NIGERIA.

1.QUALITY OF THE RESEARCHERS : as opposed to primary data which research is conducted by the marketers who are physically or indirectly involve in data collection, secondary research data collection by organisation for marketing or operational purposes needs to be analysed before the data can prove worth of use. Example of variables to be analyzed is credibility of the researchers, scrutinizing the origins of the data or information and cautiously evaluate the validity and reliability of the data by critically examining the procedure or method used in gathering this information. Business researchers needs to be extra careful when using secondary data because some researchers in Nigeria tend to be fraudulent in their research.

2.INABILITY OF SPECIFICATIONS TO MEET RESEARCHERS NEEDS: the standard definition for secondary data, is data similar or related to the researchers data needs. Therefore secondary data may not particularly meet the researchers data requirements either in class or sample size target. E. G a researcher may acquire research data for an expensive fee to realize that the age bracket division did not meet his own requirements for his market researcher.

3.SECONDARY DATA NOT PROPRIETARY INFORMATION : As company research for their own business data used. By making this data available to other companies for a fee or for free it cut down one of their edge over other companies which is their 'information advantage'. A gain to company who conduct primary research.

4.TIME FRAME: In Nigeria the business environment is very turbulent and dynamic. Therefore care must be taken in acquiring secondary data because data collected for a particular research 5years ago may no longer be valid or may have become out-of-date to today business environment and research requirement. These kinds of data will only add little or no value at all to the company research problems.

5.INCOMPLETE DATA: Very often companies in process of using secondary research data may realize that the information gotten is incomplete or a teaser or even worst a promotional tactics by the supplier of the data. It might be made free to attract users to more data for which the complete half is undisclosed for a fee.

6.MEASUREMENT OF ERRORS: Secondary data suppliers do not release the degree of errors present in their research information either for fear of loosing customers or dishonest purpose. Fraudulent researchers in Nigeria fail to release the complete errors in the research undertaken. This kind of situation might bring imbalance in the results gotten from the data. Researchers won't be able to check the extent of errors in their work.

PROBLEMS OF BUSINESS RESEARCH IN NIGERIA.

1.INADEQUACY OF DATA : Inadequacy of data and lack proper record keeping make it hard for companies to make comparisons among other companies in the industry. Inadequacy of data make it very difficult for companies to have a complete comprehension of the situation and a vivid image of real state of things.

2.LOW RESPONSE RATE:Since it is a basis that large sample stand a large chance of accuracy in research. Low response rate from the sampled population always make it very difficult for companies to have reliable results at the conclusion of their research.

3.COST OF FINANCE : Among one of the prominent problem of researchers is money to fund a business research. For a proper business research to happen a very good commitment of funds is needed. But these days the research budget for company are always very low because no company wishes to release money easily and these effect the extent to which researchers can perform.

4.MANIPULATION OF DATA: A lot of institution and organisation maneuver their figure and presumed qualitative characteristics for their study which makes it hard to rely on the obtained results from their business research.

5.METHIDOLGLOGY: Choosing the right method to use in collection of data has been a significant problem to researchers over years. Selecting a methodology that fit the business research problems, the kind of data, type of respondent or population, e.t.c is difficult with so many techniques and tools available. They all at the same time yield different results without proper training a researcher may fail to identify the appropriate technique to use in a business research.

These are the prominent problems researchers face when they try to go into research. It might be Nigeria oriented but this problem are universal and peculiar to any state also. Remember 👇