Marketing Research and Buyer Behavior

Marketing Research and Buyer Behavior

The four main stakeholders our textbooks refer to are the:

* marketing researcher,

* client,

* respondent

* the public.

Each stakeholder has a different role to play and ethical issues that can arise with their participation in the project.

Unethical practices such as low-ball pricing, abusing respondents, black-box branding, sales of unnecessary research, allowing subjectivity and violating the confidentiality of the client; are some of the more common supplier mis-practices encountered.

Clients have a responsibility to be aware of practices that can lead to unethical outcomes. Some such actions are bid requests, methodology, false promises and unauthorized requests for proposals.

Well established ethical guidelines to resolve ethical dilemmas in marketing research are critical for resolution.

The level of professionalism and ethical practices can be raised through study and participation in organizations such as:

CASRO - The Council of American Survey Research Organizations.

This large national trade association states their purpose is to communicate, to educate, to protect, and to represent. (CASRO 2007) They have an established set of clear guidelines for many common situations in its Code of Standards of Ethics for Survey Research.

ICC/ESOMAR - International Code of Marketing and Social Research Practice

ESOMAR is the world organization for enabling better research into markets, consumers and societies. (ESOMAR)

AAPOR - American Association for Public Opinion Research

The AAPOR promotes standards of professional conduct and ethics for surveys and public opinion research. (AAPOR)

MRA - The Marketing Research Association.

The MRA provides members with information through:

* Educational programs

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