Page 133 - DMGT404 RESEARCH_METHODOLOGY

Unit 7: Secondary Data

undertaken a large scale survey, or even a census, this is likely to yield far more accurate results Notes
than custom designed and executed surveys when these are based on relatively small sample
sizes.
It should not be forgotten that secondary data can play a substantial role in the exploratory
phase of the research when the task at hand is to define the research problem and to generate
hypotheses. The assembly and analysis of secondary data almost invariably improve the
researcher's understanding of the marketing problem, the various lines of inquiry that could or
should be followed and the alternative courses of actions which might be pursued.
Secondary sources help define the population. Secondary data can be extremely useful both in
defining the population and in structuring the sample to be taken. For instance, government
statistics on a country's agriculture will help decide how to stratify a sample and, once sample
estimates have been calculated, these can be used to project those estimates to the population.
Limitations

1. Definition: The researcher, when making use of secondary data, may misinterpret the
definitions used by those responsible for its preparation and draw erroneous conclusions
2. Measurement error: When a researcher conducts fieldwork she/he is possibly able to
estimate inaccuracies in measurement through the standard deviation and standard error,
but these are sometimes not published in secondary sources. The problem is sometimes
not so much 'error' but differences in the levels of accuracy required by decision makers.
3. Source bias: Researchers face the problem of vested interests when they consult secondary
sources. Those responsible for their compilation may have reasons for wishing to present
a more optimistic or pessimistic set of results for their organization i.e., exaggerated
figures or inflated estimates may be stated.
4. Reliability: The reliability of published statistics may vary over time. Because the systems
of collecting data or geographical or administrative boundaries may be changed, or the
basis for stratifying a sample may have altered. Other aspects of research methodology
that affect the reliability of secondary data is the sample size, response rate, questionnaire
design and modes of analysis without any indication of this to the reader of published
statistics.

5. Time scale: The time period during which secondary data was first compiled may have a
substantial effect upon the nature of the data for example: Most censuses take place at ten-
year intervals, so data from this and other published sources may be out-of-date at the
time the researcher wants to make use of the statistics.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:

1. Secondary data can be classified as ………….and ………………secondary data
2. Those data that have been compiled by some agency other than the user are known as
………………..data.

3. Internal secondary data is a part of the ………………record
4. External Secondary Data can be divided into …………parts.
5. ……………….Secondary Data is the data collected by the researcher from outside the
company.

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