INSIGHTS INTO MARKETING RESEARCH OF INTEGRATED STRUCTURES

Abstract

The paper discusses a range of theoretical aspects related to marketing research of integrated structures with a focus on their specifics within vulnerable market environment. Insights are provided on the above marketing research concept evolution stages that entail the research topic definition, setting a goal and objectives, constructing working hypotheses, identifying the project team and the budget for accomplishing the research. According to the plan of this study, it is estimated that a demand research is to be performed through testing the working hypotheses which provide a rationale for each particular state of demand. It is argued that marketing research should be carried out subject to different types of demand (full demand, potential demand, lack of demand, negative demand, unstable demand, excess demand). The findings demonstrate that in the context of integrated structures marketing research substantiation should take into account the specific market-driven factors and peculiarities of marketing data processing system. Integrated structures can combine the functioning areas of participating enterprises that operate within the same level of the technological chain (horizontal integration) or at different levels (vertical integration). Integrated structures may potentially include companies focusing on raw materials, manufacturing, trade enterprises, research organizations and financial institutions. This study attempts to substantiate the expediency of applying the concept of marketing research on demand for products of integrated corporate structures. It is emphasized that the results of marketing research are the primary and critical information source for enterprises in developing and shaping their marketing strategies. Within the integrated structure framework, product demand analysis can be performed for a number of different demand types simultaneously, since the demand for products of individual structural units of a cluster is not homogeneous and cannot be characterized by a single general state. While selecting the research options under change of conditions, marketing research should be guided first and foremost by common corporate goals.