Key Idea: In 4.4, IB wants you to understand how businesses collect market research, choose between primary and secondary data, use samples, and decide whether qualitative or quantitative data is more useful. This topic is about getting useful customer information.
🔍 Primary research: **Primary research —** new first-hand data. **Specific —** made for the business. **Up to date —** current information. **Examples —** surveys, interviews, focus groups.
📚 Secondary research: **Secondary research —** existing data. **Cheap and fast —** good starting point. **Less specific —** not made for this business. **Examples —** reports, statistics, internal records.
Core structure (memorise)
- Sampling — choosing a small group to represent the market
- Convenience sampling — easy but biased
- Random sampling — fairer but harder to organise
- Quota sampling — specific groups represented
- Stratified sampling — most representative if done properly
💬 Qualitative: **Qualitative research —** opinions and reasons. **Gives depth —** explains why customers think something. **Methods —** interviews, focus groups.
🔢 Quantitative: **Quantitative research —** numerical data. **Gives scale —** shows how many or how much. **Methods —** closed surveys, statistics, sales data.
High-yield facts examiners expect
- Primary research is more tailored but slower and more expensive
- Secondary research is faster but may be outdated
- A bigger sample is not always better if it is biased
- Good research depends on choosing the right method for the right purpose
- Most businesses use both qualitative and quantitative research together
In exam answers, do not just list research methods — explain why that method suits the business situation.
If the question is about reliability, mention sample size and whether the sample is representative.
Example: A strong answer: A focus group would be useful because it gives detailed customer opinions about the new product, helping the business understand why customers like or dislike the idea before launch.
Important: Common triggers: explain primary vs secondary research, choose a research method, discuss sampling, compare qualitative and quantitative data.
- Identify the type of research issue
- Choose the correct method or term
- Explain how it works
- Apply it to the business
- Add one advantage and one limitation if relevant