Secondary data collection involves obtaining information that is already available. That data was previously collected and analyzed using statistical methods and belongs to the original author. Typically, this information was gathered from primary sources and made publicly accessible. In addition, the existing data is often compiled and summarized to increase the overall effectiveness of the research. The secondary data collection method is classified as qualitative or quantitative. Qualitative data focuses on intangibles like quality, color, preference, and appearance, while quantitative data deals with numbers, statistics, and percentages (Ahmad et al., 2019). Most secondary data collection research focuses on quantitative data, but the end goal determines the type of secondary collection approach used by a researcher. The analysis focuses on the Internet, Government and Non-government agencies, Public Libraries, Educational Institutions, and Commercial Information as the secondary data collection methods.
The Internet
The Internet is a standard method for collecting secondary data because it is readily available. Usually, the data is available on business websites in readable or downloadable formats. The information is free, although some sources require one to pay a small fee to download the data or access it. Businesses and organizations can leverage websites’ wealth of information to meet their research needs. Organizations must, however, only use reliable, trustworthy websites for gathering data.
The internet is a valuable data source for market research because the data already exists for analysis. Companies that transact online have a wealth of data that can be mined for business needs. For example, customer communications is a treasured data source for businesses, especially those with customer care departments. Committed consumers who make complaints, comments, or compliments contribute data that can serve as the basis for customer satisfaction studies. Social networks, blogs, and other social media platforms have become significant forums where customers express their desires and dislikes about businesses, products, or topics. These data are necessary to evaluate consumer sentiments and need to be tracked. The internet is the best place to start when conducting secondary research based on published data and findings in the new market and social media.
Government and Non-government Agencies
The government collects all sorts of data, such as population census, family expenditure surveys, agricultural statistics, import and export data, social surveys, and many more. Similarly, Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) collect and generate vast amounts of potentially rich data primarily used for research purposes. NGO data is mainly utilized to do relevant and timely research in areas such as program assessment and health policy advocacy (Masefield et al., 2020). For example, NGOs that collect data in disaster-prone areas generate data that could be useful in disaster risk management, enabling a deeper understanding of the nature of risks and appropriate response. In addition, NGO data can be used for product improvement, mainly when gathered data identifies certain drugs’ hazardous effects or ways to improve a specific production process.
The government agencies, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, and National Centre for Health Statistics, provide essential data that is often free because the public funds them. Government reports, like expenditure, income, and household information, are valuable for new market research and social media marketing. For example, expenditure reports that include people’s age, residence, and geographical location provide crucial data for businesses that target specific age groups or areas. Therefore, as a secondary data source, government and non-government agencies provide valuable information for new markets and social media marketing.
Public Library
Public libraries store copies of documents and research collected over an extended period. The collection often includes government publications with market statistics, company directories, and newsletters. In addition, the library contains crucial and reliable secondary data in public records that are often used as a reference in the study of humanities, market dynamics, management, and social sciences (Martins et al., 2018). For businesses to understand consumer behavior, library books on social sciences, such as sociology and psychology, would be a good source of information.
A new business needs to look at the existing market landscape to determine how it will fit. The business library provides a database of published market research reports and industry profiles that would be useful in evaluating the new market. For instance, the business library database offers essential data on consumers and their purchasing and spending. This information can provide an insightful lead for businesses looking to venture into a new market or introduce a new product. In addition, it includes industry research and how experts look at companies operating in an industry, such as market size, product makers or service providers, competition, market share, and how an industry works.
Educational Institutions
Although collecting data from educational institutions is often overlooked as a secondary data source, more research is conducted in universities and colleges than in the business sector. Data collected in learning institutions are for primary research, but businesses can approach them for these data. Most colleges and universities have at least a few data collection systems. They use these systems to collect data from students, staff, and faculty to meet operational requirements and monitor outcomes. Businesses can obtain data of interest from data gathered by these institutions to inform marketing strategies and business decisions.
Educational institutional institutions are also a rich source of surveys of enrolled students, behavior tracking around emails, and coaching and support call recordings. The data can be essential in understanding student needs, even when the population changes. New educational institutions can utilize the data to know where their institution fits into the market, attract new students, or decide which programs to offer. Discussions on university or college social platforms can also provide an insightful lead into the student presence and other traits and understanding of your potential clients. For instance, comments on meals served at the canteen can offer some leads on improving the services, or introduce a new product or service.
Commercial Information
Local radio, TV, newspapers, journals, company reports, and magazines are excellent places to find information for secondary research. Mostly, commercial information sources have first-hand information on market research, economic developments, political agenda, and demographic segmentation (Bouchrika, 2022). The data is vital for businesses or organizations to identify prospective customers and avenues to promote their products or services because it is current and has a broader reach.
Company data, such as sales, financial, transport, and store data, is essential for identifying the most profitable products and customers. During their regular business operations, all organizations gather information like order delivery, operation costs, invoices, etc. A lot of the data, particularly sales invoices, orders, questions about items that are not in stock, customer returns, and sales force customer calling sheets, can be used in marketing research. In addition, when conducting new market research, other data gathered by businesses, such as the price of creating, storing, shipping, and promoting each of its items and product lines, might provide exciting leads.
References
Ahmad, S., Wasim, S., Irfan, S., Gogoi, S., Srivastava, A., & Farheen, Z. (2019). Qualitative v/s quantitative research. Journal of Evidence Based Medicine and Healthcare, 6(43), 2828-2832.
Bouchrika, I. (2022). Primary research vs secondary research: Definitions, differences, and examples. Research. Web.
Martins, F., Cunha, J., & Serra, F. (2018). Secondary data in research – uses and opportunities. PODIUM Sport Leisure And Tourism Review, 7(3), 1-4.
Masefield, S., Megaw, A., Barlow, M., White, P., Altink, H., & Grugel, J. (2020). Repurposing NGO data for better research outcomes: A scoping review of the use and secondary analysis of NGO data in health policy and systems research. Health Research Policy and Systems, 18(63), 1-22.