Методические указания по изучению английского языка на 3 курсе заочного факультета. Якушева И.В - 22 стр.

   Упр. 4. Задания к тексту.
   I. Прочтите текст и поймите его содержание. Выпишите незнакомые
слова в словарь.
   II. Письменно переведите 4 и 5 абзацы текста.
   III. Ответьте письменно на вопросы к тексту:
   1. What methods are used in marketing research?
   2. Which method do you consider to be the most effective?
   IV. Разбейте текст на логические части, составьте план текста.

   Text 2
                               The role of market research
    Marketing research means a process of gathering information about marketing
problems and opportunities.
    As you see developing a modern marketing programme is not a simple matter.
To aid in the process, more and more firms are employing marketing research.
Every year American companies spend over $2 billion to find out such things as:
    1) What products consumers want.
    2) What forms, colours, packaging, price ranges consumers prefer.
    3) What types of advertising, public relations, and selling practices are most
likely to appeal to customers.
    By analyzing this sort of information companies develop their marketing pro-
gramme. Broadly speaking, there are two basic approaches to marketing research:
    (1) interview or, survey methods, which attempt to analyze the consumer's
thought processes; and (2) observational methods, which analyze the consumer's
current behaviour in an attempt to predict future buying patterns. Both methods
have advantages and disadvantages. Many companies combine the two methods,
getting the best of both.
    It takes financial resources to conduct market research, but even the smallest
companies can gather useful information to guide their marketing decisions. One
of the best and least expensive sources of information is a company's existing
customers. By talking with customers, a firm can identify marketing problems,
learn about the competition, and analyze alternative marketing strategies.
    It is often said that the sales manager ought to be responsible for his com-
pany's market research. But if a company is large enough it usually has its own
separate research department.


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