Internet

1. Internet, a global computer …, began in 1969. It provides much … about different events of the world life. In many countries the Internet may provide businessmen with the reliable … to the expensive telecommunication systems. Commercial … can communicate cheaply with the rest of the ….

users, world, network, information, alternative

2. The most popular Internet … is e–mail. Most of the people, who have … to the Internet, use the network only for sending and...e–mail messages. But there are some other… on the Internet, such as Web, telnet, USENET News. One of the latest services that is of great popularity is on-line ….

________________________________________________________

selling, service, services, access, receiving

Exercise 11. Make the presentation of the company information system.

Exercise 12. Write a letter to your friend who is collecting information about the competitors; tell him what kind of information it is necessary to get and where.

Exercise 13. Read the inquiry letter and write your own one.

Remember:

1. Write the address of your company.

2. Write the addressee address.

3. Tell them about the place where you received the information about the company and its products.

4. Show your interest in the information.

5. Express your gratitude for the information if it is sent.

e.g. ONIX

135 Mira Avenue

Krasnoyarsk 660000

Russia

Books Publisher

135 Chelsey Lane

Exeter EX 5JY

England

Dear Sir or Madam,

We read your advertisement in the Publisher Journal of the 23^rd of December 2009, and we are interested in the equipment for producing colorful books for kids. Could you please send more information about your equipment:

-price (CIF terms);

-dates of delivery;

-terms of payment;

-guarantee;

-cost of installation and staff training.

Our company specializes in publishing books for kids. If your equipment meets our requirements, and we receive a favorable offer, we will place a large order for your equipment.

Your early reply would be appreciated.

Yours faithfully,

V. Matveev

Export Sales Manager

Unit 9. Types of research

Exercise 1. Look through the text, find the nouns with the suffixes – er or –or; and –ee. Try to guess the meaning of the words. If you can’t, consult the dictionary. Make up sentences with these words.

Exercise 2. Look through the text, find the nouns with the suffixes –tion or –sion. Try to guess the meaning of the words. If you can’t, consult the dictionary. Make up sentences with these words.

Exercise 3. Read the words and their explanations and use them in your own sentences.

observation – monitoring;

research – investigation undertaken to get new facts;

method – system; orderliness; way of doing something;

data – facts; things commonly known;

camera – apparatus for taking photos;

behavior – way of behaving; manners;

primary – leading in time, development or order;

quantitative – relating to quantity;

qualitative – relating to quality;

application – making a request;

secondary – coming after, less important than…

compatibility – state of being in accord; suited to….

Exercise 4. Read the words and make up 5 sentences including all the words from exercise 3.

Exercise 5. Read the words from exercise 3; find the nouns in the list and think of as many adjectives as you can for each of them.

Exercise 6. Read the title of the text and try to predict the contents of it.

Exercise 7. Look through the text; divide it into logical parts and think of the title for every part.

Exercise 8. Read the text and find out:

1. What are the main types of research?

2. What are the main methods of research?

3. What is observation?

4. What is experimentation?

5. What are surveys?

6. What other methods of research can you choose?

7. What are factors influencing the choice of research methods?

Methods of research

There are two basic types of research:

1. Quantitative research provides data that can be analyzed statistically and results that can be expressed numerically.

2. Qualitative research provides data on subjects that do not lend themselves to simple quantitative analysis, such as attitudes, perception, motivation etc.

The three principal methods of primary data collection are observation, experimentation and surveys.

Observation

Observation can be carried out mechanically, using cameras or by eye. It does not involve the respondent who is normally unaware of the process. It is useful for the analysis of shopping behaviors, store layout design, traffic flow monitoring etc. Observation can also be used to gain a greater understanding of product–in–use behavior, although it may not be possible to achieve this without the subject being aware of the process.

Experimentation

Experimentation is more than just data–gathering; it involves the attempt to measure the effects of controlled change-significant variables. For example, it is used to measure the effects of a change in elements such as pricing policy, pack design, store layout and advertising treatments.

Surveys

Surveys are the most frequently used data collection technique. They rely on collecting data from a sample of the population under investigation and using the results to draw the conclusions about the population as a whole. The survey can be used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data, and may be continuous (collecting data from the same respondent over time, using a panel) or ad hoc (one-off) surveys. Particular applications may include on-street interviews, mystery shopper surveys, business–to–business interviews, customer satisfaction surveys etc.

Traditionally, surveys have been carried out using three communications vehicles – by post, by telephone or face-to-face. These have now been joined by the internet.

Postal

While postal surveys can offer advantages in terms of speed and cost in the correct circumstances, they are limited to the collection of fairly simple Information. It is difficult to control the identity of the respondent and be sure of obtaining sufficient replies to be confident that the response is representative of the population under investigation. Similar problems may occur with the Internet.

Telephone

Telephone surveys offers more flexibility than postal surveys, and can also be cost effective in the appropriate circumstances (i.e. well targeted, business–to–business). It is possible to control the identity of the respondent and, there is an adequate sampling frame in the form of the telephone directory. Care has to be taken to control interviewer bias.

Personal, face-to-face

Face–to–face surveys offer the greatest flexibility and opportunity to deal with complex issues. It is also possible to control the identity of the respondent and use tools like visual aids and observation.

The Internet is now accepted as the primary and fastest source of secondary (published) research data. It can be used to research market segments, buyer behavior, supply chain partners, PESTLE factors and competition on a global basis – all key parts of the Situation Appraisal.

Other techniques

Other research techniques do not fall strictly into any of the categories above. The most notable is the focus group interview or group discussion. This is, in effect, a group interview designed to provide a richer flow of data than would be possible using a structured survey – or questionnaire. It is normally used as an exploratory activity prior to a survey; to complement the data gathered by the survey.

Choosing marketing research methods

Marketing research should be conducted as part of the marketing planning process. This enables the research programs to be better coordinated and their cost more accurately budgeted and justified. Occasionally, companies have to conduct marketing research as a response to a particular marketing problem or crisis.

The factors to take into account when determining the method of marketing research, and the amount to spend to solve a particular problem include:

• the potential value of success and the potential loss in failure, given the perceived risk of the proposed activity

• the nature of the problem and the information coverage it warrants in terms of sample size and depth of detailed data

• the budget available for total marketing research and the proportion assigned to solving the particular problem

• the accuracy level of information required

• the timetable for the research to be completed

• methods used in the past, their effectiveness, and their compatibility with the options suitable for this occasion

Overall, it is important that a particular method of market research or marketing research has been chosen because it is the most appropriate method to solve the particular problem, and not because of the relative costs of the different types of research.

Exercise 9. Read the text once again and express the contents of every passage in one sentence.

Exercise 10. Fill in the gaps in this passage with the words under the line; learn the new words to expand vocabulary on the topic.