Marketing Research : Inspired to write a few lines on the subject cos of the "ONE"

Marketing research is a systematic and objective research for analysis of information that would be useful to address any given problem in marketing. Iam not an expert in this field but here's what i have gathered from well known scholars and connoiseurs of "marketing research"

It involves the following:
* Identifying the target population/ market segment for a particular product
* Identification of customer choices and keeping a tab on their changing tastes and fashions
* Identifying "White spaces and opportunities" in any market and advising clients on product
segmentation
* Assessing the need for new or improved versions of a product based on customer feedback
* Benchmarking a product against competitors and advising on strategy to counter competition
* Identification of appropriate pricing points for a product in different market segments across
geographical diversities and location of sale/ distribution outlets for a company

and much more....(the list is exhaustive) (Maybe AC nielsen or IMRB experts can add on more to this list)

This function of "Marketing research" can be condensed to mean providing the right information, at the right time, to the right person and thereby becomes a vital cog in the decision making process of any top management. Its a highly useful tool that's designed based on scientific sampling methods to elicit rational responses/solutions to specific problems of marketing.

P.S : I never knew that so much information can be condensed and conveyed through bar diagrams, pie charts and tables until i saw their reports ...guys keep up the good work!!