research questions about business

Small Business Trends

132 market research questions to ask.

Asking market research questions can yield new insights to boost your marketing to the next level. One example of market research involves gathering competitive information to inform your new product and service development.

Types of Market Research Questions


Market Research Category	Description
Target Audience Description	Questions focused on understanding the size of the target market, customer personas, and key consumer trends.
Customer Survey Questions	Inquiries directed at customers to gather feedback on their experience, preferences, and satisfaction levels.
Pricing and Value Research	Queries aimed at assessing pricing strategies, value proposition, and competitor pricing in the market.
Product or Service Questions	Questions aimed at understanding product uniqueness, value proposition, and competitive offerings in the market.
Online Visibility Questions	Inquiries focused on assessing the online presence and visibility of the business in search engines and online platforms.
Reputation Management	Questions aimed at monitoring and managing the business's reputation by addressing reviews and customer feedback.
Messaging and Advertising	Inquiries focused on understanding customer needs, emotional triggers, and advertising effectiveness.

Market Research Questions

A good way to start your market research is to size up and describe your target audience. Gather primary and secondary research to assess the following marketing parameters:

Questions to Ask Customers

Pricing and value.

The following are pricing research questions to ask. Small business owners and marketers may want to assign someone to do a competitive analysis, such as gathering data from competitor websites and putting it into a spreadsheet.

Product or Service Questions

Online visibility questions, reputation management.

Customers today have extraordinary power to talk about a brand, and its products and services. Customers can choose dozens of social media sites or review sites like Yelp to share opinions.

Messaging and Advertising

Product Management

80 Market Research Questions for More Valuable Insights (+tips)

Content Writer

Created on:

April 15, 2024

Updated on:

80 Market Research Questions for More Valuable Insights (+tips)

Transform Insights into Impact

Build Products That Drive Revenue and Delight Customers!

There are different types of market research, with 85% of researchers regularly using online surveys as their go-to tool , allowing them to reach broad target audiences in a cost-effective way.

Online surveys can break down geographical barriers and uncover profound customer insights, but only if you come up with the right market research questions.

Your questions shape the data you get, influencing your understanding of customer behavior and key consumer trends.

In this article, you'll find many examples of market research questions organized by categories, followed by tips for creating and analyzing your own market research survey.

80 market research questions to ask for more valuable insights

Demographic questions.

Learning more about your existing customer base can help you identify your ideal customers and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly. During the process, you may also discover that you have different customer personas, and you can later segment your audience.

Also, having detailed demographic data allows you to create targeted marketing campaigns that will convert better.

Here are some questions to explore your target audience:

What is your age and gender?
Where do you live?
Do you have a partner or children?
What is your highest level of education?
In what industry do you work?
What is your current job title?
What is your annual income?
What's the category you spend the most money on (e.g., groceries, technology, clothes)?
What's the average amount you spend on _____ (mention a particular category relevant to your industry)?
What websites, newspapers or magazines do you use to stay informed?

Product opportunities

Almost half of the startups fail because they're building products for which there's no real market need . That's why it's essential to do a product opportunity assessment before you invest time and money into building a product that may not have a big enough target market.

The following market research interview questions will help you discover burning issues and problems that your new product or service can solve.

What challenges and problems do you currently face in _____ (name specific area) that you can't find an adequate solution for?
Are there any existing products that you find close to meeting your needs but still fall short in some aspects, and which?
How do you currently cope with the absence of a dedicated solution for that problem?
Hypothetically speaking, what would an ideal solution for that problem look like?
What features would you like this product to include?
Would you purchase this product if it was available today? If not, why?
What is the one feature that would make our product a must-have for you?
Are there any untapped market segments or niches where our product could solve the existing problems?
If you were to brainstorm about a product that anticipates future needs in your industry, what would be its main features?
How would you prioritize the importance of the following features? (you can provide them with a list of features they need to rank from the most important to the least important)

If you've already started developing your product, read this article on how to get feedback for early-stage products and validate your product.

Customer feedback

If you've already launched a product or service, you should ask your existing customers for feedback and suggestions for improvement. This is an essential component of continuous product discovery , which is the best way to increase customer satisfaction by anticipating their needs.

Here are some questions you can use:

How long have you been using our product?
How often do you use our product?
What made you decide to purchase our product?
Describe how you use our product and what problems it solves for you.
Which features of our product do you use the most?
Which features of our product do you use the least or not at all?
What is the best feature of our product in your opinion?
What might be the weakest feature or the biggest area for improvement in our product?
Have you had any issues or problems with our product?
What would you miss the most if our product was no longer available?

Click here to discover 13 proven ways to collect customer feedback . Also, here are some additional questions for your product feedback survey .

Brand awareness

Market research surveys can help you see how existing and potential customers perceive your brand and whether you need to raise brand awareness or adjust your brand image.

Have you heard about our brand before?
How did you hear about us?
What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions our brand?
What emotions or feelings do you associate with our brand?
How would you describe our brand in one sentence?
Are you currently using our products, and how often?
How likely are you to purchase our products again?
Are you aware that we also offer _____? (this can be an excellent opportunity for up-selling)
How often do you see our posts or ads on social media?
You can also calculate the Net Promoter Score by asking your current customers: On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our product to a friend or colleague?

Pricing analysis

The following market research survey questions will help you explore the balance between product quality, features, and cost and assess the perceived value of your product.

What is more important to you: product quality or price?
In your opinion, what's a fair and reasonable price for a product like this?
What is the price range within which you'd feel comfortable purchasing this product?
What is the maximum amount you'd be willing to spend on this product?
If you think the price is too high, what additional features or improvements would justify the current price of our product?
Are there specific payment options or financing plans that would make you consider purchasing our product?
Do you find our pricing information clear and easy to understand?

Customer preferences

This set of questions will help you learn more about consumer preferences and their purchasing habits so that you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

What factors are influencing your purchasing decisions the most?
Where do you look for products you want to buy?
Do you prefer offline or online shopping, and why?
Do you read customer reviews, and on which websites?
Are you looking for recommendations from your friends and family?
Do you use social media to follow brand accounts, and which platforms do you use the most?
What is your preferred way to receive information and updates about a brand (e.g., social media, email newsletter, SMS)?
How do you prefer to consume information: through video, audio or reading?

Customer concerns

Understanding why people are not buying from you is essential for adjusting your offer and marketing. This set of questions will help you uncover potential objections you can address on your website.

Is there anything that's preventing you from buying our product?
What would need to happen for you to purchase our product today?
If now is not the right time to buy it, why is that?
Do you have any doubts or questions about our product?
What was your biggest concern before purchasing our product?
What is the main reason for canceling your subscription / not ordering again?
Did you encounter any problems or challenges when using our product?
If there was one thing about our product that would have made your decision-making process faster, what would it be?

Competitive analysis

It's important to research your competitors and learn both about their unique selling points and their weaknesses from users’ perspectives, which can help you discover your own competitive advantage and do a thorough market opportunity analysis.

How are you currently dealing with the problem that our product solves?
Are you already using a product with similar features?
Which products or brands would you consider as an alternative to ours?
Why did you choose our product over other options?
Did you consider any other options?
Does our product miss some features that our competitors' products have?
Are our prices higher, lower or similar to those of other companies?
Which of these products have you tried? (provide a list of your competitors' products)
What is your preferred brand?
If our product was no longer available, what other product would you choose instead?

The following market research questions can be applied to your website, landing page, social media platforms or any other channel you use to share information about your product or service or communicate with your customers.

Was it easy to find information on our website?
Is our website easy to navigate and user-friendly?
Is some information missing on our website?
Is product information clear and transparent?
Do you think we should add any features to our website, and which ones?
What kind of content would you like to see on our blog?
Did you have any difficulties using our website?

Market research questions: Best practices

Here are a few tips to consider when creating your own market research questions:

Define clear objectives: Before starting, you have to be clear on what you want to get out of the market research. Learning more about your potential customers? Identifying your competition? Evaluating a new product idea? Identifying different customer segments?
Use neutral language: If you want to get unbiased results to drive customer-led product growth , use neutral language to avoid leading participants toward a particular response.
Use different types of questions: You should combine multiple-choice questions, Likert scales and open-ended questions, as each of them helps you gather different types of data. While close-ended questions are great for collecting and analyzing large amounts of quantitative data, the open-ended format can be better when creating interview questions for market research as it provides you with deeper customer insights .

Writing questions and conducting market research is just the first step. The second and even more important step is to analyze the data you've gathered so you can uncover insights and patterns.

The best way to do so is through a customer feedback platform like Zeda.io, which provides you with a centralized workspace to collect and manage feedback and analyze data from all customer interaction points in one place.

Our platform helps you transform customer feedback into actionable insights that can help you decide which product to build or how to prioritize product features .

Thanks to advanced AI algorithms, we can help you spot product opportunities by uncovering the features users desire the most.

It can also help you analyze customer feedback to detect issues and frustrations reported by users so that you can enhance customer experience by promptly fixing them.

We can also spot trends in user feedback and calculate a potential revenue impact from adding new features.

We hope you were able to pick some ideas for creating your next customer survey or interview questions for market research.

After conducting research, it's crucial to thoroughly analyze your market research questionnaire using the right user feedback tools .

Zeda.io is an AI-powered tool that transforms raw customer data into actionable insights, helping you better understand your customers and spot emerging trends before competitors.

It helps you take the guesswork out of product discovery and confidently create products your target market will love.

Join Product Café Newsletter!

Sip on the freshest insights in Product Management, UX, and AI — straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, I agree to receive communications by Zeda.

How do you write a good market research question?

Good market research questions are the ones that are clear, concise, specific and aligned with your goals. To get unbiased data, avoid leading questions and suggesting particular answers to your target audience.

What questions should I ask for market research for a new product?

You should ask target customers about their pain points, struggles, challenges and desires. See how they're currently solving those problems, whether they're using any other similar product and whether some features of that product could be added or improved.

What are the 7 basic questions in market research?

Here are the key market research questions: What problem is our product solving? Who is our target audience? What product features are the most important for them? What influences their purchasing decisions? How much are they willing to pay? What's preventing potential customers from buying our product? Who are our main competitors?

What are the elements of market research?

The main elements of market research are researching your target audience, their needs and problems, doing a competitor analysis and spotting market trends.

IN THIS ARTICLE:

Latest articles

User personas in product management: complete guide for product managers.

Want to delight your users? The first step is to understand them through user personas in product management. Here is how you can build user personas today.

5 Advantages of Agile Product Management

Agile product management is now being adopted by product-based companies widely. Here are five reasons for this trend.

Unlocking the Power of AI for Product Managers

Learn how AI tools can help product managers make data-driven decisions, streamline prototyping, and improve customer feedback analysis. Embrace AI for product managers to stay ahead and deliver superior products.

Decide what to build next with AI-powered Insights

What are product discovery techniques?
8 key product discovery techniques link

Placing Customer Voice at the Heart of Product Discovery Process

Dive in to understand what is product discovery, the steps involved in product discovery, and how to place customers voice a the centre of product management process.

Continuous Product Discovery: A How-to Innovation Guide

Master continuous product discovery with this step-by-step innovation guide to improving your product by listening to users' needs.

Key Takeaways from Continuous Discovery Habits

Here are the key takeaways from Teresa Torres' Continuous Discovery Habits: Discover Products That Create Customer Value and Business Value

Download a resourse

Non tincidunt amet justo ante imperdiet massa adipiscing.

App Sign Up

Subscribe to newsletter, book a demo, ai-powered product discovery for customer-focused teams.

Root out friction in every digital experience, super-charge conversion rates, and optimize digital self-service

Uncover insights from any interaction, deliver AI-powered agent coaching, and reduce cost to serve

Increase revenue and loyalty with real-time insights and recommendations delivered to teams on the ground

Know how your people feel and empower managers to improve employee engagement, productivity, and retention

Take action in the moments that matter most along the employee journey and drive bottom line growth

Whatever they’re are saying, wherever they’re saying it, know exactly what’s going on with your people

Get faster, richer insights with qual and quant tools that make powerful market research available to everyone

Run concept tests, pricing studies, prototyping + more with fast, powerful studies designed by UX research experts

Track your brand performance 24/7 and act quickly to respond to opportunities and challenges in your market

Explore the platform powering Experience Management

Free Account
Product Demos
For Digital
For Customer Care
For Human Resources
For Researchers
Financial Services
All Industries

Popular Use Cases

Customer Experience
Employee Experience
Net Promoter Score
Voice of Customer
Customer Success Hub
Product Documentation
Training & Certification
XM Institute
Popular Resources
Customer Stories
Artificial Intelligence

Market Research

Partnerships
Marketplace

The annual gathering of the experience leaders at the world’s iconic brands building breakthrough business results, live in Salt Lake City.

English/AU & NZ
Español/Europa
Español/América Latina
Português Brasileiro
REQUEST DEMO
Experience Management
Market Research Questions

Try Qualtrics for free

Market research questions: what to ask and how.

9 min read Whether you’re looking for customer feedback, product suggestions or brand perception in the market, the right market research questions can help you get the best insights. Learn how you can use them correctly and where to begin.

What is market research?

Market research (also called marketing research) is the action or activity of gathering information about market needs and preferences. This helps companies understand their target market — how the audience feels and behaves.

For example, this could be an online questionnaire , shared by email, which has a set of questions that ask an audience about their views. For an audience of target customers, your questions may explore their reaction to a new product that can be used as feedback into the design.

Why do market research?

When you have tangible insights on the audience’s needs, you can then take steps to meet those needs and solve problems. This mitigates the risk of an experience gap – which is what your audience expects you deliver versus what you actually deliver.

In doing this work, you can gain:

Improved purchase levels – Sales will improve if your product or service is ticking all the right buttons for your customers.
Improved decision making – You can avoid the risk of losing capital or time by using what your research tells you and acting with insights.
Real connection with your target market – If you’re investing in understanding your target audience, your product and service will more likely to make an impact.
Understand new opportunities – it might be that your research indicates a new area for your product to play within, or you find potential for a new service that wasn’t considered before.

Get started with our free survey maker

Who do you ask your questions to?

Who to target in your market research is crucial to getting the right insights and data back. If you don’t have a firm idea on who your target audiences are, then here are some questions that you can ask before you begin writing your market research questions:

Who is our customer currently and who do we want to attract in the future?
How do they behave with your brand?
What do they say, do and think?
What are their pain points, needs and wants?
Where do they live? What is the size of our market?
Why do they use us? Why do they use other brands?

We’ve put together some questions below (Market research questions for your demographics) if you wanted to reach out to your market for this.

With the answers, you can help you segment your customer market, understand key consumer trends , create customer personas and discover the right way to target them.

Market research goals

Give yourself the right direction to work towards.There are different kinds of market research that can happen, but to choose the right market research questions, figure out your market research goals first.

Set a SMART goal that thinks about what you want to achieve and keeps you on track. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. For example, a good SMART business goal would be to increase website sales for a top product by 10% over a period of 6 months.

You may need to review some strategic business information, like customer personas and historical sales data, which can give you the foundation of knowledge (the ‘baseline’) to grow from. This, combined with your business objectives, will help you form the right SMART targets tailored to your teams.

Types of market research questions

Now that you have your SMART target, you can look at which type of market research questions will help you reach your goal. They can be split into these types:

For demographics
For customers
For product

Market research questions for your demographics

Demographic information about your customers is data about gender, age, ethnicity, annual income, education and marital status. It also gives key information about their shopping habits.

Here are some questions you can ask in your market research survey:

What is your age / gender / ethnicity / marital status?
What is the highest level of education you have achieved?
What is your monthly income range?
What methods of shopping do you use?
What amount do you spend on [product/brand/shopping] each month?
How regular do you shop for [product/brand]?

Learn more about the demographic survey questions that yield valuable insights .

Market research questions for your customer

These questions are aimed at your customer to understand the voice of the customer — the customer marketing landscape is not an one-way dialogue for engaging prospects and your customer’s feedback is needed for the development of your products or services.

How did we do / would you rate us?
Why did you decide to use [product or service]?
How does that fit your needs?
Would you recommend us to your friends?
Would you buy from us again?
What could we do better?
Why did you decide to shop elsewhere?
In your opinion, why should customers choose us?
How would you rate our customer experience?

Learn more about why the voice of the customer matters or try running a customer experience survey.

Market research questions for your product

These questions will help you understand how your customers perceive your product, their reactions to it and whether changes need to be made in the development cycle.

What does our [product or service] do that you like or dislike?
What do you think about [feature or benefit]?
How does the product help you solve your problems?
Which of these features will be the most valuable / useful for you?
Is our product competitive with other similar products out there? How?
How does the product score on [cost / service / ease of use, etc.]?
What changes will customers likely want in the future that technology can provide?

There are also a set of questions you can ask to find out if your product pricing is set at the right mark:

Does the product value justify the price it’s marketed at?
Is the pricing set at the right mark?
How much would you pay for this product?
Is this similar to what competitors are charging?
Do you believe the price is fair?
Do you believe the pricing is right based on the amount of usage you’d get?

Have you tried a pricing and value research survey to see how much your target customers would be willing to pay?

Market research questions for your brand

How does the impact of your products, services and experiences impact your brand’s image? You can find out using these questions:

What do you think about our brand?
Have you seen any reviews about us online? What do they say?
Have you heard about our brand from friends or family? What do they say?
How likely are you to recommend our brand to a friend?
Have you read the testimonials on our own channels? Did they have an impact on your decision to purchase? How?
When you think of our brand, what do you think/ feel / want?
How did you hear about us?
Do you feel confident you know what our brand stands for?
Are you aware of our [channel] account?

Learn more about brand perception surveys and how to carry them out successfully.

How to use market research questions in a survey

For the best research questionnaires, tailoring your market research questions to the goal you want will help you focus the direction of the data received.

You can get started now on your own market research questionnaire, using one of our free survey templates, when you sign up to a free Qualtrics account.

Drag-and-drop interface that requires no coding is easy-to-use, and supported by our award-winning support team.

With Qualtrics, you can distribute, and analyse surveys to find customer, employee, brand, product, and marketing research insights.

More than 11,000 brands and 99 of the top 100 business schools use Qualtrics solutions because of the freedom and power it gives them.

Get started with our free survey maker tool

Related resources

Market intelligence 10 min read, marketing insights 11 min read, ethnographic research 11 min read, qualitative vs quantitative research 13 min read, qualitative research questions 11 min read, qualitative research design 12 min read, primary vs secondary research 14 min read, request demo.

Ready to learn more about Qualtrics?

Mobile Forms
INTEGRATIONS
See 100+ integrations
FEATURED INTEGRATIONS
See more Integrations
See more CRM Integrations

See more Storage Integrations
See more Payment Integrations

See more Email Integrations
Jotform Teams
Enterprise Mobile
Prefill Forms
HIPAA Forms
Secure Forms
Assign Forms
Online Payments
See more features
Multiple Users
Admin Console
White Labeling
See more Enterprise Features
Contact Sales
Contact Support
Help Center
Jotform Books
Jotform Academy

Get a dedicated support team with Jotform Enterprise.

Market Research

30 market research questions for startups to ask

Business owners say that a lack of market research is one of the top reasons that businesses fail. It’s proof that while good ideas are powerful, they’re not enough to ensure the success of your startup.

If you want your new business to thrive, then robust market research is a necessity. And an essential part of the process is asking the right market research questions for startups.

In this article, we’ll discuss types of market research, review why market research is important for startups, and outline methods for conducting a market research survey. Then we’ll help you get started by sharing 30 example market research questions for startups to ask and highlighting how Jotform can help startups create the perfect market research survey.

The benefits of market research for a startup

Market research is the process of collecting data about the audience for a product or service (such as information on their attitudes, opinions, buying behavior, level of customer satisfaction, and awareness of your brand). This data is then combined with research on market size, competitors, and industry trends.

You can use the insights you’ve gathered from this research to create or enhance a positive user experience, improve your brand’s products and services, differentiate your company in the marketplace, and make other decisions that will ensure your startup succeeds.

While it certainly would be disappointing to discover that there’s no market for your potential solution, understanding this before you sink months or years of your blood, sweat, and tears into a project will save you a lot of headache and heartache going forward.

Market research can be helpful in many other ways. It allows you to

Test your ideas
Clarify and understand your ideal client profile (ICP)
Attract investors by gathering data that proves the viability of your idea
Differentiate your startup by analyzing the competition
Identify market gaps where you have a competitive advantage
Mitigate risk and boost the odds of success
Determine the right pricing strategy
Gather insights for developing your marketing and branding strategy
Improve your current product or service based on customer feedback
Understand shifts in the marketplace so you can adapt your business accordingly

Market research can provide a solid road map for making the kind of informed, data-driven decisions that will help you navigate the twists and turns along the way to startup success.

Types of market research

The two main types of market research are primary research and secondary research.

Primary market research is the process of gathering market data directly from your target audience through methods such as in-person interviews, questionnaires, online surveys, phone interviews, focus groups, and existing customer reviews.

Secondary market research is the process of reviewing information third parties have collected and shared via industry publications and studies, academic journals, news sites, white papers, and public databases.

Primary and secondary research can be both qualitative and quantitative. With qualitative research , you discover how your target audience thinks and feels, often by asking open-ended questions on a survey or reviewing interview transcripts. With quantitative research , the data you gather is numbers-based and measurable, such as test scores, website traffic numbers, subscriber counts, or numbers and percentages you’ve gathered from survey question responses.

Methods for conducting a market research survey for startups

A market research survey for startups should aim to collect reliable data on the target audience, competitors, and industry trends. This data can help you create an effective marketing strategy that appeals to your ICP, a value proposition that differentiates your startup from competitors, and an understanding of trends in your market.

There are several reliable methods for collecting market research data. Four common approaches include in-person interviews, telephone interviews, focus groups, and online surveys .

In-person interviews

Interviews are one-on-one conversations with people in your target market. You can conduct them through video if a face-to-face meeting isn’t possible. In-person interviews allow you to read non-verbal cues, which can be helpful for getting context you wouldn’t otherwise have access to.

Telephone interviews

Telephone interviews involve asking your participants questions over the phone. Because respondents aren’t meeting face to face or on camera with an interviewer, they may feel more comfortable answering questions and sharing more information. That said, not many organizations use phone surveys these days because many people won’t answer a call from a number they don’t recognize.

Focus groups

Like interviews, focus groups are also conducted in person, but they involve a small group of people who are representative of the target market. In this setting, a trained moderator asks questions about participant opinions, interests, and tastes related to a product or service, user experience, company branding or marketing, or competing products and services.

Online surveys

This method of conducting market research involves distributing surveys via email, a website, or social media. Online surveys often have a higher response rate than other methods because they are convenient for respondents — anyone with an internet connection can complete them online on any device.

Advantages of online surveys for conducting market research

Online surveys are a popular and powerful way to conduct market research because of their many advantages:

They offer an easy, low-cost way to collect lots of data, which means you can get a statistically reliable sample to base your decision-making on.
The data you gather with online surveys is usually straightforward to analyze.
You can use them to reach a specific target market.
You can use them to collect both qualitative and quantitative data on customer preferences, market trends, and more.
You can distribute them to anyone with an internet connection in any location around the world.
Participants can access them easily and complete them more quickly.
Because online surveys can be anonymous, respondents may be more likely to share their honest thoughts and opinions.
They’re more accurate than other methods because respondents record their answers directly into the survey, rather than having someone else record responses.
You can analyze results quickly and share them easily with others.

30 example market research questions for startups

There are several question types you can include in your market research survey, such as yes/no or single choice questions, multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, star rating questions, ranking questions, and more.

Let’s take a look at 30 example market research questions for startups.

Yes/no or single choice questions

Do you ever purchase products/services in this category?
Have you purchased our product/service before?
How many other products like this do you own?

Multiple choice questions

How many similar products/services like ours have you tried?

[0; 1–2; 3–4; 5 or more]

What’s your main source of information for products/services like ours? [Include a list of options.]
Which of these companies have you purchased this product from in the past six months? [Include a list of competitors.]
What would you be willing to spend on an effective product/service in this category? [Include a list of price categories.]
How do you prefer to purchase products like ours? [Include a list of choices: online, in the store, or through a mobile app.]

Star rating questions

You can introduce these questions with instructions like: Please select an answer between 1–5 stars, with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 being the highest.

How would you rate our customer service?
How would you rate our product selection online?
How would you rate the ease of using our communication channels to contact us?

Ranking questions

On a scale of 1–5, how would you rate the effectiveness of our product/service?
Which product features do you use the most? Rank them in order, from most to least.
In order of importance, please rank the top three things that persuaded you to consider our product rather than a competitor’s.
On a scale of 1–10, how likely are you to recommend our product/service to your friends, family, and colleagues?

Checkbox questions

Which of the following features do you use in our app? [Include a list of 4–5 app features.]
Which of the following features are most important to you when considering a product or service in this category? [Include a list of 4–5 features of your product/service.]

Open-ended questions

What has the greatest influence on your purchasing decisions: price, quality, ease-of-use, or something else?
What was your biggest concern about purchasing our product/service?
What were your first impressions of our product/service?
What do you like most about our new product/service?
What do you like least about our new product/service?
What do you wish our product/service did that it doesn’t do?
What feature do you think we should add to help improve the product experience for you?
How would you feel if this product/service was no longer available?
What challenges do you currently face in your industry (related to this product/service)?
What problem were you trying to solve by buying a product/service in this category?
What similar products/services have you used to solve this problem in the past?
Describe what was happening the day you decided to solve this problem.
Is there anything else you’d like to add that wasn’t addressed in any of the previous questions in this survey?

Create a market research survey for your startup with Jotform

You can easily create a survey using one of Jotform’s 70-plus marketing survey templates . Simply choose a template and customize it to match your goals and your company’s branding. Then share it with a link, through email, or by embedding it on your website to start collecting responses.

The free market research survey template is fast and easy to set up. It allows you to collect demographic information such as age, gender, household income, and education level, and its multiple-choice format makes it simple for respondents to complete. Customize it with your company logo, change the text and colors, and you’ll be ready to go. Or for another option, choose this market research template .

It’s easy to embed surveys in a website , and thanks to Jotform Tables , you can collect, organize, and manage data as well as track survey responses in an all-in-one workspace. Finally, Jotform Report Builder allows you to visualize your survey results and turn them into beautiful, professional reports and presentations that automatically update with each new submission. You can present your reports or share them in seconds — for free.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Thank you for helping improve the Jotform Blog. 🎉

68 market research questions to ask (and how to ask them)

Example market research questions, market research questions to ask customers, market research questions for product development, market research questions for brand tracking, pricing survey questions for market research, how to write your own market research questions.

No two market research projects are alike, but happily there are some tried-and-tested questions you can use for inspiration to get the consumer insights you’re looking for.

It’s all about asking questions that are most relevant to the goals of your research. Every so often the best questions are actually quite straightforward, like asking consumers where they do their grocery shopping.

If you’re creating a customer profile, you’ll ask different questions than when you’re running creative testing with your target audience, or getting insights on key consumer trends in your market.

The right market research questions are the ones that will lead you to actionable insights, and give you a competitive advantage in your target market.

Let’s kick this off and get straight into some questions, shall we?

Where do we even begin with this?! There are so many types of research and we’ll get into which questions work for each below, but here are some classic example market research questions to get you started.

These particular questions are good for surveys that you might run when you’re running some essential consumer profiling research.

Which of these products have you purchased in the last 3 months?
Which of the following types of >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY< do you buy at least once a month?
Approximately, how much would you say you spend on >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY< per month?
What is stopping you from buying more of >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY<?
When was the last time you tried a new >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY<?
Please rank the following on how important or unimportant they are when deciding which >INSERT PRODUCT CATEGORY< to buy?
Which of these brands are you aware of?
Which of these brands have you purchased from in the last 3 months?
How do you prefer to shop for >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY<?
Why do you prefer to shop online?
Why do you prefer to shop in-store?
Thinking about the following, how often do you use/listen/watch each of these media?
Where do you go to keep up to date with the news?
Which social media platforms do you use daily?
What mobile phone do you currently own?

Surely you want to talk to your current customers to understand why they buy from you and what they think about your products?

Correct! But your consumer research should definitely not end with current customers!

Here’s why you should think about broadening your research to include other groups and different market research methods :

Current customers: This is a must! Running research to your current customers will help you understand how you can make your product or service better. These are the people who’ve spent their hard-earned cash on your products so they have a unique perspective on what kind of value you offer. In addition, understanding why your existing customer base chose your brand over others can help you create messaging that resonates with people who are still on the fence.
Previous customers: People who used to buy your products but don’t anymore can give you valuable insight into areas you might need to improve. Perhaps your brand perception has shifted making some customers buy elsewhere, or maybe your competitors offer customers better value for money than you currently do. These are the kinds of areas you can learn about by running research to previous customers.
Non-customers: You should also ask people who haven’t bought your products why they haven’t. That way you’ll learn what you need to improve to bring new customers in. You should ideally ask the same kinds of questions, so that you can learn about what product features you need to work on but also things like the messaging you should be putting out there to win people over.

Here are some questions that are perfect for competitive market analysis research. Some of these questions might sound similar to some from our previous section on consumer profiling—that’s because there’s often some crossover between these types of research. Consumer profiling often refers to a more general type of research that covers similar ground to market analysis. If you’re wondering how to calculate market size , questions like these would be a great starting point.

How often do you usually purchase >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY<?
Why do you buy >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY<?
What types of >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY< do you buy?
How often do you buy the following types of >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY<?
Where do you buy your >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY<?
Where do you find out about >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY<?
Which of these brands have your purchased in the last 12 months?
How would you feel if you could no longer buy >INSERT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORY<?
How important or unimportant do you find the following topics? (e.g. sustainability, diversity and inclusion, ethical supply chain)
What could be improved about the products you currently use?

Group of people taking part in market research

By involving consumers in the product development process, you can make sure that your products are designed to meet—and ideally exceed—their needs.

Product market research can be done at several points in the product development process, by asking potential customers in your target market questions about existing products (yours or competitors’), prototypes, or just your own early-stage product ideas.

You can dive into the customer experience, specific product features or simply find out if the product quality matches the value proposition you’re putting out there.

Sometimes you even get a surprising answer to the question: how does our product or service help people?

You might learn from the survey responses that customers are using your product in a different way than you intended, opening you up to new target markets and different product types in the future.

Asking these questions also allows you to get feedback on your designs, so that you can make necessary changes before the product is released. Here’s some inspiration for when you’re conducting product market research.

There are different types of new product development research. A key type is Jobs to be done research. This research digs into the practical reasons people buy products—the jobs they need to get done with a specific product. You use these insights to help you create products that will genuinely help consumers, and that they’ll ultimately want to buy.

How many times have you carried out [INSERT ACTIVITY] in the last 12 months?
How much time would you typically spend on this [INSERT ACTIVITY]?
How important or unimportant is carrying out this [INSERT ACTIVITY]?
How satisfied or unsatisfied do you feel when carrying out this [INSERT ACTIVITY]?
What is the best thing about carrying out [INSERT ACTIVITY]?
How does carrying out [INSERT ACTIVITY] make you feel? Please select all that apply
What particular problems or challenges do you run into while carrying out [INSERT ACTIVITY]?

When you’re cooking up your brand’s next product, you’ll want to go through a concept testing phase. This is where you ask consumers what they think about your idea and find out whether it’s likely to be a success. Here are some of the questions you could ask in your concept testing research.

To what extent do you like or dislike this idea/product? [ATTACH IMAGE]
What do you like about this idea/product?
What do you dislike about this idea/product?
Is easy to use
Sounds tasty
Is good quality
Is Innovative
Is different from others
Purchase this product
Replace the product I currently own with this
What other products this idea/product reminds you of? Please provide as much detail as possible including the product name.
What feature(s), if any, do you feel are missing from this product?
How would you improve this idea/product? Be as descriptive as possible!
What issues do you solve through the use of this product?
When can you see yourself using this product? Please select all that apply.
The price for this product is $25.00 per item. How likely or unlikely would you be to buy this product at this price?

Get inspired with NPD survey templates

Our in-house research experts have created New Product Development (NPD) survey templates to give you the perfect starting point for your product research!

Does the perspective of new customers change over time? How do you compare to other brands, and how do you become the preferred brand in your market and increase that market share?

Brand perception and brand awareness are super important metrics to track. These insights can be used to improve customer experience and satisfaction on a higher level than just product: the relationship you have with your customers.

This research can also help you understand how to reach the holy grail of branding: turning loyal customers into brand ambassadors.

You should also remember to ask marketing research questions about your brand to existing and potential customers.

Existing customers might have a different view after having interacted with your team and products, and you can use that to manage the expectations of your target customers down the line. And potential customers can help you understand what’s holding them back from joining your customer base.

Top tip: it’s completely fine (and super beneficial!) to run brand tracking into your competitors’ brands as well as your own. Replicating research for different brands will give you a tailored benchmark for your category and position.

Here are some key questions to ask in your brand tracking research.

Which of the following, if any, have you purchased in the past 12 months?
Thinking about >INSERT YOUR CATEGORY<, what brands, if any, are you aware of? Please type in all that you can think of.
Which of these brands of facial wipes, if any, are you aware of?
Which of these facial wipe brands, if any, have you ever purchased?
Which of these facial wipe brands, if any, would you consider purchasing in the next 6 months?
e.g. Innovative
Easy to use
Traditional
We’d now like to ask you some specific questions about >INSERT YOUR BRAND<.
When did you last use >INSERT YOUR BRAND<?
What do you like most about >INSERT YOUR BRAND<?
What do you like least about >INSERT YOUR BRAND<?
How likely would you be to recommend >INSERT YOUR BRAND< to a friend, family or colleague?
Why did you give that score? Include as much detail as possible
In newspapers/magazines
On Instagram
On Facebook
On the radio
Through friends/family/colleagues
When did you last use >INSERT MAIN COMPETITOR BRAND<?
How likely would you be to recommend >INSERT MAIN COMPETITOR BRAND< to a friend, family or colleague?

Kick off your brand tracking with templates

Track your brand to spot—and act on!—how your brand’s perception and awareness affects how people buy. Our survey templates give you the ideal starting point!

When it comes to pricing your product, there’s no need to wing it—a pricing survey can give you the insights you need to arrive at the perfect price point.

By asking customers questions about their willingness to pay for your product, you can get a realistic sense of what price point will be most attractive to them and, not unimportant, why.

Top tip: good pricing research can be tough to get right. Asking how much people would theoretically be willing to pay for a product is very different from them actually choosing it in a shop, on a shelf next to competitors’ products, and with a whole load of other economic context that you can’t possibly test for. Price testing is useful, but should sometimes be taken with a pinch of salt.

Here are some questions you could use in your pricing research.

Which of the following product categories have you bought in the last 12 months?
How often do you currently purchase >INSERT YOUR CATEGORY<?
At what price would you consider this >INSERT PRODUCT CATEGORY< to be so expensive that you would not consider buying it? (Too expensive)
At what price would you consider this >INSERT PRODUCT CATEGORY< to be starting to get expensive, so that it is not out of the question, but you have to give some thought to buying it? (e.g. Expensive)
At what price would you consider this >INSERT PRODUCT CATEGORY< to be a bargain—a great buy for the money? (e.g. cheap)
At what price would you consider this >INSERT PRODUCT CATEGORY< to be priced so low that you would feel the quality couldn’t be very good? (Too cheap)
How much do you currently pay for >INSERT PRODUCT CATEGORY<? Please type in below
Thinking about this product, please rank the following aspects based on how much value they add, where 1 = adds the most value 10 = adds the least value.
Thinking about the product category as a whole, please rank the following brands in order of value, where 1 is the most expensive and 10 is the least.

Formulating market research questions can be tricky. On the one hand, you want to be specific enough that you can get tangible, useful answers. But on the other hand, you don’t want to ask questions that are so difficult or unclear that respondents will get frustrated and give up halfway through.

Think about what answers you need and what actions you are hoping to take based on those answers.

We’ll help you get started with a list of steps to take when formulating your own market research questions, and putting them together in a survey that makes sense.

1. Define your research goals and link them to actions you can take

Before you can write great market research questions, you need to know what you want to learn from your research.

What are your goals? What do you want to find out? Once you have a clear understanding of your goals, you can start brainstorming questions that will help you achieve them.

2. Know your target market and the language they use

Who are you conducting market research for? It’s important to know your audience before you start writing questions, as this will help you determine the best way to phrase them.

For example, if you’re conducting market research for a new product aimed at teenagers, you’ll want to use different language than if you were conducting research for a new financial planning service aimed at retirees.

3. Keep it simple, and break things into smaller pieces

Don’t make your questions too complicated. Stick to simple, straightforward questions that can be easily understood by your target audience.

The more complex your questions are, the more likely it is that respondents will get confused and provide inaccurate answers.

If you feel a question is too difficult, see if you can break it up into smaller pieces and add follow-up questions on top.

And don’t ever load two questions into one! This falls into Consumer Research 101, but it’s amazing how often it happens. Instead of ‘What’s your favorite chocolate bar, and why?’ ask two questions: ‘What’s your favorite chocolate bar?’ and ‘Why is this your favorite chocolate bar?’

4. Be super specific

Make sure your questions are specific enough to get the information you need. Vague questions will only lead to vague answers.

For example, instead of asking ‘What do you think of this product?’, ask ‘What did you think of the taste of this product?’ or ‘What did you think of the packaging of this product?’.

5. Avoid leading questions

Leading questions are those that suggest a particular answer or course of action. For example, instead of asking ‘Do you like our new product?’, which suggests that the respondent should like the product, try asking ‘What are your thoughts on this product?

This question is neutral and allows the respondent to answer freely without feeling pressured in any particular direction. It’s also brand-neutral: people answering this question will have no idea who’s asking, and their opinion won’t be biased as a result.

6. Make sure your question is clear

It’s important that your question is clear and concise so that respondents understand exactly what they’re being asked. If there is any ambiguity in your question, respondents may interpret it in different ways and provide inaccurate answers.

Always test your questions on a few people before sending them to a larger group to make sure they understand what they’re being asked.

7. Avoid loaded words

Loaded words are those with positive or negative connotations that could influence the way respondents answer the question. For example, instead of asking ‘Do you love this product?’, which has a positive connotation, try asking ‘What are your thoughts on this product?’

This question is neutral and allows the respondent to answer freely without feeling pressured in any particular direction

8. Make sure the question is answerable

Before you include a question in your market research survey, make sure it’s actually answerable. There’s no point in asking a question if there’s no way for respondents to answer it properly. If a question isn’t answerable, either revise the question or remove it from your survey altogether.

9. Use an appropriate question type

When designing your market research survey, be sure to use an appropriate question type for each question you include. Using the wrong question type can lead to inaccurate or unusable results, so it’s important to choose wisely. Some common question types used in market research surveys include multiple choice, rating scale, and open-ended questions.

10. Pay attention to question order

The order of the questions in your survey can also impact the results you get from your research. In general, it’s best to start with more general questions and then move on to more specific ones later on in the survey. This will help ensure that respondents are properly warmed up and able to provide detailed answers by the time they reach the end of the survey.

Make smart decisions with the reliable insights

To make sure you make smart decisions that have real impact on your business, get consumer insights you can rely on. Here’s our rundown of the top market research tools.

Survey questions for market research are designed to collect information about a target market or audience. They can be used to gather data about consumer preferences, opinions, and behavior. Some common types of market research survey questions include demographic questions, behavioral questions and attitudinal questions.

There are many different types of market research questions that companies can use to gather information about consumer preferences and buying habits. They can be divided into different categories, like a competitive analysis, customer satisfaction or market trends, after which you can make them more specific and turn them into survey questions. These are some of the things your research questions can help you answer: – What is the target market for our product? – Who is our competition? – What do consumers think of our product? – How often do consumers purchase our product? – What is the typical customer profile for our product? – What motivates consumers to purchase our product?

When conducting market research, surveys are an invaluable tool for gathering insights about your target audience. But how do you write a market research questionnaire that will get you the information you need? First, determine the purpose of your survey and who your target respondents are. This will help you to write questions that are relevant and targeted. Next, craft clear and concise questions that can be easily understood. Be sure to avoid ambiguity, leading questions and loaded language. Finally, pilot your survey with a small group of people to make sure that it is effective. With these tips in mind, you can write a market research survey that will help you to gather the crucial insights you need.

Elliot Barnard

Customer Research Lead

Elliot joined Attest in 2019 and has dedicated his career to working with brands carrying out market research. At Attest Elliot takes a leading role in the Customer Research Team, to support customers as they uncover insights and new areas for growth.

5 beverage branding ideas (with examples you can learn from), survey vs questionnaire: what’s the difference and which should you use, what does inflation mean for brands, consumer profiling, subscribe to our newsletter.

Fill in your email and we’ll drop fresh insights and events info into your inbox each week.

* I agree to receive communications from Attest. Privacy Policy .

You're now subscribed to our mailing list to receive exciting news, reports, and other updates!

Productivity
Working from Home
Social Media
Content Marketing
Contact SBB

75+ Market Research Questions for Success

Regarding market research, having the right questions is critical for getting accurate and valuable insights .

These 75 market research questions can help you get started on your next project, giving you an idea of what topics to cover to ensure success.

We’ll review everything you need to know about customer surveys , competitive analysis, product feedback, and more !

What is Market Research?

Market research is the process of gathering and analyzing data to understand customer behavior, market trends, and competitor strategies.

It gives businesses the insights needed to make informed decisions about their products and services.

Market research is important because it helps companies to understand what their customers want and how they can best serve them .

We’ll review the steps to help you start conducting market research and asking the right questions.

Types of Market Research

Several different types of market research questions can be used to gain insights into customer behavior and market trends.

These include the following:

Single choice
Multiple choice
Ranking questions
Likert scale
Dichotomous

75+ Market Research Questions for Success

Single-Choice

These basic questions ask respondents to select one answer from a list of options.

The purpose of a single-choice question is to provide a general overview of customer preferences and needs.

An example of a single-choice question is:

“What is your favorite type of ice cream?”

Multiple-Choice

These questions ask respondents to select multiple answers from a given list of options.

They can be used to gain more detailed insights into customer preferences than single-choice questions.

An example of a multiple-choice question is the following:

Which of these activities do you do regularly?

A) Exercise

D) Watch TV

E) Listen to Music

The purpose of a multiple-choice question is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of customer behavior and preferences.

Ranking Questions

Ranking questions ask respondents to rank a list of options in order of preference.

These types of questions can be used to understand how important certain factors are when making decisions.

An example of a ranking question would be the following:

Please rank the following items from most important to least important when selecting a car:

(D) Fuel Efficiency

Likert Scale

A Likert scale is a type of question that asks respondents to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with a statement.

It can be used to gauge customer sentiment around specific topics and gain insights into how they feel about your products or services.

An example of a Likert scale question is:

“How likely are you to recommend our product to a friend?”

Dichotomous Questions

Dichotomous questions present respondents with two possible answers and ask them to choose one. They are often used to gain quick insights into customer preferences.

An example of a dichotomous question is the following:

Do you prefer online or in-store shopping?

B) In-store

Open-ended questions allow respondents to provide more detailed answers than single-choice, multiple-choice, ranking, and dichotomous questions.

They are helpful in gaining qualitative insights into customer behavior and preferences.

An example of an open-ended question is the following:

“What do you think could be improved about our product?”

By understanding the different types of market research questions, businesses can more effectively gather data to gain insights into customer behavior and make informed decisions. With the proper market research techniques, companies can better understand their customers and identify growth opportunities.

How to Write Questions for Market Research

Writing practical questions for market research is key to getting meaningful and valuable results.

Questions should be clear and concise, avoiding jargon or overly technical language. They should also cover the topics that are most important to the project.

Additionally, it’s important to remember who you’re targeting with your questions. Write them in a way the target audience can easily understand and relate to, which will help ensure they provide accurate responses.

For example, if you are writing questions as a market research agency in the USA, you’ll want to tailor them to the appropriate culture and consumer trends.

Finally, take into account any legal or ethical considerations when writing questions. This is especially important when collecting sensitive personal data or working with vulnerable groups.

We’ll go over how to write the following types of questions:

Feedback Questions

Existing product questions, market segment quesitons, market discovery questions, brand awareness questions, customer reservation questions, pricing analysis questions.

To write feedback questions, start by asking general questions about customer satisfaction. These can include queries about the level of service they received, the quality of products, and whether they would recommend it to others.

You can also ask more specific questions, such as what features customers like or dislike, how easy it is to use a certain product or service, and what changes they would like to see.

To write great existing product questions, you need to know what customers think about your current offerings.

Ask them how satisfied they are with the features and performance of the products or if there is anything that could be improved.

You can also get their opinion on your product’s design, packaging, price point, and customer support.

These questions are designed to gain an understanding of different segments within the market.

Questions can include asking about the following:

Income level
Customers’ age
Primary interests and activities

This information can help businesses identify potential target markets and tailor their products and services accordingly.

Market discovery questions help businesses explore the market and gain insights into customer behavior.

These questions can include asking customers what they currently use their product or service for, their expectations and needs, and what would make them switch to a different offering.

Brand awareness questions can help businesses understand how well their products are known in the market.

Questions can range from asking customers to rate how familiar they are with the brand to what words or phrases come to mind when they think of it.

Boosting brand awareness is important for businesses to reach new customers, so this information can be invaluable.

Customer reservation questions can help businesses identify potential barriers preventing customers from purchasing their products or services.

Questions like the following can be useful in uncovering potential areas for improvement:

“What is holding you back from making a purchase?”
“What would make you more likely to buy?”
“What feature do you wish was available?”

Finally, pricing analysis questions can help businesses determine how much customers are willing to pay for their products and services.

Questions such as the following can help businesses gain valuable insights:

“What is your budget?”
“Would you be willing to pay more for extra features?”
“What other products have you considered in a similar price range?”

By following these tips, you should be able to write effective questions that will provide valuable insights into the market.

75+ Market Research Questions

In addition to the above questions, here are 75 market research questions you can ask your target audience to help inform your business decisions.

How did you learn about our product or service?
What made you decide to purchase our product or service?
How likely are you to recommend our product or service to a friend or colleague?
Would you say that the features of our product or service met your expectations?
Did you find it easy to navigate our website and locate the information needed to make your decision?
Did you find any areas of improvement in terms of usability when using our website?
How satisfied are you with the customer support options we provide?
Did the delivery process for our product meet your expectations in terms of speed, accuracy, and overall experience?
If applicable, did the installation process for our product meet your expectations in terms of speed, accuracy, and overall experience?
Are there any other products or services we could offer that would improve your overall experience with us?
What do you think of the quality of our current offerings?
How would you rate the usability of our products/services?
How would you rate the performance of our products/services?
What could we do to make our products/services more appealing to you?
Are there any features that are missing from our products/services?
What do you like most about our products/services?
What could we change to make them better?
Do you think our prices are competitive?
Would you recommend our products/services to someone else?

Market Segment Questions

What age range would you classify yourself in?
Are you married, single, or in a relationship?
What city/town do you currently reside in?
How many hours a day do you typically spend on the internet?
What type of device(s) do you use to access the internet (desktop, laptop, mobile phone)?
On average, how much money do you spend online each month?
What products or services have you purchased online within the last 6 months?
How likely are you to purchase goods or services from an unfamiliar website compared to a familiar website?
How often do you interact with social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter?
Are there any particular features or functions that would make it easier for you to shop online or make purchases?
Do you find yourself comparing prices and product features before making a purchase decision?
Are there any particular brands that stand out to you when shopping for products or services online?
When looking for information about products and services online, what sources do you rely on most (e-commerce websites, review sites, etc.)?
What types of discounts are most enticing to customers when making an online purchase (free shipping offers, bonus items with purchase, coupon codes)?
Do certain payment methods influence your purchasing decisions?
What do you think are the most important features when considering a purchase?
How would you define your personal style and aesthetic preferences?
Are there any new products or services you want to see in the marketplace?
Do certain brand values affect your purchasing decisions (e.g., sustainability, ethical practices, etc.)?
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing companies in your industry?
When researching products or services, what content or information would you like to see from brands?
Are there any particular technologies that you think could improve customer experiences online?
Do current trends in social media affect your views on certain brands and their offerings?
Are there any new products or services that would benefit your lifestyle?
What do you think sets certain brands apart from their competitors?
Are there any particular marketing strategies that you find appealing when considering a purchase?
Which channels do you prefer to use for customer service (live chat, email, phone)?
What is your familiarity with our brand?
Do you recognize our brand name when shopping online or in-store?
Are there any particular elements that stand out to you in the design of our website, logo, products, and services?
How do you feel when interacting with our brand (positive, neutral, negative)?
What do you think our brand stands for?
What words would you use to describe our brand and its offerings?
Do you prefer more traditional or modern marketing techniques/strategies when engaging with our brand?
Which social media platforms do you associate most with our brand?
Are there any particular campaigns that have resonated with you in the past?
What type of content do you expect to see from our brand?
Are there any particular features or services that make our brand stand out from its competitors?
Do certain events or promotions influence your views on our brand?
Do you believe our brand offers competitive pricing compared to other brands?
Do you think our brand is transparent with its customers regarding providing information and responding to inquiries?
Are there any particular resources that could help customers better understand our brand and offerings?
What do you believe our brand should focus on to improve customer experiences?
Do you think our brand adequately addresses customer feedback or suggestions?
Do certain rewards or loyalty programs influence your purchasing decisions when considering our brand?
Do you feel that our brand keeps up with the latest trends in technology and innovation?

Customer Retention Questions

What do you believe are the key factors that make customers commit to our brand?
Do you think our customer service is up to par with competitors in the market?
How likely are you to recommend our products or services to friends and family?
What do you think keeps customers engaged with our brand, both online and in-store?
Are there any particular features or services that you think make our brand stand out from its competitors?
Do certain discounts, promotions, or loyalty programs influence your decision to stay with us?
What do you think is the biggest challenge when retaining customers for our brand?
Are there any new products or services that would make you a more loyal customer?
Are there any particular communications or marketing tactics that could help keep customers engaged with our brand?
Do certain events or milestones influence your commitment to our brand?
What do you think is the most effective way to show appreciation for customers?
Are there any loyalty or rewards programs that have successfully kept customers loyal to our brand?
Do you think our customer service team is responsive and attentive when addressing customer needs and inquiries?
Are there any particular features or services that could improve your overall experience with our brand?
Do you feel our prices are reasonable compared to other products and services in the market?
Are there any specific features or services that add value to our offerings?
What do you think is the best way to differentiate ourselves from competitors regarding pricing?
Are there any particular discounts or promotions that could influence customers to purchase from us?
Do you think our pricing strategy is transparent and easy for customers to understand?
Do certain market events or trends influence customer decisions when choosing our brand over competitors?
What do you believe are the biggest challenges when it comes to setting prices for our products or services?
Do you think our price points are competitive enough to draw customer interest?
Are there any particular features or services that could be offered at a lower cost than competitors?
Do you think certain rewards or loyalty programs influence customer decisions when comparing brand prices?
Are there any discounts, promotions, or offers that have successfully driven sales?
What is the most effective way to communicate pricing information to customers?
Are there any particular resources or tools that could be used to analyze and adjust our prices as needed?

Market Research Wrap Up

These 75 market research questions provide a great starting point for any business looking to gain valuable insights into customer behavior and market trends.

By using this as a guide, you can ensure that your surveys are comprehensive and effective in helping you make informed decisions about your products and services. Good luck!

Do you have any questions of your own to add? Let us know in the comments below!

Newsletter Signup

Join The Leads Field Guide Newsletter for tips, strategies and (free) resources for growing your leads, and closing more deals.

Maximizing brand exposure: how to effectively utilize promotional products, beyond press releases: the evolving role of public relations agencies, how to build a business website (2023).

Home » 500+ Business Research Topics

500+ Business Research Topics

Business research is an essential component of any successful organization, as it allows companies to make informed decisions based on data-driven insights. Whether it’s market research to identify new opportunities, or analyzing internal processes to improve efficiency, there are a vast array of business research topics that companies can explore. With the constantly evolving business landscape, it’s critical for organizations to stay up-to-date with the latest research trends and best practices to remain competitive. In this post, we’ll explore some of the most compelling business research topics that are currently being studied, providing insights and actionable recommendations for businesses of all sizes.

Business Research Topics

Business Research Topics are as follows:

The impact of social media on consumer behavior
Strategies for enhancing customer satisfaction in the service industry
The effectiveness of mobile marketing campaigns
Exploring the factors influencing employee turnover
The role of leadership in organizational culture
Investigating the relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance
Assessing the impact of employee engagement on organizational performance
The challenges and opportunities of global supply chain management
Analyzing the effectiveness of e-commerce platforms
Investigating the impact of organizational culture on employee motivation
The role of corporate governance in ensuring ethical business practices
Examining the impact of digital marketing on brand equity
Strategies for managing diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Exploring the effects of employee empowerment on job satisfaction
The role of innovation in business growth
Analyzing the impact of mergers and acquisitions on company performance
Investigating the impact of workplace design on employee productivity
The challenges and opportunities of international business expansion
Strategies for managing talent in the knowledge economy
The role of artificial intelligence in transforming business operations
Examining the impact of customer loyalty programs on retention and revenue
Investigating the relationship between corporate social responsibility and brand reputation
The role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership
The impact of digital transformation on small and medium-sized enterprises
Analyzing the effectiveness of green marketing strategies
The role of entrepreneurship in economic development
Investigating the impact of employee training and development on organizational performance
The challenges and opportunities of omnichannel retailing
Examining the impact of organizational change on employee morale and productivity
The role of corporate social responsibility in attracting and retaining millennial talent
Analyzing the impact of employee motivation on organizational culture
Investigating the impact of workplace diversity on team performance
The challenges and opportunities of blockchain technology in business operations
Strategies for managing cross-functional teams
The role of big data analytics in business decision-making
Examining the impact of corporate social responsibility on customer loyalty
Investigating the relationship between corporate social responsibility and employee engagement
The impact of social media marketing on customer engagement and brand loyalty.
The effectiveness of AI in improving customer service and satisfaction.
The role of entrepreneurship in economic development and job creation.
The impact of the gig economy on the labor market.
The effects of corporate social responsibility on company profitability.
The role of data analytics in predicting consumer behavior and market trends.
The effects of globalization on the competitiveness of small businesses.
The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar retail.
The role of emotional intelligence in leadership and team management.
The effects of workplace diversity on employee productivity and satisfaction.
The role of corporate culture in employee retention and satisfaction.
The impact of employee training and development on company performance.
The effectiveness of performance-based pay structures on employee motivation.
The impact of sustainability practices on company reputation and profitability.
The effects of artificial intelligence on job displacement and the future of work.
The role of innovation in the growth and success of small businesses.
The impact of government regulations on business operations and profitability.
The effects of organizational structure on company performance and efficiency.
The role of emotional labor in service industries.
The impact of employee empowerment on job satisfaction and retention.
The effects of workplace flexibility on employee productivity and well-being.
The role of emotional intelligence in negotiation and conflict resolution.
The impact of branding on consumer behavior and purchase decisions.
The effects of customer experience on brand loyalty and advocacy.
The role of storytelling in marketing and advertising.
The impact of consumer psychology on pricing strategies and sales.
The effects of influencer marketing on consumer behavior and brand loyalty.
The role of trust in online transactions and e-commerce.
The impact of product design on consumer perception and purchasing decisions.
The effects of customer satisfaction on company profitability and growth.
The role of social entrepreneurship in addressing societal problems and creating value.
The impact of corporate governance on company performance and stakeholder relations.
The effects of workplace harassment on employee well-being and company culture.
The role of strategic planning in the success of small businesses.
The impact of technology on supply chain management and logistics.
The effects of customer segmentation on marketing strategies and sales.
The role of corporate philanthropy in building brand reputation and loyalty.
The impact of intellectual property protection on innovation and creativity.
The effects of trade policies on international business operations and profitability.
The role of strategic partnerships in business growth and expansion.
The impact of digital transformation on organizational structure and operations.
The effects of leadership styles on employee motivation and performance.
The role of corporate social activism in shaping public opinion and brand reputation.
The impact of mergers and acquisitions on company performance and stakeholder value.
The effects of workplace automation on job displacement and re-skilling.
The role of cross-cultural communication in international business operations.
The impact of workplace stress on employee health and productivity.
The effects of customer reviews and ratings on online sales and reputation.
The role of competitive intelligence in market research and strategy development.
The impact of brand identity on consumer trust and loyalty.
The impact of organizational structure on innovation and creativity
Analyzing the effectiveness of virtual teams in global organizations
The role of corporate social responsibility in crisis management
The challenges and opportunities of online marketplaces
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in multinational corporations
The impact of employer branding on employee retention
Investigating the impact of corporate social responsibility on investor behavior
The role of technology in enhancing customer experience
Analyzing the impact of social responsibility initiatives on customer satisfaction
Investigating the impact of supply chain disruptions on business performance
The role of business ethics in organizational decision-making
The challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in customer service
Strategies for managing employee burnout and stress in the workplace.
Impact of social media on consumer behavior and its implications for businesses.
The impact of corporate social responsibility on company performance.
An analysis of the relationship between employee satisfaction and customer loyalty.
The effect of advertising on consumer behavior.
A study on the effectiveness of social media marketing in building brand image.
The impact of technological innovations on business strategy and operations.
The relationship between leadership style and employee motivation.
A study of the effects of corporate culture on employee engagement.
An analysis of the factors influencing consumer buying behavior.
The effectiveness of training and development programs in enhancing employee performance.
The impact of global economic factors on business decision-making.
The role of organizational communication in achieving business goals.
The relationship between customer satisfaction and business success.
A study of the challenges and opportunities in international business.
The effectiveness of supply chain management in improving business performance.
An analysis of the factors influencing customer loyalty in the hospitality industry.
The impact of employee turnover on organizational performance.
A study of the impact of corporate governance on company performance.
The role of innovation in business growth and success.
An analysis of the relationship between marketing and sales performance.
The effect of organizational structure on employee behavior.
A study of the impact of cultural differences on business negotiations.
The effectiveness of pricing strategies in increasing sales revenue.
The impact of customer service on customer loyalty.
A study of the role of human resource management in business success.
The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.
An analysis of the relationship between employee empowerment and job satisfaction.
The effectiveness of customer relationship management in building brand loyalty.
The role of business ethics in corporate decision-making.
A study of the impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior.
The effect of organizational culture on employee turnover.
An analysis of the factors influencing employee engagement in the workplace.
The impact of social media on business communication and marketing.
A study of the relationship between customer service and customer loyalty in the airline industry.
The role of diversity and inclusion in business success.
The effectiveness of performance management systems in improving employee performance.
The impact of corporate social responsibility on employee engagement.
A study of the factors influencing business expansion into new markets.
The role of brand identity in customer loyalty and retention.
The effectiveness of change management strategies in organizational change.
The impact of organizational structure on organizational performance.
A study of the impact of technology on the future of work.
The relationship between innovation and competitive advantage in the marketplace.
The effect of employee training on organizational performance.
An analysis of the impact of online reviews on consumer behavior.
The role of leadership in shaping organizational culture.
The effectiveness of talent management strategies in retaining top talent.
The impact of globalization on small and medium-sized enterprises.
A study of the relationship between corporate social responsibility and brand reputation.
The effectiveness of employee retention strategies in reducing turnover rates.
The role of emotional intelligence in leadership and employee engagement.
The impact of digital marketing on customer behavior
The role of organizational culture in employee engagement and retention
The effects of employee training and development on organizational performance
The relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance
The impact of globalization on business strategy
The importance of supply chain management in achieving competitive advantage
The role of innovation in business growth and sustainability
The impact of e-commerce on traditional retail businesses
The role of leadership in managing change in organizations
The effects of workplace diversity on organizational performance
The impact of social media on brand image and reputation
The relationship between employee motivation and productivity
The role of organizational structure in promoting innovation
The effects of customer service on customer loyalty
The impact of globalization on small businesses
The role of corporate governance in preventing unethical behavior
The effects of technology on job design and work organization
The relationship between employee satisfaction and turnover
The impact of mergers and acquisitions on organizational culture
The effects of employee benefits on job satisfaction
The impact of cultural differences on international business negotiations
The role of strategic planning in organizational success
The effects of organizational change on employee stress and burnout
The impact of business ethics on customer trust and loyalty
The role of human resource management in achieving competitive advantage
The effects of outsourcing on organizational performance
The impact of diversity and inclusion on team performance
The role of corporate social responsibility in brand differentiation
The effects of leadership style on organizational culture
The Impact of Digital Marketing on Brand Equity: A Study of E-commerce Businesses
Investigating the Relationship between Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance
Analyzing the Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility on Customer Loyalty and Firm Performance
An Empirical Study of the Factors Affecting Entrepreneurial Success in the Technology Sector
The Influence of Organizational Culture on Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction: A Case Study of a Service Industry
Investigating the Impact of Organizational Change on Employee Resistance: A Comparative Study of Two Organizations
An Exploration of the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Supply Chain Management
Examining the Relationship between Leadership Styles and Employee Creativity in Innovative Organizations
Investigating the Effectiveness of Performance Appraisal Systems in Improving Employee Performance
Analyzing the Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Effectiveness: A Study of Senior Managers
The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction in the Healthcare Sector
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Talent Management Strategies in Enhancing Organizational Performance
A Study of the Effects of Customer Relationship Management on Customer Retention and Loyalty
Investigating the Impact of Corporate Governance on Firm Performance: Evidence from Emerging Markets
The Relationship between Intellectual Capital and Firm Performance: A Case Study of Technology Firms
Analyzing the Effectiveness of Diversity Management in Improving Organizational Performance
The Impact of Internationalization on the Performance of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: A Comparative Study of Developed and Developing Countries
Examining the Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance: A Study of Listed Firms
Investigating the Influence of Entrepreneurial Orientation on Firm Performance in Emerging Markets
Analyzing the Impact of E-commerce on Traditional Retail Business Models: A Study of Brick-and-Mortar Stores
The Effect of Corporate Reputation on Customer Loyalty and Firm Performance: A Study of the Banking Sector
Investigating the Factors Affecting Consumer Adoption of Mobile Payment Systems
The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Attracting and Retaining Millennial Employees
Analyzing the Impact of Social Media Marketing on Brand Awareness and Consumer Purchase Intentions
A Study of the Effects of Employee Training and Development on Job Performance
Investigating the Relationship between Corporate Culture and Employee Turnover: A Study of Multinational Companies
The Impact of Business Process Reengineering on Organizational Performance: A Study of Service Industries
An Empirical Study of the Factors Affecting Internationalization Strategies of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
The Effect of Strategic Human Resource Management on Firm Performance: A Study of Manufacturing Firms
Investigating the Influence of Leadership on Organizational Culture: A Comparative Study of Two Organizations
The Impact of Technology Adoption on Organizational Productivity: A Study of the Healthcare Sector
Analyzing the Effects of Brand Personality on Consumer Purchase Intentions: A Study of Luxury Brands
The Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Customer Perceptions of Product Quality: A Study of the Food and Beverage Industry
Investigating the Effectiveness of Performance Management Systems in Improving Employee Performance: A Study of a Public Sector Organization
The Impact of Business Ethics on Firm Performance: A Study of the Banking Industry
Examining the Relationship between Employee Engagement and Customer Satisfaction in the Service Industry
Investigating the Influence of Entrepreneurial Networking on Firm Performance: A Study of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Employee Retention: A Study of High-tech Firms
The impact of workplace communication on employee engagement
The role of customer feedback in improving service quality
The effects of employee empowerment on job satisfaction
The impact of innovation on customer satisfaction
The role of knowledge management in organizational learning
The effects of product innovation on market share
The impact of business location on customer behavior
The role of financial management in business success
The effects of corporate social responsibility on employee engagement
The impact of cultural intelligence on cross-cultural communication
The role of social media in crisis management
The effects of corporate branding on customer loyalty
The impact of globalization on consumer behavior
The role of emotional intelligence in leadership effectiveness
The effects of employee involvement in decision-making on job satisfaction
The impact of business strategy on market share
The role of corporate culture in promoting ethical behavior
The effects of corporate social responsibility on investor behavior
The impact of sustainability on brand image and reputation
The role of corporate social responsibility in reducing carbon emissions.
The effectiveness of loyalty programs on customer retention
The benefits of remote work for employee productivity
The impact of environmental sustainability on consumer purchasing decisions
The role of brand identity in consumer loyalty
The relationship between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction
The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar stores
The effectiveness of online advertising on consumer behavior
The impact of leadership styles on employee motivation
The role of corporate social responsibility in brand perception
The impact of workplace diversity on organizational performance
The effectiveness of gamification in employee training programs
The impact of pricing strategies on consumer behavior
The effectiveness of mobile marketing on consumer engagement
The impact of emotional intelligence on leadership effectiveness
The role of customer service in consumer loyalty
The impact of technology on supply chain management
The effectiveness of employee training programs on job performance
The impact of culture on consumer behavior
The effectiveness of performance appraisal systems on employee motivation
The impact of social responsibility on organizational performance
The role of innovation in business success
The impact of ethical leadership on organizational culture
The effectiveness of cross-functional teams in project management
The impact of government regulations on business operations
The role of strategic planning in business growth
The impact of emotional intelligence on team dynamics
The effectiveness of supply chain management on customer satisfaction
The impact of workplace culture on employee satisfaction
The role of employee engagement in organizational success
The impact of globalization on organizational culture
The effectiveness of virtual teams in project management
The impact of employee turnover on organizational performance
The role of corporate social responsibility in talent acquisition
The impact of technology on employee training and development
The effectiveness of knowledge management on organizational learning
The impact of organizational structure on employee motivation
The role of innovation in organizational change
The impact of cultural intelligence on global business operations
The effectiveness of marketing strategies on brand perception
The impact of change management on organizational culture
The role of leadership in organizational transformation
The impact of employee empowerment on job satisfaction
The effectiveness of project management methodologies on project success
The impact of workplace communication on team performance
The role of emotional intelligence in conflict resolution
The impact of employee motivation on job performance
The effectiveness of diversity and inclusion initiatives on organizational performance.
The impact of social media on consumer behavior and buying decisions
The role of diversity and inclusion in corporate culture and its effects on employee retention and productivity
The effectiveness of remote work policies on job satisfaction and work-life balance
The impact of customer experience on brand loyalty and revenue growth
The effects of environmental sustainability practices on corporate reputation and financial performance
The role of corporate social responsibility in consumer purchasing decisions
The effectiveness of leadership styles on team performance and productivity
The effects of employee motivation on job performance and turnover
The impact of technology on supply chain management and logistics efficiency
The role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership and team dynamics
The impact of artificial intelligence and automation on job displacement and workforce trends
The effects of brand image on consumer perception and purchasing decisions
The role of corporate culture in promoting innovation and creativity
The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar retail businesses
The effects of corporate governance on financial reporting and transparency
The effectiveness of performance-based compensation on employee motivation and productivity
The impact of online reviews and ratings on consumer trust and brand reputation
The effects of workplace diversity on innovation and creativity
The impact of mobile technology on marketing strategies and consumer behavior
The role of emotional intelligence in customer service and satisfaction
The effects of corporate reputation on financial performance and stakeholder trust
The impact of artificial intelligence on customer service and support
The role of organizational culture in promoting ethical behavior and decision-making
The effects of corporate social responsibility on employee engagement and satisfaction
The impact of employee turnover on organizational performance and profitability
The role of customer satisfaction in promoting brand loyalty and advocacy
The effects of workplace flexibility on employee morale and productivity
The impact of employee wellness programs on absenteeism and healthcare costs
The role of data analytics in business decision-making and strategy formulation
The effects of brand personality on consumer behavior and perception
The impact of social media marketing on brand awareness and customer engagement
The role of organizational justice in promoting employee satisfaction and retention
The effects of corporate branding on employee motivation and loyalty
The impact of online advertising on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions
The role of corporate entrepreneurship in promoting innovation and growth
The effects of cultural intelligence on cross-cultural communication and business success
The impact of workplace diversity on customer satisfaction and loyalty
The role of ethical leadership in promoting employee trust and commitment
The effects of job stress on employee health and well-being
The impact of supply chain disruptions on business operations and financial performance
The role of organizational learning in promoting continuous improvement and innovation
The effects of employee engagement on customer satisfaction and loyalty
The impact of brand extensions on brand equity and consumer behavior
The role of strategic alliances in promoting business growth and competitiveness
The effects of corporate transparency on stakeholder trust and loyalty
The impact of digital transformation on business models and competitiveness
The role of business ethics in promoting corporate social responsibility and sustainability
The effects of employee empowerment on job satisfaction and organizational performance.
The role of corporate governance in mitigating unethical behavior in multinational corporations.
The effects of cultural diversity on team performance in multinational corporations.
The impact of corporate social responsibility on consumer loyalty and brand reputation.
The relationship between organizational culture and employee engagement in service industries.
The impact of globalization on the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The effectiveness of performance-based pay systems on employee motivation and productivity.
The relationship between innovation and corporate performance in the pharmaceutical industry.
The impact of digital marketing on the traditional marketing mix.
The role of emotional intelligence in leadership effectiveness in cross-cultural teams.
The relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance in the banking sector.
The impact of diversity management on employee satisfaction and retention in multinational corporations.
The relationship between leadership style and organizational culture in family-owned businesses.
The impact of e-commerce on supply chain management.
The effectiveness of training and development programs on employee performance in the retail sector.
The impact of global economic trends on strategic decision-making in multinational corporations.
The relationship between ethical leadership and employee job satisfaction in the healthcare industry.
The impact of employee empowerment on organizational performance in the manufacturing sector.
The relationship between corporate social responsibility and employee well-being in the hospitality industry.
The impact of artificial intelligence on customer service in the banking industry.
The relationship between emotional intelligence and employee creativity in the technology industry.
The impact of big data analytics on customer relationship management in the telecommunications industry.
The relationship between organizational culture and innovation in the automotive industry.
The impact of internationalization on the performance of SMEs in emerging markets.
The effectiveness of performance appraisal systems on employee motivation and retention in the public sector.
The relationship between diversity management and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.
The impact of social entrepreneurship on economic development in developing countries.
The relationship between transformational leadership and organizational change in the energy sector.
The impact of online customer reviews on brand reputation in the hospitality industry.
The effectiveness of leadership development programs on employee engagement in the finance industry.
The relationship between corporate social responsibility and employee turnover in the retail sector.
The impact of artificial intelligence on the recruitment and selection process in the technology industry.
The relationship between organizational culture and employee creativity in the fashion industry.
The impact of digital transformation on business models in the insurance industry.
The relationship between employee engagement and customer satisfaction in the service industry.
The impact of mergers and acquisitions on organizational culture and employee morale.
The effectiveness of knowledge management systems on organizational performance in the consulting industry.
The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty in the food and beverage industry.
The relationship between emotional intelligence and customer satisfaction in the airline industry.
The impact of blockchain technology on supply chain management in the logistics industry.
The relationship between corporate social responsibility and employee engagement in the technology industry.
The impact of digitalization on talent management practices in the hospitality industry.
The effectiveness of reward and recognition programs on employee motivation in the manufacturing industry.
The impact of industry 4.0 on organizational structure and culture in the aerospace industry.
The relationship between leadership style and team performance in the construction industry.
The impact of artificial intelligence on financial forecasting and decision-making in the banking sector.
The relationship between corporate social responsibility and customer loyalty in the automotive industry.
The impact of virtual teams on employee communication and collaboration in the pharmaceutical industry.
The impact of remote work on employee productivity and job satisfaction
The effects of social media marketing on customer engagement and brand loyalty
The role of artificial intelligence in streamlining supply chain management
The effectiveness of employee training and development programs on organizational performance
The impact of diversity and inclusion initiatives on organizational culture and employee satisfaction
The role of corporate social responsibility in enhancing brand reputation and customer loyalty
The effects of e-commerce on small businesses and local economies
The impact of big data analytics on marketing strategies and customer insights
The effects of employee empowerment on organizational innovation and performance
The impact of globalization on the hospitality industry
The effects of corporate governance on organizational performance and financial outcomes
The role of customer satisfaction in driving business growth and profitability
The impact of artificial intelligence on financial forecasting and risk management
The effects of corporate culture on employee engagement and retention
The role of green marketing in promoting environmental sustainability and brand reputation
The impact of digital transformation on the retail industry
The effects of employee motivation on job performance and organizational productivity
The role of customer experience in enhancing brand loyalty and advocacy
The impact of international trade agreements on global business practices
The effects of artificial intelligence on customer service and support
The role of organizational communication in facilitating teamwork and collaboration
The impact of corporate social responsibility on employee motivation and retention
The effects of global economic instability on business decision-making
The role of leadership styles in organizational change management
The impact of social media influencers on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions
The effects of employee well-being on organizational productivity and profitability
The role of innovation in driving business growth and competitive advantage
The impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior and brand perception
The role of strategic planning in organizational success and sustainability
The impact of e-commerce on consumer privacy and data security
The effects of corporate reputation on customer acquisition and retention
The role of diversity and inclusion in organizational creativity and innovation
The impact of artificial intelligence on customer relationship management
The effects of customer feedback on product development and innovation
The role of employee job satisfaction in reducing turnover and absenteeism
The impact of global competition on business strategy and innovation
The effects of corporate branding on customer loyalty and advocacy
The role of digital transformation in enhancing organizational agility and responsiveness
The effects of employee empowerment on customer satisfaction and loyalty
The role of entrepreneurial leadership in driving business innovation and growth
The impact of digital disruption on traditional business models
The effects of organizational culture on innovation and creativity
The role of marketing research in developing effective marketing strategies
The impact of social media on customer relationship management
The effects of employee engagement on organizational innovation and competitiveness
The role of strategic partnerships in promoting business growth and expansion
The impact of global trends on business innovation and entrepreneurship

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

500+ History Research Paper Topics

500+ Cyber Security Research Topics

500+ Google Scholar Research Topics

500+ Medical Research Topic Ideas

500+ Environmental Research Topics

300+ AP Research Topic Ideas

Toll Free : 1 800 371 6224 | US : +1 650 204 3191 | UK : +44 8082 803 175 | AU : +61 1800 247 724 | Philippine Local No : 63-2-83966000

24 7 Answering Service
Virtual Receptionist Service
Phone Answering Service
Customer Support Outsourcing
Outsourced Technical Support
Omnichannel Contact Center
Multilingual Call Center Services
Telemarketing Services
Lead Generation Services
Appointment Setting Services
Cold Calling Services
Outsource Telesales
Market Research Services
Survey Processing Services
Accounts Receivable Services
Accounts Payable Services
Back Office Services
Call Center Outsourcing Services
Certificate Intelligent Document Processing
Community Moderation Services
Data Management Services
Debt Collection Services
Loan Processing Call Center
Outsource Form Processing Services
Recruitment Process Outsourcing
Staff Leasing Services
Virtual Assistant Services
Healthcare BPO Support Services
Legal Outsourcing Services
BPO Real Estate Services
Insurance BPO Services
Retail Outsourcing Services
eCommerce Outsourcing Service
Mobile App Customer Support
HR Outsourcing Services
3D Rendering Services
Travel Outsourcing Services
Telecom BPO Services
Education Process Outsourcing
eServices Call Center
Sample Recordings
Message From The CEO
Management Team

24 / 7 Answering Service
eCommerce Outsourcing Services

Benefits of Sales Team Outsourcing Every Business Must Know

Philippines Telemarketing Lead Generation For B2B Partners

Home | Blog | 79 Market Research Questions For Better Results

79 Market Research Questions For Better Results

By Magellan Solutions

Updated on June 3, 2024

These market research questions will aid you in getting insights that you can use to improve your business.

Schedule a FREE call with our outsourcing expert now and get a precise quotation that meets your requirements. Don't wait - get started today!

Valuable answers come from practical questions.

In this article, you’ll learn about the top market research questions you can ask to obtain valuable insights from your potential and existing market.

What you’ll learn:

What is market research, how to write market research questions, examples of market research questions.

For new businesses
For a new product
For existing customers
For potential customers
For competitive analysis
For customer service improvement

Market research is the systematic process of getting and analyzing feedback from different market segments. Using this approach, you can identify the potential of your product or service when offered to a specific consumer demographic.

In other words, it helps you find the right customers to patronize your business. It also enables you to determine the pain points of your target market. Through this, you can develop or improve products or services that can resolve the struggles of your existing customers or target audience.

It has three main methods:

Online survey – This tool can gather information from a sample population online. To help you get started, check out some of the methods for conducting surveys:- If you are starting a business, you can begin by utilizing email and social media to send survey questions or polls to your target market.- You can also embed it into your website or app, but since it is a reactive method, the chances of getting feedback are lower.- If you think you have the budget for it, you can send it to paid survey sites to get higher response rates.
Phone interview – Have you experienced receiving cold calls from certain companies asking about your opinion on a particular product or service? If yes, then you’re probably familiar with market research. A phone interview is a proactive way of conducting market research surveys. It guarantees you a faster and more accurate response from your target demographics. Some companies outsource to a survey call center to expand their reach while saving time and money.
Face-to-face interviews – This is the traditional way of conducting customer surveys. It is one of the best ways to get actual, first-hand opinions. Unlike the first two methods, it requires you to go out to the street and into the houses of your sample respondents. Here, you can encourage consumers to participate by giving freebies or samplers. While this is an excellent way to build personal relationships with your ideal customers, it is not as efficient as phone interviews and online surveys.

Aside from gathering first-hand consumer data, you can also keep track of economic trends .

Secondary information provided by existing sources enables you to kick-start your market research. It gives general and quantifiable data on industry trends, demographics, and potential competitors.

Some of the best secondary information sources include government census data, statistics and research reports published by independent market research firms, and business news.

It’s easy to think of and write questions right off the bat. But first, make sure you’re square on the following details:

What is the problem you want to solve?
What are your goals/objectives?
Who is your target audience?

From there, you can start brainstorming questions that would provide insightful information for your marketing, sales, and research and development departments.

Here are some things you can consider that will add depth and dimension to your market research process:

Demand is the number of products consumers are willing to purchase at any given time.
Market size – the number of potential consumers within a specific market.
Customer demographics – any given sector of a population segmented using different factors such as age, gender, occupation, income, location, etc.
Location – the place where the target market resides.
Market saturation – the number of similar products available to target customers.
Economic indicators – any economic activity in the location of your business that is presented in metric format.
Pricing – the cost of products or services based on target consumers’ economic status and competitors’ current pricing.

Once you’ve listed enough questions based on some of these elements, the next step is to select questions that bring you closer to your objectives. Make sure to remove those that won’t give enough value.

While answering those questions, create a clear picture or a registry of the possible target audience response. Ask only what is necessary to prevent your respondents from getting bored. Remember that if it takes too long, they might get triggered to answer questions hastily.

Also, keep your market research process simple. Through this, you will not only keep the attention of your respondents, but it will also enable you to obtain valuable answers.

Do you still find yourself struggling to come up with appropriate market research questions? If yes, check out these examples and carefully select what you need.

Market research questions for new businesses

If you’re opening a new business, it pays to gather extensive information about the industry, market size, target audience’s buying behaviors, competitors, and competitive advantage.

Who are your target customers?
What are the core problems of your customers?
What is your product or service?
How can your product or service solve the problems of your customers?
Does your product fit into the current market?
Is it possible to create a new market for your product?
What is the current market size? What is the potential size of the market?
Will the market size grow or contract? Why?
What are the buying habits in the market? How can we exploit them?
What are the existing segments of the market?
In which segments do you plan to compete?
Which of the segments are growing, and which are contracting?
Who are your direct competitors? What are their strategies for attracting customers?
What is your competitive advantage?
Where do you plan to establish your business?
What is the current economic status of your target customers from that location?
How much do you plan to charge your customers for availing of your products or services?
How much are you going to spend on customer acquisition?

When starting a new business, position yourself as an expert. This means having in-depth knowledge about your customers, the industry, the market trends, and competitors.

It is essential to curate questions that can show you opportunities to succeed. Assess your edge over your competitors. For example, you can ask your target market how your competitors can improve their products or services. Once you’ve analyzed their answers, it will be easier to figure out what you can add or enhance to meet customer expectations.

Market research questions for new product launch

Expanding your product line also requires lots of research and market testing. Here are some of the questions you can ask.

How do you plan to test your new product?
What will you test? (Product, marketing collaterals, marketing message, etc.)
Where will you find users who will test the product?
How high is the current demand for your new product?
How are you going to promote it?
What channels are you going to use?
Where do you plan to promote it?
Who will be your market?
How much do your competitors charge for a similar product?

Before launching a new product, you must know your target customers, the demand for the product, your marketing or advertising strategy, and your possible competitors.

Questions to ask existing customers

When researching existing customers, the main goal is to find out how they feel about your brand. Since they have first-hand experience using your products, they are the ones who can show you their strengths and weaknesses.

You can use a rating scale or a checklist for these questions. This way, it will be easier for your customers to answer your survey.

Checklist with ‘other’ option in case the answer isn’t indicated on your survey form:

How did you hear about us?
How long have you been our customer?
What problem does our product solve for you?
What features do you like most about our product?
What do you like the least about our product?
What made you choose us over the other products in the market?
How often do you purchase our product?
Would you avail of our product/service again?
What else can we do to improve your experience with our brand?

Rating scale

How well does our product meet your needs?
How would you rate your last experience with us?
How likely are you to recommend our product to a friend?
How will you rate the speed and promptness of our customer service team?

The goal of conducting market research among your existing customers is to know their satisfaction with your brand. This will let you see what you need to continue doing and the areas you need to improve.

Market research questions to ask potential customers

When interviewing your potential customers, get enough information about their demographics, socioeconomic status, and unique interests.

These are the essential information you need to acquire:

Address (doesn’t need to be specific, especially if confidentiality is required)
Education level
Profession/Job
Household income
Household size

On the other hand, these are some questions you can ask to help you better segment your target audience:

What are your hobbies and interests?
What are the common challenges you encounter regularly?
What are your main goals?
What products do you consider the most important for your everyday life?
Where do you usually discover new products?
How much do you spend when purchasing (specify here the type of product you’re offering)?
How often do you buy (again, specify here the type of product you’re offering)?
How likely are you going to buy our product?

You can also add more questions about your brand to get the necessary information when improving your marketing message.

These questions will help your marketing team create value-added promotional materials that appeal to your target audience.

Questions for competitive analysis

Competitive benchmarking lets you compare your performance against your direct competitors. Here are some questions to help you get started:

How’s your brand’s performance compared to your competitors?
How do your competitors advertise or market their products?
What are the other brands’ customer acquisition strategies?
How much web traffic does your competitor receive?
What keywords are your competitors using?
What type of content are they producing?
Are you using the same keyword on your website?
What other channels do your competitors use aside from their websites?
How many inbound links do your competitors have?
How active are the other brands in producing backlinks with authority websites?

Measure your success by knowing the performance of your competitors. Analyzing their products, services, marketing strategies, sales, authority in the industry, customer acquisition strategies, and branding will let you see where you can thrive better than your competitors.

To improve customer service

Customer service is a crucial element in customer retention. It serves as the fine line between repeat business and an abandoned transaction. Do it right , and your customers will come back for more. Neglect it, and your customers are likely to move to your competitors.

Always check the quality of customer service you provide to keep your loyal customers.

How fast do you respond to inquiries?
How well and quickly do you resolve customer complaints?
What are your customer satisfaction ratings?
What problems do your customers often experience concerning your customer service?
How can you improve your customer service?
How can you measure your customer experience?
Do your customers know all of the features, products, and services your business offers?
Do you provide a personalized experience?
How convenient is it to reach your business?
What customer service channels are you using?
Is your website or mobile app user-friendly?
Is the experience consistent across all channels?
Does your brand appear trustworthy based on online reviews?
If you have international clients, do you provide multilingual options ?

As high as 49% of US customers leave a brand due to poor customer service. Don’t let this happen to your brand! Regularly assess the quality of your customer service to provide positive customer experiences.

In conclusion

Market research can save a lot of trouble and financial heartbreaks when done right. Whether starting a business, chasing growth, creating better marketing messages, or improving your processes, market research can bring you the answers you need to develop dynamic strategies. Ask the right questions, and you’ll surely get valuable results.

Do you need the help of a market research call center to reach a wider audience within a shorter time? Magellan Solutions is here to help! We offer tailor-fit solutions to meet the needs and budget of your business. If you want to know more, contact us using the form below.

Talk to us!

You can also contact our numbers: Toll Free: 1 800 371 6224 US: +1 650 204 3191 UK: +44 8082 803 175 , AU: +61 1800 247 724

Want to know more?

Explore our services further by filling out the form below, and we'll reach out to you soon!

Give us a call!

1 800 371 6224

United States:

+1 650 204 3191

United Kingdom:

+44 8082 803 175

+61 1800 247 724

Philippines:

63-2-83966000

Get a free custom quote & unlock outsourcing potential.

Magellan Solutions

Ramp Up Sales With Outsourced Sales Team

A blog banner by Magellan Solutions about Signs Your Outbound Telemarketing Services Is A Failure

9 Signs Your Telemarketing Is A Failure

Risky Pay Per Sale Telemarketing: What’s the Alternative?

Join Magellan and Make a Difference!

Privacy Overview

Cookie	Duration	Description
_ga	2 years	The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
_ga_EL2X6L0QDM	2 years	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics.
_gat_gtag_UA_6034499_1	1 minute	Set by Google to distinguish users.
_gcl_au	3 months	Provided by Google Tag Manager to experiment advertisement efficiency of websites using their services.
_gid	1 day	Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.

Cookie	Duration	Description
test_cookie	15 minutes	The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.

Get a 60 Minute Assessment

Claim your free 60-minute assessment with our outsourcing expert today and get a quote based on your needs.

Research Question Examples 🧑🏻‍🏫

25+ Practical Examples & Ideas To Help You Get Started

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | October 2023

A well-crafted research question (or set of questions) sets the stage for a robust study and meaningful insights. But, if you’re new to research, it’s not always clear what exactly constitutes a good research question. In this post, we’ll provide you with clear examples of quality research questions across various disciplines, so that you can approach your research project with confidence!

Research Question Examples

Psychology research questions
Business research questions
Education research questions
Healthcare research questions
Computer science research questions

Examples: Psychology

Let’s start by looking at some examples of research questions that you might encounter within the discipline of psychology.

How does sleep quality affect academic performance in university students?

This question is specific to a population (university students) and looks at a direct relationship between sleep and academic performance, both of which are quantifiable and measurable variables.

What factors contribute to the onset of anxiety disorders in adolescents?

The question narrows down the age group and focuses on identifying multiple contributing factors. There are various ways in which it could be approached from a methodological standpoint, including both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Do mindfulness techniques improve emotional well-being?

This is a focused research question aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of a specific intervention.

How does early childhood trauma impact adult relationships?

This research question targets a clear cause-and-effect relationship over a long timescale, making it focused but comprehensive.

Is there a correlation between screen time and depression in teenagers?

This research question focuses on an in-demand current issue and a specific demographic, allowing for a focused investigation. The key variables are clearly stated within the question and can be measured and analysed (i.e., high feasibility).

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

Examples: Business/Management

Next, let’s look at some examples of well-articulated research questions within the business and management realm.

How do leadership styles impact employee retention?

This is an example of a strong research question because it directly looks at the effect of one variable (leadership styles) on another (employee retention), allowing from a strongly aligned methodological approach.

What role does corporate social responsibility play in consumer choice?

Current and precise, this research question can reveal how social concerns are influencing buying behaviour by way of a qualitative exploration.

Does remote work increase or decrease productivity in tech companies?

Focused on a particular industry and a hot topic, this research question could yield timely, actionable insights that would have high practical value in the real world.

How do economic downturns affect small businesses in the homebuilding industry?

Vital for policy-making, this highly specific research question aims to uncover the challenges faced by small businesses within a certain industry.

Which employee benefits have the greatest impact on job satisfaction?

By being straightforward and specific, answering this research question could provide tangible insights to employers.

Examples: Education

Next, let’s look at some potential research questions within the education, training and development domain.

How does class size affect students’ academic performance in primary schools?

This example research question targets two clearly defined variables, which can be measured and analysed relatively easily.

Do online courses result in better retention of material than traditional courses?

Timely, specific and focused, answering this research question can help inform educational policy and personal choices about learning formats.

What impact do US public school lunches have on student health?

Targeting a specific, well-defined context, the research could lead to direct changes in public health policies.

To what degree does parental involvement improve academic outcomes in secondary education in the Midwest?

This research question focuses on a specific context (secondary education in the Midwest) and has clearly defined constructs.

What are the negative effects of standardised tests on student learning within Oklahoma primary schools?

This research question has a clear focus (negative outcomes) and is narrowed into a very specific context.

Need a helping hand?

Examples: Healthcare

Shifting to a different field, let’s look at some examples of research questions within the healthcare space.

What are the most effective treatments for chronic back pain amongst UK senior males?

Specific and solution-oriented, this research question focuses on clear variables and a well-defined context (senior males within the UK).

How do different healthcare policies affect patient satisfaction in public hospitals in South Africa?

This question is has clearly defined variables and is narrowly focused in terms of context.

Which factors contribute to obesity rates in urban areas within California?

This question is focused yet broad, aiming to reveal several contributing factors for targeted interventions.

Does telemedicine provide the same perceived quality of care as in-person visits for diabetes patients?

Ideal for a qualitative study, this research question explores a single construct (perceived quality of care) within a well-defined sample (diabetes patients).

Which lifestyle factors have the greatest affect on the risk of heart disease?

This research question aims to uncover modifiable factors, offering preventive health recommendations.

Examples: Computer Science

Last but certainly not least, let’s look at a few examples of research questions within the computer science world.

What are the perceived risks of cloud-based storage systems?

Highly relevant in our digital age, this research question would align well with a qualitative interview approach to better understand what users feel the key risks of cloud storage are.

Which factors affect the energy efficiency of data centres in Ohio?

With a clear focus, this research question lays a firm foundation for a quantitative study.

How do TikTok algorithms impact user behaviour amongst new graduates?

While this research question is more open-ended, it could form the basis for a qualitative investigation.

What are the perceived risk and benefits of open-source software software within the web design industry?

Practical and straightforward, the results could guide both developers and end-users in their choices.

Remember, these are just examples…

In this post, we’ve tried to provide a wide range of research question examples to help you get a feel for what research questions look like in practice. That said, it’s important to remember that these are just examples and don’t necessarily equate to good research topics . If you’re still trying to find a topic, check out our topic megalist for inspiration.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

You Might Also Like:

Research ideas on Political Science

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Print Friendly

Just one more step to your free trial.

.surveysparrow.com

Already using SurveySparrow? Login

By clicking on "Get Started", I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Enterprise Survey Software

Enterprise Survey Software to thrive in your business ecosystem

NPS® Software

Turn customers into promoters

Offline Survey

Real-time data collection, on the move. Go internet-independent.

360 Assessment

Conduct omnidirectional employee assessments. Increase productivity, grow together.

Reputation Management

Turn your existing customers into raving promoters by monitoring online reviews.

Ticket Management

Build loyalty and advocacy by delivering personalized support experiences that matter.

Chatbot for Website

Collect feedback smartly from your website visitors with the engaging Chatbot for website.

Swift, easy, secure. Scalable for your organization.

Executive Dashboard

Customer journey map, craft beautiful surveys, share surveys, gain rich insights, recurring surveys, white label surveys, embedded surveys, conversational forms, mobile-first surveys, audience management, smart surveys, video surveys, secure surveys, api, webhooks, integrations, survey themes, accept payments, custom workflows, all features, customer experience, employee experience, product experience, marketing experience, sales experience, hospitality & travel, market research, saas startup programs, wall of love, success stories, sparrowcast, nps® benchmarks, learning centre, apps & integrations, testimonials.

Our surveys come with superpowers ⚡

Blog Best Of

50+ Market Research Questions To Ask Your Target Audience

Kate Williams

Last Updated:

5 June 2024

11 min read

Table Of Contents

What is Market Research?

50+Market Research Questions

How to Write Market Research Questions

8 Benefits of Market Research
Reliable Tools for Conducting Market Researchr

Before we learn about market research questions , how about a coke?

Coca-Cola, from classic coke to their famous diet Coke, is a success. No doubt. But they’ve had their share of failures too.

One of these failures happened because of poor market research. Coca-Cola’s highly ambitious product, C2 , which was half regular and half diet coke, tanked badly, as they didn’t ask the right questions to the right audience during market research.

According to the Coca-Cola market research surveys, Coca-Cola lost upwards of $50 million on C2, and we don’t want something similar happening to one of your products. That’s why we focus on market research questions that’ll get the right responses to scale your business to better heights. Here’s a snippet of what we’ll further discuss in this article.

What is Market Research
50+ Research Questions To Use In 2023
Benefits Of Market Research.
Tools for Conducting Market Research.

Market research is the process of gaining your target customer’s insights about new products, competitors, preferences, or more. Marketing research is all about getting high-value information on things that could benefit a company and help them grow – and surveys are a great tool for this.

If you struggle with writing questions for your market research surveys, bookmark this blog. The better and more precise these market research questions are, the better the data and the better the decision you make with it.

50+Market Research Survey Questions to Use in 2023

Here we are now – the 50 most effective market research questions that deliver outstanding results when used in research surveys. We’ve split these questions into five categories so you can pick the right ones at the right time.

Effective Market Research Questions: 5 Effective Catagories

New Product Survey Questions
New Business Survey Questions
Competition Analysis Survey Questions
Questions For Your Existing Customers
Questions To Improve Customer Service

These marketing research questions can be open-ended, multiple-choice, or scale-based questions as per your data requirements.

1. New Product Survey Questions

A new product launch is where most market research happens. As exciting as it sounds, it can cause a massive failure if the new product ain’t what the target audience wants it to be.

To understand that, here are 10 market research survey questions you can ask:

How excited are you about our upcoming product? Would you be willing to test it?
Is the product solving your problem accurately?
What change do you wish to bring to this product?
If given the responsibility, how would you go about promoting it?
How much would the competitors charge for a product like this?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to purchase this product once it’s available?
What features or benefits of the product stand out the most to you?
Are there any concerns or hesitations you have about the product?
In comparison to products you currently use or are familiar with, how does our product fare?
Which marketing channels (e.g., social media, email, TV, etc.) would you most likely notice information about this product?

Need a ready-to-launch e xamples of research questions? H ere’s a survey created with SurveySparrow .

Unlock access to a range of free market research question templates by simply signing up today!

Please enter a valid Email ID.

14-Day Free Trial • No Credit Card Required • No Strings Attached

From audience panel services to 600+ survey templates , get all the tools you need to research a new market, launch a new product, or overhaul your current marketing strategy. Dive in with a free account.

2. New Business Survey Questions

When you’re about to enter a new business or market opportunity, it always works well too:

Research the audience you’ll target
The competition you’ll face
The market size of this new opportunity
The buying behavior of your target group

These are the ten market research questions examples for new business:

Who are the groups or groups that’ll buy from us?
How big is the market for this opportunity? Will it sustain or shrink in the long run?
How can we capitalize on customers’ buying habits/behaviors in this market??
How are our direct or indirect competitors doing their business in this market?
What are the problems we’ll solve for our target groups here?
What differentiates our business or offering from existing competitors in the market?
Which marketing channels most effectively reach our target audience in this new market?
Are there any cultural, regional, or demographic factors we should know when entering this market?
What regulatory or compliance challenges might we face in this specific market?
How open is the target audience to trying a new product or service in this category?

3. Competitive Analysis Questions

Let’s face it. Whatever your business is, there are competitors. Some are big, some are small, but competition is there, and when you’re keeping tabs on them by asking the right market research questions from your teams and customers, you stay ahead of the curve!

Here are ten good market research questions for competition analysis:

What do you like the most about our (competitor’s name) product?
Are you content with their product pricing?
Where do you think our brand stands compared to (competitor’s name)?
Do you like the way they market and advertise their products?
What sets (competitor’s name) apart? Is it their product, service, user experience, content, or anything else?
Which features or benefits of (competitor’s name) do you wish our product/service offered?
Have you ever experienced any issues or challenges with (competitor’s name) product/service?
How do you perceive the customer service or support provided by (competitor’s name)?
If you could change one thing about (competitor’s name) offering, what would it be?
How often do you consider switching from (competitor’s name) to another brand or solution? What would motivate that switch?

4. Questions For Your Existing Customers

When you and your teams are working on a new product or service or want to bring changes to the existing ones, it’s always best to know your customer’s opinions about it because you want to deliver what they want and the changes that’ll take their satisfaction levels with your brand to the next level.

Check out these 10 market research questions for your customers:

What changes would improve our product for you?
Are you facing any consistent issues where you think we can help?
Do you think our services can improve? If so, we would love to know how.
Would you buy our products/services at a higher price if we added additional features to them?
How can we improve our products to enhance your overall experience?
How would you rate your overall satisfaction with our product/service on a scale from 1-10?
If you’ve contacted our customer support, how was your experience, and what can we do better?
Are there other products or services you wish we offered?
How frequently do you use our product/service, and are there any challenges during its use?
What’s the one thing you love the most about our product/service and one thing you dislike?

5. Questions To Improve Customer Service

If you thought market research and market research questions were only about new products, new business opportunities, insights from existing customers, and competitor analysis, think again!

Market research has always been about improving according to your customers, target audience, and employee insights. Your customer experience always needs review and timely improvements, and a market research survey backed with the right market research questions would help you big time here.

So, let’s look at ten such examples of market research questions that you can ask about your customer service:

After raising your query, how much time did our customer service representative take to reply?
Did our customer service representative directly give you the solution or explain why the issue occurred in the first place?
How convenient is it for you to reach our customer representative and head?
Do you wish our customer service team to be available on any other channels apart from the ones they are?
Do you get consistent customer experience on all channels from our service team?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your overall experience with our customer service team?
Were our customer service representatives friendly and empathetic to your concerns?
Did you feel like our team valued your time and was efficient in their assistance?
Would you say that the solution provided was satisfactory and met your expectations?
How likely are you to contact our customer service again for future queries or concerns?

Now that might be familiar with market research questions, why not design a survey seamlessly using our ready-to-use templates?

Here are ten tested tips to create a perfect market research survey that gets results. Make full use of it.To create the perfect market research survey:

Define the problem you’ll solve with it. Don’t just conduct market research, hoping to get actionable data.
Select the right target group. You do not want to collect irrelevant data that’s of no use. So, for a particular problem, select the right people.
Know your sample size . Whether your method is cluster sampling , quotas , systematic sampling or purposive sampling , figure out the number of survey responses you’ll need for reliable data and keep a safety margin for half-filled or not-responded surveys.
Select focused questions . Use these twenty-five questions the best you can. You can also check out our go-to guide on how to write better survey questions .
Use interactive question types – like voice notes, image choice, video backgrounds, and graphical sliders. This will massively increase your response rates.
Give incentives like free e-books gift cards. This can give respondents the extra encouragement they need to complete the survey.
Keep it conversational . Market research surveys work when they are treated with the same care and warmth as a conversation. So, build that trust with the tone of your questions.
Don’t send the survey to all the respondents at once . Send it to a small batch first. Analyze how they answer, make changes if needed, and then go for the full-scale market research.
Set times for reminders . You don’t want to speed up at the wrong time.
And last, give enough time for analysis. Specific survey tools can save time with auto-generated survey reports that you can customize.

8 Benefits of Market Research: What Makes it So Important?

While we were explaining market research and market research questions, we mentioned one of its biggest benefits too. The benefit that makes it absolutely important for any business is gunning for long-term and sustained growth.

Guessed it? Well, it’s the benefit of getting rich insights from your target audience. But that’s not the only benefit.

Yes, market research offers a lot more than you can think of. And it’s time we discuss them one by one.

#1 Know Your Business Better

When you get customer and target market feedback about a product or service, you see the difference between your and your customer’s opinions. Observing this difference allows you to bridge that down by aligning the new or existing product based on their wants.

So, when you use the right market research questions in your survey, you get to observe your company through the target audience’s lens, allowing you to better understand the business and its goals.

#2 Get More Business Opportunities

While conducting a market research survey, you often find or realize a new opportunity or avenue where the company can thrive. This realization comes when you analyze the collected survey data and see your target market’s interest in this new opportunity.

#3 Discover New Customer Segments To Target

“The product has come out well. I want to use it, and I think the Genz’s would like it too.”

If the answer to one of your market research questions is something like this, you and your teams know they have a new customer segment to target. That’s a powerful benefit of conducting a well-planned market research survey that contains the right questions.

#4 Massively Reduce The Risk Of Failing

With market research or market research surveys, you don’t just get to know the insights and opinions of your target audience on a certain product, you also come to understand areas where it’s severely lacking and can cause a failure if not duly addressed.

Also, with a few well-crafted market research questions, you get to know the areas where your business is lacking. And if you’re working on those, the chances of your business going under are reduced massively.

#5 Understand Where And How To Market

By using the right market research questions in your surveys, you understand where and how your customers and target group want your teams to market a product.

Give your survey respondents the freedom to express themselves, and you’ll get gold out of your market research. Believe us on that!

#6 Track Your Competition

While conducting market research, you can’t forget about your competitors. As a leader, you need to stay on top of proceedings regarding your competitors and their products. Your teams need to have answers to questions like what new are they bringing, what’s their new campaign like, what are they focusing on at the moment, and many more.

What better way to do that than to ask these subtly by including the right market research questions? And trust us, you’ll get massive information about your competition with these surveys, allowing you to pivot and do better.

#7 Identify New Trends

Scanning the internet for new trends is an absolute time-consuming process. You can replace that with market research and market research surveys to stay updated and well-informed on what new your customers want. Analyzing new trends can be done successfully with digital marketing training. The process of obtaining information becomes effective.

If not anything, it’ll save your teams a lot of time, which they can use for other important tasks.

#8 Predict The Future

To sum all the benefits we’ve mentioned, you’ll be able to predict the future of your products, services, and even your business after knowing your customer’s insights and opinions on it. That’ll give you the chance and the freedom to bring the right changes at the right time. Ain’t that impressive?

Reliable Tools for Conducting Market Research

You now know the twenty-five top market research questions to include. But how can you add these questions to a market research survey and send it? What are the different tools you could use for it?

If you have these questions, with no further ado, get your answers here.

A Full-Action Survey Software

There can be nothing better than using survey softwares to conduct market research surveys. Period. But why? Well, survey software is the best way to gather reliable information quickly from your customers and employees about your existing or new products. These surveys would give clarity about your potential and target customers, buyer persona, and the solid feedback you’ll receive will help you strategize and do better eventually.

If you’re looking to use survey software for your research surveys, look no further than SurveySparrow. This Typeform alternative allows you to create engaging forms and surveys with no hassle. These surveys are conversational, easy-to-use, and completely secure. More importantly, it offers features like likert scale questions , interactive dashboards, customization, embedded surveys, recurring surveys, and so much more. And you can use all these features in the 14-Day free trial itself.

Our friendly suggestion: Don’t miss out on this!

Chatbots for the Website

Chatbots are the future of market research, no doubt on that. As per a study, by 2024, the global market for chatbots is projected to be over $994 million. That’s some number! Thousands of brands are implementing or have implemented chatbots in their everyday business task. From doing market research to tracking and answering customer’s queries, chatbots are everywhere.

Do you know what’s the best thing about a chatbot? It’s that it makes a customer’s or employee’s journey more enjoyable, as the conversations are natural and human-like. In addition, a chatbot will always ask a follow-up question to your customers just like a human mostly does. And this helps in market research. How? By making sure you and your teams are always up to date about what your customers want and what their expectations are from your products, services, and support.

SurveySparrow’s no-code Feedbot is made to gather insightful market data with no programming knowledge. Deloitte Digital , a San Francisco-based marketing, and advertising company de-cluttered their data collection process using SurveySparrow’s Feedbot. The company was facing challenges while collecting market data with the paper questionnaire format. However, the chat-like experience and interactive UI of Feedbot helped them gather 804 survey responses out of 1200 surveyed people. That’s a 67% completion rate. Market research conducted most profitably, isn’t it?

360 Degree Feedback Software

You can spend all your dollars on your customers to make them stay, but without your employees’ efforts, it just won’t happen. When we talk about market research, the first thing that comes in our mind is the customers. We want to conduct market research to gain knowledge about customer preferences, insights, and opinions. But, what about employee research to find their satisfaction levels?

In recent times, employee satisfaction and experience have both become popular and crucial topics. Because, no matter the industry, people like to do business with people. And satisfied employees are the most real, and simple people to attract customers and keep them engaged.

That’s why it’s important to use a 360-degree feedback tool like SurveySparrow’s 360-degree feedback solution . With this, you can conduct an employee assessment (research) to increase their satisfaction levels and drive growth. Trust us, you need to conduct such assessments, especially in this new normal.

Let’s Begin!

There you have it, then. You now know the benefits of market research, twenty-five different questions to include in the market research survey, tools to conduct these surveys, and as a bonus, highly effective tips to create the perfect market research survey.

The only thing that’s left now is for you to use these questions and start conducting market research surveys. SurveySparrow and its marketing experience solution can make this process a lot easier, effective, and the least time-consuming for you and your teams. So, check it out, and we’re just this click away if you need help. Waiting to hear from you. Au revoir!

Product Marketing Manager at SurveySparrow

Excels in empowering visionary companies through storytelling and strategic go-to-market planning. With extensive experience in product marketing and customer experience management, she is an accomplished author, podcast host, and mentor, sharing her expertise across diverse platforms and audiences.

6 ways to personalize your emails for b2b and b2c audiences, top 10 inevitable trends shaping customer experience in banking, ultimate guide to leadership assessment, see it to believe it..

14-Day Free Trial • Cancel Anytime • No Credit Card Required • Need a Demo?

Start your free trial today

No Credit Card Required. 14-Day Free Trial

Request a Demo

Want to learn more about SurveySparrow? We'll be in touch soon!

Discover Top Market Research Questions NOW!

Understand every aspect of your target market and take better decisions. try surveysparrow for free..

14-Day Free Trial • No Credit card required • 40% more completion rate

Hi there, we use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience and to analyze site traffic. By continuing to use our website, you consent to the use of these cookies. Learn More

Skip to main content
Skip to primary sidebar
Skip to footer
QuestionPro

Solutions Industries Gaming Automotive Sports and events Education Government Travel & Hospitality Financial Services Healthcare Cannabis Technology Use Case NPS+ Communities Audience Contactless surveys Mobile LivePolls Member Experience GDPR Positive People Science 360 Feedback Surveys
Resources Blog eBooks Survey Templates Case Studies Training Help center

Home Market Research

Business Research: Methods, Types & Examples

Content Index

Business research: Definition

Quantitative research methods, qualitative research methods, advantages of business research, disadvantages of business research, importance of business research.

Business research is a process of acquiring detailed information on all the areas of business and using such information to maximize the sales and profit of the business. Such a study helps companies determine which product/service is most profitable or in demand. In simple words, it can be stated as the acquisition of information or knowledge for professional or commercial purposes to determine opportunities and goals for a business.

Business research can be done for anything and everything. In general, when people speak about business research design , it means asking research questions to know where the money can be spent to increase sales, profits, or market share. Such research is critical to make wise and informed decisions.

LEARN ABOUT: Research Process Steps

For example: A mobile company wants to launch a new model in the market. But they are not aware of what are the dimensions of a mobile that are in most demand. Hence, the company conducts business research using various methods to gather information, and the same is then evaluated, and conclusions are drawn as to what dimensions are most in demand.

This will enable the researcher to make wise decisions to position his phone at the right price in the market and hence acquire a larger market share.

LEARN ABOUT: Test Market Demand

Business research: Types and methodologies

Business research is a part of the business intelligence process. It is usually conducted to determine whether a company can succeed in a new region, to understand its competitors, or simply select a marketing approach for a product. This research can be carried out using steps in qualitative research methods or quantitative research methods.

Quantitative research methods are research methods that deal with numbers. It is a systematic empirical investigation using statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques . Such methods usually start with data collection and then proceed to statistical analysis using various methods. The following are some of the research methods used to carry out business research.

LEARN ABOUT: Data Management Framework

Survey research

Survey research is one of the most widely used methods to gather data, especially for conducting business research. Surveys involve asking various survey questions to a set of audiences through various types like online polls, online surveys, questionnaires, etc. Nowadays, most of the major corporations use this method to gather data and use it to understand the market and make appropriate business decisions.

Various types of surveys, like cross-sectional studies , which need to collect data from a set of audiences at a given point of time, or longitudinal surveys which are needed to collect data from a set of audiences across various time durations in order to understand changes in the respondents’ behavior are used to conduct survey research. With the advancement in technology, surveys can now be sent online through email or social media .

For example: A company wants to know the NPS score for their website i.e. how satisfied are people who are visiting their website. An increase in traffic to their website or the audience spending more time on a website can result in higher rankings on search engines which will enable the company to get more leads as well as increase its visibility.

Hence, the company can ask people who visit their website a few questions through an online survey to understand their opinions or gain feedback and hence make appropriate changes to the website to increase satisfaction.

Learn More: Business Survey Template

Correlational research

Correlational research is conducted to understand the relationship between two entities and what impact each one of them has on the other. Using mathematical analysis methods, correlational research enables the researcher to correlate two or more variables .

Such research can help understand patterns, relationships, trends, etc. Manipulation of one variable is possible to get the desired results as well. Generally, a conclusion cannot be drawn only on the basis of correlational research.

For example: Research can be conducted to understand the relationship between colors and gender-based audiences. Using such research and identifying the target audience, a company can choose the production of particular color products to be released in the market. This can enable the company to understand the supply and demand requirements of its products.

Causal-Comparative research

Causal-comparative research is a method based on the comparison. It is used to deduce the cause-effect relationship between variables. Sometimes also known as quasi-experimental research, it involves establishing an independent variable and analyzing the effects on the dependent variable.

In such research, data manipulation is not done; however, changes are observed in the variables or groups under the influence of the same changes. Drawing conclusions through such research is a little tricky as independent and dependent variables will always exist in a group. Hence all other parameters have to be taken into consideration before drawing any inferences from the research.

LEARN ABOUT: Causal Research

For example: Research can be conducted to analyze the effect of good educational facilities in rural areas. Such a study can be done to analyze the changes in the group of people from rural areas when they are provided with good educational facilities and before that.

Another example can be to analyze the effect of having dams and how it will affect the farmers or the production of crops in that area.

LEARN ABOUT: Market research trends

Experimental research

Experimental research is based on trying to prove a theory. Such research may be useful in business research as it can let the product company know some behavioral traits of its consumers, which can lead to more revenue. In this method, an experiment is carried out on a set of audiences to observe and later analyze their behavior when impacted by certain parameters.

LEARN ABOUT: Behavioral Targeting

For example: Experimental research was conducted recently to understand if particular colors have an effect on consumers’ hunger. A set of the audience was then exposed to those particular colors while they were eating, and the subjects were observed. It was seen that certain colors like red or yellow increase hunger.

Hence, such research was a boon to the hospitality industry. You can see many food chains like Mcdonalds, KFC, etc., using such colors in their interiors, brands, as well as packaging.

Another example of inferences drawn from experimental research, which is used widely by most bars/pubs across the world, is that loud music in the workplace or anywhere makes a person drink more in less time. This was proven through experimental research and was a key finding for many business owners across the globe.

Online research / Literature research

Literature research is one of the oldest methods available. It is very economical, and a lot of information can be gathered using such research. Online research or literature research involves gathering information from existing documents and studies, which can be available at Libraries, annual reports, etc.

Nowadays, with the advancement in technology, such research has become even more simple and accessible to everyone. An individual can directly research online for any information that is needed, which will give him in-depth information about the topic or the organization.

Such research is used mostly by marketing and salespeople in the business sector to understand the market or their customers. Such research is carried out using existing information that is available from various sources. However, care has to be taken to validate the sources from where the information is going to be collected.

For example , a salesperson has heard a particular firm is looking for some solution that their company provides. Hence, the salesperson will first search for a decision maker from the company, investigate what department he is from, and understand what the target company is looking for and what they are into.

Using this research, he can cater his solution to be spot on when he pitches it to this client. He can also reach out to the customer directly by finding a means to communicate with him by researching online.’

LEARN ABOUT: 12 Best Tools for Researchers

Qualitative research is a method that has a high importance in business research. Qualitative research involves obtaining data through open-ended conversational means of communication. Such research enables the researcher to not only understand what the audience thinks but also why he thinks it.

In such research, in-depth information can be gathered from the subjects depending on their responses. There are various types of qualitative research methods, such as interviews, focus groups, ethnographic research, content analysis, and case study research, that are widely used.

Such methods are of very high importance in business research as they enable the researcher to understand the consumer. What motivates the consumer to buy and what does not is what will lead to higher sales, and that is the prime objective for any business.

Following are a few methods that are widely used in today’s world by most businesses.

Interviews are somewhat similar to surveys, like sometimes they may have the same types of questions used. The difference is that the respondent can answer these open-ended questions at length, and the direction of the conversation or the questions being asked can be changed depending on the response of the subject.

Such a method usually gives the researcher detailed information about the perspective or opinions of its subject. Carrying out interviews with subject matter experts can also give important information critical to some businesses.

For example: An interview was conducted by a telecom manufacturer with a group of women to understand why they have less number of female customers. After interviewing them, the researcher understood that there were fewer feminine colors in some of the models, and females preferred not to purchase them.

Such information can be critical to a business such as a telecom manufacturer and hence it can be used to increase its market share by targeting women customers by launching some feminine colors in the market.

Another example would be to interview a subject matter expert in social media marketing. Such an interview can enable a researcher to understand why certain types of social media advertising strategies work for a company and why some of them don’t.

LEARN ABOUT: Qualitative Interview

Focus groups

Focus groups are a set of individuals selected specifically to understand their opinions and behaviors. It is usually a small set of a group that is selected keeping in mind the parameters for their target market audience to discuss a particular product or service. Such a method enables a researcher with a larger sample than the interview or a case study while taking advantage of conversational communication.

Focus group is also one of the best examples of qualitative data in education . Nowadays, focus groups can be sent online surveys as well to collect data and answer why, what, and how questions. Such a method is very crucial to test new concepts or products before they are launched in the market.

For example: Research is conducted with a focus group to understand what dimension of screen size is preferred most by the current target market. Such a method can enable a researcher to dig deeper if the target market focuses more on the screen size, features, or colors of the phone. Using this data, a company can make wise decisions about its product line and secure a higher market share.

Ethnographic research

Ethnographic research is one of the most challenging research but can give extremely precise results. Such research is used quite rarely, as it is time-consuming and can be expensive as well. It involves the researcher adapting to the natural environment and observing its target audience to collect data. Such a method is generally used to understand cultures, challenges, or other things that can occur in that particular setting.

For example: The world-renowned show “Undercover Boss” would be an apt example of how ethnographic research can be used in businesses. In this show, the senior management of a large organization works in his own company as a regular employee to understand what improvements can be made, what is the culture in the organization, and to identify hard-working employees and reward them.

It can be seen that the researcher had to spend a good amount of time in the natural setting of the employees and adapt to their ways and processes. While observing in this setting, the researcher could find out the information he needed firsthand without losing any information or any bias and improve certain things that would impact his business.

LEARN ABOUT: Workforce Planning Model

Case study research

Case study research is one of the most important in business research. It is also used as marketing collateral by most businesses to land up more clients. Case study research is conducted to assess customer satisfaction and document the challenges that were faced and the solutions that the firm gave them.

These inferences are made to point out the benefits that the customer enjoyed for choosing their specific firm. Such research is widely used in other fields like education, social sciences, and similar. Case studies are provided by businesses to new clients to showcase their capabilities, and hence such research plays a crucial role in the business sector.

For example: A services company has provided a testing solution to one of its clients. A case study research is conducted to find out what were the challenges faced during the project, what was the scope of their work, what objective was to be achieved, and what solutions were given to tackle the challenges.

The study can end with the benefits that the company provided through its solutions, like reduced time to test batches, easy implementation or integration of the system, or even cost reduction. Such a study showcases the capability of the company, and hence it can be stated as empirical evidence of the new prospect.

Website visitor profiling/research

Website intercept surveys or website visitor profiling/research is something new that has come up and is quite helpful in the business sector. It is an innovative approach to collect direct feedback from your website visitors using surveys. In recent times a lot of business generation happens online, and hence it is important to understand the visitors of your website as they are your potential customers.

Collecting feedback is critical to any business, as without understanding a customer, no business can be successful. A company has to keep its customers satisfied and try to make them loyal customers in order to stay on top.

A website intercept survey is an online survey that allows you to target visitors to understand their intent and collect feedback to evaluate the customers’ online experience. Information like visitor intention, behavior path, and satisfaction with the overall website can be collected using this.

Depending on what information a company is looking for, multiple forms of website intercept surveys can be used to gather responses. Some of the popular ones are Pop-ups, also called Modal boxes, and on-page surveys.

For example: A prospective customer is looking for a particular product that a company is selling. Once he is directed to the website, an intercept survey will start noting his intent and path. Once the transaction has been made, a pop-up or an on-page survey is provided to the customer to rate the website.

Such research enables the researcher to put this data to good use and hence understand the customers’ intent and path and improve any parts of the website depending on the responses, which in turn would lead to satisfied customers and hence, higher revenues and market share.

LEARN ABOUT: Qualitative Research Questions and Questionnaires

Business research helps to identify opportunities and threats.
It helps identify research problems , and using this information, wise decisions can be made to tackle the issue appropriately.
It helps to understand customers better and hence can be useful to communicate better with the customers or stakeholders.
Risks and uncertainties can be minimized by conducting business research in advance.
Financial outcomes and investments that will be needed can be planned effectively using business research.
Such research can help track competition in the business sector.
Business research can enable a company to make wise decisions as to where to spend and how much.
Business research can enable a company to stay up-to-date with the market and its trends, and appropriate innovations can be made to stay ahead in the game.
Business research helps to measure reputation management
Business research can be a high-cost affair
Most of the time, business research is based on assumptions
Business research can be time-consuming
Business research can sometimes give you inaccurate information because of a biased population or a small focus group.
Business research results can quickly become obsolete because of the fast-changing markets

Business research is one of the most effective ways to understand customers, the market, and competitors. Such research helps companies to understand the demand and supply of the market. Using such research will help businesses reduce costs and create solutions or products that are targeted to the demand in the market and the correct audience.

In-house business research can enable senior management to build an effective team or train or mentor when needed. Business research enables the company to track its competitors and hence can give you the upper hand to stay ahead of them.

Failures can be avoided by conducting such research as it can give the researcher an idea if the time is right to launch its product/solution and also if the audience is right. It will help understand the brand value and measure customer satisfaction which is essential to continuously innovate and meet customer demands.

This will help the company grow its revenue and market share. Business research also helps recruit ideal candidates for various roles in the company. By conducting such research, a company can carry out a SWOT analysis , i.e. understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. With the help of this information, wise decisions can be made to ensure business success.

LEARN ABOUT: Market research industry

Business research is the first step that any business owner needs to set up his business to survive or to excel in the market. The main reason why such research is of utmost importance is that it helps businesses to grow in terms of revenue, market share, and brand value.

MORE LIKE THIS

QuestionPro Thrive: A Space to Visualize & Share the Future of Technology

Jun 18, 2024

Relationship NPS Fails to Understand Customer Experiences — Tuesday CX

CX Platform: Top 13 CX Platforms to Drive Customer Success

Jun 17, 2024

How to Know Whether Your Employee Initiatives are Working

Other categories.

Academic Research
Artificial Intelligence
Assessments
Brand Awareness
Case Studies
Communities
Consumer Insights
Customer effort score
Customer Engagement
Customer Experience
Customer Loyalty
Customer Research
Customer Satisfaction
Employee Benefits
Employee Engagement
Employee Retention
Friday Five
General Data Protection Regulation
Insights Hub
Life@QuestionPro
Market Research
Mobile diaries
Mobile Surveys
New Features
Online Communities
Question Types
Questionnaire
QuestionPro Products
Release Notes
Research Tools and Apps
Revenue at Risk
Survey Templates
Training Tips
Tuesday CX Thoughts (TCXT)
Uncategorized
Video Learning Series
What’s Coming Up
Workforce Intelligence

Business Essentials
Leadership & Management
Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB)
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Digital Transformation
Finance & Accounting
Business in Society
For Organizations
Support Portal
Media Coverage
Founding Donors
Leadership Team

Harvard Business School →
HBS Online →
Business Insights →

Business Insights

Harvard Business School Online's Business Insights Blog provides the career insights you need to achieve your goals and gain confidence in your business skills.

Career Development
Communication
Decision-Making
Earning Your MBA
Negotiation
News & Events
Productivity
Staff Spotlight
Student Profiles
Work-Life Balance
AI Essentials for Business
Alternative Investments
Business Analytics
Business Strategy
Business and Climate Change
Design Thinking and Innovation
Digital Marketing Strategy
Disruptive Strategy
Economics for Managers
Entrepreneurship Essentials
Financial Accounting
Global Business
Launching Tech Ventures
Leadership Principles
Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
Leading Change and Organizational Renewal
Leading with Finance
Management Essentials
Negotiation Mastery
Organizational Leadership
Power and Influence for Positive Impact
Strategy Execution
Sustainable Business Strategy
Sustainable Investing
Winning with Digital Platforms

How to Conduct Market Research for a Startup

Entrepreneur conducting market research for a startup

17 Mar 2022

With every innovative product idea comes the pressing question: “Will people want to buy it?”

As an entrepreneur with a big idea, what’s the best way to determine how potential customers will react to your product? Conducting market research can provide the data needed to decide whether your product fits your target market.

Before launching a new venture, you should understand market research. Here’s how to conduct market research for a startup and why it’s important.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Market Research?

Market research is the process of gathering information about customers and the market as a whole to determine a product or service’s viability. Market research includes interviews, surveys, focus groups, and industry data analyses.

The goal of market research is to better understand potential customers, how well your product or service fits their needs, and how it compares to competitors’ offerings.

There are two types of research you can conduct: primary and secondary.

Primary research requires collecting data to learn about your specific customers or target market segment. It’s useful for creating buyer personas, segmenting your market, and improving your product to cater to customers’ needs .
Secondary research is conducted using data you didn’t collect yourself. Industry reports, public databases, and other companies’ proprietary data can be used to gain insights into your target market segment and industry.

Why Is Market Research Important for Entrepreneurs?

Before launching your venture, it’s wise to conduct market research to ensure your product or service will be well received. Feedback from people who fall into your target demographics can be invaluable as you iterate on and improve your product.

Performing market research can also help you determine a pricing strategy by gauging customers’ willingness to pay for your product. Additionally, it can improve the user experience by revealing what features matter most to potential customers.

When assessing which startups to fund, investors place heavy importance on thorough market research that indicates promising potential. Providing tangible proof that your product fulfills a market need and demonstrating you’ve taken the time to iterate on and improve it signal that your startup could be a worthwhile investment.

Related: How to Talk to Potential Investors: 5 Tips

How to Do Market Research for a Startup

1. form hypotheses.

What questions do you aim to answer through market research? Using those questions, you can make predictions called hypotheses . Defining your hypotheses upfront can help guide your approach to selecting subjects, researching questions, and testing designs.

An example question you may ask is: “How much are people in my target demographic willing to pay for the current version of my product?” Your hypothesis could be: “If my product contains all its current features, customers will be willing to pay $500 for it.”

Another example question you may ask is: “What’s the user’s biggest pain point, and is my product meeting their needs?” Your hypothesis could be: “I believe the user’s biggest pain point is needing an easy, unintimidating way to learn basic car maintenance, and I predict that my product meets that need.”

You can and should test multiple hypotheses, but try to select no more than a few per test, so the research stays focused.

Related: A Beginner’s Guide to Hypothesis Testing in Business

2. Select the Type of Research Needed to Test Hypotheses

Once you’ve formed your hypotheses, determine which type of research to conduct.

If your hypotheses focus on determining your startup’s place in the broader market, start with secondary research. This can include using existing data to determine market size, how much of that market your startup could reasonably own, who your biggest competitors are, and how your brand and product compare to theirs.

If your hypotheses require primary research, decide which data collection method best fits your needs. These can include one-on-one interviews, surveys, focus groups, and polls. Primary research allows you to gather insights into customer satisfaction and loyalty, brand awareness and perception, and real-time product usability.

3. Identify Target Demographics and Recruit Subjects

To gather meaningful insights, you need to understand your target demographic. Do you aim to cater to working parents, young athletes, or pet owners? Determine the type of person who can benefit from your product.

If you conduct primary research, you need to recruit subjects. This can be done in several ways, including:

Word of mouth: The simplest but least reliable way to recruit participants is by word of mouth. Ask people you know to refer others to be research subjects, then screen them to confirm they fit your target demographic.
Promoting the study on social media: Many social media platforms enable you to show an ad to people who fall into specific demographic categories or have certain interests. This allows you to get the word out to a large number of people who qualify.
Hiring a third-party market research company: Some companies provide full market research services and recruit participants and conduct research on your behalf.

However you recruit subjects, ensure they take a screener survey beforehand, which allows you to determine whether they fit the specific demographic you want to study or have a trait that eliminates them from the research pool. It also provides demographic data—such as age and race—that enables you to select a diverse subset of your target demographic.

In addition, you can offer compensation to boost participation, such as money, meal vouchers, gift cards, or early access to your product. Make it clear that compensation is in appreciation for subjects’ time and honest feedback.

4. Conduct the Research

Once you’ve determined the type of research and target demographic necessary to test your hypotheses, conduct your research. To reduce bias, enlist someone unfamiliar with your hypotheses to perform interviews or lead focus groups.

Ask questions based on your audience and hypotheses. For instance, if you’re aiming to test existing customers’ purchase motivations, you may ask: “What challenge were you trying to solve when you first bought the product?”

If examining brand perception, your audience should consist of potential customers who don’t yet know your brand. Present them with a list of competitor logos—with yours in the mix—and ask them to rank the brands by perceived reliability.

While the questions you ask are vehicles to prove or disprove hypotheses, ensure they don’t lead subjects in one direction. To craft unbiased research questions , use neutral language and vary the order of options in multiple-choice questions. This can keep subjects from selecting the same option each time if they sense the third option is always mapped to a certain outcome. It also helps account for primacy bias (the tendency to select the first option in a list) and recency bias (the tendency to select the final option in a list).

Once you’ve collected data, ensure it’s organized efficiently and securely so you can protect subjects’ identities .

Related: 3 Examples of Bad Survey Questions and How to Fix Them

5. Gather Insights and Determine Action Items

After you’ve organized your data, analyze it to extract actionable insights. While some of the data will be qualitative rather than quantitative, you can detect patterns in responses to make it quantifiable. For instance, noting that 15 of 20 subjects mentioned feeling overwhelmed when attempting to assemble your product.

Once you’ve analyzed the data and communicated emerging trends using data visualizations , outline action items.

If the majority of users in your target demographic reported feeling overwhelmed while assembling your product, action items might include:

Creating different versions of assembly instructions to test with other groups, varying diagrams and instructional language
Researching instruction manual best practices

Each round of market research can offer more information about how your product is perceived and experienced by potential users.

Which HBS Online Entrepreneurship and Innovation Course is Right for You? | Download Your Free Flowchart

Market Research as an Ongoing Endeavor

While it’s useful to conduct market research before launching your product, you should revisit your hypotheses and form new ones over the course of building your venture.

By conducting market research with each version of your product, you can gradually improve it and ensure it continues to fit target customers’ needs.

Are you interested in bolstering your entrepreneurship skills? Explore our four-week online course Entrepreneurship Essentials and our other entrepreneurship and innovation courses to learn to speak the language of the startup world.

About the Author

1. Why do your best clients choose your firm?

Notice we are focusing on the best clients, not necessarily the average client. Understanding what they find appealing about your firm can help you find others just like them and turn them into your next new client.

Download The Professional Services Guide to Research

2. What are those same clients trying to avoid?

This is the flip side of the first question and offers a valuable perspective. As a practical matter, avoiding being ruled out during the early rounds of a prospect’s selection process is pretty darned important. This is also important in helping shape your business practices and strategy.

In our research on professional services buyers and sellers , we’ve found that the top circumstances that buyers want to avoid in a service provider are not getting the job done or not being able to solve the problem and overpaying/billing surprises.

We also saw that many sellers misjudged their potential clients’ priorities. Closing this perception gap is one of the ways that research can help a firm grow faster. If you understand how your prospects think you can do a much better job of turning them into clients.

3. Who are your real competitors?

Most firms aren’t very good at identifying their true competitors. When we ask a firm’s staff to list their competitors and ask their clients to do the same, there is often only about a 25% overlap in their lists.

Why? Sometimes, it’s because you know too much about your industry and rule out competitors too easily. At other times, it’s because you are viewing a client’s problems through your filter and overlook completely different categories of solutions that they are considering. For example, a company facing declining sales could easily consider sales training, new product development, or a new marketing campaign. If you consult on new product development the other possible solutions are all competitors. In any case, ignorance of true competitors seldom helps you compete.

4. How do potential clients see their greatest challenges?

The answer to this question helps you understand what is on prospective clients’ minds and how they are likely to describe and talk about those issues. The key here is that you may offer services that can be of great benefit to organizations, but they never consider you because they are thinking about their challenges through a different lens.

They may want cost reduction when you are offering process improvement (which, in fact, reduces cost). Someone needs to connect the dots, or you will miss the opportunity. This is similar to the dilemma of understanding the full range of competitors described with Question 3.

5. What is the real benefit your firm provides?

Sure, you know your services and what they are intended to do for clients. But what do they actually do? Often, firms are surprised to learn the true benefit of their service. What might’ve attracted a client to your firm initially might not be what they end up valuing most when working with you. For example, you might have won the sale based on your good reputation, but after working with you, your client might value your specialized skills and expertise most.

When you understand what true value and benefit of your services, you’re in a position to enhance it or even develop new services with other true benefits.

6. What are emerging trends and challenges?

Where is the market headed? Will it grow or contract? What services might be needed in the future? This is fairly common research fodder in large market-driven industries, but it’s surprisingly rare among professional services firms.

Understanding emerging trends can help you conserve and better target limited marketing dollars. We’ve seen many firms add entire service lines, including new hires and big marketing budgets, based on little more than hunches and anecdotal observations. These decisions should be driven by research and data. Research reduces your risk associated with this type of decision.

7. How strong is your brand?

What is your firm known for? How strong is your reputation? How visible are you in the marketplace? Answers to each of these questions can vary from market to market. Knowing where you stand cannot only guide your overall strategy, it can also have a profound impact on your marketing budget. An understanding of your brand’s strengths and weaknesses can help you understand why you are getting traction in one segment and not another.

See also: Why Brand Differentiation is Essential for Professional Services Firms to Succeed

8. What is the best way to market to your prime target clients?

Wouldn’t it be nice to know where your target clients go to get recommendations and referrals? Wouldn’t it be great if you knew how they want to be marketed to? These are all questions that can be answered through systematic business research. The answers will greatly reduce the level of spending needed to reach your best clients. This is perhaps one of the key reasons that firms that do regular research are more profitable.

9. How should you price your services?

This is often a huge stumbling block for professional services firms. In our experience, most firms overestimate the role price plays in buying decisions. Perhaps it is because firms are told that the reason they don’t win an engagement is because of price. It is the easiest reason for a buyer to share when providing feedback.

However, if a firm hires an impartial third party to dig deeper into why it loses competitive bids, it often learns that what appears to be price may really be perceived level of expertise, lack of attention to detail or an impression of non-responsiveness. We’ve seen firms lose business because of typos in their proposal — while attributing the loss to their fees.

10. How do your current clients really feel about you?

How likely are clients to refer you to others? What would they change about your firm? How long are they likely to remain a client? These are the kinds of questions that can help you fine-tune your procedures and get a more accurate feel for what the future holds. In some cases, we’ve seen clients reveal previously hidden strengths. In others, they have uncovered important vulnerabilities that need attention.

The tricky part here is that clients are rarely eager to tell you the truth directly. They may want to avoid an uncomfortable situation or are worried that they will make matters worse by sharing their true feelings. That’s why at Hinge, we’ve hired an outsider to conduct research on our own clients, even though research is one of our core services.

Understanding the key questions discussed above can have a positive impact on your firm’s growth and profitability. That is the real power of well-designed and professionally executed business research.

How Hinge Can Help

Even with all of its benefits, custom or primary research can come across as intimidating. The Hinge Research Institute can put you at ease by answering all of your questions around survey design, data collection, analysis, data visualization, report design, timelines, costs, best practices, and more. The Hinge Research Institute can help you answer the top 10 business research questions to help you drive your firm’s growth and profitability. The answers will also help drive your branding, pricing, services, business development, and sales strategies. Contact us today.

Additional Resources

Our Professional Services Guide to Research gives you the tools and knowledge you need to lead your firm through conducting research.
Dive into Hinge’s own research into what motivates professional services buyers in the free book, Inside the Buyer’s Brain .
Bring data-driven marketing to your firm with Hinge University’s step-by-step, in-depth courses.

The Top 10 Most Interesting Business Research Topics

Interesting and relevant business research topics are vital for students pursuing an MBA or an undergraduate degree in business . Aside from helping you get excellent grades in school, they can help you understand business problems and come up with solutions to vital business research questions.

Choosing a single business research paper topic can be daunting. There are tons of exciting topics to choose from. This article provides several examples of business research paper topics that can inspire your next paper or research project.

Find your bootcamp match

What makes a strong business research topic.

A strong business research paper topic is clear, concise, well-phrased, and easy to understand. It is devoid of unnecessary jargon and may contain relevant business terms and widely known abbreviations. It also lays the foundation for the entire paper, summarizing the scope and aim of the business research project.

Tips for Choosing a Business Research Topic

Brainstorm: When choosing a research topic, begin by brainstorming topics that strike your interest or that you have substantial knowledge about. Make a list of ideas as you go.
Consider keywords and hot topics: Think about trends and hot topics in your field and academic network. Skimming the table of contents in a recently published business journal can be very helpful in this regard.
Research: Next, read up on your keywords to help you form possible topics for your research paper. Conduct a literature review to see what other researchers have discovered and how your research can add to the existing body of knowledge.
Sort your ideas: After your preliminary research, take your ideas and sort them into categories. For instance, keep topics on business law separate from international business topics.
Narrow down: Finally, narrow down your options. At this stage, consider the cost of running the project, your level of expertise, your interest, and the availability of research materials. Eventually, you’ll arrive at a single ideal research topic.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

A research topic is a subject that forms the foundation of your research paper—for example, the impact of gender discrimination. Your topic scope here may be fairly broad.

By contrast, a research question articulates a specific problem that your research aims to solve. Answering research questions should be the objective of your study or thesis. One example of a strong research question is “How do cultural contexts affect the impact of gender discrimination in privately owned companies?”

How to Create Strong Business Research Questions

Creating strong business research questions follows the same rules as choosing strong business research topics. However, this time you have to ask the following questions: how, why, and who? Research questions should relate to your topic of study. They should be clear, straightforward, and answerable.

2. Modern Methods of Increasing Employee Productivity

Monetary incentives, healthy work environments, and excellent work-life balance keep workers motivated and improve productivity. This research can explore the pros and cons of each method and its potential implications on employee motivation and morale. You can use data analytics methods to assess the effectiveness of these strategies.

3. Brand Influencing and Social Media Marketing Strategies

The International Chamber of Commerce formulated the international code of conduct on direct selling to guide local and international business marketing operations to ensure fairness in highly competitive business environments. Such online marketing operations include social media marketing and brand influencing.

4. Analyzing the Role of Copyrights and Trademarks in Business Transactions

Copyright, patent, and trademark policy are essential legal doctrines that prevent business people from unfairly profiting from others’ creations. When two businesses enter into a transaction, several potential issues could arise. One such issue is the protection of intellectual property. The purpose of this research is to explore the role copyrights and trademarks play in maintaining fair business transactions.

5. Analyzing the Structure of Transactions and the Role of a Director’s Guarantee in Business Law

Transactions, specifically in business law, play a significant role in the stability of companies. This paper on business law aims to analyze business laws and the structure of transactions. It will also recognize the role of a director’s guarantee in ensuring these aspects function to maintain the stability of companies in the American business sector.

6. Challenges to Transforming Small Local Businesses into Global Business Brands

Scaling a start-up or a small family business into a global brand involves several factors, including financing and financial management , technology, management, and the business environment. By studying international brands like Walmart and Spanx, you can identify core challenges that impede scaling and suggest solutions ranging from innovation management and technological innovation to a possible change in government policies.

7. Ethical Issues in Modern Business Management

Business ethics is a core aspect of business management . It defines the right and wrong ways of conducting business and guides business managers in the day-to-day running of their enterprises. With this research topic, you can explore ethical issues a business leader faces in the modern era, such as business corruption, harassment, and discrimination.

8. The Economic Development of Developing Economies in the Emerging Digital Economy

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s 2021 report revealed a fast-rising global data-driven digital economy. It also sparked several questions regarding the divide between developing economies and their developed counterparts. Some areas of focus were poor internet connection and lack of technological infrastructure.

9. The Role of Business Negotiation in Driving Sales Performance

With this topic, you can focus on the role of different negotiation tactics in achieving desired outcomes for both the organization and the customer. Managers can use these findings to help their team members negotiate more effectively and achieve better results.

10. The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Societal Transformation

Social entrepreneurs are business start-ups formed with the primary aim of solving a societal problem and upholding moral principles, turning profit-making into a lower priority than it might be otherwise. You can study the business plans and business models of these kinds of ventures and highlight their roles in bringing about sustainable development and other forms of positive social change.

Business Research Questions

Do employee diversity and internal business communication play an essential role in productivity?
How can small companies impact global change?
What are effective strategies for maintaining vastly diversified organizations?
What role does human resource management play in ensuring proper crisis management in small businesses?
What is the role of start-ups in global business?

Choosing the Right Business Research Topic

Choosing the right business topic can be challenging, but it is essential to writing a compelling paper. Make sure to pick a topic that interests you. Also, ensure that your topic meets your professor’s requirements for the assignment.

Having a good research topic is the first step to writing an excellent research paper because it lays the foundation for the entire piece. Conduct in-depth research and take advantage of any resources available to you to facilitate the process.

Business Research Topics FAQ

The difference between quantitative research and qualitative research is that quantitative research uses numerical data to analyze problems, and it relies on statistical sampling and mathematical models to arrive at conclusions. On the other hand, qualitative business research collects data through interviews, focus groups, and observations.

You can find strong business communication research paper topics on research websites like Google Scholar and ResearchGate. You can also check many other online resources for suggestions on dissertation topics in business communication.

When starting a business, you should research your industry, target market, and competitors. It is also necessary to study business law, organizational behavior, and financial management.

Some examples of business research questions on racial and gender discrimination in the workplace include:

How does implicit bias impact employees and businesses?
What can companies do to prevent or mitigate discrimination in the workplace?
How can we create a more inclusive workplace for all employees?
What are the best practices for handling discrimination complaints?

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

What's Next?

Get matched with top bootcamps

Ask a question to our community, take our careers quiz.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

Knowledge Base
Starting the research process
Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Published on October 26, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research question pinpoints exactly what you want to find out in your work. A good research question is essential to guide your research paper , dissertation , or thesis .

All research questions should be:

Focused on a single problem or issue
Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
Specific enough to answer thoroughly
Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

How to write a research question, what makes a strong research question, using sub-questions to strengthen your main research question, research questions quiz, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research questions.

You can follow these steps to develop a strong research question:

Choose your topic
Do some preliminary reading about the current state of the field
Narrow your focus to a specific niche
Identify the research problem that you will address

The way you frame your question depends on what your research aims to achieve. The table below shows some examples of how you might formulate questions for different purposes.

	Research question formulations
Describing and exploring
Explaining and testing
Evaluating and acting	is X

Using your research problem to develop your research question

Example research problem	Example research question(s)
Teachers at the school do not have the skills to recognize or properly guide gifted children in the classroom.	What practical techniques can teachers use to better identify and guide gifted children?
Young people increasingly engage in the “gig economy,” rather than traditional full-time employment. However, it is unclear why they choose to do so.	What are the main factors influencing young people’s decisions to engage in the gig economy?

Note that while most research questions can be answered with various types of research , the way you frame your question should help determine your choices.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them. The criteria below can help you evaluate the strength of your research question.

Focused and researchable

Criteria	Explanation
Focused on a single topic	Your central research question should work together with your research problem to keep your work focused. If you have multiple questions, they should all clearly tie back to your central aim.
Answerable using	Your question must be answerable using and/or , or by reading scholarly sources on the to develop your argument. If such data is impossible to access, you likely need to rethink your question.
Not based on value judgements	Avoid subjective words like , , and . These do not give clear criteria for answering the question.

Feasible and specific

Criteria	Explanation
Answerable within practical constraints	Make sure you have enough time and resources to do all research required to answer your question. If it seems you will not be able to gain access to the data you need, consider narrowing down your question to be more specific.
Uses specific, well-defined concepts	All the terms you use in the research question should have clear meanings. Avoid vague language, jargon, and too-broad ideas.
Does not demand a conclusive solution, policy, or course of action	Research is about informing, not instructing. Even if your project is focused on a practical problem, it should aim to improve understanding rather than demand a ready-made solution. If ready-made solutions are necessary, consider conducting instead. Action research is a research method that aims to simultaneously investigate an issue as it is solved. In other words, as its name suggests, action research conducts research and takes action at the same time.

Criteria

Explanation

Answerable within practical constraints

Make sure you have enough time and resources to do all research required to answer your question. If it seems you will not be able to gain access to the data you need, consider narrowing down your question to be more specific.

Uses specific, well-defined concepts

All the terms you use in the research question should have clear meanings. Avoid vague language, jargon, and too-broad ideas.

Does not demand a conclusive solution, policy, or course of action

Research is about informing, not instructing. Even if your project is focused on a practical problem, it should aim to improve understanding rather than demand a ready-made solution.

If ready-made solutions are necessary, consider conducting instead. Action research is a research method that aims to simultaneously investigate an issue as it is solved. In other words, as its name suggests, action research conducts research and takes action at the same time.

Complex and arguable

Criteria	Explanation
Cannot be answered with or	Closed-ended, / questions are too simple to work as good research questions—they don’t provide enough for robust investigation and discussion.
Cannot be answered with easily-found facts	If you can answer the question through a single Google search, book, or article, it is probably not complex enough. A good research question requires original data, synthesis of multiple sources, and original interpretation and argumentation prior to providing an answer.

Relevant and original

Criteria	Explanation
Addresses a relevant problem	Your research question should be developed based on initial reading around your . It should focus on addressing a problem or gap in the existing knowledge in your field or discipline.
Contributes to a timely social or academic debate	The question should aim to contribute to an existing and current debate in your field or in society at large. It should produce knowledge that future researchers or practitioners can later build on.
Has not already been answered	You don’t have to ask something that nobody has ever thought of before, but your question should have some aspect of originality. For example, you can focus on a specific location, or explore a new angle.

Chances are that your main research question likely can’t be answered all at once. That’s why sub-questions are important: they allow you to answer your main question in a step-by-step manner.

Good sub-questions should be:

Less complex than the main question
Focused only on 1 type of research
Presented in a logical order

Here are a few examples of descriptive and framing questions:

Descriptive: According to current government arguments, how should a European bank tax be implemented?
Descriptive: Which countries have a bank tax/levy on financial transactions?
Framing: How should a bank tax/levy on financial transactions look at a European level?

Keep in mind that sub-questions are by no means mandatory. They should only be asked if you need the findings to answer your main question. If your main question is simple enough to stand on its own, it’s okay to skip the sub-question part. As a rule of thumb, the more complex your subject, the more sub-questions you’ll need.

Try to limit yourself to 4 or 5 sub-questions, maximum. If you feel you need more than this, it may be indication that your main research question is not sufficiently specific. In this case, it’s is better to revisit your problem statement and try to tighten your main question up.

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

Sampling methods
Simple random sampling
Stratified sampling
Cluster sampling
Likert scales
Reproducibility

Statistics

Null hypothesis
Statistical power
Probability distribution
Effect size
Poisson distribution

Research bias

Optimism bias
Cognitive bias
Implicit bias
Hawthorne effect
Anchoring bias
Explicit bias

The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, it’s important to evaluate sources to assess their relevance. Use preliminary evaluation to determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth.

This involves:

Reading abstracts , prefaces, introductions , and conclusions
Looking at the table of contents to determine the scope of the work
Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars

A research hypothesis is your proposed answer to your research question. The research hypothesis usually includes an explanation (“ x affects y because …”).

A statistical hypothesis, on the other hand, is a mathematical statement about a population parameter. Statistical hypotheses always come in pairs: the null and alternative hypotheses . In a well-designed study , the statistical hypotheses correspond logically to the research hypothesis.

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

Researchability
Feasibility and specificity
Relevance and originality

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, November 21). Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 18, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-questions/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to define a research problem | ideas & examples, how to write a problem statement | guide & examples, 10 research question examples to guide your research project, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

Examples of good research questions

Last updated

Reviewed by

Tanya Williams

However, developing a good research question is often challenging. But, doing appropriate data analysis or drawing meaningful conclusions from your investigation with a well-defined question make it easier.

So, to get you on the right track, let’s start by defining a research question, what types of research questions are common, and the steps to drafting an excellent research question.

Make research less tedious

Dovetail streamlines research to help you uncover and share actionable insights

What is a research question?

The definition of a research question might seem fairly obvious.

At its simplest, a research question is a question you research to find the answer.

Researchers typically start with a problem or an issue and seek to understand why it has occurred, how it can be solved, or other aspects of its nature.

As you'll see, researchers typically start with a broad question that becomes narrower and more specific as the research stages are completed.

In some cases, a study may tackle more than one research question.

Research question types

Research questions are typically divided into three broad categories: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method.

These categories reflect the research type necessary to answer the research question.

Qualitative research

When you conduct qualitative research, you're broadly exploring a subject to analyze its inherent qualities.

There are many types of qualitative research questions, which include:

Descriptive: describing and illuminating little-known or overlooked aspects of a subject

Emancipatory: uncovering data that can serve to emancipate a particular group of people, such as disadvantaged or marginalized communities

Evaluative: assessing how well a particular research approach or method works

Explanatory: answering “how” or “why” a given phenomenon occurs

Exploratory: identifying reasons behind certain behaviors and exploring motivations (also known as generative research because it can generate solutions to problems)

Ideological: researching ideologies or beliefs, such as political affiliation

Interpretive: understanding group perceptions, decision-making, and behavior in a natural setting

Predictive: forecasting a likely outcome or scenario by examining past events

While it's helpful to understand the differences between these qualitative research question types, writing a good question doesn't start with determining the precise type of research question you'll be asking.

It starts with determining what answers you're seeking.

Quantitative research

Unlike broad, flexible qualitative research questions, quantitative research questions are precise. They also directly link the research question and the proposed methodology.

So, in a quantitative research question, you'll usually find

The study method

An independent variable (or variables)

A dependent variable

The study population

Quantitative research questions can also fall into multiple categories, including:

Comparative research questions compare two or more groups according to specific criteria and analyze their similarities and differences.

Descriptive questions measure a population's response to one or more variables.

Relationship (or relationship-based) questions examine how two or more variables interact.

Mixed-methods research

As its name suggests, mixed-methods research questions involve qualitative and quantitative components.

These questions are ideal when the answers require an evaluation of a specific aspect of a phenomenon that you can quantify and a broader understanding of aspects that can't.

How to write a research question

Writing a good research question can be challenging, even if you're passionate about the subject matter.

A good research question aims to solve a problem that still needs to be answered and can be solved empirically.

The approach might involve quantitative or qualitative methodology, or a mixture of both. To write a well-developed research question, follow the four steps below:

1. Select a general topic

Start with a broad topic. You may already have one in mind or get one assigned to you. If you don't, think about one you're curious about.

You can also use common brainstorming techniques , draw on discussions you've had with family and friends, take topics from the news, or use other similar sources of inspiration.

Also, consider a subject that has yet to be studied or addressed. If you're looking to tackle a topic that has already been thoroughly studied, you'll want to examine it from a new angle.

Still, the closer your question, approach, and outcomes are to existing literature, the less value your work will offer. It will also be less publishing-worthy (if that’s your goal).

2. Conduct preliminary research

Next, you'll want to conduct some initial research about your topic. You'll read coverage about your topic in academic journals, the news, and other credible sources at this stage.

You'll familiarize yourself with the terminology commonly used to describe your topic and the current take from subject matter experts and the general public.

This preliminary review helps you in a few ways. First, you'll find many researchers will discuss challenges they found conducting their research in their "Limitations," "Results," and "Discussion" sections of research papers.

Assessing these sections also helps you avoid choosing the wrong methodological approach to answering your question. Initial research also enables you to avoid focusing on a topic that has already been covered.

You can generate valuable research questions by tracking topics that have yet to be covered.

3. Consider your audience

Next, you'll want to give some thought to your audience. For example, what kinds of research material are they looking for, and what might they find valuable?

Reflect on why you’re conducting the research.

What is your team looking to learn if your research is for a work assignment?

How does what they’re asking for from you connect to business goals?

Understanding what your audience is seeking can help you shape the direction of your research so that the final draft connects with your audience.

If you're writing for an academic journal, what types of research do they publish? What kinds of research approaches have they published? And what criteria do they expect submitted manuscripts to meet?

4. Generate potential questions

Take the insights you've gained from your preliminary research and your audience assessment to narrow your topic into a research question.

Your question should be one that you can answer using the appropriate research methods. Unfortunately, some researchers start with questions they need more resources to answer and then produce studies whose outcomes are limited, limiting the study's value to the broader community.

Make sure your question is one you can realistically answer.

Examples of poor research questions

"How do electronics distract teen drivers?"

This question could be better from a researcher's perspective because it is overly broad. For instance, what is “electronics” in this context? Some electronics, like eye-monitoring systems in semi-autonomous vehicles, are designed to keep drivers focused on the road.

Also, how does the question define “teens”? Some states allow you to get a learner's permit as young as 14, while others require you to be 18 to drive. Therefore, conducting a study without further defining the participants' ages is not scientifically sound.

Here's another example of an ineffective research question:

"Why is the sky blue?"

This question has been researched thoroughly and answered.

A simple online search will turn up hundreds, if not thousands, of pages of resources devoted to this very topic.

Suppose you spend time conducting original research on a long-answered question; your research won’t be interesting, relevant, or valuable to your audience.

Alternatively, here's an example of a good research question:

"How does using a vehicle’s infotainment touch screen by drivers aged 16 to 18 in the U.S. affect driving habits?"

This question is far more specific than the first bad example. It notes the population of the study, as well as the independent and dependent variables.

And if you're still interested in the sky's color, a better example of a research question might be:

"What color is the sky on Proxima Centauri b, based on existing observations?"

A qualitative research study based on this question could extrapolate what visitors on Proxima Centauri b (a planet in the closest solar system to ours) might see as they look at the sky.

You could approach this by contextualizing our understanding of how the light scatters off the molecules of air resulting in a blue sky, and the likely composition of Proxima Centauri b's atmosphere from data NASA and others have gathered.

Why the right research question is critical

As you can see from the examples, starting with a poorly-framed research question can make your study difficult or impossible to complete.

Or it can lead you to duplicate research findings.

Ultimately, developing the right research question sets you up for success. It helps you define a realistic scope for your study, informs the best approach to answer the central question, and conveys its value to your audience.

That's why you must take the time to get your research question right before you embark on any other part of your project.

Should you be using a customer insights hub?

Do you want to discover previous research faster?

Do you share your research findings with others?

Do you analyze research data?

Start for free today, add your research, and get to key insights faster

Editor’s picks

Last updated: 18 April 2023

Last updated: 27 February 2023

Last updated: 6 February 2023

Last updated: 15 January 2024

Last updated: 6 October 2023

Last updated: 5 February 2023

Last updated: 16 April 2023

Last updated: 7 March 2023

Last updated: 9 March 2023

Last updated: 12 December 2023

Last updated: 11 March 2024

Last updated: 13 May 2024

Latest articles

Related topics, .css-je19u9{-webkit-align-items:flex-end;-webkit-box-align:flex-end;-ms-flex-align:flex-end;align-items:flex-end;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;row-gap:0;text-align:center;max-width:671px;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}}@media (max-width: 799px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}} decide what to .css-1kiodld{max-height:56px;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-1kiodld{display:none;}} build next, decide what to build next.

Users report unexpectedly high data usage, especially during streaming sessions.

Users find it hard to navigate from the home page to relevant playlists in the app.

It would be great to have a sleep timer feature, especially for bedtime listening.

I need better filters to find the songs or artists I’m looking for.

Log in or sign up

Get started for free

Business Research - Science topic

asked a question related to Business Research
Sep 23, 2023

Sep 28, 2023
1 Recommendation

Aug 19, 2023

Aug 21, 2023
0 Recommendations

Feb 23, 2023

Feb 24, 2023
6 Recommendations

Sep 7, 2022

Dec 5, 2022

Jul 20, 2022

Jul 21, 2022
4 Recommendations

Jun 23, 2022

Jun 27, 2022

Mar 8, 2022

Mar 28, 2022
119 Recommendations

Mar 2, 2022

10 Recommendations

Feb 14, 2022
Feb 22, 2022

Feb 3, 2022

The challenges of company expansions to different countries.
Examining world markets and how they benefit from globalization
68 Recommendations

Mar 31, 2021

Jan 27, 2022
88 Recommendations

Nov 2, 2021

Nov 5, 2021
Donald R. Cooper
36 Recommendations

Jan 4, 2021

Jul 17, 2021

May 16, 2021

May 18, 2021
117 Recommendations

Jul 21, 2019

Feb 15, 2021

Nov 9, 2020

Dec 15, 2020
120 Recommendations

Oct 21, 2020

Jul 22, 2020
135 Recommendations

Jun 7, 2020

Jun 30, 2020
24 Recommendations

Jan 23, 2020

Mar 17, 2020

Feb 13, 2020
9 Recommendations

Feb 7, 2020
Feb 11, 2020

Dec 24, 2018

Jan 24, 2020
5 Recommendations

Jul 26, 2019

26 Recommendations

Jun 24, 2019

Jun 25, 2019
12 Recommendations

Apr 2, 2019
Apr 17, 2019

Jan 8, 2019

Jan 9, 2019

Dec 29, 2018

Dec 31, 2018

Oct 24, 2018

Oct 26, 2018

Oct 14, 2018
Oct 16, 2018

Aug 1, 2014

Oct 15, 2018

Sep 25, 2018

Oct 10, 2018

Sep 4, 2018
Sep 7, 2018

Aug 14, 2018

Aug 17, 2018

May 28, 2018

May 29, 2018
Testing a Model of Cognitive Budgetary Participation Processes in a Latent Variable Structural Equations Framewo rk.pdf 1.08 MB

Feb 27, 2018

15 Recommendations

Feb 21, 2018

Dec 15, 2017

May 25, 2017
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWOR K.docx 33.54 KB

14 Recommendations

Mar 3, 2017

for the individual student, if you can sell it as the above (can you help them answer a specific question as a byproduct of your research? As your colleague says, it needs to be an actual, real world challenge that you can help fix) and/or build a personal relationship to get an in, may be the way to go. People can be surprisingly helpful if they can look at you and say 'reminds me of my son/daughter with their school work'
realistically, much general research in industry is becoming collaborative, with input from the state e.g the catapult programme in the UK which has strong links with universities ( www.catapult.org.uk ). There may be something similar in Sweden- if you can make contact through your institution, coverage via a wider umbrella can open doors, though, again, you will need high quality proposals which directly help umbrella members

Oct 10, 2016

Oct 22, 2016

Feb 25, 2015

Jun 3, 2016

Apr 6, 2016

Apr 7, 2016

Mar 11, 2016

Mar 15, 2016
3 Recommendations

Feb 15, 2016

Mar 2, 2016

Feb 12, 2016

Feb 21, 2016

Feb 7, 2016

Feb 10, 2016

Dec 19, 2015

Dec 21, 2015

Apr 24, 2015

Apr 25, 2015
B.K. Punia and P. Yadav, Predictive Estimates of Employees’ Intelligence at Workplace with Special Reference to Emotional and Spiritual Intelligence, BIJIT – BVICAM’s International Journal of Information Technology, 7(1), January-June, 2015, pp. 845-852.
21 Recommendations

Mar 6, 2015

18 Recommendations

Dec 28, 2014
Is Qualitative descriptive research (QDR) being neglected in mainstream business research studies?
Can QDR be explained by using "research process onion" having six steps for research design?
Is there any book or set of articles that can explain QDR ?
qualitative descripti on.pdf 78.81 KB

Dec 29, 2014
60 Recommendations

Sep 19, 2014

28 Recommendations

Aug 28, 2014

Sep 18, 2014

Feb 14, 2014

Feb 15, 2014

Dec 16, 2013

Dec 24, 2013
Recruit researchers
Join for free
Login Email Tip: Most researchers use their institutional email address as their ResearchGate login Password Forgot password? Keep me logged in Log in or Continue with Google Welcome back! Please log in. Email · Hint Tip: Most researchers use their institutional email address as their ResearchGate login Password Forgot password? Keep me logged in Log in or Continue with Google No account? Sign up

Business Management

90 Trending Business Management Research Topics in 2024

Home Blog Business Management 90 Trending Business Management Research Topics in 2024

Business management has become essential for staying competitive and profitable in today's fast-paced world. It encompasses understanding all aspects of business, from its structure to finance, marketing, and strategy. Pursuing a postgraduate course in business management, such as PGDM, requires writing a well-researched paper to kickstart one's career.

However, the biggest challenge lies in selecting a relevant and trending research topic. To help with this, we have compiled a list of ten business management research paper topics that are currently trending in 2024, covering advancements in technology and innovative leadership strategies. Enrolling in Business Management training courses can further enhance your skills and knowledge, enabling you to take your career to new heights. So, let's delve into these cutting-edge business management research topics together and gain insights for career growth.

Business Management Research Topics [Based on Different Industries]

A. business management research topics for business administration.

Data analytics’ role in company performance and decision-making.
Revolution of firm operations and strategy due to artificial intelligence.
How sustainable business practices affect a company’s financial performance.
Blockchain technology’s role in business.
Impact of fintech on traditional financial institutions.
How digital transformation affects organizational culture.
Consequences of social media marketing for customer engagement.
Impact of the gig economy on the traditional employment model.
Abuse experienced by women in the workplace.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on global supply chain management.

B. Business Management Research Topics for Accounting and Finance

Asset pricing and financial markets
Business history
Corporate finance
Corporate governance
Credit management
Financial accounting and auditing
Organizations: ownership, governance and performance
SME finance
Sustainable finance and ESG
Venture capital and private equity
Banking and financial intermediation
Behavioral finance

C. Business Management Research Topics for Economics

Environment, infrastructure, innovation and the circular economy
Work, labour and organisation
Financialisation and globalisation
Development and wellbeing
The macro economy and macroeconomic policy

D. Business Management Research Topics for International Business

International business policy, SDGs and “grand challenges”
International business, migration and society
Global health and international business
Cross-cultural management, diversity and inclusion
The theory of the multinational enterprise (MNE)
The governance of global value chains (GVCs)
Emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs)

E. Business Management Project Topics for Management

Organizational strategy
Global supply chains
Leadership and performance
Technology and innovation
Digital transformation
Sustainability
Information management and information systems
Learning and change
Human information processing
Decision making

F. Project Topics for Marketing

Corporate responsibility and sustainability
Green marketing and advertising
International marketing
Cross cultural buyer-seller relationships
Consumer buying behaviour
Analysis of consumer heterogeneous preferences and discrete choice analysis
Retailing and store choice analysis
Branding and brand equity
Formulating and implementing sustainability marketing strategies: Bridging the gap
Marketing strategy making
Emergent marketing strategy and decision making in marketing organizations
Export marketing strategy and performance
Sustainable strategies of multinational corporations
Standardizations/adaptation of international service offerings
International marketing process standardization/adaptation

G. Business Management Research Topics for Employment Relations

Labour mobility, migration and citizenship
Markets, flexibilization and social protection
Voice, representation and social movement
Digitalization, automation, platformisation, and the future of work
Between professions and precarity: the new world of work
Changing structures of governance and organisation
Employment, skills and occupations

H. Project Topics for Business ethics topics

Maintaining Compliance with Independent Contractors
The perception of tax evasion ethics
Consumer Rights to Privacy and Confidentiality

What are Some Good Business Management Research Topics in 2024?

Conflict Management in a Work Team
The Role of Women in Business Management
Issues that Affect the Management of Business Startups
Consequences of Excessive Work in Business
Why You Should Start a New Business After One Fails
Importance of Inter-organizational Leadership and Networks
How to Manage Organizational Crisis in Business
Product and Service Development in a Strategic Alliance
Innovation and Network Markets as a Business Strategy
Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

Every aspect of business, like strategy, finance, operations, and management, is essential. So, it’s hard to say that a particular area of research is more significant. Choosing the best research topic in business management within your area of interest or specialization is one way to decide what your business management research project will be about. It is also a learning process and an opportunity to showcase your in-depth knowledge.

But if you want to explore other options, write about trending issues and events in the business world, and learn something new, here’s a list of 10 research proposal topics in business management that can help you create an engaging and practical project. You can also take a CCBA training certification to learn more in-depth about business management.

1. Conflict Management in a Work Team

With businesses going global, team management has escalated from merely managing people to guiding, mentoring and resolving conflicts among individuals. Teams with multicultural members from different departments are fertile ground for conflicts. If you are looking for international business management research topics, conflict management in work teams is an excellent option.

This research will give you an insight into the various causes of conflict and different techniques and methods of conflict resolution within global multi-lingual and multi-cultural teams enabling you to lead teams successfully and keep disruptions minimal. Better teams translate to better productivity and, eventually, revenue. On the personal front, it means career growth, leadership roles, and higher pay scales for you.

2. The Role of Women in Business Management

In contemporary society, women have made notable strides in shattering patriarchal norms and embracing diverse opportunities and career paths, thereby demonstrating their strength and autonomy. While women encounter challenges in assuming leadership roles, often stemming from prevailing cultural attitudes, their presence in business management positions is more prevalent than commonly perceived. This prompts inquiry into the factors that contribute to the exceptional success of certain women in managerial positions and the unique value they bring to such roles. Exploring this subject through qualitative research could yield insightful findings regarding women's impact on business management.

3. Issues that Affect the Management of Business Startups

The COVID-19 pandemic drove everyone online and created a new digital startup ecosystem. However, while it may be easy to set up a digital business, sustenance, scaling, and growth are some of the challenges that follow. If you are entrepreneurial, your research title about business management should read something like “Challenges in the startup ecosystem.” Such research covers issues that affect the management of business startups. It covers the various factors that lead to success and the pitfalls and obstacles on the growth trajectory. It covers effective strategies to mitigate or work around challenges, and this is where you can get creative. Limiting your research to startups is okay, but you can also cover significant ground across other business models.

4. Consequences of Excessive Work in Business

Work-life balance is the buzzword in today’s business environment. If you choose to write your thesis on the impact of excessive work in business, it could well escalate to international levels as everyone talks about employee well-being, from corporates to SMEs and top management to HR.

The single most significant reason behind this is the instances of early burnout seen in the past. Secondly, globalization is another cause for concern since people are often required to work multiple shifts. Lastly, the recent trend of post-Covid layoffs that have driven the need for side hustle makes it even more necessary to keep track of how hectic business operations are.

5. Why You Should Start a New Business After One Fails

Failure is the steppingstone to success. Or so the saying goes. The recent outcrop of start-ups has proven this to be true. If one venture fails, do not give up. Learn from the experience and start again. Not only is that the mantra of the current generation, but it is also among the trending quantitative research topics in business management.

The main objective and outcome of this business management research topic are to explore lessons learned from failures, the advantages of starting afresh, and the strategies for overcoming the fear of failure.

6. Importance of Inter-organizational Leadership and Networks

This research focuses on managing global networks in leadership roles. It is among the hot favorite research topics for business management students considering how businesses are going global. If you are an aspiring global entrepreneur or leader, you would want to know more about local and global inter-organizational networks, how things work, how people communicate, etc. Researching inter-organizational leadership and networks can provide insights into businesses' challenges and opportunities when building and maintaining relationships. Managing these relationships is another challenging part of the process, and that is what you will learn through this research.

7. How to Manage Organizational Crisis in Business

Not only is crisis management a critical leadership skill, but today's turbulent business environment is fertile ground for an organizational crisis. Globalization, digitization, and the startup ecosystem have disrupted the environment. Barring corporates, a crisis can strike any business at any time and bailing out of that crisis is the responsibility of the business leadership. Managing an organizational crisis in business is a popular business management research paper topic, especially among MBA students, PGDM, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

8. Product and Service Development in a Strategic Alliance

When it comes to research paper topics related to business management, one area worth exploring is product bundling in a strategic alliance. The ICICI credit card offered to online customers of Amazon India is a classic example.

Development of such strategic products or services requires in-depth product knowledge, knowledge of finance, and of course, a strategic mindset. If you have a strategic mindset and interest in product management, this is one of your best business management research project topics.

9. Innovation and Network Markets as a Business Strategy

Innovation and Network marketing is an emerging and strategic business model for startups. When entrepreneurs need more resources to raise seed or venture capital for their businesses, they elect to market their products through networking. Social Media platforms like Facebook offer substantial networking opportunities. Choose this probe as your quantitative research topic for business management if you have entrepreneurial aspirations to understand every aspect of this business model and strategy in depth.

10. Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

Social enterprise is any business having a social objective and undertaking activities in the public interest. Writing a research paper on social enterprises and entrepreneurship will lead you to explore opportunities that can bring an innovative change in society and hold business potential. One thing to remember if you want to explore social enterprise and entrepreneurship as one of several business management research titles is that the organizational goal is primarily social impact rather than revenue generation. This research will make you more open to an inclusive idea of growth by bringing you closer to social causes, marginalized communities, and people thriving in them.

How to Find Business Management Research Topics?

This is just our list of hot and trending business research topics. To help you discover more research project topics on business management, here are some quick-follow tips:

1. Identify Your Interests

Start by making a list of the various aspects of business management that interest you. Rate them on a scale of 1-10, with one being the least liked and 10 being your most favorite. You can also narrow down your topic to a specific niche while seeking sample research topics in business management.

2. Read Academic Journals

You might want to conduct preliminary research on a few of the topics you shortlisted to see if something interesting jumps out at you. One way to do this is by reading academic journals related to your selected area of business management. Findings by earlier researchers may trigger innovative thought.

3. Attend Events

Attending business events like seminars, conferences, and webinars on topics of interest can help you narrow down your list of research topics related to business management. It is also an excellent way to gather knowledge about your area of interest as well as to grow your network.

4. Consult your supervisor or Mentor

Your thesis supervisor is a valuable resource when searching for the best research topics in business management. They can guide you about relevant research areas and help you identify potential research questions apart from guiding you on research presentation.

5. Use Online Resources

Many research journals online allow students access to research papers either free of cost or in exchange for a small fee. Explore this resource and sign up for a few that are relevant to your area of interest.

Business Management Research: Types and Methodologies

Business research, like any other research, involves the collection of data and information about your chosen topic, analysis of the information and data gathered, and exploring new possibilities in the field.

Broadly speaking, research may be of two types – Quantitative or Qualitative. Quantitative research, also called empirical research, involves the collection of data from sample groups to answer a question. Qualitative research has more to do with the impact of certain phenomena. Such research is usually an extension of previously researched topics.

The table below highlights the difference between quantitative research topics in business management and qualitative research about business management.

Criteria	Quantitative Research Methods	Qualitative Research Methods
Data Collection	Numerical data	Non-numerical data such as words, images, and observations
Purpose	Investigate cause-and-effect relationships, test hypotheses, and generate statistical models	Gain an in-depth understanding of complex phenomena, explore social processes, and generate new theories
Sample Size	quantitative research topic for business management requires a fairly large sample size	qualitative research topics in business management have a comparatively small sample size
Analysis Techniques	Statistical analysis techniques such as regression analysis or correlation analysis	Content analysis or thematic analysis
Examples of Research Topics in business management	"The impact of employee satisfaction on customer Loyalty" or "The relationship between Corporate social responsibility and financial Performance"	"The Experiences of Women in top leadership positions" or "The Impact of organizational culture on employee motivation"

The world of business management is constantly evolving and finding the right business management research topic might seem like a Herculean task. But, with a little thought, planning, and some research, it is not that hard. So, the 90 topics we've explored in this blog represent some of the most significant areas of development in the field of business management today, from the rise of women as business leaders and to the importance of innovation and network markets. As we move into 2024 and beyond, it's clear that these topics will only continue to grow in importance, shaping the way we do business and interact with the world around us. By staying informed and engaged with the latest research and trends, you can position yourself as a thought leader and innovator in the world of business management.

Also, our pointers on how to discover a business management research topic will help you identify a list of research topics in business management for your thesis. You can then narrow it down to your area of talent or interest. If you still want to know more, you can enroll in our KnowledgeHut's Business Management training , where you’ll learn more about the different aspects of business.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

An example of a business research study could be investigating the impact of social media marketing on consumer buying behavior or examining the effectiveness of a new leadership development program in a company.

The 4 types of business research include:

Exploratory
Descriptive

Business management is wide in scope, and there is a spectrum of research topics to choose from. The most prominent areas of business include finance, operations, procurement, marketing, and HR. Within each of these, you’ll find several macro and micro niches to explore.

Mansoor Mohammed

Mansoor Mohammed is a dynamic and energetic Enterprise Agile Coach, P3M & PMO Consultant, Trainer, Mentor, and Practitioner with over 20 years of experience in Strategy Execution and Business Agility. With a background in Avionics, Financial Services, Banking, Telecommunications, Retail, and Digital, Mansoor has led global infrastructure and software development teams, launched innovative products, and enabled Organizational Change Management. As a results-driven leader, he excels in collaborating, adapting, and driving partnerships with stakeholders at all levels. With expertise in Change Management, Transformation, Lean, Agile, and Organizational Design, Mansoor is passionate about aligning strategic goals and delivering creative solutions for successful business outcomes. Connect with him to explore change, Agile Governance, implementation delivery, and the future of work.

Avail your free 1:1 mentorship session.

Something went wrong

Upcoming Business Management Batches & Dates

Name	Date	Fee	Know more

SUGGESTED TOPICS
The Magazine
Newsletters
Managing Yourself
Managing Teams
Work-life Balance
The Big Idea
Data & Visuals
Reading Lists
Case Selections
HBR Learning
Topic Feeds
Account Settings
Email Preferences

Research: Smaller, More Precise Discounts Could Increase Your Sales

Dinesh Gauri,
Abhijit Guha,
Abhijit Biswas,
Subhash Jha

Why bigger discounts don’t necessarily attract more customers.

Retailers might think that bigger discounts attract more customers. But new research suggests that’s not always true. Sometimes, a smaller discount that looks more precise — say 6.8% as compared to 7% — can make people think the deal won’t last long, and they’ll buy more. In a series of nine experimental studies involving around 2,000 individuals considering online or retail purchases of a variety of products, the authors found precise discount depths — the difference between the original and sale price — can increase purchase intentions by up to 21%.

Discounts are an important promotional tactic retailers use to drive sales. So much so that discounts were a major factor for three out of four U.S. online shoppers in 2023 , luring consumers away from shopping at other retailers, getting them to increase their basket size, and convincing them to make purchases they otherwise wouldn’t. Discounts have a particularly strong impact on food purchases, where 90% of consumers reported stocking up on groceries when they were on sale .

DG Dinesh Gauri is a professor and Walmart chair in the department of marketing at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. He is also the executive director of retail information at the Walton College. His research and teaching interests include retailing, pricing, marketing analytics, retail media, e-commerce and social media marketing. He advises for various companies in these areas and is a recognized leader in marketing.
AG Abhijit Guha is an associate professor in the department of marketing at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. His research and teaching interests include retailing, pricing, and artificial intelligence.
AB Abhijit Biswas is the Kmart endowed chair and professor of marketing, chair of the department of marketing, and distinguished faculty fellow at the Mike Ilitch School of Business, Wayne State University. His research and teaching interests include retailing, pricing and advertising. He has published over a hundred articles, majority of which are in academic journals including the Journal of Marketing , Journal of Marketing Research , etc.
SJ Subhash Jha is an associate professor of marketing at the Fogelman College of Business & Economics at the University of Memphis. His research and teaching interests include retailing, pricing, online reviews and role of haptic cues.

Partner Center

Research Feature with Professor Ilias Tsiakas

Posted on Thursday, June 20th, 2024

Professor Ilias Tsiakas is a professor and the Lang Chair in Finance in the Department of Economics and Finance. His research focuses on asset pricing, international finance, financial econometrics, and climate finance.

What is the overarching focus of your research program?

The focus of my research is understanding financial markets from the point of view of an investor (rather than the point of view of a corporation). This is the field of finance that is known as asset pricing. Using empirical methods based on large datasets, my research aims at improving our assessment of the risk-return tradeoff of various asset classes: stocks, bonds, currencies, cryptocurrencies, commodities, etc. For example, here are three classic questions addressed by my research in various contexts: why do some assets perform better than other ones? Can we predict the future performance of certain assets? What are the best ways to build optimal portfolios? In short, the main objective of my research is to provide new insights about the workings of financial markets, which are ideally reported in high-quality publications, funded by prestigious research grants, provide opportunities for graduate supervision and contribute to the delivery of improved courses.

Briefly describe a research problem or issue you are currently investigating? What questions or challenges are you hoping to address?

One research problem that I am currently investigating is the dividend disconnect in evaluating the performance of investments. This is joint work with Jordi Mondria from the University of Toronto and Michael Di Carlo, who recently graduated from our PhD program under my supervision. The dividend disconnect is a behavioural bias of investors against dividends. There is strong evidence that investors perceive gains and losses to be driven primarily by capital gains (i.e., price changes) and tend to ignore dividends in assessing performance. This creates a disconnect between capital gains and dividends. The dividend disconnect goes against standard financial theory, which is based on the idea that investors care about returns but are indifferent about whether they receive them through capital gains or dividends. As a result, all models we use in finance for evaluating asset performance make no distinction about whether the market return is due to capital gains or the dividend yield. In this paper, we find that it makes a big difference to look at the dividend yield as a separate component of the market return. We first build a theoretical model, which shows that the behavioural bias of investors to ignore dividends can justify the high predictive ability of the dividend yield for future returns. Then we examine the full cross-section of US stock returns to show that the empirical evidence supports our theoretical result. In short, separating the capital gains from the dividend yield for the market portfolio has fundamental implications for the way we evaluate investments and this is a new insight in financial research.

Who is the target audience? Why is your research important to this audience? Why does it matter?

The target audience of my research is primarily the group of my academic peers and graduate students. My main objective is to produce research with a high impact in the academic community. One way to measure this impact is by counting the citations received by publications. Overall, I would say that academic research matters because it typically deals with important issues, provides novel perspectives, produces comprehensive analysis, uses state-of-the-art methods and is subject to thorough peer review. For these reasons, the intellectual depth and rigour of academic research is hard to replicate outside academia. Having said that, however, in finance the gap between academic research and industry practice is small and getting smaller. Most of our academic ideas and findings have direct applications in financial practice. There is a two-way exchange of people and ideas between academia and industry. Lots of PhDs or Professors go to the industry and lots of issues that practitioners care about inform academic research. For example, my last three PhD students were all recruited by financial corporations to work on quantitative financial analysis. In short, there is a high level of interaction between academic researchers and industry practitioners in finance.

What comes next?

My objective remains the same: produce the best possible research, supervise graduate students and be an effective teacher. In the near future, I expect that I will continue to conduct research on the following topics: Designing better measures of risk that work well in assessing investments in both developed and emerging economies. Explore the market conditions under which asset pricing anomalies work well (such as size, value and momentum across stocks). Understanding the complexities of trading FX swaps for the purpose of interest rate speculation and tax planning. Evaluating the effect of carbon emissions on the financial performance of firms. Examine the role of order flow in predicting cryptocurrency returns.

Share this page

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Print this page

News Archive

News topics.

Featured Profile
Featured Research
Research with Impact

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Explore sell to government
Ways you can sell to government
How to access contract opportunities
Conduct market research
Register your business
Certify as a small business
Become a schedule holder
Market your business
Research active solicitations
Respond to a solicitation
What to expect during the award process
Comply with contractual requirements
Handle contract modifications
Monitor past performance evaluations
Explore real estate
3D-4D building information modeling
Art in architecture | Fine arts
Computer-aided design standards
Commissioning
Design excellence
Engineering
Project management information system
Spatial data management
Facilities operations
Smart buildings
Tenant services
Utility services
Water quality management
Explore historic buildings
Heritage tourism
Historic preservation policy, tools and resources
Historic building stewardship
Videos, pictures, posters and more
NEPA implementation
Courthouse program
Land ports of entry
Prospectus library
Regional buildings
Renting property
Visiting public buildings
Real property disposal
Reimbursable services (RWA)
Rental policy and procedures
Site selection and relocation
For businesses seeking opportunities
For federal customers
For workers in federal buildings
Explore policy and regulations
Acquisition management policy
Aviation management policy
Information technology policy
Real property management policy
Relocation management policy
Travel management policy
Vehicle management policy
Federal acquisition regulations
Federal management regulations
Federal travel regulations
GSA acquisition manual
Managing the federal rulemaking process
Explore small business
Explore business models
Research the federal market
Forecast of contracting opportunities
Events and contacts
Explore travel
Per diem rates
Transportation (airfare rates, POV rates, etc.)
State tax exemption
Travel charge card
Conferences and meetings
E-gov travel service (ETS)
Travel category schedule
Federal travel regulation
Travel policy
Explore technology
Cloud computing services
Cybersecurity products and services
Data center services
Hardware products and services
Professional IT services
Software products and services
Telecommunications and network services
Work with small businesses
Governmentwide acquisition contracts
MAS information technology
Software purchase agreements
Cybersecurity
Digital strategy
Emerging citizen technology
Federal identity, credentials, and access management
Mobile government
Technology modernization fund
Explore about us
Annual reports
Mission and strategic goals
Role in presidential transitions
Get an internship
Launch your career
Elevate your professional career
Discover special hiring paths
Climate Action
Events and training
Agency blog
Congressional testimony
GSA does that podcast
News releases
Leadership directory
Staff directory
Office of the administrator
Federal Acquisition Service
Public Buildings Service
Staff offices
Board of Contract Appeals
Office of Inspector General
Region 1 | New England
Region 2 | Northeast and Caribbean
Region 3 | Mid-Atlantic
Region 4 | Southeast Sunbelt
Region 5 | Great Lakes
Region 6 | Heartland
Region 7 | Greater Southwest
Region 8 | Rocky Mountain
Region 9 | Pacific Rim
Region 10 | Northwest/Arctic
Region 11 | National Capital Region
Per Diem Lookup

STAY CONNECTED

New Procurement Co-Pilot tool helps agencies with market research

A new online tool is here to make the government procurement process easier for professionals in the federal government whose job it is to buy and provide great value for taxpayers.

Developed by GSA, in partnership with the Office of Management and Budget, the Procurement Co-Pilot bolsters the White House Better Contracting Initiative by improving agency access to reliable governmentwide buying data and helping eliminate duplicative data, tools, and effort.

The Procurement Co-Pilot is focused on helping acquisition professionals easily see what agencies across government have paid along with other procurement data using data powered by Hi-Def, OMB’s new acquisition data management strategy. Through the tool, these public servants will be able to:

Review prices paid information on products purchased by agencies.
Find vendors across all categories and sizes that work with the government.
Find the best contract that fits the needs of their agency’s mission.

Federal employees can find the Procurement Co-Pilot on the Acquisition Gateway , which is the official online platform for government-wide acquisition programs, policies, initiatives and tools. It’s a great entry point for research and identifying opportunities.

Deep dive for government acquisition professionals

The Procurement Co-Pilot increases visibility into the data provided by our partners, which helps federal agencies make better decisions about how they spend taxpayer money. A significant data source for the Procurement Co-Pilot is GSA’s Transactional Data Reporting Program, which collects data about prices paid from thousands of Multiple Award Schedule contracts.

Acquisition Gateway is a government-wide resource that offers services and information for the entirety of the federal acquisition workforce. It is supported by GSA, and works in conjunction with other GSA-specific tools, such as the Independent Government Cost Estimate , CALC+ Pricing suite, Market Research as a Service (MRaS), and the Wireless RFQ generator.

Both types of resources are invaluable for those in the procurement field, and together provide the full picture so agencies can make informed decisions about the tools and solutions they need to meet their missions.

Watch a demonstration of the Procurement Co-Pilot .

PER DIEM LOOK-UP

1 choose a location.

Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.

No results could be found for the location you've entered.

Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense .

Rates for foreign countries are set by the State Department .

2 Choose a date

Rates are available between 10/1/2021 and 09/30/2024.

The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.

Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.

Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."

Per diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."

When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

Publications
Our Methods
Short Reads
Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

Most Black Americans Believe U.S. Institutions Were Designed To Hold Black People Back

4. black americans’ mistrust of the u.s. economic system and big businesses, table of contents.

In their own words: Quotes from our 2023 focus groups of Black Americans
Most Black adults say they experience racial discrimination
Black adults feel angry or undermined in the face of discrimination
Black adults say they must work more than everyone else to get ahead
Black Americans believe the criminal justice system was designed to hold them back
Black adults and mistrust about policing and prisons
Many Black Americans believe the U.S. political system was designed to hold them back
Black Americans, Black political leaders and mistrust of the U.S. political system
Black Americans believe the economic system was designed to hold them back
Mistrust of big businesses
About half of Black Americans believe U.S. news media was designed to hold them back
Most Black adults say they encounter inaccurate news about Black people
Some Black Americans believe the health care system was designed to hold them back
Mistrust about medical research
Mistrust of family-related government policy
Mistrust of government reproductive health policy
Acknowledgments
The American Trends Panel survey methodology
Focus group methodology

Editorial note to readers

A version of this study was originally published on June 10. We previously used the term “ racial conspiracy theories ” as an editorial shorthand to describe a complex and mixed set of findings. By using these words, our reporting distorted rather than clarified the point of the study. Changes to this version include: an updated headline, new “explainer” paragraphs, some additional context and direct quotes from focus group participants.

Claudia Deane, Mark Hugo Lopez and Neha Sahgal contributed to the revision of this report.

Social scientists have long debated the causes of economic inequality among Black Americans . The conversation among Black people reached a notable inflection point in 2004, when comedian Bill Cosby linked persistent poverty in some Black families with the purchase of luxury items .

There is some evidence that poverty and expensive purchases are related in complex ways for Black people – namely, that race and residential segregation impact how people signal wealth. However, this broad conversation about the causes of persistent economic inequality provides some context for Black adults’ beliefs about the economic system.

A bar chart showing that Black college graduates are most likely to say the U.S. economic system holds Black people back

About two-thirds of Black Americans (65%) say the U.S. economic system was designed to hold Black people back, either a great deal (39%) or fair amount (26%). Roughly a quarter (23%) say it was designed to hold Black people back somewhat, and 11% say it was not designed to hold Black people back much or at all.

By education and family income

Roughly 70% of Black adults who have been to college say the economic system was designed to hold Black people back. Fewer Black adults with a high school diploma or less education say the same (58%). And about two-thirds of Black adults at each income level say the economic system intentionally holds Black people back.

By gender and community type

Black adults also differ by gender on this question. Black women (67%) are slightly more likely than Black men (62%) to say the nation’s economic system was designed to hold Black people back. Black women under 50 (69%) are particularly more likely than Black men (61%) of their same age group to say this.

Black adults who live in urban areas (67%) are slightly more likely than those in rural areas (61%) to say the economic system significantly holds Black people back. Two-thirds (66%) of those in suburbs agree.

A bar chart showing that Two-thirds of Black adults believe big businesses’ marketing practices target Black people today

Many Black Americans are familiar with narratives that suggest large corporations have unspoken motives behind their marketing practices. Indeed, 70% of Black adults have heard, either a lot or a little, the idea that big businesses market luxury items to Black people to keep them in debt. About a quarter of Black adults (27%) have not heard this idea at all.

Whether Black Americans are familiar with this idea is associated with their age. Black adults ages 30 to 49 (72%) are slightly more likely than those 50 to 64 and 65 and older (67% each) to say they have heard that big businesses market luxury items to Black people to keep them in debt. Still, 60% or more across all age groups are familiar with this idea.

Many Black adults have not only heard of this idea, they also think malicious marketing of luxury items to Black people is something that happens today (67%). Only 10% say this happened in the past but does not happen today, and 17% say this has never happened.

Once again, age makes a difference. Black adults ages 30 to 49 (70%) are more likely than those 65 and older (63%) to believe targeted marketing of luxury items to Black people happens today.

Black adults who live in urban areas (71%) are slightly more likely than those in the suburbs (65%) to say they believe malicious marketing targeting Black people happens today.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Fresh data delivery Saturday mornings

Sign up for The Briefing

Weekly updates on the world of news & information

Black Americans
Criminal Justice
Racial Bias & Discrimination
Trust in Government

An Early Look at Black Voters’ Views on Biden, Trump and Election 2024

More than 80% of americans believe elected officials don’t care what people like them think, a look at black-owned businesses in the u.s., 8 facts about black americans and the news, black americans’ views on success in the u.s., most popular, report materials.

1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries

Research Topics

Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Share full article

Supported by

Fake News Still Has a Home on Facebook

Christopher Blair, a renowned “liberal troll” who posts falsehoods to Facebook, is having a banner year despite crackdowns by Facebook and growing competition from A.I.

Christopher Blair stands in dappled sunlight in front of a wall of vertical wooden slats.

By Stuart A. Thompson

Stuart Thompson collected and analyzed data on thousands of Facebook posts for this article.

On the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Christopher Blair’s fake news empire was humming along.

Mr. Blair had been earning as much as $15,000 in some months by posting false stories to Facebook about Democrats and the election, reaching millions of people each month.

But after a mob of Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol, his growing enterprise came to an abrupt halt. Facebook seemed to recognize its own role in fomenting an insurrection and tweaked its algorithm to limit the spread of political content, fake and otherwise. Mr. Blair watched his engagement flatline.

“It just kind of crashed — anything political crashed for about six months,” he said.

Today, though, Mr. Blair has fully recovered, and then some. His false posts — which he insists are satire intended to mock conservatives — are receiving more interactions on Facebook than ever, surging to 7.2 million interactions already this year compared with one million in all of 2021.

Interactions on ‘America’s Last Line of Defense’

Comments, shares and reactions on Christopher Blair’s satirical “fake news” Facebook page plummeted in 2021. But the page has more than recovered.

Mr. Blair has survived Facebook’s tweaks by pivoting away from politicians and toward culture war topics like Hollywood elites and social justice issues.

When Robert De Niro appeared outside a Manhattan courthouse last month to criticize former President Donald J. Trump, for example, Mr. Blair dashed off a false post claiming that a conservative actor had called him “horrible” and “ungodly.” It received nearly 20,000 shares.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

Want all of The Times? Subscribe .

Transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses.

Información en español

Celebrating 75 Years! Learn More >>

About the Acting NIMH Director
Advisory Boards and Groups
Strategic Plan
Offices and Divisions
Careers at NIMH
Staff Directories
Getting to NIMH

Driving Innovation in Mental Health Technology Through Small Business Programs

NIMH Small Business Innovation Research Team

June 20, 2024 • 75th Anniversary

Follow the NIMH Director on

For 75 years, NIMH has transformed the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research—bringing hope to millions of people. This Director’s Message, guest-written by NIMH’s Small Business Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer Program , is part of an anniversary series celebrating this momentous milestone.

When you think about trailblazers in mental health research, small businesses may not spring to mind. The reality is that small businesses are often at the forefront of innovative science, developing new technologies that push mental health research into the future. As we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), we’re taking a moment to highlight how NIMH supports innovation by small businesses.

NIMH supports research led by small businesses through two main programs: the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program . SBIR was established in 1982 to support the development and commercialization of innovative technologies by small businesses. A decade later, STTR was established to increase the licensing and further development of academic inventions toward commercialization. These programs recognize the critical role of federal funding, supporting projects that may not appeal to traditional investment firms but have great potential for societal benefit.

please click image chart for description

Supporting advances in research and treatment

The SBIR/STTR programs have a long track record of supporting the development of technology in the service of mental health, from basic research tools to treatment-focused devices. Here are some recent successes that showcase the breadth of technologies NIMH supports through these programs.

Technology for understanding brain and behavior

Development of technologies for basic science rarely happens through venture investment. As such, NIMH’s SBIR/STTR programs play a critical role in supporting basic neuroscience tools that can advance our understanding of brain structure and function, from the level of a single cell all the way up to entire brain circuits. For example, Pinnacle Technology, a small business established in 1995, has become a global provider of neuroscience research tools due partly to early NIMH support. Scientists are using these tools to collect and analyze data to understand how the brain works and how it may function differently in people with mental illnesses.

NIMH also supported the development of E-Prime® , a user-friendly program developed by Psychology Software Tools that enables researchers to design psychological and cognitive experiments without the need for programming skills. The program is now a common fixture in behavioral research labs, with over 100,000 users in institutions across 75 countries.

Medical device development

Mental health medications help many people manage their symptoms and go about their daily lives. But, for some, following a medication treatment plan can be challenging. Data suggest that people with schizophrenia are particularly affected, with medication adherence;challenges contributing to an estimated 40% of all symptom relapses. To address the need for new approaches, NIMH supported work by Delpor Inc. to develop a novel drug-delivery device for people with schizophrenia. This device is designed to deliver the antipsychotic risperidone at consistent, therapeutic levels for up to 1 year – significantly longer than existing long-acting injectable medications. Unlike injectables, this innovative device can be withdrawn to manage side effects at any time. The device is currently in late-stage clinical trials.

Digital health technologies

The market for digital health technologies has exploded in recent years, and this interest is reflected in NIMH’s SBIR/STTR portfolio. NIMH is supporting a range of projects in this space, including research to develop devices and software applications that can help increase mental health care access, quality, and personalization.

For example, SBIR support allowed the start-up Health Rhythms to develop and test a smartphone platform for patients with mood disorders. Using smartphone sensors, the application confidentially identifies daily behavior patterns that may signal the onset of a mood episode and informs the patient’s health care provider of those changes. The platform also deploys personalized, automated intervention advice to help patients regulate their mood. And it’s already having an impact. Two large integrated health systems serving over 5 million people are now using this platform to monitor changes in patients’ mental health symptoms and triage primary care patients to mental health services. And that’s just the beginning. The platform is also being tested in a multisite study, set to follow 600 individuals with bipolar disorder over 5 years.

Drug development

In the high-stakes world of drug development, costs can quickly soar, while the risk of failure looms large. NIMH’s SBIR/STTR programs have provided early-stage support to help drug development programs build prototypes and test feasibility so they can attract the investment required to navigate the regulatory approval process. As an example, Tetra Discovery Partners received SBIR funding from NIMH to develop the compound BPN14770, which selectively inhibits an enzyme that controls signaling in brain cells and has been linked to memory improvement and other benefits. In 2020, Tetra Therapeutics was acquired by an international pharmaceutical company, Shionogi & Co. Ltd., to support clinical trials of BPN14770 for a variety of central nervous system disorders.

Looking ahead

Over the years, NIMH has supported projects led by 750 small businesses, covering a broad range of applications from basic neuroscience technologies used in research labs to drug development, digital health technologies, and medical devices for research and clinical use. Our institute has supported SBIR/STTR awards in 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico (funding data are available since 1991 ).

Early on, NIMH’s SBIR/STTR programs supported small businesses such as Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Alkermes, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Cephalon, Invitrogen, Neurocrine Biosciences, Promega, and Sigma-Aldrich—companies that eventually became global businesses or were acquired by global businesses. Many small businesses that have received NIMH funding have gone on to receive the prestigious Tibbetts Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration, recognizing companies that exemplify the spirit and intent of the SBIR/STTR programs through economic, technical, and societal benefit. Recent examples include Backyard Brains, Behavior Imaging Solutions, MicroBrightfield, Ripple LLC, and 3C Institute.

As we look to the future of technology development, there are many opportunities for the SBIR/STTR programs to aid in advancing the NIMH mission. One emerging area of interest is artificial intelligence (AI). For example, at Lyssn, pioneering researchers are harnessing the power of AI and machine learning to improve crisis counseling services. They’re investigating how AI can help automate quality assurance, assist in monitoring 988 crisis center calls , and provide support to each counselor. Researchers are also exploring how AI can aid in developing validated biomarkers for clinical research and clinical use. As the field develops, we’re paying close attention to ethical concerns and seeking effective approaches to address bias and other potential harms.

Since 1982, these vital investments have sparked a cascade of scientific progress, illuminating the path toward a brighter future for mental health research and clinical practice. We are excited to support the continued evolution of technologies through NIMH’s SBIR/STTR programs over the next 75 years and beyond.

Note : The current NIMH SBIR/STTR priority areas are highlighted in three Notices of Special Interest: NOT-MH-24-110 , NOT-MH-24-115 , NOT-MH-24-120

Reframing voting as ‘duty to others’ key to increasing engagement, turnout

drawing of megaphone with the word 'Vote'

Americans have a right to vote, and many view that right as a duty. But is that duty to ourselves — to ensure our individual voice is heard and our interests represented? Or is that duty to others — a duty to our families, our community, our country?

New research from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that when people view voting as a duty to others — rather than as a duty to themselves — they’re more likely to feel an obligation to vote and, as a result, be more politically engaged.

This is especially true for individuals from working-class contexts — those with less than a four-year college degree — who historically have significantly lower turnout than their middle-class counterparts who have at least a four-year college degree, according to study co-author Hannah Birnbaum , an assistant professor of organizational behavior at WashU Olin.

“In 2020, for example, only about half of working-class individuals voted compared with nearly three-quarters of middle-class individuals. When half of eligible Americans from working-class backgrounds do not vote, their interests are considerably underrepresented,” Birnbaum said.

“We know that structural factors — like access to polling places, transportation and time off work — contribute to low voter turnout. Individual factors — such as lack of knowledge — also factor in. But we believe there’s another factor at play and that is the messaging around voting,” said co-author Andrea G. Dittmann, an assistant professor of organization and management at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

Current messaging misses mark

Political campaigns and organizations have long used messaging that emphasizes the independent nature of voting to encourage citizens to exercise their right to vote. For example, the front page of Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” website emphasizes the importance of voting to “ensure your voice is heard.” Likewise, the League of Women Voters urges people to “support legislation that stands up for your values.”

“Independence is central to American culture, so it’s not surprising that efforts to engage voters often stress the idea that voters have a personal duty to make their voices heard, express their opinions and exercise their rights. But that messaging might not work for everyone,” said study co-author Hannah B. Waldfogel, a postdoctoral research associate at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

Much of the messaging around voting also misses the fact that voting is inherently cooperative and collective, Waldfogel said.

About the research

The central question at the heart of this research was whether the way one perceives voting — either as a duty to others or a personal duty — predicts voter turnout.

Starting with a large, nationally representative sample of more than 10,000 Americans collected by the American National Election Studies, they found that only half (49.9%) perceived voting as a duty. Why does this matter? The surveys also showed there is a strong correlation between these perceptions and voter turnout: 82.2% of respondents who viewed voting as a duty turned out to vote. For those who did not see voting as a duty, only 57.6% turned out.

Next, the authors wanted to know if these differing perceptions could help explain the voting gap between working- and middle-class individuals, so they dug a little deeper. Indeed, while 61.6% of individuals from middle-class backgrounds perceive voting as a duty, only 43.5% of those from working-class backgrounds share that belief.

‘Our work demonstrates how simply reframing voting messages to emphasize how it benefits the collective — rather than focusing on personal benefit — can motivate not just traditionally hard-to-reach working class voters, but also middle-class voters. It’s a win-win solution.’ Andrea G. Dittmann

A follow-up study of 431 respondents demonstrated a connection between the language people use to discuss voting and how much people perceive voting as a duty. They found that people who use more interdependent language to describe voting are significantly more likely to view voting as a duty compared with those who use less interdependent language. This was especially true for working-class individuals, but a similar correlation was present for middle-class participants.

Finally, an experimental study with 825 participants found that when people reflect on interdependent values — such as their relationships with others — compared with independent values — like their own uniqueness — they are more likely to perceive voting as a duty, which in turn, was associated with greater interest in political engagement.

“Practically, our research offers political campaigns and institutions a relatively costless and easily scalable way to motivate political engagement and boost voter turnout,” Dittmann said. “Our work demonstrates how simply reframing voting messages to emphasize how it benefits the collective — rather than focusing on personal benefit — can motivate not just traditionally hard-to-reach working-class voters, but also middle-class voters. It’s a win-win solution.”

Comments and respectful dialogue are encouraged, but content will be moderated. Please, no personal attacks, obscenity or profanity, selling of commercial products, or endorsements of political candidates or positions. We reserve the right to remove any inappropriate comments. We also cannot address individual medical concerns or provide medical advice in this forum.

Want to encourage allyship? Highlight its appreciation, research shows

Latest from the Newsroom

WashU Experts

Ten Commandments display probably not legal

Social workers key to psychedelic-assisted therapies

DeFake tool protects voice recordings from cybercriminals

WashU in the News

NFL faces ‘Sunday Ticket’ lawsuit: Here’s what’s at stake for the league

Transcript: Ezra Klein Interviews Yanna Krupnikov

The brain has a waste removal system and scientists are figuring out how it works

IMAGES

140 Business Research Topics to Impress Your Professors
How to Develop a Strong Research Question
How to Write a Research Question in 2024: Types, Steps, and Examples
PPT
Research Topics and Questions for Business Model Research.
How to Write a Good Research Question (w/ Examples)

VIDEO

Report Writing || Very important questions of Research
Business Research Methods, Bbs 4th Year Important Questions || Exam Tips of Research, Model Question
Business Analyst Interview Questions And Answers
Equity Research cohort : Dec 2023 batch
Purpose ,objectives and research questions ( Business research skills @NAISHAACADEMY )
Business Research Methods Important Questions

COMMENTS

99 Market Research Questions You Should Be Asking
99 market research questions: discover, define, drill down. There's no need to limit yourself! The best types of market research should - and do - include general questions and those addressing both existing and prospective customers. Indeed, an intelligent approach to market research should cover demographic questions all the way to those that'll help you plan a product launch, drill ...
132 Market Research Questions to Ask
Pricing and Value. The following are pricing research questions to ask. Small business owners and marketers may want to assign someone to do a competitive analysis, such as gathering data from competitor websites and putting it into a spreadsheet. Doing research may also require you to gather information internally.
80 Market Research Questions for More Valuable Insights (+tips)
There are different types of market research, with 85% of researchers regularly using online surveys as their go-to tool, allowing them to reach broad target audiences in a cost-effective way.. Online surveys can break down geographical barriers and uncover profound customer insights, but only if you come up with the right market research questions.
Market research questions: what to ask and how
Market research (also called marketing research) is the action or activity of gathering information about market needs and preferences. This helps companies understand their target market — how the audience feels and behaves. For example, this could be an online questionnaire, shared by email, which has a set of questions that ask an audience ...
30 market research questions for startups to ask
30 example market research questions for startups. There are several question types you can include in your market research survey, such as yes/no or single choice questions, multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, star rating questions, ranking questions, and more. Let's take a look at 30 example market research questions for startups.
68 Market Research Questions to Ask (& How to do it)
Survey questions for market research are designed to collect information about a target market or audience. They can be used to gather data about consumer preferences, opinions, and behavior. Some common types of market research survey questions include demographic questions, behavioral questions and attitudinal questions. 2.
98 Quantitative Research Questions & Examples
Here, I've detailed 23 use cases and curated 98 quantitative market research questions with examples - making this a post you should add to your bookmark list , so you can quickly refer back. I've formatted this post to show you 10-15 questions for each use case. At the end of each section, I also share a quicker way to get similar ...
75+ Market Research Questions for Success
These 75 market research questions provide a great starting point for any business looking to gain valuable insights into customer behavior and market trends. By using this as a guide, you can ensure that your surveys are comprehensive and effective in helping you make informed decisions about your products and services. Good luck!
500+ Business Research Topics
Business Research Topics are as follows: The impact of social media marketing on customer engagement and brand loyalty. The effectiveness of AI in improving customer service and satisfaction. The role of entrepreneurship in economic development and job creation. The impact of the gig economy on the labor market.
79 Market Research Questions For Better Results
Market research is the systematic process of getting and analyzing feedback from different market segments. Using this approach, you can identify the potential of your product or service when offered to a specific consumer demographic. In other words, it helps you find the right customers to patronize your business.
10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project
The first question asks for a ready-made solution, and is not focused or researchable. The second question is a clearer comparative question, but note that it may not be practically feasible. For a smaller research project or thesis, it could be narrowed down further to focus on the effectiveness of drunk driving laws in just one or two countries.
Research Question Examples ‍
A well-crafted research question (or set of questions) sets the stage for a robust study and meaningful insights. But, if you're new to research, it's not always clear what exactly constitutes a good research question. In this post, we'll provide you with clear examples of quality research questions across various disciplines, so that you can approach your research project with confidence!
50+ Market Research Questions To Ask Your Target Audience
Questions For Your Existing Customers. Questions To Improve Customer Service. These marketing research questions can be open-ended, multiple-choice, or scale-based questions as per your data requirements. 1. New Product Survey Questions. A new product launch is where most market research happens.
Business Research: Methods, Types & Examples
Business research is carried out to understand the customer, market and the competitors. Such a research is important as it helps businesses to grow in terms of revenue, market share and brand value. This article talks about the methods, types, examples, advantages, disadvantages, and importance of business research.
How to Do Market Research for a Startup
4. Conduct the Research. Once you've determined the type of research and target demographic necessary to test your hypotheses, conduct your research. To reduce bias, enlist someone unfamiliar with your hypotheses to perform interviews or lead focus groups. Ask questions based on your audience and hypotheses.
Top 10 Business Research Questions to Drive Growth and Profitability
In its recent research, 2022 High Growth Study, the Hinge Research Institute made an eye-opening discovery: Those professional services firms that did systematic business research on their target client group grew faster and were more profitable than their peers and competitors.. In fact, those that did more frequent business research (at least quarterly), grew the fastest and were most ...
30 Market Research Questions You May Want To Ask Your Customers
This type of research requires asking yourself and customers a variety of questions that gauge your company's skill and effectiveness. In this article, we discuss 30 market research questions you can ask yourself and your customers before expanding your operation or taking other critical business-oriented steps.
Business Research Topics
How to Create Strong Business Research Questions. Creating strong business research questions follows the same rules as choosing strong business research topics. However, this time you have to ask the following questions: how, why, and who? Research questions should relate to your topic of study. They should be clear, straightforward, and ...
Writing Strong Research Questions
A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.
Examples of good research questions
Unlike broad, flexible qualitative research questions, quantitative research questions are precise. They also directly link the research question and the proposed methodology. So, in a quantitative research question, you'll usually find . The study method An independent variable (or variables) A dependent variable. The study population
57 questions with answers in BUSINESS RESEARCH
14 answers. Sep 19, 2014. There was a time when transaction cost economics, contingency theory, information theory were popular theories in management and business research. Nowadays, these ...
10 Trending Business Management Research Topics in 2024
Examples of Research Topics in business management. "The impact of employee satisfaction on customer Loyalty" or "The relationship between Corporate social responsibility and financial Performance". "The Experiences of Women in top leadership positions" or "The Impact of organizational culture on employee motivation".
How to Write a Research Question in 2024: Types, Steps, and Examples
1. Start with a broad topic. A broad topic provides writers with plenty of avenues to explore in their search for a viable research question. Techniques to help you develop a topic into subtopics and potential research questions include brainstorming and concept mapping.
Research: Smaller, More Precise Discounts Could Increase Your Sales
Retailers might think that bigger discounts attract more customers. But new research suggests that's not always true. Sometimes, a smaller discount that looks more precise — say 6.8% as ...
Research Feature with Professor Ilias Tsiakas
My objective remains the same: produce the best possible research, supervise graduate students and be an effective teacher. In the near future, I expect that I will continue to conduct research on the following topics: Designing better measures of risk that work well in assessing investments in both developed and emerging economies.
New Procurement Co-Pilot tool helps agencies with market research
Featured Topics. Contract opportunities on SAM.gov Search current federal contract opportunities and procurement notices. Forecast of contracting opportunities Anticipated contracts offered by GSA. Vendor support center Research the federal market, report sales, and upload contract information.
Black Americans' mistrust of the economic system ...
Black adults also differ by gender on this question. Black women (67%) are slightly more likely than Black men (62%) to say the nation's economic system was designed to hold Black people back. Black women under 50 (69%) are particularly more likely than Black men (61%) of their same age group to say this.
Fake News Still Has a Home on Facebook
On the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Christopher Blair's fake news empire was humming along. Mr. Blair had been earning as much as $15,000 in some months by posting false stories to Facebook about ...
Driving Innovation in Mental Health Technology Through Small Business
NIMH supports research led by small businesses through two main programs: the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. SBIR was established in 1982 to support the development and commercialization of innovative technologies by small businesses.
Reframing voting as 'duty to others' key to increasing engagement
New research from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that when people view voting as a duty to others ... About the research. The central question at the heart of this research was whether the way one perceives voting — either as a duty to ...

Small Business Trends

Types of Market Research Questions

Market Research Questions

Questions to Ask Customers

Product or Service Questions

Messaging and Advertising

80 Market Research Questions for More Valuable Insights (+tips)

80 market research questions to ask for more valuable insights

Product opportunities

Customer feedback

Brand awareness

Pricing analysis

Customer preferences

Customer concerns

Competitive analysis

Market research questions: Best practices

How do you write a good market research question?

What questions should I ask for market research for a new product?

What are the 7 basic questions in market research?

What are the elements of market research?

Latest articles

5 Advantages of Agile Product Management

Unlocking the Power of AI for Product Managers

Placing Customer Voice at the Heart of Product Discovery Process

Continuous Product Discovery: A How-to Innovation Guide

Key Takeaways from Continuous Discovery Habits

Download a resourse

App Sign Up

Try Qualtrics for free

What is market research?

Why do market research?

Who do you ask your questions to?

Market research goals

Types of market research questions

Market research questions for your demographics

Market research questions for your customer

Market research questions for your product

Market research questions for your brand

How to use market research questions in a survey

Related resources

30 market research questions for startups to ask

The benefits of market research for a startup

Types of market research

Methods for conducting a market research survey for startups

In-person interviews

Telephone interviews

Focus groups

Online surveys

Advantages of online surveys for conducting market research

30 example market research questions for startups

Yes/no or single choice questions

Multiple choice questions

Star rating questions

Ranking questions

Checkbox questions

Open-ended questions

Create a market research survey for your startup with Jotform

68 market research questions to ask (and how to ask them)

1. Define your research goals and link them to actions you can take

2. Know your target market and the language they use

3. Keep it simple, and break things into smaller pieces

4. Be super specific

5. Avoid leading questions

6. Make sure your question is clear

7. Avoid loaded words

8. Make sure the question is answerable

9. Use an appropriate question type

10. Pay attention to question order

Elliot Barnard

Related articles

75+ Market Research Questions for Success

What is Market Research?

Types of Market Research

Single-Choice

Multiple-Choice

Ranking Questions

Likert Scale

Dichotomous Questions

How to Write Questions for Market Research

Feedback Questions