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CHAPTER-5

SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION METHODS

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

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Sources of data
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DATA SOURCES

PRIMARY METHODS SECONDARY METHODS

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INTERNAL EXTERNAL

Fully Need Further Published Electronic Syndicated

Processed Analysis Database Sources

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Classification of data
 Primary data is original, problem or project specific and
collected for the specific objectives and needs spelt out
by the researcher. The authenticity and relevance is
reasonably high.

 Secondary data is information that is not topical or

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research specific and has been collected and compiled

by some other researcher or investigative body. It is
recorded and published in a structured format.

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Uses of secondary data
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 Problem identification and formulation stage: past data

and information on the topic under study. Can be extremely
useful in developing a conceptual framework for
investigation.
 Hypotheses designing: earlier work done on the topic and
market data as well as industry trends and market facts.
Could help in developing assumptions that can be translated
into testable hypotheses for the study.
 Sampling considerations: respondent-related databases
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are important sources of respondent statistics and relevant

contact details.
 Primary base: can be used to design questionnaires for the
primary study.
 Validation and authentication board: earlier records and
studies as well as data pools. Can also be used to support or
validate the information collected through primary sources.
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Benefits of secondary data

 Resource advantage

 Accessibility of data
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 Accuracy and stability of data

 Assessment of data

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Drawbacks of secondary data

 Applicability of data: the purpose for which the
information was earlier collected was unique to
that study and thus the information might not be
absolutely applicable or relevant for the current
study objective.
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 Accuracy of data: the source and data credibility

is a serious issue of concern when using past
data and records.

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Authentication of secondary data

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 Methodology check: in terms of sampling frame

used, data collection tools and methods of analysis
and hypotheses testing

 Accuracy check: establishing source credibility.

Misrepresentation of data
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 Topical check: recency of findings and similarity of

the environment under study with past study

 Financial check: the cost of accessing past or

recorded data in terms of the relevance for the study

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Internal data sources

 Company records: historical as well as current
manufacturing information, process and policy documents

 Employee records: demographic data sets, performance

appraisals & grievance data
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 Sales data: cash register receipts, salespersons call

records, sales invoices and sales reports

 Other sources: customer databases, CRM data, warranty

records, etc.

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External data sources

Published data: data that is in on public domains, which
could be compiled by public or private sources
 Government sources: census data, other
documented and available government publications
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 Other data sources: essentially non-government

sources like books, periodicals, guides and directories,
Indices and standardized non-government statistical
data

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Government publications
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Sub-type Sources Data Uses

1. Census data Registrar General of India conducting census survey Size of Population
conducted http://censusindia.gov.in/ population information is
every ten and its significant as
years distribution forecasts of
throughout by age, sex, purchase ,
the country occupation estimates of
and income growth and
levels. 2010 development, as
census is well as policy
taking many decisions can be
more made on this base.
variables to
get a better
picture of the
population
2. Statistical CSO (Central Statistical Organization) for the past 5 years Education; Making demand
Abstract http://www.mospi.gov.in/cso_test1.htm health; estimations and
India – residential state level
annually information at assessment of
the state level Government
is part of this support and
document policy changes
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can be made

3. White paper CSO Estimates of Significant

on national http://www.mospi.gov.in/cso_test1.htm national indication of the
income income, financial trends;
savings and investment
consumption. forecasts and
monetary policy
formulation

4. Annual CSO No. of units, persons employed, capital output ratio, Information on
Survey of turnover, etc. existing units give
Industries – http://www.mospi.gov.in/cso_test1.htm perspective on the
all Industrial
industries development and
helps in creating
the employee
profile
5. Monthly CSO Production Demand –supply
survey of http://www.mospi.gov.in/cso_test1.htm statistics in estimations.
selected detail
industries

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Government publications (contd.)

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Sub-type Sources Data Uses

6. Foreign Director General of Commercial Intelligence Exports & Forecast

Trade of http://www.dgciskol.nic.in/ Imports manufacturing
India countrywise and trade
Monthly and estimations
Statistics productwise
7. Wholesale Ministry of Commerce and Industry Reporting of Establishing price
price index http://india.gov.in/sectors/commerce/ministry_commerce.p prices of bands of product
weekly all hp Products like categories;
India food articles, pricing
Consumer foodgrains, estimations for
Price Index minerals, fuel, new products;
power, lights, determining
lubricants, consumer spend
textiles,
chemicals,
metal,
machinery &
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transport

8. Economic Dept. of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, patterns, Descriptive Estimations of the
Survey – currency and finance reporting of future and
annual http://finmin.nic.in/the_ministry/dept_eco_affairs/ the current evaluation of
publication. economic policy decisions
status and extraneous
factors in that
period
9. National Ministry of Planning Social, Significant for
Sample http://www.planningcommission.gov.in/ economic, making policy
Survey demographic, decisions as well
(NSS) industrial and as studying
agricultural sociological
statistics. patterns

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Non-government publications
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Sub-type Sources Data Uses

1. Company Working Bombay Stock Exchange A complete Significant in

Results – Stock http://www.bseindia.com/ database of the determining the
Exchange companies financial health
Directory registered with the various sectors
Stock exchange as well as
and assessment of
comprehensive corporate
details about stock funding and
policies and predictions of
current share outcomes
prices
2. Status reports by The Commodity Board or the Industry Detailed These are useful
various commodity Associations like Jute Board, Cotton Industry, information on for individual
boards Sugar Association, Pulses Board, Metal Board, current assets-in sectors in
Chemicals, Spices, Fertilizers, Coir, Pesticides, terms of units working out
Rubber, Handicrafts, Plantation Boards etc. current production their plans as
figures and well as
market condition evaluating
causes of
success or
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failure.

3. Industry FICCI, ASSOCHAM, AIMA, Association of Cases/ Cognizance of

Associations on Chartered Accountants & Financial Analysts, comprehensive the gaps and
problems faced by Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, etc. reports by the problems in the
private sector, etc. http://www.ficci.com/ supplier or user or effective
http://www.assocham.org/ any other section functioning of
http://www.aima-ind.org/ associated with the organization
www.iaccindia.com/ the sector ; trouble
shooting
4. Export related data Leather Exports Promotion Council, Apparel Product and To estimate the
– commodity wise. Export Promotion Council, Handicrafts, Spices country wise data demand; gauge
Tea, etc., Exim Bank etc. on the export opportunities
http://www.leatherindia.org/ figures as well as for trade and
http://www.aepcindia.com/ information on impetus
existing policies required in
related to the terms of
sector. manufacturing
and policy
changes

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Non-government publications (contd)

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Sub-type Sources Data Uses

5. Retail Store Audit ORG (Operations Research Group); Monthly The touch point Market analysis
on pharmaceutical, reports on urban sector. Quarterly reports on for this data is the and market
veterinary, rural sector retailer, who structure
consumer provides the mapping with
products. figures related to estimations of
product sales; the market share of
data is very leading brands.
comprehensive The audit can
and covers most also be used to
brands .the data is study
region specific consumption
and covers both trends at
inventory and different time
goods sold. periods or
subsequent to
sales promotion
or other
activities.

6. National IMRB- survey of reading behavior for different Today these Media planning
Readership segments as well as different products. surveys are done and measuring
Surveys (NRS) http://www.imrbint.com/ by various bodies exposure as
with different well as reach
sample bases. for product
Today the survey categories.
base has become
younger, with the
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age of the reader

is lowered to 12+.

7. THOMPSON Hindustan Thompson Associates All towns with The inclinations

INDICES: Urban population of to purchase
market index, more than one consumer
Rural market index lakh are covered products are
and information directly related
of demographic to socio-
and socio- economic
economic development of
variables are communities in
given for each general. The
city with Bombay indices provide
as base. The rural barometers to
index similarly measure such
covers about 400 potentials for
districts with each city and
socio-economic has implications
indicators like for the
value of researcher in
agriculture output, terms of data
etc. collection
sources.

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Computerized databases
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Computer based
information

Storage & recovery of Information type

information

On-line CD-ROM / Pen

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Databases Drive / Hard Source Reference

Disk

Internet Direct from Direct from Through

suppliers creator other
Networks

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Computerized databases
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 Based on content of information: reference data

bases, source databases
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 Based on storage and recovery mechanisms:

online data bases, CD-ROM databases

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Syndicate data sources

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Household/ individual data–conducted on individual

consumers. They are usually of the following types
 Surveys: are usually one-time assessments conducted on
a large representative respondent base.
 Product purchase panels: These specially selected
respondents groups periodically record certain identified
purchases, generally related to household products and
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groceries.
 Media-specific panels: media panels are created for
collecting information related to promotion and advertising.
They generally make use of different kinds of electronic
equipments to automatically record consumer viewing
behavior.
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Syndicate data sources

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Institutional syndicated data–the second group of

syndicated sources collect information from
organizations and institutions.
 Retailer audits: for various product/service
categories periodically recorded data is available to
track the movement of stocks at the retail end.
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 Wholesaler audits: these measure warehouse

movement. Participating operators include
wholesalers, super and hyper markets and frozen-
food warehouses.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES