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Don't spin your wheels solving the wrong puzzle.
Before they can solve a marketing problem, marketers and researchers must first make sure they are working on the right problem. Defining problems accurately is more art than science; it's a combination of data and judgment that demands real thought and effort. The author offers some real-world examples to demonstrate the thinking behind successful problem definition. israeli probably had the last word about data when he said, "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics." If we are to outwit Disraeli and get the right data to solve marketing problems-useful statistics not doubledamned lies-we must have a precise problem definition before collecting the data.
This is not a new thought. Marketing and marketing research executives have always known that research must start with a definition of the marketing problem and that the success of every project depends on that definition.
Yet these same executives offer little help in how to go about defining a problem. They do not explain what a problem definition is; they do not even tell us what a problem is. Most textbook authors touch on the issue briefly, devoting only a few paragraphs in a several-hundred-page text to this vital subject. They might consider research problem definition but skip lightly over marketing problem definition.
Problem definition is best thought of as solution definition-the selection of a domain likely to be rich in ideas to solve the problem. Problem definition is a creative act. We should identify a variety of alternative definitions and carefully consider each before one is finally accepted. Sometimes original research is needed, but often thoughtful analysis of the existing data will do the job.
The payoff from good marketing problem definition is enormous-nothing else we do has so much leverage on profit. When we develop our skills in problem definition, we do ourselves, our function, and our companies an extraordinary service. We begin to live up to our promise and to our potential.
A PROBLEM MISDEFINED
Let us confront the question of problem definition head on with a real-world example.
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