Some questions of organizing research into the market of the means of production. Part II.

Abstract

Analysing some theoretical questions of research into the market of the means of production, the author concludes that the choice of the structure and methods of market research depends on the character of the product and on the mode of its employment. Several possible solutions are described depending' on the character of the product to be marketed. The problems may be solved by the cooperation of the institutes for market research, the research and development institutes, the manifacturing firms and the trading firms.
On the basis of experiences gained in capitalist and in socialist countries - the author deals with the questions of how to organize market research within the framework of an industrial firm and points out the advantages of the different solutions. The tasks connected with market research should bring about a division of labour within the firm, in compliance with the two main aims of market research:
1. to study the effects of the market on development;
2. to ensure the marketing of the products developed and manifactured.
To support their decisions, the departments of a firm must be acquainted with the results of market research; theee information requirements of the departments can be determined.
In the following the essential features, the importance and some results of the costumers' service, of propaganda and advertising are described.
To be successful in his work a market research expert should have exhaustive technical and economic knowledge and be acquainted with languages.
In planned economics the market research expenses must also be budgeted, and their volume considered; the author quotes some experiences in this field from literature and from practice.
It is becoming more and more important to establish functional market research connections and to organize the exchange of information among the institutions interested in market research. If the products in question are complicated installations special problems arise the solution of which needs the establishment of connection among designers, manifactures and experts in technology.
The establishment of market research connections among the socialist countries may greatly help the development of market-research activity.