Definition and Characteristics of 1. Industrial Market Research

The definition of industrial market research refers to the study of the market for industrial products and services and is an important part of industrial marketing. Industrial products and services refer to those products and services that are mainly used to produce other products or provide other services, such as raw materials, mechanical equipment, electronic components, engineering design, technical consulting, etc.

Industrial markets refer to those markets that purchase and use industrial products and services, such as manufacturing, construction, transportation, energy, information and communication, etc.

Industrial market research is characterized by the following:

First, the demand of the industrial market is derived, unstable and unbalanced. The demand of the industrial market is derived from the demand of the final consumer, so the demand of the industrial market is influenced and restricted by the demand of the final consumer.

At the same time, the demand of the industrial market is affected by the macro-economy, policies and regulations, technological change, market competition and other factors, so the demand of the industrial market is unstable and volatile. In addition, the demand of the industrial market is affected by the industrial chain and value chain, so the demand of the industrial market is unbalanced and different.

Second, the structure of the industrial market is centralized, hierarchical and diversified. The structure of the industrial market refers to the number, size, region, type and other characteristics of the participants in the industrial market. Participants in the industrial market mainly include suppliers, buyers, intermediaries, influencers and end users of industrial products and services. The structure of the industrial market is centralized, that is, the number of participants in the industrial market is relatively small, but the scale is relatively large. Therefore, the relationship between the participants in the industrial market is relatively close and the competition is relatively fierce.

The structure of the industrial market is hierarchical, that is, the participants in the industrial market can be divided into different levels and categories according to their position and role in the industrial chain and value chain, such as raw material suppliers, component suppliers, complete machine suppliers, system integrators, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, end users, etc. The structure of the industrial market is pluralistic, I .e. the participants in the industrial market have different geographical, industry, scale, nature, objectives, needs, behavior and other characteristics, so the differences and diversity among the participants in the industrial market are relatively large.

Third, the behavior of the industrial market is rational, complex and professional. The behavior of the industrial market refers to the process and manner in which the participants of the industrial market purchase and use industrial products and services in the industrial market. The behavior of the industrial market is rational, that is, when participants in the industrial market purchase and use industrial products and services, they mainly make decisions based on the performance, quality, price, service, reputation and other factors of industrial products and services, without being affected by personal preferences, emotions, habits and other factors.

The behavior of the industrial market is complex, that is, when the participants in the industrial market purchase and use industrial products and services, they need to go through multiple stages and links, such as demand identification, information search, scheme evaluation, supplier selection, contract signing, delivery and acceptance, use and maintenance, after-sales service, etc., and need to involve multiple departments and personnel, such as purchasing department, technical department, finance department, production department, quality inspection department, use department, maintenance department, etc., therefore, there is relatively more communication and coordination between participants in the industrial market, and decision-making and execution are relatively slow.

The behavior of the industrial market is professional, that is, when participants in the industrial market purchase and use industrial products and services, they need to have certain professional knowledge and skills, such as the performance, quality, price, service, reputation, etc. of industrial products and services, as well as skills in the use, maintenance, repair, etc. of industrial products and services, the exchanges and cooperation between the participants of the industrial market are relatively deep, and the trust and loyalty are relatively high.

Fourth, the changes in the industrial market are rapid, drastic and unpredictable. Changes in the industrial market refer to changes and trends in the demand, structure, and behavior of the industrial market. The change of the industrial market is rapid, that is, the speed and frequency of the change of the industrial market are relatively fast, which is mainly affected by the macro-economy, policies and regulations, technological change, market competition and other factors. Therefore, the participants in the industrial market need to constantly adapt and respond to the changes in the industrial market and maintain their competitive advantage and market position.

The changes in the industrial market are violent, that is, the magnitude and degree of changes in the industrial market are relatively large, mainly affected by the industrial chain and value chain. Therefore, participants in the industrial market need to constantly adjust and optimize their products and services. Improve the added value and profitability of your products and services. Changes in the industrial market are unpredictable, I .e., the direction and outcome of changes in the industrial market are relatively unpredictable and are mainly influenced by the needs of end consumers, so participants in the industrial market need to constantly explore and innovate to improve their market sensitivity and market adaptability.

Content and Classification of 2. Industrial Market Research

The content of industrial market research refers to the topics and issues involved in industrial market research, including the needs, structure, behavior, changes and trends of the industrial market. The content of industrial market research can be classified according to different purposes and angles. The common classification methods are as follows:

First, according to the participants in the industrial market, it can be divided into supplier market research, buyer market research, intermediary market research, influentier market research and end-user market research. Supplier market research refers to the market research of suppliers of industrial products and services, focusing on the number, size, geography, type, objectives, strategies, behaviors, and effects of suppliers.

Buyer market research refers to the market research of buyers of industrial products and services, mainly focusing on the number, scale, region, type, goal, demand, behavior, effect and so on. Intermediary market research refers to the market research of intermediaries for industrial products and services, focusing on the number, size, geography, type, objectives, demand, behavior, and effects of intermediaries.

Influencers market research refers to the market research of the influencers of industrial products and services, focusing on the number, scale, region, type, goal, demand, behavior, effect and so on. End-user market research refers to market research on the end-users of industrial products and services, focusing on the number, size, geography, type, objectives, needs, behavior, and effects of end-users.

The second is to classify according to the subdivision of the industrial market, which can be divided into raw material market research, parts market research, machine market research, system integration market research, engineering design market research, technical consulting market research, etc. Raw material market research refers to the market research of raw materials for industrial products and services, focusing on the performance, quality, price, supply, demand, and competition of raw materials.

Parts market research refers to the market research of parts and components of industrial products and services, focusing on the performance, quality, price, supply, demand, competition and other aspects of parts and components. The whole machine market research refers to the market research of the whole machine of industrial products and services, mainly focusing on the performance, quality, price, supply, demand, competition and so on.

System integration market research refers to the market research on the system integration of industrial products and services, focusing on the performance, quality, price, supply, demand, and competition of system integration. Engineering design market research refers to the market research on the engineering design of industrial products and services, focusing on the performance, quality, price, supply, demand and competition of engineering design. Technical consulting market research refers to the market research of technical consulting on industrial products and services, focusing on the performance, quality, price, supply, demand, and competition of technical consulting.

Third, according to the purpose of industrial market research classification, can be divided into descriptive market research, explanatory market research, predictive market research and normative market research. Descriptive market research refers to the market research on the current situation and characteristics of the industrial market, mainly focusing on the description and analysis of the demand, structure and behavior of the industrial market, such as the size, growth rate, share, distribution, type and characteristics of the industrial market.

Explanatory market research refers to the market research on the causes and effects of industrial market, mainly focusing on the analysis and explanation of the causes and effects of the demand, structure and behavior of the industrial market, such as the factors influencing the demand of the industrial market, the formation mechanism of the structure, the decision-making process of behavior, etc. Predictive market research refers to the market research on the changes and trends of the industrial market, which mainly focuses on the prediction and expectation of the changes and trends of the demand, structure and behavior of the industrial market, such as the change law of the demand of the industrial market, the evolution direction of the structure, the development trend of the behavior, etc.

Normative market research refers to the market research on the objectives and strategies of the industrial market, focusing on the formulation and implementation of the objectives and strategies of the industrial market, such as market positioning, product development, price strategy, channel selection, promotion methods, etc.

3. methods and techniques of industrial market research

The methods and techniques of industrial market research refer to the methods and techniques of data collection and data analysis used in industrial market research, including qualitative research and quantitative research. Qualitative research refers to the study of the depth and details of the industrial market, mainly using unstructured or semi-structured data collection and analysis methods, such as interviews, observations, case studies, focus groups, Delphi method, etc., to obtain information about the motives, attitudes, feelings, opinions, experiences and other aspects of the participants in the industrial market, to reveal the internal laws and logic of the demand, structure and behavior of the industrial market.

Quantitative research refers to the study of the breadth and scale of the industrial market, mainly using structured or standardized data collection and analysis methods, such as questionnaires, experiments, mathematical statistics, multivariate analysis, prediction models, etc., in order to obtain information on the number, proportion, distribution, relationship, influence and other aspects of the participants in the industrial market, to describe and explain the current situation and characteristics of the demand, structure and behavior of the industrial market, as well as to predict and regulate the changes and trends of the industrial market.

The selection and use of methods and techniques for industrial market research need to be considered comprehensively according to the purpose, content, object, conditions and other factors of industrial market research, and in general, qualitative and quantitative research can complement and combine each other to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of industrial market research.

For example, when analyzing the demand of the industrial market, qualitative research methods, such as interviews and observations, can be used to understand the motivation, characteristics and differences of the demands of the participants in the industrial market, and then quantitative research methods, such as questionnaires and mathematical statistics, can be used to measure the quantity, proportion and distribution of the demands of the participants in the industrial market, to develop a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the needs of the industrial market.

Steps and processes for 4. industrial market research

The steps and processes of industrial market research refer to the specific implementation process of industrial market research, which generally includes the following steps:

The first is to determine the purpose and scope of industrial market research. Determining the purpose and scope of industrial market research is the starting point and basis of industrial market research, and it is necessary to clarify the themes and issues of industrial market research, as well as the objects and areas of industrial market research, in order to provide guidance and basis for the next steps of industrial market research.

The second is the design of industrial market research programs and methods. The design of industrial market research programs and methods is the core and key of industrial market research. It is necessary to select the appropriate content and classification of industrial market research, as well as the methods and techniques of industrial market research according to the purpose and scope of industrial market research, so as to provide programs and methods for data collection and data analysis of industrial market research.

The third is to collect and organize data and information on industrial market research. Collecting and sorting out the data and information of industrial market research is the implementation and guarantee of industrial market research. According to the scheme and method of industrial market research, appropriate tools and techniques for data collection and data sorting, such as interviews, questionnaires, experiments, statistics, classification, coding, etc., should be adopted to obtain and sort out the data and information required by industrial market research, in order to provide data and information for data analysis of industrial market research.

The fourth is to analyze and interpret data and information from industrial market research. Analyzing and interpreting the data and information of industrial market research is the result and value of industrial market research. According to the scheme and method of industrial market research, appropriate tools and techniques of data analysis and data interpretation, such as descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, multivariate analysis, prediction model, interpretation model, etc., should be adopted to analyze and interpret the data and information of industrial market research, in order to provide the basis and support for the conclusions and recommendations of industrial market research.

The fifth is to write and report the conclusions and recommendations of industrial market research. Writing and reporting the conclusions and recommendations of industrial market research is the dissemination and application of industrial market research. It is necessary to write and report the conclusions and recommendations of industrial market research based on the analysis and interpretation of industrial market research, such as the current situation and characteristics of the industrial market, The reasons and effects of the industrial market, the changes and trends of the industrial market, the goals and strategies of the industrial market, etc, in order to provide reference and guidance for the participants in the industrial market.

Conclusion

Industrial market research refers to the study of the market for industrial products and services and is an important part of industrial marketing. The purpose of industrial market research is to understand and analyze the characteristics, needs, structure, behavior, changes and trends of the industrial market, and to provide the basis and guidance for the market positioning, product development, price strategy, channel selection, promotion methods, etc. of industrial enterprises.

This paper systematically introduces the definition, content, method, steps and application of industrial market research, aiming to provide reference and guidance for enterprises and individuals who intend to carry out industrial market research. This paper holds that the basic knowledge and concepts of industrial market research mainly include the following aspects: first, the definition and characteristics of industrial market research, second, the content and classification of industrial market research, third, the methods and techniques of industrial market research, fourth, the steps and processes of industrial market research, and fifth, the application and value of industrial market research. It is hoped that this paper can be helpful and enlightening to enterprises and individuals in industrial market research.