Question: Outline the most important uses of computer technology in marketing research. Important uses of computer technology in marketing research include

(1) a marketing information system (MIS)-a planned, computer based system designed to provide managers with a continuous fl ow of information relevant to their specifi c decision-making needs and areas of responsibility;

(2) a marketing decision support system (MDSS)-a marketing information system component that links a decision maker with relevant databases and analysis tools;

(3) data mining-the process of searching through consumer information fi les or data warehouses to detect patterns that guide marketing decision making;

(4) business intelligence-the process of gathering information and analyzing it to improve business strategy, tactics, and daily operations; and

(5) competitive intelligence-the form of business intelligence that focuses on fi nding information about competitors using published sources, interviews, observations by salespeople and suppliers in the industry, government agencies, public fi lings such as patent applications, and other secondary methods including the Internet.