Summary of Case Monitoring and analyzing changes in population demographics is an important part of the marketing intelligence data included in a marketing information system. Although this data can be gathered by syndicated or customized research, much of this information is gathered by government research that is available for free on the Internet. In this discussion, you will gather and compare data from two free online government sources to simulate the role of a marketing researcher.
- TheCensus Bureau's Statistical Abstractprovides tabled data for cities and counties across the nation. http://www.census.gov/library/publications/2011/compendia/statab/131ed.html
- Michigan's Census and Statistical Datais Michigan's own statistical abstract publication. http://www.michigan.gov/cgi/0,1607,7-158-54534---,00.html
You will be comparing both the Federal Census Bureau site and a state website for this assignment.
Using both the State of Michigan data and the U.S. Census data sites listed above, develop a report on a city or county in Michigan that answers the questions below. Please use a city or county in Michigan so that you can compare the State of Michigan website to the U.S. Census bureau site. Other sites will not be accepted in your research for this assignment.
- What is the total population of the city or county in Michigan?
- Describe the population of your chosen city or county in at leastthreeof the following areas.
- Age
- Income
- Education
- Ethnic background
- Marital status
- Occupation
- Housing
- Using the State of Michigan website, and comparing it to the Federal Census Bureau site, how does the city or county compare to the demographic characteristics of the entire U.S. population? Provide some specific numbers or figures to support your response to this question.
- What is your opinion of the different websites you used? How useful are they to marketers? How easy were they to navigate? Was there information that you wanted that was not available? Was there more or less information from the sites than you anticipated? Explain.
- Based on your research, how useful do you think this information is to marketers? Support your answer.