Editor's note: Paul Colburn is manager, marketing research, with Glaxo Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

During my five years at Glaxo, a British-based pharmaceutical company, the company has experienced rapid growth. It is now the number two pharmaceutical firm in the world and the fifth largest pharmaceutical firm in the United States. At Glaxo, the marketing research department is an important part of the marketing team. The firm has developed a strong working relationship between brand management and marketing research. This article focuses on my formula for success.

Partnership: as simple as one plus one

One participant's goal is to ask marketing questions; the other participant is interested in answering these questions. This is the working partnership of product management and marketing research. The word partnership itself suggests a definition of two parties allied in a cause, working together toward one goal, in this case, a business goal. The partnership that develops depends upon the two independent parties understanding each other's needs and goals.

Communication: as simple as one on one

A major part in any partnership is communication. For communication to be successful, a definition of the needed information is critical. The problem definition must create a common understanding for both product management and marketing research.

In addition, the definition of product management and marketing research within a firm must be clear. Questions like, "Where is the focus of marketing research at our company?" "What is the core of the needed information?" "Is the focus on the marketing problem, or the research methodology?" must be answered.

To paraphrase an old saying, "You are only as strong as your weakest part." Another way of saying this is, "You cannot understand the whole picture if there is a lack of communication among your individual parts." If one participant does not understand the true focus of a marketing question, communication can become mixed. Weakness can occur in the product management/marketing research partnership when there is miscommunication or inappropriately defined terminology.

For a true partnership to be successful, we must develop an increased understanding and awareness of each other's needs, expectations and roles. Not only is there a need to define what marketing research is, but also to gain a full understanding of the role of marketing research. This is direct understanding between two interdependent groups, one on one.

Analysts don't just throw darts

Marketing research doesn't take "shots in the dark" at getting information. A question comes from product management, such as "Where do we want to be?" Then, marketing research provides the needed information to identify and fill the gap between where we want to be versus where we are.

Marketing research can become the business function that links the customer to the marketer through information. The major uses of the information are to identify and define marketing challenges, refine and check marketing actions, and monitor market performance.

In short, marketing research is not a reckless dart thrown at a board hidden by uncertainty. Rather it is a concise, streamlined dart guided to a board by the hand of product management. The board is not a vague pool of data, but rather the proper target data to answer the marketing questions facing the product team.

The role of marketing research

Defining marketing research does not offer an understanding of the role of marketing research. The role of marketing research can be broken down into 5 phases:

1. Specify the information needed to address the business issue at hand.

2. Design the method for collecting the information.

3. Manage and carry out the data collection process.

4. Check the data and complete an analysis.

5. Communicate the outcome and findings and make recommendations if appropriate.

These actions result in a strong partner ship between product management and marketing research.

Marketing problem vs. research methodology

The research process usually begins with the product manager needing an answer to an important marketing question. For example, "How will a new competitive product affect our brand?" If the analyst immediately begins to think of ways to answer the question using a research methodology, then he/she has neglected an important rule. In this case, the analyst overlooks the business issue. The important point here is that the views of the product manager and research analyst are usually different. The focus should always be on the marketing problem and not the research methodology.

Of equal importance, the product manager should understand that he or she needs to approach marketing research with concise business issues. He or she should avoid thinking about methodology. An example would be a product manager requesting "quick and dirty focus groups" as a way to answer a marketing question. In this case the product manager has put the methodology ahead of the business issue.

To form a comfortable partnership: subtle reminders

There are many necessary conditions for a true partnership between product management and marketing research to exist. This partnership must work from the perspective of both functions for a sense of equilibrium to exist.

Product management should provide the means for marketing research involvement in the marketing end of the decision process. For example, certain brand managers at Glaxo allow the marketing research analysts to participate in their staff meetings. This is done to guarantee the analyst is proactive about current business issues.

Marketing research is a service function with a true focus on customer (product management) needs. A true partnership is dependent on those in marketing having a genuine respect for marketing research's contribution to marketing decisions.

Conclusion

Problem definition is the most important part of a marketing research process. This is where the partnership between marketing and marketing research begins to pay off. It is this stage of the process that usually receives the least amount of attention. It is also this stage that most serious problems occur.

Improved communications between product management and marketing research will result in true synergy and an improved understanding of the customer-which is the desired result.