Hello, and welcome to this course on Initiating Market Research. I'm Jim Fong, and I want to thank you for joining me for this first course within this specialization on market research for decision-making offered by UC Davis Extension. I'm currently the Director of Research for the University Professional and Continuing Education Association, the non-profit organization serving 400 plus colleges, and universities. I've spent almost 30 years actively designing and implementing market research, and have worked in a variety of industries. As a time to continue to change, I too have adapted. When I started, the telephone was the primary way to collect data. We called people to conduct surveys and polls over the phone, then came Internet research, and now we're using competitive intelligence and Big Data to make recommendations. The tools for collection and delivery will continue to evolve and good research will adapt and evolve with them. In this course, we're going to discuss market research, what it is, what it isn't, the tools, techniques, types of collecting, and more. I've broken this course into four modules. After the first module, you'll be able to define market research and identify some tools used in the industry. You'll be able to explain the motivations and what goes into a market research request. You'll be able to define the role and qualities of a good market researcher and the types of services they provide. You'll be able to ask the right questions of your prospective client, and be able to respond to a market research proposal. Now moving into the second module, you'll be able to discuss the importance of secondary and internal research in terms of the planning process. You'll be able to identify your starting point and assess how valuable any secondary or internal research you've received from your client might be. You'll be able to allocate your budget appropriately, and be able to identify the skills you might need to develop further. For the third module, we will shift gears and cover primary research. You'll be able to define what primary research is and identify the various ways to conduct primary research. You'll be able to choose the appropriate method for your proposal. We'll also look at sampling, surveys, and observational methods. In the final module, we will tie everything together and focus in on the actual research plan or proposal. You will be able to compose a response to a request for proposal or research plan. You will be able to address the various components of the proposal and package it in a professional manner. You'll be able to apply tips to how to communicate with a client after submission, and be able to take action once you have been awarded the proposal bid. Market research is a growing and important field that is used throughout the business and government worlds. Given all the data that is collected, whether by organizations, industry, or social media, it's important that someone can review and sift through all the noise to provide valuable insights. That's where you come in as a market researcher. This course will only scratch the surface and provide you a foundational understanding of this field. But we have to start somewhere and we obviously have a lot to cover, so without further ado, let's get started.