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CHAPTER 5
Information Types and Sources:
Secondary Data and Standardized Information
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
To learn what secondary data are, and the varied uses; and how we may classify different
types of secondary data including internal and external databases
To understand the advantages and disadvantages of secondary data
To learn how to evaluate secondary data
To learn how to use the U.S. Census Bureau’s new American Community Survey
To learn how to distinguish standardized information from other types of information
To know the differences between syndicated data and standardized services
To understand the advantages and disadvantages of standardized information
To see some of the various areas in which standardized information may be applied
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Secondary Data
Primary Versus Secondary Data
Uses of Secondary Data
Classification of Secondary Data
Internal Secondary Data
External Secondary Data
Published Sources
Syndicated Services Data
External Databases
Advantages of Secondary Data
Disadvantages of Secondary Data
Incompatible Reporting Units
Measurement Units Do Not Match
Class Definitions Are Not Usable
Data Are Outdated
Evaluating Secondary Data
What Was the Purpose of the Study?
Who Collected the Information?
What Information Was Collected?
How Was the Information Obtained?
How Consistent Is the Information Among Sources?
Key Sources of Secondary Data for Marketers
Census 2010 and American Community Survey
American Community Survey
What Is Standardized Information?
Advantages and Disadvantages of Standardized Information
Syndicated Data
Standardized Services
Applications of Standardized Information
Market Segmentation
Monitoring Consumer-Generated Media
KEY TERMS
American Community Survey
Aspiring Young Families
Census 2010
Core-based Statistical Areas (CBSAs)
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Data mining
Database
Database marketing
ESRI’s Tapestry Segmentation
External databases
External secondary data
Fields
Geodemographics
Internal databases
Internal secondary data
Metropolitan SAs
Micropolitan SAs
Online information databases
Performer Q
Primary data
Published sources
Record
Secondary data
Standard subject headings
Standardized Information
Standardized Services
Syndicated Data
Syndicated services data
Top Rung
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
1. University library staff members are invaluable in orienting students on how to use secondary
sources. Contact the business reference librarian and arrange for an orientation session on the
use of business databases.
2. Large companies typically have library and secondary data specialists on staff. If you have a
local contact, invite the company librarian or secondary information specialist to class to
describe the secondary sources used by the company’s employees.
3. One way to introduce students to secondary sources is to give them an assignment that will
require them to investigate various secondary sources. Here are some sample assignments to
get students in the Library or to compel them to use Internet sources to search for
information.
a. Determine population size, growth and composition for a particular county in your
state. Assign different counties to various students or student teams and have them
make class presentations on their findings.
b. Determine how many and which states have state lotteries, gambling casinos, video
poker, and river boat gambling.
4. Tell students that they have been hired as the corporate intelligence officer for a major
garment company. They are to investigate the competition by use of secondary sources. Who
are the competitors, how big are they, what are their distinguishing features, and so forth?
With a large class, you may want to use several industries, or have student teams concentrate
on separate competitors.
5. The chapter introduces Internet secondary data sources. Some students will be proficient in
the use of the Internet and search engines. Ask those with good skills to provide a
demonstration to the class.
7. Table 5.2 lists a large number of secondary sources with brief descriptions of each.
Determine which ones are readily available to your students and assign each student (or
student team) the task of finding the source, becoming familiar with it, and reporting to the
class what the source is all about including specific examples of information in the source.
8. The U.S. Census website (www.census.gov) is free and reasonably user-friendly. It has a
huge amount of information with a great many different aspects. Here is a listing of data
available in the “People and Households” section.
• Age
• American Community Survey
• Ancestry
• Births
• Children
• Computer Ownership and Use
• Coverage Measurement
• Deaths
• Disability
• Education
• Elderly
• Estimates
• Families
• Fertility
• Foreign Born
• Grandparents
• Health Insurance
• Hispanic Origin
• Households and Families
• Labor Force
• Language Use
• Marital Status and Living Arrangements
• Migration
• Occupation
• Overseas U.S. Population
• Population Profile
• Poverty
• Program Participation
• Projections
• Puerto Rico and the Island Areas
• Race
• Small Area Health Insurance Estimates
• Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates
• School Costs
• School Districts
• School Enrollment
• Veterans Statistics
• Voting and Registration
• Immigration
• Income
• International Population
• Journey to Work
• Wealth
• Well-Being
• Women
• Working at Home
Instructors can demonstrate the functionality and data on the U.S. Census website in class
and/or assign various topics to students or student teams to investigate and write up or
present to the class.
