SECONDARY RESEARCH

WHAT DOES THE EVIDENCE ALREADY TELL YOU?

Before commissioning new fieldwork, there is often a valuable body of information already available. ClerkMaster identifies, evaluates and synthesises credible existing evidence to establish what is known about a market, industry, consumer group, competitor or business environment and what still needs to be investigated.

WHAT IS SECONDARY RESEARCH?

Start with the evidence that already exists.

Secondary Research is the systematic collection, review and analysis of existing information.

Depending on the research question, sources may include:

  • Government statistics
  • Industry reports
  • Regulatory publications
  • Company information
  • Academic research
  • Credible databases
  • Published studies
  • Other relevant existing sources

The objective is not simply to collect information. It is to find the right evidence, assess its reliability, connect information from different sources and translate it into meaningful business insight.

WHAT DOES SECONDARY RESEARCH EXAMINE?

Build the market picture before you invest.

Secondary Research can examine:

Market & Industry

  • Market and industry structure
  • Market size and growth indicators
  • Industry trends

Consumers

  • Consumer trends
  • Demographic trends
  • Existing consumer research

Competition

  • Competitor activities
  • Competitor positioning
  • Product and category developments

Business Environment

  • Pricing and market information
  • Regulatory and policy environment
  • Economic and social factors
  • Technology and innovation trends

HOW CLERKMASTER USES SECONDARY RESEARCH?

Not everything needs to start with fieldwork.

We begin by defining the specific business question and the information gaps that need to be addressed. We then identify relevant and credible sources and assess them according to factors such as:

Credibility-How reliable is the source?

Relevance-Does the information actually address the business question?

Methodology-How was the information produced?

Recency-How current is the evidence?

Consistency-Does it align with evidence from other sources?

Information from multiple sources is then compared and synthesised rather than viewed in isolation. Where discrepancies exist, they are investigated and appropriately highlighted.

QUESTIONS THIS HELPS YOU ANSWER

What can existing evidence tell you before you spend more?

Secondary Research can help businesses:

  • Understand a market before investing in it
  • Assess potential market opportunities
  • Understand industry and consumer trends
  • Benchmark competitors
  • Identify emerging risks and opportunities
  • Understand the regulatory environment
  • Develop a clearer market-entry strategy
  • Build context for a new research project
  • Identify what is already known before commissioning primary research
  • Identify information gaps requiring further investigation

WHEN IS SECONDARY RESEARCH A GOOD FIT?

Sometimes the answer is already out there.

Not every business question requires immediate primary fieldwork.

In many situations, substantial information already exists. A well-designed secondary research exercise can establish the market context, identify what is already known and show where additional research is genuinely necessary.

This makes Secondary Research particularly useful for:

Market Entry-Understand the environment before entering a new market.

Feasibility-Establish the available evidence before assessing an opportunity.

Business Planning-Build decisions around the market context.

Opportunity Identification-Identify areas of potential growth.

Competitive Reviews-Understand competitors and category dynamics.

Research Design-Determine what is already known and where evidence gaps remain.

Have a business question you need answered?

Let’s determine what evidence you need before making the decision.

LETS EXPLORE THE QUESTION
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