Business – 3.2 Market research – Market research data | e-Consult

Primary data from focus groups can be highly reliable if the sample is representative and the moderator follows a consistent script, but reliability may be reduced by:

• Group dynamics that cause dominant participants to influence others’ responses.
• Variability in the way questions are interpreted by different participants.

Secondary data from industry reports is often compiled by reputable agencies, giving it a baseline level of reliability; however, its reliability can be compromised by:

• Out‑of‑date information if the report was published several years ago.
• Differences in data collection methods used by the original source, which may not be transparent.

Overall, primary data can be more reliable for specific, current insights, while secondary data offers broader reliability through established methodologies, provided its limitations are recognised.