4.4.3—Secondary market research

Secondary research uses data already collected by another party or for another purpose, such as government statistics, trade reports, company filings or internal records.

It is faster and cheaper, but definitions, dates, incentives and methods may not match the current question. Triangulating sources improves confidence.

Check who collected it, when, for what population and purpose, then decide whether it is comparable.

A retailer uses census income data to screen locations, then checks whether the data is current and measured at the same geographic level.

A published number is not neutral or necessarily relevant; source fit matters more than apparent authority.

Apply the specified secondary sources deliberately: market analyses summarize industries and competitors; academic journals provide researched concepts or findings but may be technical or slow to publish; government publications can offer large official datasets but may use broad or outdated categories; media articles are current but vary in evidence and incentives; online content is fast and broad but requires checks of authorship, date, method and purpose.