Final answer:
Pei and Alex are engaging in primary research by hiring a market research firm to collect new, specific data for their real estate investment business.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pei and Alex are conducting primary research for their new real estate investment business by hiring a market research firm to help them understand the industry and market. Primary research is the process of gathering data first-hand for the specific purpose of the study at hand. This includes activities such as conducting surveys, interviews, and field research.
In contrast, secondary research involves the summary, collation, and/or synthesis of existing research, rather than the collection of new data. Since Pei and Alex's approach involves gathering new data specific to their objective through a market research firm, it fits the definition of primary research.