Final answer:
The first step in the market research approach is to clearly define the problem or opportunity and clarify the objectives. This step is pivotal for providing direction to the entirety of the research process, ensuring that the study is focused and meaningful.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first step in the six-step market research approach is to clearly define the problem, issue, or opportunity, and to clarify the objectives. This step corresponds with the initial phase of the scientific method, which involves asking a question or finding a research topic that is neither too broad nor too narrow. Through this process, researchers identify a specific area of interest that is both manageable and has universal merit. For example, a sociologist might pose a research question like “What do personal hygiene habits reveal about the values of students at a specific high school?” After asking this question, the researcher would gather related literature and then formulate a hypothesis to predict the potential results. Accuracy, validity, and reliability are crucial in this process and represent the correlation needed to ensure the scientific validity of the research approach. Overall, the six steps of the scientific method in sociological research include asking a question, researching existing sources, formulating a hypothesis, research design, collecting & analyzing data, and drawing conclusions. The aim is to ensure an organized and systematic approach, providing a shared basis for discussion and analysis.