Science is the knowledge ascertained by observation and experiment critically tested, systematized, and brought under general principles. When we apply principles of science to reduce uncertainty in marketing problem, the technique is called scientific method. Scientific method is a set of prescribed procedures for establishing and connecting general laws about events and for predicting events yet unknown. This method is an impartial, consistent, and systematic process that may be employed in solving business problem.

While applying the scientific method to the research problems, we ask well-structured and likely fruitful questions from the respondent. We devise a hypothesis to be tested during the research. We set the objectives and underlying assumption. Then we draw logical consequences of these assumption. We collect data and test the technique for relevance and reliability. The statistical tested are applied to data and result are interpreted. The evaluation of the truth claims of the assumptions and the fidelity of the hypothesis is conducted. Also the domains in which the assumptions and the techniques hold are determined and the new problems are raised by the stated research. Thus in sequence, we take the above, mentioned listed steps one by one to apply scientific method for solving the marketing research problems.

This method is significantly different form other three methods discussed above. Tenacity, authority and intuition are all inflexible approaches and there is no scope for correcting decisions if they go wrong. But scientific method provides for correcting decisions even at the last stage of execution. The previously discussed methods do not recognize that there is an inherent possibility of error. On the other hand, the scientific method encourages and demands manager to be skeptical in evaluating his proposal. In scientific approach, no information is accepted as true unless it has been carefully evaluated and tested by the best available evidence. The methods of authority, tenacity and intuition are subjective whereas there is hardly any scope for subjective and verifiable. Therefore, it is not wrong to establish that decisions made by the scientific method are always correct. To make it viable and effective, marketing research must be conducted with the help of scientific method. Owing to this reason, we have laid a greater emphasis on the scientific method to marketing research.

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