What type of research is focused on formulating marketing questions through discussions and interviews?

The focus of exploratory research is to gain a deeper understanding of a situation or issue, often when there is little existing information available. This type of research is particularly valuable when marketers seek to generate insights by exploring new ideas, understanding trends, or identifying opportunities and problems. Discussions and interviews are common methods used in exploratory research as they allow for open-ended responses, enabling researchers to gather rich qualitative data that can inform the development of marketing strategies and questions.

In contrast, descriptive research aims to quantify characteristics and gather specific, measurable data. Causal research seeks to establish cause-and-effect relationships, often through experimentation. Market analysis is a broader term that can encompass various research methods, but it doesn’t specifically denote the exploratory nature of gathering insights through discussions and interviews. Thus, the emphasis on discussions and interviews aligns specifically with the foundational aspects of exploratory research.