Secondary research utilizes existing resources like company records, surveys, research studies, and books, and applies the information gathered to answer the questions formulated by the research team or the organization. It is normally less time consuming and less expensive than primary research.
While secondary research is less targeted than primary research, it can yield valuable information and answer some questions that are not practical to address through primary research (such as assessing microeconomic conditions) or questions that may make customers uncomfortable if asked directly (such as those about age and income levels).
The following are examples of questions that can be addressed through secondary research:
(i) What are the current economic and/or socioeconomic conditions that the proposed PPP enterprise is operating in? Are these conditions changing? (international back drop, e.g., MDG goals and/or commitments, national public health goals, provincial and local economic and/or socioeconomic conditions)
(ii) What trends are influencing the industry that the PPP in hospital management will operate in? (consumer preferences, technological shifts, and prices for goods and services)
(iii) Are there other markets for the products or services that could help the organization grow its business?
(iv) What are the demographic characteristics of the target customers or where do they live? (populations, age groups, income levels, etc.)
(v) What is the state of the labor market in the province and/or district and/or area? (e.g., How many people have the skills that the PPP in hospital management requires? How much should the organization expect to pay for public employees who opt for early retirement to join the private sector partner?
(vi) What is the projected supply of equipment, services, and supplies that are needed for the proposed PPP enterprise?
This question should be a little easier to answer than the demand questions. The projected supply is the amount an organization can obtain of the goods or the amount of the service(s) it can provide, within a given time period. Limitations on this will include the suppliers' manufacturing capacity, suppliers' ability to provide equipment, and the personnel (e.g., what scope of services can the staff realistically provide in 1 month?).
Existing records of private operators (and even those of publicly operated hospitals) such as sales invoices, receipts, and formal complaints are important secondary resources that organizations can use. Most often, these records shed light on the same issues that an organization seeks to address through primary research. Therefore, an examination of those records should first be done before considering a customer survey or other form of primary research. Some specific examples of using existing data include
(i) examining sales receipts to find trends in the demand for particular services (e.g., handling of cardiovascular diseases, caesarean deliveries, etc.);
(ii) cross-referencing sales receipts with customer addresses or products and services to determine the effectiveness of advertising; and
(iii) compiling complaints to determine areas for improvement in customer service, pricing, or products, and services offered.
Another key secondary resource is statistical data from official statistics providers and other organizations. These statistics, in turn, can feed into analytical papers and market profiles that can help to put the numbers in context.
Identifying statistics and analysis that can help an organization with its business decisions can be difficult, and some datasets are expensive to purchase. There are, however, a number of quality statistics and analytical resources available to any organization and/or local government, as well as guidance to help it make sense of all the materials available.