a) Discuss the role of marketing research techniques to a business decision maker.

b) In marketing research, scaling techniques can reveal brand preferences, consumer priorities and perceptions. Briefly discuss the use of comparative and non-comparative rating scales in determining consumers' preference and perceptions on certain household products.

c) What are the roles of exploratory research in understanding the behavior of consumers of a retail shop? Briefly discuss a suitable type of data collection for this type of research.