Regional Marketing Research in the Property and Casualty Insurance Business: A Case Study - Hanover Insurance Company

Author

Debra L. Brunner, Fontbonne College

Year of Award

1992

Degree

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

College

College of Business & Professional Studies

Degree Program

Business Administration

Department

Business Administration

Keywords

Missouri, St. Louis, advertising, profit

Abstract

If properly done, marketing research can help a company successfully satisfy its customers, improve or take the lead in market share, and achieve a competitive advantage. Through the years, the task and role of marketing research in all businesses has changed, and is still evolving, as consumers and the marketplace respond. Once limited to a few industries, more and more businesses are utilizing the marketing research process.

In the property and casualty insurance industry, the marketing research task is traditionally handled at national headquarters. There, a marketing or underwriting department performs research and designs and develops new products and rates along with changing existing products and rates. At Hanover Insurance Company, these traditional roles are being altered. In 1991, the St. Louis office of Hanover Insurance Company began performing its own marketing research functions, starting with a business situation analysis.

This thesis will discuss marketing research in general, explaining briefly what the task is, why it's done, and who traditionally does it in most kinds of businesses. It will review the evolution of marketing research and the effects it might have on the property and casualty insurance business. Most specifically, this thesis will explain the effect on Hanover Insurance Company as the traditional role of marketing changes and research is being done regionally. The case study will explain how the regional marketing research was performed at the Hanover St. Louis office and outline the advantages and disadvantages of performing this work regionally.

Comments

This thesis was selected for its superior quality, and was suggested as a good example for MBA students to follow.

Document Type

Restricted Thesis

Recommended Citation

Brunner, Debra L., "Regional Marketing Research in the Property and Casualty Insurance Business: A Case Study - Hanover Insurance Company" (1992). All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects. 356.
https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/all-etds/356