Which definition is closest to the definition of market research provided in the text and accompanying lecture slides?

(A) A combination of primary and secondary techniques used by entrepreneurs to evaluate the potential of a business opportunity
(B) The systematic design, collection, analysis, and reporting of data and findings relevant to a specific marketing situation facing the company
(C) Systematically testing the merit of a business opportunity through market validation techniques such as surveys, long interviews, observation, and focus groups
(D) All of the above

Market research is defined as the process that provides information used to identify and create marketing opportunities by linking the producers, customers, and end users to the marketer. It is also a process of evaluating marketing actions, monitor marketing performance and improving understanding of marketing as a process.

Marketing research specifies the information required to address issues identified in a marketing process and designs the method for collecting information, managing and implementing data collection process, analyzing the results, and communicating said findings and their implications to the marketer.

From the above definition, marketing research is inclusive of A, B and C