The application of market analysis procedures to problems of regional economic development has long been neglected. This paper presents a framework for regional economic analysis and then proceeds to a detailed examination of the City of Bradford in Yorkshire within that framework. The authors worked for a period of four years on behalf of the Bradford Area Development Association (BADA) to identify ways in which economic growth within the City could be stimulated. Eight major studies were undertaken which explored both the extant structure of Bradford's industry and resources and its external economies, and the most viable directions for growth.
According to the researches performed up to now may be seen that the results of such and similar inquiries may very efficiently contribute to making such decisions (measures) which will influence upon the recovery of economic trends and improvement of market situation. With regard to the experiences gained by previous inquiries smaller sampling of enterprises should be made in future, but their influence upon production of the special branch should be taken into account. Four inquiries per year should be made. The research results illustrate a very significant differentiation in the operation of the enterprises under economic reform. In addition to several (many) technological factors, the prosperity of the enterprises is also influenced frequently by such factors as: organization, business policy and staff situation especially
In 1959 , Prof. Behrens had already drawn attention to the long existing but still not fully recognised difference between field research and economic market research. Since then, this difference has become increasingly an integral part of the theory and practice of market research. While economic market research, as a special branch of empirical economic research, is aimed at economic objectivities (quality, quantity and price of goods), field market research, as a branch of empirical social research, deals with the actions and attitudes of people in relation to i the market as well as their bio-social conditions. The topics of field analysis merely reveal the aims of economic research. The former are the objectives of the latter.