A marketing information system collects, analyzes, and distributes market data to support marketing decisions. It includes internal reporting on sales, customers, and operations; marketing intelligence on competitors and the external environment; decision support tools; and a marketing research function. The marketing research process involves 6 steps: defining the problem, developing a research plan, collecting information, analyzing the data, presenting findings, and making decisions based on the findings. Effective marketing information systems provide timely, accurate insights to improve strategy, offerings, and performance.