Explanatory Research is primarily used to understand?

Explanatory research is primarily conducted to clarify relationships between variables, specifically the interactions between independent and dependent variables. This type of research helps in understanding how different factors influence one another, which can lead to insights about causality rather than just correlation. By focusing on uncovering the underlying relationships, explanatory research enables marketers to derive meaning from data and to formulate strategies based on these insights.

In contrast, the other options do not capture this core function of explanatory research. While understanding the impact of the marketing mix on sales (option A) or measuring customer satisfaction levels (option B) can involve relationships between variables, these are often explored through descriptive or causal research rather than explicitly explanatory frameworks. Market segmentation criteria (option D) typically focuses on categorizing customers rather than analyzing relationships between variables, making it less aligned with the essence of explanatory research.