Many organisations have difficulty in making effective use of market research information, particularly in business to business markets. There are various reasons for this of which perhaps the two most important are: a) The calendar time taken from fieldwork to reporting. b) The variability of the data, at least at a sample size consistent with client budgets. This paper firstly reviews some of the problems associated with the business to business research and then, through the medium of a (partially artificial) case study describes one system for automatically improving the value of research data within the context of a continuous monitor. The system uses the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet package to take raw data through to summary charting and reporting within a four-hour time frame. The process is based upon an expert system macro including two core elements which we call rationalization and remobilization, each of which is described in the paper. We conclude that since the system makes adjustments as the expert would and since computers are more rigorous than human beings, the result is less arbitrary than the alternatives such as adjusting for outliers by hand.
Since the introduction of the counter sorter in the 1950's the use of computers in MR has developed from an occasional tool into an integral part of much of the research process. It is evident, however, that the computer is not merely 'useful' in the various roles that it contributes - word processing, data collection, tabulations, further analysis, graphics, etc. - but also enhance the quality in every case. Indeed it can be argued that in many areas it has been definitive of our understanding of quality. This paper proposes that there remain many more benefits that the computer offers our industry to further enhance the quality of our work. The paper is divided into three sections: Where we are now The situation in other industries Data analysis and reporting.
This paper outlines our experience in the conduct of Market Research for clients concerned with the developing society of Iran. There is no doubt in our minds of the growing significance of market research in that country, the more so since it is not only developing rapidly but also has a basic economic structure similar to that in which market research techniques have flourished in the past. It is the authors' contention that the experience obtained in Iran is of relevance to other developing societies, and moreover that attention to the problems involved in such research forces the researcher back to basic principles and away from "techniques". The paper gives three case histories from recent studies, which serve to illuminate the problems discussed.
The fundamental requirements for the creation of a field force for interviewing in mass industrial markets are supplied by any large reputable consumer field force. Additional criteria may be little more than to place great emphasis in the selection process on the quality of manner covering: Empathy; -Intelligence; - Presentability. The use of a consumer force for industrial interviewing requires the agency to lay particular stress on three areas: -Selection of the Interviewer; - Training; - Control.