Some of the newer research methodologies embrace empathy (and/or its measurement) to be able to get to the bottom of what people need, how they think and how they feel. In this issue, three articles bring their own unique approaches to empathy in research and how to apply it for the betterment of humanity. Each of them, in their own way, also speak to the modern need for marketers and designers to be authentic in their application of empathy to what they do for a living.
Despite popular suggestions or forecasts that the research profession was/is in decline, this report shows that our industry recorded continued growth in 2017, following the turnaround shown in 2015. In contrast with last year, not all regions show growth; nonetheless all anecdotal evidence from commentators in those markets is positive, and some of them have successfully expanded their local measure to incorporate a wider selection of services and providers. The relationship between local currency measures and then the subsequent impact of inflationary effects and/ or currency exchange rates, remains challenging; nonetheless, only very few markets show a decline in local currency terms (and the biggest market USA records above average growth of +1.6%). This issue sees our commentary chapters concentrate on automation, A.I. and some of the newer trends in our profession, all of which make for fascinating reading!Check it out on ESOMAR Publications Store!
With the constant shifting sands of technology, how can researchers stay abreast of the latest developments in advertising and media research and the interplay between the different communication platforms? What's the state of the art in media and advertising research, how close are we to reliable cross-platform currencies and how is this impacting the new world of media buying?
The rapid explosion of technology has led to a new age where the checks and balances of ethical data collection and self-regulation that grew organically over the past 70 years are now often 'overlooked' in favor of speed and cost-efficiency -all these with detrimental effects. As part of ESOMAR's continued commitment to better understand how data is being used within and outside of organizations, how it is being controlled, and who 'owns' that data, we partnered with Kadence International to conduct a study amongst executives working in marketing, advertising, market research, and IT in North America, Europe and Asia. The results showed that although business leaders around the world put a high commercial value on consumer data, they pay far less emphasis on ensuring its security.
In 2012, ESOMAR published 24 Questions to Help Buyers of Social Media Research. These questions were intended to help users of social media research consider issues that might influence whether a social media listening tool was fit for the purpose of a particular research objective, whether qualitative, quantitative, or both. The questions were designed to help users gain a better understanding of the services being offered and ensure that what they received from a social media data provider was what was expected. Over the intervening years a great deal has changed in terms of the types of data available for analysis, the sources for such data, the ways in which researchers acquire and analyze it, the technologies used, the industry players, and the regulatory environment, to name a few. Of special note is the interest in moving beyond text to include the broader category of unstructured data (text, images, audio, and video) and the expansion of potential sources beyond social media to include, for example, survey open ends, focus group transcripts, call center interactions, and more. At the same time, the software tools for analyzing these types of data have grown in number and capabilities. The purpose of this document is to update ESOMAR's guidance to better reflect current practice in market, opinion, and social research and data analytics.
The world is in turmoil. Hyperbole or reality? As we look back on 2017, it is difficult to characterise the state of things as anything but turmoiland experts interviewed in this issue would agree. But, if this is the case, what then is the role of insights and evidence in this new world? In many instances, it would seem that its role is diminishing, with leaders dismissing evidence-based news with which they disagree as fake news. For the Insights professional, all of this poses unique and significant challenges. Not only do we have to bring the human being into the centre of marketing, but we also have to work out where we fit into a new world of political, social and economic turmoil and change. We have to be highly inventive to truly represent the needs of people not only as consumers but as citizens. We need to be able to foresee and reflect the challenges of peoples everyday lives.
This document provides guidance to researchers on the special care required when undertaking research with children, young people, and other vulnerable individuals. Its principal focus is the ethical and legal issues involved, rather than the technical problems of such research. Thus, the welfare of individual data subjects is the overriding consideration. They must not be disturbed or harmed as a direct result of participating in research, or having their data processed and analysed for a research purpose.
What role does research have in understanding and interpreting social change? Can the profession measure social impact and help decision makers understand what they need to do? Where and how can research help build a better society?