The intent of this paper is to explore the differences between the U.S. and Europe in terms of the level of research sophistication the use of specific methodologies, the attitudes of researchers in terms of their general orientation and working philosophy, the business climate in which they are working and the constraints that each faces. The question "What can we learn from each other?" is divided in two parts: issues dealing with specific methodologies and issues dealing with more general considerations.
The success of a television show can be described with the same concepts as the success of a brand of a product. Cumulative penetration applies to both, share of repeat- buyers equals to the share of repeat-viewers , brand loyalty to programme loyalty. Based on the experience of the English AGB (Audits of Great Britain) a Finnish research agency, Finnpanel Ltd has developed a computerized repeat-buying analysis, which has now been utilised for analyzing television panel data. MTV (the only commercial television company in the Scandinavia) and Finnpanel Ltd have now analyzed television programme data of 1977 and 1978 which is not sufficient amount of data for introducing any mathematical laws of viewing if such exist. We have not been able to develop any absolute benchmarks either, but it seem obvious that even among those 30 television programmes (series / serials) there are great differences in terms of repeat-viewing.
Existing doubts about the viability of applied social science notwithstanding, systematic, empirical analyses of the utilization of social research are virtually absent. Based upon data from interviews with social researchers and policymakers about 120 projects of social policy research in The Netherlands, this paper analyses and evaluates the cognitive, communicative and diagnostic functions of social policy research in organizational decisions.
This paper is an assessment of the state of new product research in Europe seen through the eyes of a director of an agency supplying research services in the European market. The author starts with some qualifying remarks as to the validity of the concept of a "European" research market. Differences in language, in consumer habits and in the range of available advertising media are all forces for the execution of international marketing strategies remaining under local control and subject to local influences and adaptations. It is this situation which is responsible for most decisions regarding market research still being made on a country by country and not on a pan-European basis. The paper then looks at developments in new product research under two basic areas of activity: - Product development research based on consumer opinion; - Test market research based on consumer behaviour.
This paper examines the current state of New Product Market Research in the U.S. and compares it with the state in Europe, from three basic perspectives: - New Product Research Techniques; - New Product/Market Opportunities; and the Stature of New Product Research within the overall market function.
The use of consumer panels by manufacturers in Europe as a marketing tool has increased dramatically over the past few years and now seriously competes with the more traditional forms of store audit service. This trend is contrary to that experienced in the United States where the emphasis for tracking markets is mainly derived from store-based information services, using conventional store audit methods or by analysis of computerised records of warehouse withdrawals, like SAMI. The role of consumer panels in the USA would appear to be restricted to performing a mainly diagnostic function. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to try and examine the underlying technical and marketing reasons for this trend and to describe some of the ways panel data is now used in Europe, set against the background of the conference theme, "It Won't Work Here".
Consumer magazines occupy a unique position among U.S. advertising media. In total, they are a mass medium, yet taken individually, each carves out its own distinctive, selective audience. This selectivity is best delineated by primary readership, defined as those readers in households in which some member obtained the publication either through subscription or single copy purchase. Primary Readers are very different from Passalong Readers who come into contact with a publication through some means other than direct purchase. Different in terms of their involvement with the publication, different in terms of their reading behavior and different in terms of their response to advertising. The purpose of this paper is to place in clear focus the differences between the Primary and Passalong Reader and to demonstrate how an awareness of these differences can provide the basis for more efficient media and marketing plans.
This paper assesses the state of worldwide new product market research from the perspective of the author's 40 years experience in the United States, Europe and other areas and in building and directing a market research organization for a diversified, United States-based international corporation.
This paper presents some of our experiences which bear on these points. The focus is on two issues: system design (a system overview, "consumerizing" research systems, and system design strategies) and multi-national system comparability.
Every time we are asked to do cross-national advertising research, we must worry about comparability of data across countries. Unfortunately, we still do not know the situations and conditions under which we can clearly justify a universal approach to advertising research. The purpose of this paper is to explore those situations or conditions which indicate that one must make adjustments in his research methodology and procedures in conducting multi-country advertising research. Not only should we identify the determinant conditions for making adjustments, we must also identify specific areas of research methodology which must be adjusted in the presence of a determinant condition. In other words, this paper will address the problem of what to change or adjust in multi-country advertising research under what specific conditions or situations.
This paper concentrates on one particular area, that of employment policy research. With unemployment in Europe, and in the United States, now at between 5 and 6% of the labour force, measures to combat the economic and social scourge of unemployment are clearly critical to public policies of EEC member states, as well as of the US.