In this paper we seek to show that the market research industry in the UK has had two distinct phases in which it has thought very hard about quality. These phases can be linked with different aspects of product performance as described by Levitt's quality model, which in turn links with a changing definition of 'quality' as a result of an increasing importance being attributed to the service element. This means that the criteria of 'suitable for the purpose', against which research products are judged, is itself changing.
This paper draws from MORI's wide experience of conducting employee attitude studies to show how such research can help answer those questions. It will also illustrate the value of research in providing a benchmark to measure improvement over time and guide and direct quality initiatives into the most productive channels. As we will demonstrate, research can identify practices which work productively and areas where Total Quality programmes are failing to have any real impact on the organisation. It can, therefore, play a vital role in the quality process and, indeed, become an integral part of that process.
BS 5750 in the UK is a quality assurance system creating a set of procedures designed to document and improve practices to maximise the quality of a company's output. In the UK it was initially conceived for manufacturing industry, but in the last two or more years its relevance to service industries such as market research has been perceived, and a number of market research agencies have achieved BS 5750 accreditation. FDS was one of the first of these, and our purpose in presenting this paper is to share that experience from the initial concept through the process of gaining accreditation to our experience of it in practice. BS 5750 and its international equivalent, ISO 9000 is here to stay; increasingly its possession is going to be a necessary qualification for supplier consideration. BS 5750 when positively implemented is an indication of a commitment to a management philosophy of Total Quality Management and a necessary step to that goal. BS 5750 is not a system conceived externally and imposed on a company's operation. It is created by the company itself in the light of the company's current operating practices, and helps the company to achieve and maintain best practice. Achieving BS 5750 is an arduous and lengthy process. It is not to be undertaken lightly and successful implementation requires the commitment of everyone in the company, both in the process of acquiring it and of maintaining it once accredited. This is how FDS did it.
Royal Mail, the letters' collection, distribution and delivery business in the UK, with 175 employees, one of the country's largest employers, embarked on Total Quality Management in 1988. This paper examines, in outline, the surveys in place to measure the quality of service offered to external customers, together with measures of customer perception and satisfaction. The paper then details the research which is carried out among employees, who can be considered the "internal" customers of an organisation. The design, execution, reporting and use of the Employee Opinion surveys are covered. The key measures of Employee Opinion are overall satisfaction with Royal Mail as an employer; satisfaction with communications; morale; believing that Royal Mail feels that its employees are important; and the fact that Royal Mail recognises good work by its employees. Other measures such as the Effective Leadership feedback are also covered. This is part of the Leadership Charter, adopted by Royal Mail in 1992 and provides feedback to all team leaders on how their style of management is perceived by the people who report to them. Employee research is one of the most challenging areas for a researcher since not only technical considerations must be borne in mind, but also other factors, such as internal politics, play an important part. Finally, the importance and difficulty of finding new ways of communicating the results of research to non-researchers (even the innumerate) are stressed.
This paper is of interest to researchers and marketers involved in communication strategy - from the development of creative ideas to media planning and tracking: The ultimate goal of the study described in this paper is to demonstrate the value of strong creativity. Today many advertisers look at production costs and media spending as advertising expenditure. However, the waste of time and money on running inefficient campaigns is often overlooked! The Creativity Factor has a direct influence on media planning. No doubt, more effective advertising requires less spending to achieve the same goal. Creativity is not a constant factor. Good creativity may even accumulate in effect over time - poor creativity has little effect and quickly wears out When to change or renew a campaign is also an important media and market- ing decision. Many studies have shown what advertising can do for new brands. Today's reality is more geared towards maintaining and developing existing brands or line extensions, however. Here a more nuanced picture is needed to establish a Creativity Factor. Advertising should persuade "non or infrequent users" whereas its purpose as far as "loyalists" are concerned is reinforcement. This is an overlooked fact in most advertising research discussions. Our study continues, with the inclusion of scanner retail data and incorporating cognitive brand effect measures. The latter, in combination with the Creativity Factor, will provide important insight for the development of a marketing decision model.
The marketing world is changing faster than ever. Complexity and instability are growing rapidly: markets are fragmenting, consumers get more and more pretentious and unpredictable, traditional marketing strategies seem to be without effect Therefore it's no longer a luxury but an essential necessity for the survival of most companies to better understand brands, markets and consumer motivations. Strategic research plays an increasingly important role in understanding consumers' perceptions and needs to ensure marketing efficiency. The first part of the paper gives an outline of some research techniques. BBDO uses in the process of communication and brand strategy development and evaluation. The second part presents BBDO Brand Potential Analysis, a new tool for developing brand and communication strategies. The way Brand Potential Analysis works is demonstrated using a recent study on jeans brands in Germany.
In this paper we deal with the challenge of the Para-Olympic Games of Barcelona 92. We analyse the attitudes of fear or recoil from people towards disabled and set out a research plan to estimate these feelings. We also talk about the way to get people involved in the games and make a description of the kind of study, conclusions and results of public participation in the Para-Olympic Games. This research shows the change from indifferent or negative attitudes towards the final success that have made the Para-Olympic Games of Barcelona 92 the best in history.
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.
The present article starts with a discussion of the definition problems concerning the concept of communication quality. The conclusion is that communication quality is not an unequivocal concept, and it is argued why the criterion should be found in individual consumer behavior. In an attempt to come to some indicator of communication quality, several developments were mutually related: market, communication, theoretical, and methodological developments. Several dilemmas were noted. One dilemma is the one between the increasing need to communicate among communicators (advertisers) and the decreasing functionality of communication among consumers. Another dilemma is that between the need for accountability and the lack of straightforward communication quality criteria. A third dilemma concerns the paradigm to be employed: should research employ the conventional paradigm that departs from communication being processed by the consumer, or should research depart from the idea that most advertising messages are ignored or distorted in processing by the consumer? A fourth dilemma deals with the demand for external validity on the one hand and the practical demand for simplicity on the other. Given the combination of these dilemmas the present article argues for an approach that is theoretically basically simple but is not in conflict with demands for external validity. Also, the approach suggested here - the Triad approach - allows for a lack of advertising processing to be considered. The Triad approach, which departs from the three basic concepts motivation, capacity, and opportunity, attempts to provide a compromise in the dilemmas mentioned above. An example is provided of a study in which operational and theoretical questions are addressed.
This paper essentially covers two specific areas: The first half, by virtue of two Case Studies, looks at employee surveys conducted within a Total Quality context. The second looks at findings of staff research making comparisons across different types of company. The initial section of the paper examines why staff research is important and the growth in staff research with the first case study illustrating, in particular, what was done by the commissioning company to implement the recommendations from the staff survey undertaken. The last half of the paper concentrates on a relatively new area, the role of staff research and staff satisfaction as a business health monitoring tool and the variation (or lack of it) in response across different industry types and sectors. Total Quality Management is the focus of this year's ESOMAR Congress. Total Quality Management and Continuous Improvement are providing the philosophy and the framework for many companies globally, and now particularly in Europe, to move forward. Many are looking to it to help them "manage their way out of recession". This paper looks at staff research within the wider context of Total Quality Management research.
This paper is divided into 5 parts, starting with the reasons why ISO 9000 was implemented in BTs business market research department through to the lessons we have learnt from implementation. The first section discusses why BT, as a company, has decided to adopt ISO 9000 practices and reveals that the drive behind this was BT's corporate mission to put customers first. BT believes that quality practices are important in order to give the best possible service to our customers and suppliers. The second section looks at how the BT Business Market Research team went about implementing ISO 9000. The third section examines the ISO 9000 market research procedures in action with a case study of how a major customer satisfaction measurement programme was set up and run according to the procedures. The fourth section discusses the implications of BT's quality policy for our research suppliers. IFinally, this paper summarises the problems and more particularly the great benefits gained from implementing ISO 9000 in BT. Here we have tried to outline useful hints to other client companies who may be considering adopting quality procedures. The four most important lessons to be learnt in implementing ISO 9000 are: involve everyone and ensure that they understand why quality procedures are necessary; do not get hung up on paperwork - but be flexible and only develop procedures that can be workable in your business area; do not rest on your laurels - quality is about continuous improvement and your processes should be continuously reviewed to match your evolving needs; and finally, do not rush ISO 9000 without applying common sense - if done thoroughly it can be a lengthy but ultimately rewarding and time saving exercise.