Abstract:

This paper shows an example of the optimization and reduction of a research budget. In 1977 an important research took place, based on 700 telephone interviews, 300 complete descriptions of stores, 300 interviews with points of sale managers, and more than 80 in-depth interviews. It permitted the subscribers, producers of those goods which could be distributed by this chain work, to build efficient commercial policies. The results presented to the agricultural cooperatives gave them the opportunity to understand both themselves and the need to use unbiassed information on which to base their decisions. It permitted an important collaboration of the cooperatives, for establishing, in march 1978 a point of sale panel, which permitted a reduction in the cost of information collection.