Abstract:

Following an overview of the history and current status of the certification issue, this paper reviews the several sides of the debate: Clarification of terms - what is certification and how is it different from similar processes such as credentialing, accreditation, standardization, etc.; Certification and continuing education; Certification and commoditization; and Association certification vs. university programs. The paper concludes several possible scenarios for how certification will develop over the next several years and discusses implications for qualitative researchers and for ESOMAR as this issue continues to evolve.