Abstract:

The more and more frequent use of electronic computers, during the recent years, for the interpretation of the data collected in market studies by sounding has focussed attention on the necessity of an increased methodological rigour resulting from both: - the high operational cost of these computers; - the complexity of the data processing which they make possible. Various favourable circumstances have enabled GAZ DE FRANCE to study systematically these problems of method, the opportunity being offered by a market survey carried out in 1962 on a population of 10.000 main residences in areas which receive GAZ DE FRANCE service. The process of this experiment will be exposed now in order to invite to an effort of reflection on the nature of the relations which should be settled between the various parties interested in the performance of surveys by sounding and to a maybe technically desirable normalisation of these relations. Three phases of this study will be studied: 1. constitution of the basic information; 2. plan of analysis, 3. interpretation of numerical data.