Abstract:

This theoretical paper analyses and forecasts the future of market research methods (products) such as survey research, qualitative research or model building research as well as the future of market research applications (markets) such as consumer behavior, social problems, and mass media. The fundamental proposition of the paper is that we must look at the demand-oriented factors which generate the need for a particular market research product or market as well as supply-oriented factors which indicate the extent to which market researchers can efficiently satisfy the demand. The demand-oriented factors are anchored to the concept of product life cycle and the degree of maturity of a market research product or market. The supply-oriented factors are anchored to the concept of economies of scale and cost effectiveness of a research product or for a research market.