Abstract:

A combination of growing prosperity and technological advances has brought a vast increase in complexity to many markets. Inevitably this has had a major impact on market research. Many simple techniques which used to work adequately now no longer do so. But the same factors which created the research problems also help to provide at least partial solutions. The paper contrasts two British markets the grocery sector and television. Both in recent years have experienced an exponential growth in the amount of data that have to be collected. These requirements have been met by research contractors. However there is a considerable difference in the extent to which research users in the two areas effectively employ the additional data to which they have access. The paper considers the steps that need to be taken to maximise the value of the databases and to overcome the reluctance to use the information effectively.