The aims of the present report are to present the problems which are particularly relative to the organization of market research in the field of industry, and to proceed to examine the corresponding solutions. The "EUROPLASTICS" research project, the object of which was estimate the prospects of expanding the plastics industry within the Common Market and the United Kingdom up to 1970-1975, will make possible a thorough review of the preceding aspects on the basis of a genuine concrete example.
The aims of the present report are to present the problems which are particularly relative to the organization of market research in the field of industry, and to proceed to examine the corresponding solutions. The "EUROPLASTICS" research project, the object of which was estimate the prospects of expanding the plastics industry within the Common Market and the United Kingdom up to 1970-1975, will make possible a thorough review of the preceding aspects on the basis of a genuine concrete example.
This paper sets out to describe the methods employed to make forecasts of the medium-term consumption (1970 and 1975) of plastics in the E. E. C. countries. Great Britain and the United States. Researches were conducted into the "EUROPLASTICS"; these researches included detailed analysis of the present and potential applications in the case of each category of plastics, examination of the use of plastics in each field of its application (building, packaging, household articles, etc. ), the possibilities of their development; and, generally, a study of the industry concerned with the application of plastic materials. It would be useful to bear the foregoing points in mind; because, making such forecasts, whatever may be the methods adopted, cannot be put to good use unless the economist who makes these forecasts has a detailed knowledge of the market. Because of the limited amount of time at our disposal, we shall not dwell on market analysis; we would rather concentrate on explanation of the econometric methods employed in forecasting, by showing in Part I the general principles of construction of econometric models and in Part II the practical applications of the methods of forecasting adopted.
This paper sets out to describe the methods employed to make forecasts of the medium-term consumption (1970 and 1975) of plastics in the E. E. C. countries. Great Britain and the United States. Researches were conducted into the "EUROPLASTICS"; these researches included detailed analysis of the present and potential applications in the case of each category of plastics, examination of the use of plastics in each field of its application (building, packaging, household articles, etc. ), the possibilities of their development; and, generally, a study of the industry concerned with the application of plastic materials. It would be useful to bear the foregoing points in mind; because, making such forecasts, whatever may be the methods adopted, cannot be put to good use unless the economist who makes these forecasts has a detailed knowledge of the market. Because of the limited amount of time at our disposal, we shall not dwell on market analysis; we would rather concentrate on explanation of the econometric methods employed in forecasting, by showing in Part I the general principles of construction of econometric models and in Part II the practical applications of the methods of forecasting adopted.
As it is well known, the input-output analysis is a tool of forecasts for inter-sectorial requirements, bused on the hypothesis of the independent development of the final demand. The demand is, therefore, influenced only by exterior elements connected with the change in tastes, in.the economical and techno logical progress, and by the specific targets at which the Government aims in an economic system more or less controlled . So, the matrix is, basically, a tool of economic planning. How could then input-output analysis be suitably applied to a problem of micro-economy such as the survey of the specific branch of plastics materials? Starting from an already aggregated and accepted scheme of Italian matrix, made for the year 1953, the "Chemical sector" can be divided into the various types of plastics materials; the chemical field is thus split up into two branches: the former including the whole of chemical products - plastics materials excluded - and the latter subdivided into the different productions of plastics materials. Since the branch concerning "Other manufacturing industries" is also interested in plastics materials, as a manufacturer of the same, an analogous division has also been made in this sector.