The market research conducted to provide a comprehensive assessment of the future needs of the holiday industry, with particular reference to the development of the Balearic Islands, took the form of a five stage study. In summary it involved a qualitative study among managing directors/operations directors of the top ten British Tour Operators sending clients to the Balearic Islands; a qualitative study among Travel Agents; a quantitative study among the general public; a large scale quantitative study among the general public to provide basic background data on the holiday history of a representative cross section of the general public; and a large scale quantitative study among people who had taken a European holiday during the previous two years.
Omnibus surveys are in very widespread use within the market research industry and have become a well-established, valuable and cost-effective means of conducting market research surveys. This chapter explains briefly what omnibus surveys are and how they operate, and then goes on to examine the specific strengths and weaknesses of this particular research methodology. Though there are many market research problems which can be very adequately solved using the omnibus technique, equally there are some situations where they are inappropriate. Thus it is very important for the research practitioner to be aware of the advantages and the limitations that omnibus surveys offer in order to make the most effective use of them.
This report shows the image position of industry in the Austrian population by quantitative research representative for people up from 14 years. Research program covers spontaneous associations to the stimulus "industry", advantages and disadvantages of industry and improving the share of industry in the economy, image profile by rating a semantic profile, comparing validity of items for three different size classes of companies (large companies image can be identified with industry image) and the relevance of pollution factors and their link with industry.
This paper describes some practical marketing research techniques, used by VNU (United Dutch Publishing Companies) in order to indicate in a reasonably adequate and reliable way the market possibilities of a new magazine. Based on the results of this research, and before making extensive investments which cannot be turned back at short date, a go/no go decision can be made in relation to a definite launching. Of course, the role of market research in the domain of new products is not new, either in our company or elsewhere. Nevertheless we had to develop our own techniques owing to the peculiarities of the products we deal with. This paper shows some options of testing a new magazine (in various degrees of abstraction and cost levels).
In launching new publications use can be made of desk research, qualitative research and quantitative research. Desk research tends to be used purely to help set advertisement rates, and make estimates of circulation/readership. Existing data sources can also be useful in highlighting areas in which new publications could be launched. Qualitative research has its weaknesses but it can be very valuable in indicating potential readers' requirements, interests and opinions of competitors' weaknesses. An example is given of the way qualitative research was used in the early planning stages of a new paper. Quantitative research can help to predict sale, to identify the editorial approach with the greatest potential, to indicate the most appropriate title and to measure the effect of price on demand. Examples are given on three quantitative surveys which have been used in preparation for the launch of new publications. One of these produced an accurate forecast of sale, one was never launched, and the third one has not been launched at the time of writing.
Traditionally, classificatory economic research has adopted two main approaches: - Heuristic, which is based on the assumptions, the knowledge and the intuition of experts, and; -Mathematical, which is based on formalised models, usually of a statistical nature. In order to achieve more accurate results, it would seem appropriate to combine these two approaches, when developing quantitative indicators and parameters for different markets. The relative importance of the market parameters would be based on "weighting" factors which would be established with the help of experts' estimates. The net result would be to achieve a series of common quantitative measures for the purposes of data comparison. In other words, the authors believe that there is considerable advantage to be derived from blending the benefits of human judgements with the positive aspects of formal mathematical models. It is suggested that much of this advantage has been realised in the method developed - which is discussed below. This method has been used to classify data for a number of regional markets.
This paper describes the results of an experiment which examines the reliability and validity of qualitative research. Two studies of the same marketing problem (a pack test) were conducted and compared: one a qualitative study (6 group discussions), and the other a hall test (550 respondents interviewed by questionnaire). The costs of the qualitative research were approximately half of the quantitative research. The background to the experiment is the tendency in several countries to use more qualitative research, sometimes at the expense of quantitative research. Data on the losses or gams in quality by using qualitative research is limited, however, and this research was done to provide a basis for evaluating it.
The studies we want to speak about are: Firstly, a continuous quantitative observation of performance indicators from 1970 to 1975 mainly aimed at monitoring trends. The sample consisted of 400 representatively-selected radio and television dealers in Germany, Secondly, a more comprehensive study, mainly directed at a better description of the actual situation, which was carried out in 1976. This study was based on 300 dealers, selected in the same way we have just mentioned. Finally, qualitative research of the background of the actual situation carried out in 1977. The key objective: To enable us to make recommendations for future actions. This study was based on 50 dealers obtained by the typical selection method we outlined earlier.
The studies we want to speak about are: Firstly, a continuous quantitative observation of performance indicators from 1970 to 1975 mainly aimed at monitoring trends. The sample consisted of 400 representatively-selected radio and television dealers in Germany, Secondly, a more comprehensive study, mainly directed at a better description of the actual situation, which was carried out in 1976. This study was based on 300 dealers, selected in the same way we have just mentioned. Finally, qualitative research of the background of the actual situation carried out in 1977. The key objective: To enable us to make recommendations for future actions. This study was based on 50 dealers obtained by the typical selection method we outlined earlier.
When formulating any kind of market research, many phases need to be programmed. First of all one must set the objectives of the research and from these will immediately spring the problem of selecting the sample. This will be followed by the interview, the evaluation and interpretation of the data in accordance with: A. a statistical criterion (evaluating the reliability of the results); B. a marketing outlook (drawing operative conclusions from verified data). We shall be dealing here with the problem of sample selection only.
Advertising as a means of action on human behaviour is quite typical of our age; however, the assumptions we make, the theories we develop in that field, the research we are currently conducting to test the impact of advertising are still deeply affected by attitudes and concepts which have been bequeathed to us by the last century. This discrepancy, I believe, tends to decrease the effectiveness of advertising and to impede communications between the creative people and the research people. We are now working at COFREMCA on the realisation of periodic quantitative surveys which appear to us both as a valuable tool for readjusting advertising strategies and a progressive means of adapting more closely our approaches and our theories to the advertising realities. In the first part of this expose I shall recall in outline what makes the originality of our age in the field of affecting man's actions. In a second part I shall try to point out in what way our concepts relative to advertising action are still marked by those of the 19th century. Finally, I will evoke one type of quantitative periodic surveys which should facilitate a further development of these concepts.