The paper presents a new approach to the scaling of market product characteristics. The categories used in information theory are applied to study product characteristics, which are treated as meaningful messages. The market product itself is approached as information conveying unit in the area of exchange.
The purpose of the study was to select the most appropriate scale for the measurement of Africans' satisfaction with their transport services. Four types of scale (verbal, numerical, visual and graphic) were selected. Two types of each of these scales were tested, making 8 scales in all. The sample consisted of 273 respondents, all of whom made a similar journey to work each day. Five aspects of the respondents' transport to work served as the validation criteria for the scales. An important criterion for selecting the most appropriate scale was suitability for use among illiterates.
If one wishes to study the effect of advertising, a concise definition of the concept of advertising is essential. In business-circles, the function of advertising is often defined: advertising must sell. Although it cannot be said that this definition is incorrect, it is certainly inadequate. Quality, presentation, distribution, merchandising, etc, should also be of a kind that stimulate sales. This particular definition therefore does not adequately describe the concept of advertising. Advertising should influence the attitude of the consumer towards a product or service in such a manner, that he is not only favourably influenced with regard to such a product, but also wants to acquire it. A very attractive definition, which in turn provides the market researcher with a workable framework, is Martin Mayers: "Advertising, in addition to its purely informative /unction, adds a new value to the existing values of the product or service". The merit of this definition is that its elements not only give an almost complete description of the task of advertising but the terminology used also defines exactly the scope of its field of activity.
Most of the previous studies of media are based on reading habits of the audience. The similarity between two magazines is then defined in terms of the audience duplication. A major limitation of this approach is that it confuses the concepts of competition and of complementarity. Further understanding of the qualitative aspects underlying the perception of magazines by consumers is therefore needed both for advertisers as well as for the magazines themselves. The various methods of multidimensional scaling of similarities and preferences whose applications in marketing until now was mainly in the field of strategy, especially of product policy, supply us with the methodological basis to conduct this research. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a new research approach to this problem, based on a pilot study on a limited sample, which could be extended to a larger one.
The object of the present paper is to conduct an overview of the main problems associated with the use of multidimensional scaling analysis in marketing, in order to: 1. Recognise their essential dimensions; 2. Present an account of the elements of resolution currently available and; 3. Submit several suggestions that may lead to a better understanding of these problems. The idea of this paper arose from the observation of a surprising contrast between, on the one hand, the present success achieved by these methods in marketing and, on the other hand, the existence of a number of basic problems, not yet resolved, that are implicitly or explicitly present in their implementation and application. In this paper the emphasis is thus deliberately put on the problems raised by these methods at the point of their utilisation rather than that of their development or their technical features.
The object of the present paper is to conduct an overview of the main problems associated with the use of multidimensional scaling analysis in marketing, in order to: 1. Recognise their essential dimensions; 2. Present an account of the elements of resolution currently available and; 3. Submit several suggestions that may lead to a better understanding of these problems. The idea of this paper arose from the observation of a surprising contrast between, on the one hand, the present success achieved by these methods in marketing and, on the other hand, the existence of a number of basic problems, not yet resolved, that are implicitly or explicitly present in their implementation and application. In this paper the emphasis is thus deliberately put on the problems raised by these methods at the point of their utilisation rather than that of their development or their technical features.
As a complement of the French analysis about the audience of the Media, two complementary phases have been carried out in 1971 and in 1972, being added to the third one - concerning Radio-Television -, telling about the centres of interest appealing to the respondents of this phase. So, we have to our disposal, for a large sample answers, from the same persons, to questions about the centres of interest, the equipment goods owned and the societal profiles. We have to our disposal a material suitable for printing out the trends of a systematic research about the scales of criteria used to describe the audience of the Media. We want, first of all, to set this paper more upon the appraising of the scale of criteria than upon the nature itself of the conclusions appealing to the different Media. In that sense we shall try to point out some parameters so as to value scales of criteria and to give some examples of applying the methods of multi-dimensional analysis.
As a complement of the French analysis about the audience of the Media, two complementary phases have been carried out in 1971 and in 1972, being added to the third one - concerning Radio-Television -, telling about the centres of interest appealing to the respondents of this phase. So, we have to our disposal, for a large sample answers, from the same persons, to questions about the centres of interest, the equipment goods owned and the societal profiles. We have to our disposal a material suitable for printing out the trends of a systematic research about the scales of criteria used to describe the audience of the Media. We want, first of all, to set this paper more upon the appraising of the scale of criteria than upon the nature itself of the conclusions appealing to the different Media. In that sense we shall try to point out some parameters so as to value scales of criteria and to give some examples of applying the methods of multi-dimensional analysis.
In recent years, many objections have been raised against existing conceptions and theoretical propositions in the field of social stratification. This paper does not attempt to add another appraisal in this respect, however scientifically warranted such an endeavour might prove to be. The purpose of this paper is to focus critically on some rather widely employed practices in sample surveys attempting to ascertain social strata. Reference to conceptual and theoretical categories is made only, insofar as such an examination is a prerequisite for the criticism directed at some common practices used in survey research. In short, after briefly examining some conceptual aspects and generally employed criteria of social stratification, and the so-called objective and subjective methods, we shall mainly be concerned with two of the most commonly applied devices for stratifying a population, i.e., interviewer rating and index construction or scaling.
The Stapel Scale is the ideal scale for sampling survey work from a number of important aspects. It requires no effort to produce this scale; it is already printed on a card. It does not vary from time to time or from country to country. It is easy to operate in the field. It is readily comprehensible, so far as the vast majority of respondents are concerned. It is clear what the scale is about, i.e. the subject matter in the light of the questions put in conjunction with the scale. For instance, "Where on this scale would you rate the flavour of strawberries?" or "Where on this scale would you rate going to France for a holiday for a fortnight ?". Moreover, the scale does not change its characteristics over time and, therefore, it can be used from one year to another. All these advantages are of great importance.
The Stapel Scale is the ideal scale for sampling survey work from a number of important aspects. It requires no effort to produce this scale; it is already printed on a card. It does not vary from time to time or from country to country. It is easy to operate in the field. It is readily comprehensible, so far as the vast majority of respondents are concerned. It is clear what the scale is about, i.e. the subject matter in the light of the questions put in conjunction with the scale. For instance, "Where on this scale would you rate the flavour of strawberries?" or "Where on this scale would you rate going to France for a holiday for a fortnight ?". Moreover, the scale does not change its characteristics over time and, therefore, it can be used from one year to another. All these advantages are of great importance.