the art and science of interpreting market research evidence

TeAM YYeP G Digitally signed by TeAM YYePG DN: cn=TeAM YYePG, c=US, o=TeAM YYePG, ou=TeAM YYePG, email=yyepg@msn.com Reason: I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Date: 2005.04.26 21:14:29 +08'00' [...]... experimenter; the other was given entirely random feedback • When they were brought together to compare their respective ‘theories’ of the characteristics of sickly and healthy cells, the analysts who had developed, from accurate feedback, a simple and correct view of the defining characteristics of both types of cell, were then persuaded of the truth of the sophisticated, tortuous theories of the analysts... with the art and science of the market research ‘craft’ – a mixture of classic social scientific enquiry and practitioner know-how – a particular problem for newcomers There are numerous excellent books, from leading academics in the field, on the theoretical grounding behind market research There are also numerous first class contributions from practitioners on various specialist aspects of the market research. .. to synthesize what the market research industry knows about the interpretation of data into a single book that would serve as a basic introduction to the holistic interpretation of market research data for newcomers One reason for this is that providing a synthesis of best market research theory and practice – the art and the science – requires making difficult decisions about which points, from the vast... this issue – the intelligent, holistic interpretation of market research data – that is at the heart of this book The drivers of new holistic market research It is possible to identify several distinct developments that have shaped the growing demand for a more holistic approach to the analysis of market research data Clarifying contradictory market signals The sheer amount of market and customer information... only in the context of controlled analysis frameworks and with appropriate checks and balances Responding to this challenge is one of the central preoccupations of this book Developing an account of how new market research ‘works’ There is a gap in the methodological literature between the ‘classic’ (and often statistical-based accounts of how market research ‘works’) and the more pragmatic and flexible... entirely random feedback Supporters of hypothesis-led thinking are therefore reluctant to allow the theorist an entirely free hand in adapting their theory using purely the inductive method They want to prevent theorists simply adapting their theories to explain Informed theorizing 21 away new observations that appear to conflict with the original theory This process of ‘saving’ the theory, they claim,... market research as a science risks misleading audiences into thinking they are going to be served up with findings of unquestionable certainty So perhaps we should abandon the use of the term science entirely, and instead call market research methodology a ‘scientific approach’ Understanding causal connections The best place to start comparing and contrasting market research methodology with that of the. .. slides of healthy and sickly animal cells and asked to identify the characteristics of healthy and sickly cells by a process of trial and error • For each slide, the analysts had to indicate whether they thought a cell was healthy or sickly, and would then be informed by the experimenter whether they were right or wrong in their choice • Only one of them, however, was given accurate feedback from the. .. decision-making The arrival of ‘new’ market research In describing how ‘new’ market research is different from the ‘old’ modus operandi, it is helpful to think of market research as operating on the following four fronts First, how the quality of each piece of evidence will be assessed (robustness) Secondly, the extent to which the new incoming information will be assessed relative to relevant and related past evidence. .. premium in the future From detachment to engagement In response to the above demands, we have seen the arrival of a new approach to data analysis that represents a significant change from the original conception of market research Market research began as a discipline based on the model 4 ‘New’ market research of psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other social sciences Its start point was the classic . Evidence D.V.L. Smith and J.H. Fletcher The Art & Science of Interpreting Market Research Evidence The Art & Science of Interpreting Market Research Evidence D.V.L. Smith and J.H. Fletcher Copyright. conception of market research. Market research began as a discipline based on the model 4 ‘New’ market research of psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other social sciences. Its start point was the. thinking from their market research analysts. Bridging the data-decision gap Users of research data want the market research industry to be more committed and involved, than in the past, with the decision-making