Web   

  Home | Submit Article   




Partner sites

Submit articles
Articles Collection
Articles Folder
Articles Network
Network of Articles
Articles Publisher
Free Articles
Collection of articles
Site of articles
Business Articles
Read Articles
Some Articles
Rent Articles
Articles Cabinet
Articles Room
Cool Articles
Articles Achieve
Source Of Articles

Free Advertising Blog
Webmaster Feeds
Cell Phone Resources
Free Lyrics
Cell phone feeds
Online Business
Inspirational Quotes

> Marketing :: Market research – how good is the data?  
"Make money for taking surveys"," Cash for your opinion", "Make easy money at home".

Everywhere you look there is a company willing to pay people to participate in their surveys. It seems like a win win situation, the participants get paid for providing their opinion, the market research company gets paid for conducting the research and the companies, that fund the research, gathers valuable data.

But, how valuable is that data?

Well run surveys are still vital to those companies who wish to research a market and obtain feedback on particular products or services. Many people are willing to express an opinion, and a small incentive like a chance to win a prize or a small payment is often all that is required to encourage people to give up their time and participate.

For years market research companies have assembled groups of participants into survey pools or survey panels, groups of people willing to provide an opinion on a range of subjects. Often incentives of nominal value were offered as a 'thank you' for the participant's time; however the explosion of 'paid for taking surveys' websites has spawned a new profession - the professional survey participant (PSP).

For companies that are relying on market research generated by panels of PSP's the question they must ask is how flawed is the data that they are relying on? Does the average PSP represent a cross section of society or a niche? What social group do they really belong to and is it smart for a company to base research on groups of people that are willing to comment part time, and sometimes, full time, on anything and everything?

Not all panels should be tarnished with a negative brush after all customer and employee surveys to name just two rely on a survey pool. However, customers and employees are to some degree stakeholders in a company's research, by participating customers will benefit from better products and services, employees will be able to voice concerns and help make improvements to working conditions and methods, more importantly the views of the customer and the employee are valuable. Likewise panels that are made up of hand picked participants chosen for their knowledge, expertise and experience are equally valid and in some cases a necessity.

The panels that should be questioned are those that are assembled by surveys that rely on large volumes of the general public whose motivation for participating is only the reward they will receive, they will often have no knowledge, understanding or interest as to the 'who', 'why' or 'what' of the research that is being carried out.

Research companies that attract either part-time or full time PSP's rarely make any reference about the importance of the research they conduct but instead concentrate on offers of easy money and extra income.

Some survey methods will be more vulnerable than others, the most vulnerable perhaps being the online surveys itself. Company's that use PSP research data have to ask themselves how many surveys would it take for each PSP to realise that the more surveys they take the more cash or other incentives they receive. Will they after completing three or four surveys even think about the question or just click on any random response?

Although telephone surveys and focus groups will be less prone to the problem of people responding in a random or unconsidered manner with each telephone survey they take, and focus group they attend, they are becoming less like a member of the general public and more like a professional respondent.

A survey can have many purposes and not all surveys are conducted with a view to being impartial and fair. Like a tobacco company that funds research into the effects of nicotine, the findings can be manipulated to reinforce a particular line of argument. Panels and PSP's have their place but if a company is relying on good and accurate market research data – beware the survey panel!

Author Info:

 

Recent Submitted articles
Suggestions on Website Usability

Website Usability is more than just placing a navigation bar in the right spot and allowing users to search the site. It is an intricate art that not everybody can easily implement. This tip aims to identify some of the key factors that come into play when designing a usable and functional website[ Read Article]

Weaving new techniques for Business Growth

In todays day and age, it’s complete lunacy for businesses to ignore the importance of eMarketing and how it can ultimately benefit their bottom line. Already it’s now 2007 and eMarketing is in full swing, yet it seems there are a lot of organisations that still don’t want to know about it. This b[ Read Article]

Building your Brand Interactively

Welcome to the world of touch screens, mobile phones and online shopping. It seems interacting with businesses via technology is becoming increasingly popular each year and the horizon indicates that this isn’t going to change. Interactive marketing is undoubtedly the future of advertising and is [ Read Article]

E-Commerce in a Nutshell

What is the use of paying hundreds of dollars per week on rent just to sell a few products through a storefront when you can sell everything easily and efficiently online? That is the question a lot of potential small business owners are asking themselves whilst they piece together the intricate d[ Read Article]

Free Web Hosting

Free web hosting is something that appeals to many people. Though it is obviously not right for everyone, free web hosting is suitable for a lot of up and coming web entrepreneurs. Because it is free, there is very little risk when going in with a free web hosting company. The only thing you risk [ Read Article]

Cost Effective Web Hosting Options

For those folks that need some form of web hosting, but they aren’t looking to break the bank in order to get everything, there are some options. You don’t have to be a millionaire to start a website and web hosting doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. If you do some research and look over the various o[ Read Article]

Options in Web Hosting

There are many different options in web hosting that can appeal to the new website owner. Today’s internet offers quite a buyer’s market when it comes to web server hosting. Because of the heavy competition and the many different types of service available, great service is usually readily availabl[ Read Article]

Reseller Hosting

Reseller hosting is an interesting type of web hosting that allows people the ability to use his or her own hard drive space to host websites for other people. Reseller hosting services rarely stand on their own. Usually, they are simply added features from companies that offer other web based ser[ Read Article]

VPS

Virtual private servers, or VPS, are a great way to take one single server computer and let them run many multiple servers. Each of these VPS controlled machines has the ability to run its own operating system and can be full functional. What makes these even better is that each server can be reboo[ Read Article]

Dedicated Servers

Dedicated servers are the most efficient way to host a website on the internet. With dedicated server hosting, webmasters do not have to share their server space with anyone else. The best thing about using a dedicated server is that you have total control and freedom over the things that you do wi[ Read Article]

Post tsunami: Phi Phi revisited two years on

How has the famous Phi Phi island in Thailand recovered from the Tsunami? Thailand based travel writer Andy Burrows went back 18 months later and discovered an undeveloped paradise, much better than it was before. Although living in Thailand for some time, I finally only got to Phi Phi island t[ Read Article]

Hitting the road safely when backpacking across the United Kingdom

An excellent road and rail network and a highly eclectic selection of landscapes and scenery combine with good accommodation infrastructure to provide idyllic conditions for pursuing a nomadic lifestyle. The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) of England and Wales is the most established organisatio[ Read Article]

An easier and cheaper way to book Luton airport parking

When you book airport parking at Luton, you will have three options to consider. You can choose the self park, block park or the meet and greet option. All of the options are simple at Luton as there is only one terminal, ensuring you don’t end up booking a park space in an inappropriate location.[ Read Article]

Safety for outdoor sports and adventure holidays in the UK

Now UK residents and overseas visitors can take advantage of the geographical, topographical, climatic and social variations throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with peace of mind. For adventurers, these differences mean a vast range of outdoor activities. With everything from[ Read Article]

Savings all the way from the departure gate

Holidaymakers these days almost instinctively head straight for the computer for a cut-price trip away, in the same way we would have automatically gone to the travel agent a decade ago. Flights and hotels are the main criteria to arrange for the perfect getaway, but it is also becoming increasingly[ Read Article]

Safety and comfort before you fly

Making it to the airport for a departure time in the middle of the afternoon is fairly easy, especially for those lucky enough to live in the vicinity of a major airport. But what if your flight is early in the morning? Getting to check-in 2 hours before takeoff usually means a very early start, w[ Read Article]

Great daytrips from Orlando - USA

Orlando’s most popular attraction has to be the Walt Disney World Resort, with famous attractions such as the Magic Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach. Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando are also some of the area’s biggest attractions. SeaWorld is a th[ Read Article]

Great daytrips from Paphos - Cyprus

Paphos, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a wonderful destination; but there is more to the island of Cyprus to be discovered while based in the capital town. From historic sites to beautiful harbours with castles and mountains in between, taking a daytrip from Paphos is the best way to enjoy the s[ Read Article]

A 700 year story – the moated city of Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai, the capital city of the Province of Chiang Mai, is steeped in history. From its foundation the city has enjoyed both successful and turbulent times. The creation of this moated city can be traced back to the Lanna (million rice fields) Kingdom. A major tourist attraction, lying to [ Read Article]

Parking your car at Exeter Airport

Exeter International Airport (EXT) operates from one comprehensive terminal which provides ten check-in desks, four gates and two luggage claim belts. During the past decade I had to catch numerous of flights from Exeter airport. As a business man I use the facility frequently mainly for busine[ Read Article]

Parking at Glasgow Airport (GLA)

Glasgow airport is positioned eight miles from the city’s downtown area, and the facility handles more than seven million passengers annually. More than 80 worldwide destinations are served by 40 national and international carriers flying out of Glasgow. I can not recall how many times I used t[ Read Article]

Parking at Leeds-Bradford Airport

The Leeds-Bradford Airport (LBA) is positioned approximately 8 miles (13kms) northwest of Leeds and about 7 miles (11kms) north of Bradford. The facility operates direct services all over Great Britain and Europe as well as linking long-haul flights through Paris, Amsterdam and London Heathrow. Le[ Read Article]

Parking at Durham-Tees Valley Airport

By now, after three years of regular travelling out of the Durham airport, I can say I am an experienced (business) flier. Everybody will know that arriving by private car is the most relaxed way of travelling. An important factor is that you should know before you arrive where you want to park an[ Read Article]

Parking at East Midlands Airport

The East Midlands Airport (EMA) is located in central England, 13 miles (21kms) southwest of Nottingham, 11 miles (18kms) southeast of Derby and 19 miles (30.5kms) northwest of Leicester. I’ve been catching business-related flights out of East Midlands airport for years now. Since I first comm[ Read Article]

Tips for cheap parking at Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh International Airport (EDI) is Scotland’s main air hub and is located just eight miles (13kms) west of the city. There is one comprehensive terminal in the airport with arrivals positioned on the ground floor and departures and the majority of the outlets and eateries situated on the fir[ Read Article]

Nanotechnology – Just What the Doctor Orders!

What if you were terminally ill and your doctor informed you that the venom from a snail could save your life? What if the technology was available to produce a non-addictive painkiller that was thousands of times more potent than any morphine based product available today? What if nanotechnolo[ Read Article]

Nanotechnology and the Emphatic Computer

by Tatiana Velitchkov © 2007 People show their emotions in many diverse and specialized ways, some of which a computer can be programmed to detect. By employing nanotechnology, a camera and image analysis software, some computers are able to observe a user's body language and, with proper progra[ Read Article]

Nanotechnology, Genetic Engineering & Robotics – Doomsday or Miracle?

by Tatiana Velitchkov © 2007 Advances in nanotechnology have proven that incredible progress is not only possible today and in the future, it is pretty well inevitable. Fantastic advances in nanotechnologic medical research have resulted in life saving techniques that were unheard of even a deca[ Read Article]

Accept Credit Cards Online Without a Merchant Account

There are two major ways to accept credit cards on your website. The first and most expensive is to have your own merchant account. Not only is this option expensive, it also requires extensive credit checks, lots of paperwork, and usually takes days or weeks before you get approved. Fortunately, [ Read Article]

Dont Get Ripped Off Getting A Merchant Account

Far too many people get ripped off when setting up a merchant account for their online business. The biggest reason is that they don't understand their options and are intimidated by the whole process. Now, armed with the proper knowledge, you don't need to become a victim of this process. You may[ Read Article]


Articles feed

ArtsJournal: Daily Arts News
"Maryland Citizens for the Arts, an advocacy group that has been active for more than 25 years, announced that several organizations have joined an effort to support the 67000 state employees who are facing furloughs as part of a ...


ArtsJournal: Daily Arts News
"Belt-tightening can be seen everywhere in the arts in Greater Cincinnati. Just as the nation is feeling the pinch in lost jobs, failing mortgages and tanking retirement accounts, local arts groups are reeling from the economy. ...


KERA Art&Seek Blog - North Texans in New York Arts
First, it was at the Museum of Modern Art, which I confess I hadn’t visited since its renovation/expansion several years ago (said renovation being something of a disappointment, except in improving the traffic circulation). ...


MacMegasite » Blog Archive » Portable Arts releases Grossinator ...
Fairfield, New Jersey - Portable Arts has released version 1.0 of Grossinator, an iPhone/iPod Touch Human Sound Machine. Various unique features allow users to catch their victims off guard with over eighty sounds to choose from. ...


KERA Art&Seek Blog - The Arts Critic Brain Drain
And since most newsrooms operate under the unexamined, cultlike belief that sports coverage must be preserved, arts coverage is what’s targeted for elimination. The logic goes something like this: How many people go to all these little ...


Arts Salaries in Minn. Prompt Debate - Philanthropy.com
In response to the recent disclosure that Joe Dowling, longtime director of the Guthrie Theater, in Minneapolis, was paid $682229 in salary and benefits in 2007, the city’s arts organizations have been debating whether such a large ...


Most NY Arts Groups Face Cuts Amid Weak Donations, Survey Finds ...
Dramatic declines in corporate financial support following the crisis on Wall Street — combined with lower than normal individual donations and cuts in state and city support — have several arts groups cutting the size of their staffs ...


LA Arts Month launches - KPCC News In Brief
Like a lot of people, arts institutions across the country and in the Southland are struggling amid the economic recession. Diane Rodriguez, who heads new play production for the Center Theatre Group, said there’s no better time than ...


 

 

Acne
Advertising
Advice
Aerobics-Cardio
Affiliate Programs
Alternative
Arts
Attraction
Auctions
Audio-Streaming
Autos
Awards
Babies-Toddler
Beauty
Blogging-RSS
Book-Marketing
Branding
Breast-Cervical-Ovarian-Cancer
Broadband-Internet
Build-Muscle
Business
Cancer
Careers-Employment
Casino-Gambling
CGI
Coaching
Coffee
College-University
Colon-Rectal-Cancer
Communications
Computers
Cooking-Tips
Copywriting
Crafts-Hobbies
Creativity
Credit
Cruising-Sailing
CSS
Currency-Trading
Customer-Service
Dating
Debt-Consolidation
Debt-Relief
DHTML
Diabetes
Direct Mail
Divorce
Domain Names
EBooks
ECommerce
Education
Elder-Care
Email-Marketing
Email Entertainment
Entrepreneurialism
Environment
Exercise
Ezine-Marketing
Ezine-Publishing
Family
Finance
Fishing
Fitness
Food
Free
Games
Gardening
General
Goal-Setting
Golf
Government
Grief-Loss
Hair-Loss
Happiness
Hardware
Health
Hobbies
Holidays
Home-Security
Homes
Home Business
Home Repair
HTML
Humanities
Humor
Innovation
Inspirational
Interior-Decorating
Internet-Marketing
Javascript
Kids And Teens
Landscaping-Gardening
Law
Leadership
Leases-Leasing
Legal
Leukemia
Link Popularity
Loans
Lung-Cancer
Lymphoma-Cancer
Management
Marketing
Marriage-Wedding
Martial-Arts
Medicine
Meditation
Men's-Issues
Metaphysical
MLM
Mobile-Cell-Phone
Mortgage-Refinance
Motivational
Multimedia
Music
Negotiation
Network-Marketing
Networking
News-and-Society
Newsletters
Nutrition
Off-Line Promotion
Online Business
Online Promotion
Organizing
Other
Outdoors
Page Rank
Parenting
Personal-Tech
Pets
Photography
Podcasting
Poetry
Politics
Positive-Attitude
PPC-Advertising
Presentation
Prostate-Cancer
Psychology
Public-Speaking
Publishing
Real-Estate
Recipes
Recreation
Reference
Relationships
Religion
Sales
Sales-Management
Sales-Teleselling
Sales-Training
Satellite-Radio
Satellite-TV
Scams
Science
Security
Self Help
Self Improvement
Sexuality
SE Optimization SE Positioning
SE Tactics
Shopping
Site-Promotion
Site Security
Skin-Cancer
Small-Business
Social Issues
Society
Software
Spam
Spirituality
Sports
Stocks-Mutual-Funds
Strategic-Planning
Stress-Management
Structured-Settlements
Success
Supplements
Taxes
Team-Building
Technology
Teleseminars
Time-Management
Traffic-Building
Traffic Analysis
Travel
Uterine-Cancer
Vacation-Rentals
Video-Conferencing
Video-Streaming
Viral Marketing
VOIP
Web-Development
Webmasters
Web Design
Web Hosting
Weight Loss
Wine-Spirits
Women
Writing
Yoga
 

Copyright © abcarticles.info  2005. All Rights Reserved.