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Integration of professionals
Leonid Gurevich BISAM Central Asia, President Our site constantly informs its readers of the organizations conducting marketing research. Recently an event, which must mark the beginning of qualitatively new stage in the development of the marketing research services network in out country, .took place. The Kazakhstani association of the professional researchers of public opinion and market (KAPIOR) has been created. We are talking to Professor Leonid Gurevich, president of the association, director general of the Business-information, Sociological and Marketing research Centre BISAM Central Asia. Corr.: Leonid Gurevich, first of all, let me congratulate you and your colleagues with the foundation of the new organization. L.G: I can say the same to you as your magazine forms the part of KAPIOR. Corr.: Managers and specialists of the leading marketing research agencies are the regular authors of our magazine. In their articles and consultations they, including you, repeatedly have been raising the question of the necessity of uniting professional research organizations. Does this mean that the way of KAPIOR to its foundation was long and difficult? L.G:The question of establishing the professional association of researchers of the market and public opinion began to be discussed in spring 2001. The initiator of the discussion was the largest Kazakhstani marketing research company – BRIEF Agency. Of course, the process of KAPIOR creation appeared to be not easy – after all, these were competitors who were uniting. The main problem was the achievement of full balance between the association members regardless of the scopes of their activity. That’s why the Charter documents were circumstantially examined. But our efforts, as you can see, have turned into good results. The competitive companies have found common interests and priorities that unite them. Corr.: These interests and priorities, as I think, will be the main theme of our conversation. However, at the beginning I would like you to clearly describe “the position” of your association. You see, we have, for example, the Association of sociologists and political scientists. Recently, Congress of Kazakhstani sociologists has been hold and Kazakhstani association of marketing has been created, or rather revived. Kazakhstani association of marketing is also well-known etc. What is your place among these and other similar organizations? L.G:We don’t occupy any place among the organizations you have listed, and, I hope it won’t seem immodest, don’t have the organizations equal to us. KAPIOR is the first and the only corporate association in its professional sphere. Association of sociologists and political scientists (ASPS) is actually not an association, but one of the research organizations, and in addition it specializes in the political subjects. Kazakstani sociological association is the organization, based on the individual membership and, mainly, includes the university and academic institutions’ employees. Lastly, Kazakhstani marketing association works in the different though interrelated sphere. Marketing research is a sphere which is quite specific in professional, methodological and technological respect, especially since we are talking about the institutionally independent marketing research. Our sphere is on the border of several “dioceses” – economics, sociology, psychology, information science. In methodological respect market studies are very close to studying of public opinion. This “joint” has been agreed on the international level long time ago. The name of leading international research association – ESOMAR, is interpreted as European Society of Opinion and Marketing Research. Now ESOMAR has expanded its frames and is called World association of professional researchers, but has retained a well-known abbreviation in its name. Having created KAPIOR we didn’t invent something new, but repeated the experience of national associations which exist in many countries. Corr.: But is KAPIOR the first association of this kind in the countries of the CIS? L.G:No. Association of the market and public opinion researchers exists in Russia. Corr.: The first research companies appeared in Kazakhstan yet at the beginning of the market reforms, that is practically 10 years ago. Why only now do these organizations have the craving for the integration? L.G:Because the market of the research services reached a definite level of the maturity, and gathered quantity turned into the new quality. All the major characteristics of this market have changed – capacity and market potential, the composition and nature of the producers of the research products and services, that is of the competitive companies, the composition and nature of the consumers. In the first half of 90th of the last century by now professional marketing research in Kazakhstan was conducted only by the western, most often – transnational companies. Local research firms have been usually trusted to conduct only fieldworks. The customers of quite large and serious sociological research have also been, mainly, international organizations: USAID, World Bank, International Fund of electoral systems etc. However, some research companies were not satisfied with the role of “eternal field supervisors”. They were learning, striving to integrate into international research community, to master modern research technologies. They have been searching and found the sources of self-development. And the situation changed. Leading Kazakhstani research companies, which demonstrated their real professionalism, in increasing frequency began to receive orders for the whole cycle of research. On the market of marketing research services a definite specialization has occurred. On the border of XXI century probably the most important change has taken place. Economic growth caused a significant growth of local business interest in the marketing research. I don’t have accurate data about the turnover of the market of marketing research, but, according to some evaluations, it has increased 5-6 times for the last 5 years. The overall result is the following: in Kazakhstan the companies became familiar with practically the whole range of modern research methods and technologies. I also want to note that by the organizational scopes and technological capabilities of marketing and sociological research, in the CIS Kazakhstan yields only to Russia, quite insignificantly – to Ukraine, and greatly passes ahead of any other post-soviet republics. Leading Kazakhstani companies in increasing frequency are becoming coordinators of complex research across the entire Central Asian region. Along with this, having become quite attractive, the market of marketing and sociological research services caused the coming of incompetent and unprincipled competitors. As a matter of fact, in the face of serious customers they can’t be our competitors. However, they undermine reputation of our sphere, public confidence to the public opinion polls, to the sociological and marketing information. The victims of cheaters can be enterprises and companies, which through lack of experience still believe in the economic miracles. In other words, we would receive here a new cut of problems of “deceived depositors”, but already on the corporate level. I don’t mention about the huge political and moral damage, which the publications of results of incompetent and often unscrupulously faked-up public opinion polls can bring. I will give some examples. The data of so-called sociological research more and more often appears on the pages of our newspapers. But do pay attention: these publications don’t inform of the methods of data collection, sample volume or even of the time and place of conducting the research. We can see only percentage of the some people, surveyed no one knows where and no one knows in what quantity. The organization, which agrees on such a publication, doesn’t care a straw about its professional prestige. Most likely they are not professionals at all. Or here is another example. Recently advertising materials of some company have caught my eye. It calls upon the potential clients not to spend money on conventional marketing research. Instead, it promises “a real marketing data”, which is gathered by “the industrial espionage and penetration into the secrets of banking accounts.” These services haven’t included services of killers, apparently, because of the forgetfulness. As a result of their “marketing research” guys offer perfect marketing and PR-strategies, and as to strengthen these “research factors” by the erotic ones they call time limits of 9 weeks. Nowadays we in increasing frequency meet more and more new companies which proclaim themselves to be research and consulting companies. The model of such just brought to light companies – three half-educated young men, having pooled money on the marketing manual. Nevertheless, I’ve conducted the simpliest examples. Research professionalism today penetrates into the business and political spheres and in more “respectable suits”. Corr.: Doesn’t your argumentation demonstrate the aspiration to stop coming of competitors into the market? L.G:In no circumstances. Such a sphere as market and public opinion research in no way accepts monopolism. Yes, our sphere contains some large transnational companies. However, in the developed countries along with them there are plenty of research firms, which successfully occupy their niche. After all, in the sociological and marketing data the collation and comparative analysis of different sources are very important. It’s quite another matter, that professionalism must be clearly separated from the amateurish work. Companies, which pretend to conduct professional research, should have a definite level. Corr.: That is, to enter your association one should meet high requirements? L.G:I would put this question in another way. KAPIOR has been formed by practically all the kazakhstani marketing research companies, which have the work experience on the level of modern professional standards and have gained international recognition. These are Social and Marketing Research Agency BRIF, Business information, Sociological and Marketing Research Center BISAM Central Asia, Public Opinion Research Center (PORC), Central Asian project research group, Research Company Market Consult, Institute of Comparative Social Research CESSI-Kazakhstan. These are the founders of the association. Your magazine and newspaper “Advertising” are also members of the association. KAPIOR has a status of the legal entities union. We are open to accepting new members. Corr.: And the main task of KAPIOR is the fight against competition? L.G:Not only and not so much. I would formulate the overall objective as follows: maintaining of the high standards in the market and public opinion research and, at the same time, development and expansion of the research services market in Kazakhstan. The concrete ways of solving this task are defined by our Charter. These are increasing of the marketing culture of enterprise and firms, propaganda of necessity of marketing research as inherent attribute of modern business, propaganda of necessity of systematic public opinion research as the most important condition of democracy development, opposition to the unprincipled competition and damping, exchange of information and experience, finally, - defense of interests of kazakhstani research community in the sphere of legislation and state policy. Corr.: The program is indeed broad and comprehensive and requires long-term efforts. But there are probably some more specific plans, which are planned to be fulfilled in the foreseeable perspective. L.G:Certainly. Above all, this is the organization of seminars and consultations on the innovative technologies in marketing. We are planning to conduct the series of “round tables” on the pages of your magazine. We are organizing the broad publication of international research codes, at the beginning – on the level of their advertising materials and publications. Corr.: The last and quite natural question. Who can become a KAPIOR member and what is needed for this? L.G:In compliance with the Charter the organizations may be professional research organizations, working in the sphere of marketing and sociology, mass media, specializing on the problems of the marketing, economics, business, sociology, public opinion and also companies/firms which have marketing research subdivisions. Coming of new members is undoubtedly important for us. However, we are not striving to the mass character. In kazakhstani business there should be strong understanding: belonging to KAPIOR is the reliable guarantee of professionalism of a research company. Kazakhstani Association of professional researchers of public opinion and market (KAPIOR) and magazine “Marketing of goods and services” are planning to conduct the series of seminars, “round tables”, consultations on the following topics “Opportunities and perspectives of marketing research ”, “New technologies in market research ”. We are waiting for questions and suggestions from our readers. Consultations on your questions will be conducted by the managers and leading specialists of KAPIOR companies-founders: BISAM Central Asia, BRIEF, PORC, TCAM, Market Consult, CESSI. Additional articles about Reviews & Ànalytics:
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