Recently, a conflict between two public figures with opposing positions on a given discipline was trending in Mexico. This led the public opinion to review the scientific evidence that supports the knowledge used to achieve the most diverse objectives. Within Market Research this review also fits because it allows us to make a critique of our sector and make corrective and preventive actions that are relevant.
Outside and inside our area there are people who consider that the Social Sciences cannot use such an appellation because they do not manage to formulate laws and principles proper to the Natural Sciences. This approach derives from, among other things, the fact that the former are differentiated by their method and that they share an object of study: the human being. And it turns out that people are also the focus of our work. This week we would like to list four branches of knowledge with a long tradition of application in our practice.
Economics. It may be the science from which Market Research emerges. As its method is to understand the mechanisms of production, exchange and distribution of products and services, it sets the standard from which many of the objectives of brands and companies as market entities start. It contributes, among other things, its mathematical methods applied to the past and future understanding of variables such as price and product.
Geography. It is possibly the second most related social science to our sector. One of the four traditional “p’s” includes it: the place or point of sale. Places matter a great deal since consumers express their consumption logics based, among other variables, on aspects such as accessibility to reach a retail outlet and interaction with other spatial elements such as competition, weather, and natural and artificial boundaries.
Psychology. Understanding the processes that lead people to opt for one choice or another is one of the major goals of market research. For this reason, this science has become more relevant nowadays. Being able to identify patterns and biases in the way consumers articulate their thoughts helps companies to design better and more effective alternatives within their business plans.
Semiology. We are social beings and this implies that we master communication. For this to take place, it is necessary to have symbols that allow us to transmit ideas from one person to another in both directions. This process requires that both parties have a common frame of reference so that the ideas and meanings expressed are clear. Within this area we find several branches and it is linked in many ways with other knowledge such as art and computer science.
It should be noted that it is essential to understand the basics of each participant in our specialty in order to identify their scopes, reliability requirements and compatible solutions. It also reminds us that science is composed of a large number of methods and objects of study that help us to achieve the goals of our projects in many different ways. In conclusion, we must always pursue objectivity, professional ethics and adherence to standards in our work.
At Acertiva we have experience in this area. For this reason we have integrated in our team of analysts and strategic suppliers professionals from very different areas of knowledge. These people are ready to learn about your Market Research needs in LATAM. Write to us now to put our two decades of practice in the sector at your fingertips. We’ll get back to you with how together we can make your next success story a reality.
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