Marketing Research Association

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The MRA logo.

Founded in 1957, the Marketing Research Association [1] is one of the largest trade associations of market research and polling professionals. MRA has more than 3,000 members worldwide, representing all segments of the research industry. MRA advances, protects and promotes knowledge, standards, excellence, ethics, professional development and innovation for the global market and opinion research profession.

Contents

[edit] MRA activities

MRA is in the information business, providing members with information through:

  • Educational Programs: Webinars, Education-on-Demand, and a comprehensive Research Library
  • Training
  • Networking Opportunities
  • Publications: Alert! magazine (monthly) and bi-weekly e-newsletter eNews
  • Conferences: MRA's Annual Conference [2] is June 4-6 in New York City

MRA publishes the annual Blue Book Research Services Directory,[3] which is used extensively by market research and opinion polling firms.

The Blue Book is the market research industry’s most comprehensive and easy-to-use reference guide, listing thousands of experienced professionals in marketing research and related fields. The Blue Book comes out annually in February, so the information it contains is always current.

MRA also offers researchers the Professional Research Certification (PRC). [4] PRC was developed as a powerful tool for researchers of all levels of work experience and education. Researchers who earn the prestigious PRC designation have established an objective measure of their knowledge and proficiency. Additionally, professionals with PRC are expected to increase consumer understanding of research and foster exceptional professional standards in the market research industry.

MRA also makes available the Exchange Evaluation Program (EEP). [5]. This peer-to-peer review system allows companies and organizations to post reviews for any business entity with whom they have conducted business. Reviews are based on ratings of quality, communication and other factors that are of key importance in selecting a dependable service or product.

[edit] Code of Ethics of MRA

The process of identifying, collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information in marketing research raises a number of ethical considerations. Some of these are outlined in the Code of Ethics of the Marketing Research Association, Inc. Ethics in marketing research involves potential problems that arise during the complex interaction among three parties: (1) the client who sponsors the research, (2) the research supplier who conducts the research, and (3) the respondent, who supplies the information. Several ethical issues related to the role of each of these parties are briefly discussed.[6]

[edit] Client

The client organization should not misrepresent to or exploit the public under the guise of research. Activity undertaken under the guise of marketing research but with doubtful underlying purposes is unethical. The client should maintain an open and honest relationship with the research supplier. The supplier should be given full and accurate information regarding the true purpose of the research, nature of the problem being addressed, time, cost, and resource constraints. The client should not knowingly disseminate project results that are inconsistent with or not warranted by the data. For example, a drug manufacturer comparing the efficacy of its expensive drug to that of a less expensive drug should not make a big issue of marginally better results that cannot be statistically supported by the research data. Also questionable is the ethics of soliciting research proposals from suppliers for the purpose of obtaining free consultation. In other words, clients should not request specialized research designs or techniques from one supplier and deliver them to another for execution without the approval of the original firm. [7]

[edit] Supplier

The supplier is obligated to adhere to the basic and commonly accepted standards of scientific investigation as they apply to marketing research. Research should be conducted in an objective manner, free of personal biases and motives. The supplier should describe the accuracy and validity of the procedures or findings accurately and details about the procedures and techniques used should be made available to the client upon request. Attempts should not be made to hide facts, such as a low response rate, which would reflect adversely on the quality of the research. Consider a supplier who conducted a mail survey for a health care marketing firm in four different regions. In two of the regions the response rate was low. Instead of reporting the response rate for individual regions and identifying the ones which were unsatisfactory, the supplier merely reported the overall response rate and characterized it as satisfactory. This practice is clearly unethical. Research information should be held in confidence by the supplier and not used for personal gain. Finally, suppliers should not undertake projects for clients who are in competition when these studies would jeopardize the confidential nature of client-supplier relationships. [7]

[edit] Respondent

When a respondent willingly agrees to participate in a research project, he or she is obligated to be honest, cooperative, and truthful. The respondent has a right to be informed about the nature of the research; therefore, information that cannot be provided before the interview should be disclosed immediately afterwards. This practice, called debriefing, can build goodwill and can go a long way in securing cooperation in the future. Consider, for example, an appliance manufacturer collecting demographic information (e.g., income) from purchasers under the guise of product registration for warranty purposes. It is well known that purchasers do supply such information, but this information is not required for fulfilling warranty obligations. This practice is ethically questionable because the respondents are not fully informed about the true purpose for which the data are being collected. Respondents should be assured of anonymity, which includes refraining from selling mailing lists of research respondents to outside parties. Ethical issues are also involved in the invasion of respondents' privacy by personal and telephone interviewing calls made at odd hours. Particularly offensive in this respect are computerized interviews also referred to as "junk phone calls." [7]

[edit] Ethical principles

List according to the Marketing Research Standards Committee [6]:

  1. To maintain high standards of competence and integrity in marketing and survey research.
  2. To maintain the highest level of business and professional conduct and to comply with Federal, State and local laws, regulations and ordinances applicable to my business practices and those of my company.
  3. To exercise all reasonable care and to observe the best standards of objectivity and accuracy in the development, collection, processing and reporting of marketing and survey research information.
  4. To protect the anonymity of respondents and hold all information concerning an individual respondent privileged, such that this information is used only within the context of the particular study.
  5. To thoroughly instruct and supervise all persons for whose work I am responsible in accordance with study specifications and general research techniques.
  6. To observe the rights of ownership of all materials received from and/or developed for clients, and to keep in confidence all research techniques, data and other information considered confidential by their owners.
  7. To make available to clients such details on the research methods and techniques of an assignment as may be reasonably required for proper interpretation of the data, providing this reporting does not violate the confidence of respondents or clients.
  8. To promote the trust of the public for marketing and survey research activities and to avoid any procedure which misrepresents the activities of a respondent, the rewards of cooperation or the uses of data.
  9. To refrain from referring to membership in this organization as proof of competence, since the organization does not so certify any person or organization.
  10. To encourage the observance of principles of this code among all people engaged in marketing and survey research.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Marketing Research Association - Directing the Future of Research
  2. ^ Marketing Research Association - Education and Events : Conferences
  3. ^ The Blue Book - Research Services Directory
  4. ^ Professional Researcher Certification
  5. ^ Exchange Evaluation Program Login
  6. ^ a b This discussion draws from Marketing Research Standards Committee, Marketing Research Code of Ethics (Chicago: American Marketing Association, 1972)
  7. ^ a b c Akaah, Ishmael P.; A. Riordan, Edward (1989), ""Judgments of Marketing Professionals about Ethical Issues in Marketing Research: A Replication and Extension"", Journal of Marketing Research 26 (26): 112–120, doi:10.2307/3172674 

[edit] External links

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