Market research, media, and opinion have evolved significantly over these 70 years of history. Today, we have a robust market in tune with global movements, strongly consolidated companies organized within a recognized association in the market, and respected professionals in Brazil and around the world.
Many challenges lie on the horizon, involving: 1) recognition of the profession; 2) regularization of the situation of professionals, especially field workers; 3) definitive integration into the digital world, as a tool for data collection, secondary source research, market relationship management, and respondent recruitment; 4) deeper understanding of client markets and more focused analyses and recommendations for business decisions; 5) market pressure for price reduction; among others.
As mentioned at the outset, history can always serve as a source of learning. The two models listed previously have numerous contributions to consider when contemplating the future of the research activity.
More than opposing these models, thought should be given to syntheses that can be built, ensuring the best of each of them:
– Pride in being a researcher and pride in working for strong and profitable companies;
– Pleasure in generating new knowledge and pleasure in helping clients apply this knowledge to their businesses;
– Care in planning and execution and an obsession with using new tools to conduct studies more quickly and effectively;
– Valuing data collection in all its aspects (processes, professionals, partners, technology, quality, etc.) as something fundamental and even as an identifier of the activity;
– Multidisciplinary teams, bringing together professionals from social sciences (psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists), exact sciences (statisticians, engineers, systems analysts), economics (economists, accountants), business administration, and various others who can contribute to a broader vision of studies (lawyers, doctors, biologists, etc.);
– Valuing the technical professional as a fundamental element in the planning, execution, and analysis of projects; valuing the less technical professional, coming from various market sectors, who can improve the dialogue between research and business; valuing the manager, who helps improve processes and the business as a whole; valuing entrepreneurs, who take research to new fronts;
– Understanding that it is unlikely that a single person will excel in all these areas;
