SAARF Policy On Integration And Combination Of SAARF Survey
Data
December 2006
Index
1. Definitions
2. Policy Objectives with respect to integration of data from two SAARF
surveys with each other
3. Policy Objectives with respect to integration of data from SAARF
surveys with certain associated surveys
4. Policy Objectives with respect to data integration of SAARF surveys
with certain private surveys
5. Policy Objectives with respect to data integration of SAARF surveys
with commercial surveys
6. General Conditions
1. Definitions
1.1 “Associated Surveys” means surveys conducted in South Africa that
serves the same aims as those conducted by SAARF, that can add value to
SAARF surveys, do not compete with any SAARF survey, do not duplicate any
part of a SAARF survey and are conducted as far as is possible in South
Africa by South Africans to support, develop skills and grow the local
marketing research industry.
These surveys should share SAARF’s resolve to support BEE, be affordable
and preferably be not for profit and in the public domain. They must be done
in a transparent way, using commonly acceptable methodologies and analysis
that are open to scrutiny by SAARF and its stakeholders and could be done
under the auspices of SAARF if this is regarded as desirable by SAARF.
1.2 “Commercial Surveys” means any survey that is done with the purpose
of being sold for profit.
1.3 "Data Integration" includes any data integration technique such as
statistical fusion, multibasing, fusion on the fly, and any other technique
in which data from different databases are combined or related in any way.
1.4 “Private Surveys” means surveys conducted or arranged by SAARF
Stakeholders for their own use, are not sold to other parties, and do not
compete with or duplicate any aspect of any SAARF survey. Private surveys
are mostly conducted to gain further information on media audiences or
specific products or brands.
1.5 “SAARF Surveys” means any of the surveys conducted by SAARF from time
to time such as AMPS®, RAMS®, TAMS® and the SAARF Outdoor Measurement Survey
(SOMS)
2. Policy Objectives with respect to integration of data from two SAARF
surveys with each other
2.1 The main objective is to integrate data from one SAARF survey with
another such as in the case of Branded AMPS with TAMS, thereby creating more
value for SAARF stakeholders.
3. Policy Objectives with respect to integration of data from SAARF
surveys with certain associated surveys
3.1 The objective is to allow survey data from certain associated surveys
to be integrated with SAARF survey data to enable SAARF stakeholders to add
additional value to industry surveys by adding facets that are currently not
covered by SAARF.
4. Policy Objectives with respect to data integration of SAARF surveys
with certain private surveys
4.1 The objective is to allow survey data from certain private surveys to
be integrated with SAARF survey data to enable SAARF stakeholders to gain
additional value from industry surveys by adding facets from SAARF surveys
to their data or visa versa.
5. Policy Objectives with respect to data integration of SAARF surveys
with commercial surveys
5.1 It is not SAARF’s policy to allow data from SAARF surveys to be
integrated with commercial surveys. It is not a function of SAARF to support
or promote commercial products as commercial products unlike SAARF products,
are not accessible to all stakeholders. Commercial products are also
normally not open to scrutiny and often contain “black box” elements.
5.2 It is not SAARF’s policy to allow data from commercial surveys to be
integrated with SAARF surveys except where cost and other considerations
make it necessary or desirable.
6. General Conditions
6.1 When allowing data from associated surveys to be integrated in any
way with a SAARF survey, it must be the aim of SAARF to facilitate this in
such a way that the resulting product is preferably in the public domain as
SAARF’s main aim is to provide currencies to the industry. If this is not
possible, SAARF must endeavour to make the resulting products as affordable
and as widely available as possible.
6.2 Where a survey is classified as an associated survey by SAARF, SAARF
must ensure that its stakeholders have a say in the content and form of the
survey and that it is submitted to the necessary scrutiny where required.
6.3 Associated surveys are not funded by SAARF or its stakeholders.
6.4 SAARF could agree to allow the publication of results from an
associated survey to be done under the auspices of SAARF if it is felt that
it is in the interest of the industry.
6.5 It is unfortunately true that people might try to give credibility to
their own surveys by having it associated with SAARF and its surveys. In
allowing the integration of associated surveys and private surveys with
SAARF data, SAARF must thus take due cognisance that this practice could
possibly lead to the undermining of the central role of SAARF’s own surveys.
It must therefore be SAARF’s stated objective to meet all legitimate needs
of stakeholders first and only to resort to such data integrations where the
necessary funding is not forthcoming or the specific need is not regarded as
part of joint industry research and therefore not necessarily part of an
industry currency.
6.6 It is not SAARF’s aim to use data integration to generate additional
income. Rather it is to leverage the investment already made in SAARF’s
surveys thereby adding value for stakeholders.
6.7 SAARF’s surveys are mainly behavioural surveys as past and present
behaviour are the best predictors of future behaviour. However, these
surveys do contain attitudinal, lifestyle and other features as required and
agreed upon by SAARF stakeholders. These aspects can easily and cost
effectively be expanded upon if required by stakeholders, but where funding
is not forthcoming, it might be in the industry’s interest to allow
integration of psychographic and/or other non-behavioural information from
associated surveys with SAARF data.
6.8 In general, data integration must add value to the SAARF survey and
not the other way round.
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