Why Standards?

VUE (MRIA) - September 2008
Donald Williams, MRIA Standards Chair 

This month’s vue marks the start of a regular column on standards. This column will focus primarily on interpretation of MRIA’s Code of Conduct and Good Practice but will also include discussion points on issues related to standards.

In this month’s issue, I return to where it all started. I turn to the question, “Why standards?”

What are standards?

Often used interchangeably, the terms code of conduct and good practice, quality standards, and guidelines all refer to the ground rules for conducting market research. According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) definition, standards are “a set of rules or guidelines aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.”

While they may at times seem all too committee-designed, market research standards are unquestionably important. As consumers, we look for quality products and services. (Some consumers go a step further and actively look for products with the ISO seal.) This gives us confidence in our purchases. As individuals, we also value our privacy, and organizations with access to our personal information are held accountable.

Setting the bar

The establishment of an MRIA code of conduct and good practice demonstrates Canadian market research professionals’ commitment to high-quality market research. However, there are times when market research professionals ask why standards should always be used.

Market research standards and guidelines are not de facto rules. The have, historically, played two important roles in market research – first, instituting common practices in the industry and, secondly, through their existence and acceptance, establishing trust among the public, users, and the suppliers of market research.

In the Wild West, there are no rules: professional conduct and ethical practice are left to individual discretion. Some market research practitioners create their own internal standards or code of conduct, but an industry-wide set of acceptable minimum standards provides a framework for good quality market research in general.

To the core

There are ten core principles that guide MRIA’s existing quality standard and Code of Conduct and Good Practice: consent, public confidence, the public’s right to privacy, accuracy, ethical practice, client rights, lawfulness, competency, familiarity, and professionalism.

Over the past few decades, Canadian market research professionals have come to recognize the underlying ethical and professional principals that constitute the foundations of the market research industry. They are not concocted ideas, and they are not unique to us; some are widely used in other industries. Take away any one of these fundamental principles, and the market research industry becomes a shaky structure. Their existence ensures that the individual (public) is protected in terms of right to privacy, the user (client) is provided with good quality research, and the supplier has the opportunity to conduct market research as a viable business.

Interpreting standards

The rules are not always simple and easy to apply, and in the constantly changing environment of market research, industry professionals often struggle to interpret the standards. The ten core principles serve as guides for market research professionals to use in all aspects of the market research process. In addition, there are MRIA’s quality standard and its Code of Conduct and Good Practice, which provide detailed direction in specific areas.

No matter what your involvement in the market research process, make sure you demand quality and also provide quality.

Upcoming articles will review case studies and provide updates on the direction of market research standards and good practice, in Canada and abroad.