What is ‘research'? CMOR seeks the answer

CMOR’s Government Affairs Committee has set to work on developing one, bearing in mind that definitions of research in US state and federal laws “are few and far between”.

The proposed definition is as follows:

“The term ‘bona fide opinion and market research’ means the collection and analysis of data regarding opinions, needs, awareness, knowledge, views and behaviours of a population, through the administration of surveys, interviews, focus groups, polls, observation, or other research methodologies, in which no sales, promotional or marketing efforts are involved and through which there is no attempt to influence a respondent’s attitudes or behaviour.”

Howard Fienberg, CMOR’s director of government affairs, told Research: “We’ve had success over the years stating what research is not, such as sales, marketing, push polls, etc. But it is important to set the precedent of what it actually is – and that definition can then be referred to from then on in order to protect research in as many forms as necessary.

“We’re always working with legislators to exempt or protect research interests,” he said. “The goal is to encourage the use of this definition to properly lay out what needs exempting or protecting.”

Thoughts and suggestions should be emailed to Fienberg at howard.fienberg@mra-net.org, or contact the MRA direct through its Twitter page @MRA_National.

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