Foreword 

The Code of Marketing and Social Research Practice, provided by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), was adopted in 1973 by the Marketing Research Society of Australia (MRSA) and the Association of Marketing Research Organizations (AMRO) and endorsed by the major associations commissioning research in Australia. 

 

In 1977, the Code was modified, following the merger of ICC and ESOMAR -the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research, and further revised in 1986. The 1986 Code has been endorsed by the Council of the IQCA as a suitable Code of Professional Behavior for its Participating Companies.

 

Introduction

Effective two-way communication between the suppliers and the consumers of goods and services of all kinds is vital to any modern society. Growing international links and interdependence reinforce this need. The supplier seeks to inform the consumer of what is available and where, using advertising and other forms: of publicity to do so. In the other direction, the varied requirements of consumers must be made known to those who cater for their needs in both the private and public sectors of the economy, and this increasingly calls for the use of research. 

 

Marketing Research is concerned with analyzing the markets for products and services of all kinds. In particular it involves the systematic study of behavior, beliefs and opinions of both individuals and organizations. The measurement of public opinion on social, political and other issues has also long been linked with the field of marketing research, and in recent years, similar approaches have been applied throughout very much wider fields of social research.  

 

Although the subjects of study tend to differ, marketing research and social research have many interests, methods and problems in common. Both are involved with the analysis of available data, or the collection and analysis of new information, using sampling, questionnaire and other appropriate techniques. The issues dealt with in this Code therefore apply equally to both fields of research where they use similar methods of study. It is against this background that Codes of Marketing Research Practice have been developed. The first, published in 1948 was that of the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR). This was followed by a number of Codes prepared by national marketing research organizations. In 1971, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), representing the international marketing community, set out to bring together and rationalize the major points contained in the existing Codes, publishing its own International Code after consultation with the marketing research and marketing bodies concerned. 

 

Since 1971 the practice of marketing research has continued to evolve. New issues have arisen and additional safeguards have been incorporated into certain national Codes. In 1976, ESOMAR and the ICC both decided that it was necessary to revise their existing Codes to take account of those changes, and that it was at the same time highly desirable that there should be one International Code rather than two differing ones.

 

A Joint Working Party representing both bodies was therefore set up to prepare a single revised Code and this has now been adopted by the two organizations.

 

This International Code is designed to provide individuals and organizations concerned with a basic set of rules which are generally acceptable internationally. It applies to all international and nation projects. 

 

Where in given country there is already a national Code, the latter may on occasion go further than this International Code in dealing with certain detailed points of practice: in such cases the national Code will be followed. National and international practice must of course, in all cases, conform to the laws, legislation and legal practice of the countries concerned. 

 

Basic Principles 

Marketing and social research depend upon public confidence: confidence that the research is conducted honestly, objectively, without unwelcome intrusion and without disadvantage to informants, and that it is based upon the willing co-operation of the public. 

 

The general public and anyone else interested shall be entitled to complete assurance that every marketing research project is carried t strictly in accordance with this Code, and that their rights of privacy are respected. In particular, members of the general public must be assured absolutely that personal and/or confidential information supplied during the course of a marketing research study will not be made available without their agreement to any individual or organization, whether private or official, outside the researcher's own organization and that such information will not be used for any purposes other than Marketing Research. 

Research should also be conducted according to accepted principles of fair competition, as generally understood and accepted, and to high technical standards. Marketing and social researchers should always be prepared to make available the necessary information whereby the quality of their work and the validity of their findings can be adequately assessed. 

 

Definitions 

In this Code: 

(a)     The term "marketing research" is defined as the systematic collection and objective recording, classification, analysis and presentation of data concerning the behavior, needs, attitudes., opinions, motivations, etc. of individuals and organizations (commercial enterprises, public bodies, etc.) within the context of their economic, social, political and everyday activities. For the purpose of this Code, the term MARKETING RESEARCH is taken to cover also social research, in so far as the latter uses similar approaches and techniques in its study of issues and problems not directly connected with the marketing of goods and services. Reference to the term MARKETING RESEARCH shall throughout this Code therefore be held to include SOCIAL RESEARCH equally. The term also includes those forms of research commonly referred to as INDUSTRIAL MARKETING RESEARCH and as DESK RESEARCH, especially where these are concerned with the acquisition of original data from the field and not simply the secondary analysis of already available data. 

 

 (b)    The term "RESEARCHER" is defined as any individual, company,  group, public or private institution, department, division, etc., which directly or indirectly conducts or acts as a consultant in respect of a MARKETING RESEARCH project, survey, etc. or offers its services to do so. The term RESEARCHER also includes any department or division, etc. which may belong to or form part of the same organization as that of the CLIENT. The term RESEARCHER is further extended to cover responsibility for the procedures followed by any SUB-CONTRACTOR from whom the RESEARCHER commissions any work (data collection or analysis, printing, professional consultancy, etc.) forming only part of the research project: in such cases the RESEARCHER is held responsible for ensuring that any such SUB-CONTRACTOR fully conforms to the provisions of this Code. 

 

(c)     The term "Client" is defined as any individual, company, and group, public or private institution, department, division, etc. (including any such department or division, etc. which may belong to or form part of the same organization as the RESEARCHER) which wholly or partly commissions, requests, authorizes of agrees to subscribe to a MARKETING RESEARCH project or proposes to do so. 

 

(d)     The term "INFORMANT" is defined as any individual, group or organization from whom any information is sought by the RESEARCHER for the purposes of a MARKETING RESEARCH project, survey; etc: regardless of the type of information sought or the method or technique used to obtain it. 

The term INFORMANT therefore covers not only cases where information is obtained by verbal techniques but also cases where non-verbal methods such as observation, postal surveys, mechanical, electrical or other recording equipment are used. 

 

(e)          The term "INTERVIEW" is defined as any form of direct or indirect contact (including observation, electro-mechanical techniques, etc.) with INFORMANTS the results of which is the acquisition of data or information which could be used in whole or in part for the purposes of a given MARKETING RESEARCH project, survey, etc. It includes records prepared by CLIENT as well as by the RESEARCHER. 

 

Rules 

Responsibilities Towards informants 

Article 1:     Any statement made to secure co-operation and all assurances given to an Informant, whether

                    oral or written shall be factually correct and honored. 

Anonymity of Informants 

 

Article 2:     Subject only to the provisions of Article 3, the Informant shall remain entirely anonymous.

                    Special care must be taken to ensure that any record which contains a reference to the identity of an Informant is securely and confidentially stored during any period before such reference is separated from that record and/or destroyed. No information which could be used to identify Informants, either directly or indirectly, shall be revealed other than to research personnel within the Researcher's own organization who require this knowledge for the administration and checking of interviews, data processing, etc. Such persons must explicitly agree to make no other use of such knowledge. All Informants are entitled to be given full assurance on this point.

 

 Article 3:     The only exceptions to the above Article 2 are as follows: 

(a) If Informants have been told of the identity of the Client and the general purposes for which their names would be disclosed and have then consented in writing to this disclosure.

(b) Where disclosure of these names to a third party (e.g. a sub-contractor) is essential for any purpose such as data processing or in order to conduct further interview with the same Informant (see also Article 4). In all such cases, the Researcher responsible for the original survey must ensure that any third parties so involved will themselves observe ~e provisions laid down in this Code.

(c) Where the Informant is supplying information not in his private capacity but as an officer of an organization or firm, provided that the provisions of Article 5 are followed. 

 

Article 4:     Further interviews, after the first, shall only be sought with the same Informants under one of the following conditions:

(a) in the course of carrying out normal quality control procedures: or

(b) if Informants' permission has already been obtained at a previous interview; or

(c)  it is pointed out to Informants that this interview is consequent upon one they have previously given and they then give their permission before the collection of further data; or

(d) if it is essential to the research technique involved that Informants do not realize that this interview is consequent upon one they have previously given, but they do not give their permission before the collection of further data. 

 

Article 5:    If the Informant is supplying information not give in his private capacity but as an officer of an organization or firm, then it may be desirable to list his organization in the report. The report shall not however enable any particular piece of information to be related to any particular organization or person except with prior permission from the relevant Informant, who shall be told of the extent to which it will be communicated.  

 

Rights of the Informant

 Article 6:  All reasonable precautions shall be taken to ensure that the Informant, and others closely associated with him, is in no way adversely affected or embarrassed as a result of any interview. This requirement covers the information to be obtained, the interviewing process itself, and the handling and testing of any products involved in the research. The purpose of the enquiry shall be revealed in cases where information given in ignorance of this knowledge could adversely affect the Informant.

 

 Article 7:    The Informant's right to withdraw, or to refuse to co-operate at any stage of the Interview, shall be respected. Whatever the form of the interview, any or all of the information given by the Informant must be destroyed without delay if the Informant so requests. No procedure or technique which infringes this right shall be used.

 

 Article 8:   Informants shall be told in advance where observation or recording techniques are to be used. This requirement does not apply where the actions or statements of individuals are observed or recorded in public places and are normally liable to be observed and/or overheard by other people present. In the latter case, at least one of the following conditions shall be observed:

 

(a) All reasonable precautions are taken to ensure that the individual's anonymity is preserved; and/or

(b) The individual is told immediately after the event that his actions and/or statements have been observed or recorded or filmed, is given the opportunity to see or hear the relevant section of the record and. if he wishes. To have it destroyed or deleted 

Wherever questions are subsequently asked of the person observed. Condition (b) above shall apply.

The observation or recording of normal activities in such places as distribution outlets accessible to ordinary customer – e.g. in carrying out distribution checks – need not involve the Researcher in obtaining clearances or agreements for such work, but the Researchers shall ensure that there is no substantial infringement of the privacy and anonymity of any individuals in such locations. 

 

Article9:      As part of the research design a selling or simulated selling situation is sometimes incorporated in a survey (for example, in simulated test market techniques). In such cases it is especially important that the respondent or anyone else shall not be left with any impression, after the research has been concluded, that he has been participating in anything other than a genuine research project. After completion of the research the experimental nature of the selling situation should be explained, and wherever possible any money passed over by the respondent should be returned or otherwise reimbursed in some way acceptable to the respondent.   

 

Article 10: Where observers other than the Researcher are present at an interview, the researcher is responsible for ensuring that they are aware of the relevant provisions of the Code and have agreed to abide by these. 

 

Article 11:  The name and address of the Researcher shall normally be made available to Informants at the time of interview. Where an accommodation address is necessary for postal surveys, or where a "cover name" is used for interviews, arrangements shall be made so that it is possible for Informants subsequently to find without difficulty the name and address of the Researcher. 

 

Interviewing Children  

Article 12: Special care shall be taken in interviewing children. Before they are interviewed or asked to complete a questionnaire, the permission of a parent, guardian or other person currently responsible for them (such as the responsible teacher) shall be obtained. In obtaining this permission, the interviewer shall describe the nature of the interview in sufficient detail to enable the responsible person to reach an informed decision. The responsible person shall also be specifically informed if it is intended to ask the children to test any products or samples. 

 

Relations with the General Public and the Business Community 

Article 13: No activity shall be deliberately or inadvertently misrepresented as Marketing Research. Specifically, the following activities shall in no way be associated, directly or by implication, with Marketing Research interviewing or activities: 

(a) Enquiries whose objectives are to obtain personal information about private individuals per se, whether for legal, political, supervisory (e.g. job performance), private or other-purposes; 

(b) The compilation of lists, registers or data banks for any purpose which are not Marketing Research:

(c) Industrial, commercial or any other form of espionage;

(d) The acquisition of information for use by credit-rating or similar service;

(e) Sales or promotion approaches to the Informant;

(f)   The collection of debts;

(g)  Direct or indirect attempts, including the framing of questions, to influence an Informant's opinions or attitudes, on any issue. 

 

Article 14:   Researchers shall not misrepresent themselves as having any qualifications, experience, skills or access to facilities which they do not in fact possess. 

 

Article 15:   Unjustified criticism and disparagement of competitors shall not be permitted. 

 

Article 16:   No one shall knowingly disseminate conclusions from a given research project or service that is inconsistent with or not warranted by the data.