MARKETING RESEARCH
Get A Fresh Expression Of
Value: Challenge To Social
And Marketing Researchers
By Polycarp Igathe
Mr. Polycarp Igathe delivered the
key note address at the AMRA Africa
2018 Forum held in Nairobi recently.
Marketing Africa editorial crew brings
you an abridged version of his key note
address.
I am distinctly honoured to be invited as
Chief Guest at this august gathering of
global Social & Market Research gurus.
Thank you for choosing to congregate in
Kenya, at the equator, and in our thriving
and bustling home city of Nairobi.
The relevance of social and market
research to the daily life of citizens in
Africa is grossly under-estimated. Social
and Market researchers must infuse a new
expression of value to their profession
and work. Switch positioning and value
of Social and Market research in the
public eye. Research should no longer be
viewed as a vain or mischievous pursuit of
bureaucrats and academicians.
Apply time at this conference to establish
and discuss a Fresh Expression of Value
for social and market research. In my
view, relevance for social and marketing
research is grounded on three pillars as
enumerated here-under:
The Unmasking of Big Socio-
Economic Trends
Trend spotting is key to informing
public policy as well as simplifying and
sharpening strategy for business. Trend
spotting directs the entrepreneur’s gut
feel and focuses the policy maker. Trend-
spotting mutes a lot of cultural and ethnic
bias that many of us bring to office. Public
Policy and Business Strategy is very often
established by the last person out of the
leader’s office as opposed to research.
Due to lack of application of social trends borne
of sound research in public policy, we often
see the unfortunate application of very debil-
itating public policy measures i.e. ‘Take from
one community according to ability and give to
another community according to need”. This
happens inadvertently in the name of equaliza-
tion.
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Let us cite two examples of current highly
valuable social and consumer trends i.e.
Convenience and Urbanization. Huge
profits are being raked by entrepreneurs
tapping into the well of the convenience
trend. Products such as Uber and Mpesa
standout in realizing value, harvesting
profit and creating jobs from the industry
that’s borne out of the convenience. The
convenience trend lingers especially in
Kenya, driven by a youthful and dynamic
population.
Question is how many job seekers,
policy makers and entrepreneurs actually
‘look and see’ how ripe the convenience
opportunity is?
Trend-spotting stops the ‘Fishing in Dry
Pond’ tactics applied by so many people
in business. And for government policy
makers the social trend of urbanization
is very mainstream and prevalent.
Government budgets and political
priorities must be geared towards urban
life. Who would have guessed a city such
as Cape Town would run out of water?
Ruthless Focus on the urbanization trend
for governments especially in Africa is an
imperative.
Trend-spotting helps avoid the ‘Boil
the ocean’ approaches witnessed as
politicians distribute the national cake
and public servants prioritize civil action.
For example, with urbanization the unit
cost of public service delivery in a city
environment is thrice as much as in a