Approximately how many market research agencies operate in Namibia?
C.D.: At the moment there are 4 research agencies (ourselves included).
Some are more specialized in either qualitative or quantitative research, while
the rest are equally adept at providing both qualitative and quantitative services.
There are of course other players in the market research industry that work on an
ad hoc basis and every once in a while a South African based company might conduct
research by itself in Namibia.
What are the main challenges of conducting market research in Namibia?
C.D.: Sampling and distances. Very few foreign clients realize that Namibia
has a very small population (about 2 million inhabitants) and they are distributed
over a huge country. This means meeting certain sampling requirements requires significant
travelling. Another challenge is the lack of participation by more educated and
affluent individuals, who are not willing to participate due to lack of trust and
some have security issues.
What are the most widely used data collection methods?
C.D.: Data is mainly collected via PAPI, CATI and CAPI. All three of
these methodologies are used widely in Namibia depending on the sample and type
of research being conducted. Internet penetration is very low in Namibia, mainly
due to lack of proper infrastructure in rural areas. CAWI is not widely used due
to the low response rate. Qualitative methods are also used widely, but also depend
on the type of research being conducted.
What industries are the main market research buyers in Namibia?
C.D.: Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), financial services and telecommunications.
Are market research buyers rather price or quality sensitive?
C.D.: Market research buyers in Namibia are mostly price sensitive, although
everyone agrees quality is not negotiable. Many companies don't have dedicated market
research suppliers, but those who have used a market research company in the past
will tend to use that same company again as they are familiar with them. The larger
companies tend to shop around for the best price. Some small and medium companies
do buy market research, but it is mainly the larger companies and corporate companies
that spend on market research.
In Namibia most buyers find a research supplier when they have a market research
need. When it comes to selling of a specific research product, market research companies
will do their own marketing and go out and find interested buyers.
Is there any professional organization of market research agencies in Namibia?
C.D.: Yes. Most of the market research agencies in Namibia are members
of the Southern Africa Marketing Research Association (SAMRA) and as such adhere
to the SAMRA and ESOMAR code of conduct. We recently as a market research industry
brought our own SAMRA Namibia branch back to life and will attempt to manage the
industry to protect research buyers from unethical research providers.
Let's turn to human resources issue: is market research educated at universities,
are there research experts available in the country?
C.D.: Market research is taught at University level, however, the availability
of market research experts in Namibia is a concern as many students need to study
abroad to obtain good qualifications and very few return. There is also a lack of
awareness of the industry in Namibia and therefore students would probably prefer
to qualify themselves in more recognized fields such as commerce and engineering.
How about the global crisis, has it affected the market research sector in Namibia?
C.D.: Namibia was not impacted as much by the global financial crisis
as many other countries, although industries such as mining, tourism and financial
services would have been impacted due to international events such as fluctuating
exchange rates and perhaps the lack of disposable income by Europeans. Europe is
Namibia's main trading partner and also the origin of the majority of the tourists
that visit Namibia.
Country: Namibia
Capital: Windhoek
Population: 2 million
Official language: English
Currency: Namibian dollar
GDP (nominal, per capita, 2008) 4278$
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