Giving the customer a voice: A study of market research methods and their perceived effectiveness in NPD

There is a widely held view that a lack of, “…customer understanding,” is one of the main reasons for product failure (Eliashberg et al., 1997, p. 219). This is despite the fact that new product development (NPD) is a crucial business process for many companies. The importance of integrating the voice of the customer (VoC) through market research is well documented (Davis, 1993; Mullins and Sutherland, 1998; Cooper et al., 2002; Flint, 2002; Davilla et al., 2006; Cooper and Edgett, 2008; Cooper and Dreher, 2010; Goffin and Mitchell, 2010). However, not all research methods are well received, for example there are studies that have strongly criticized focus groups, interviews and surveys (e.g. Ulwick, 2002; Goffin et al, 2010; Sandberg, 2002). In particular, a point is made that, “…traditional market research and development approaches proved to be particularly ill-suited to breakthrough products” (Deszca et al, 2010, p613). Therefore, in situations where traditional techniques—interviews and focus groups—are ineffective, the question is which market research techniques are appropriate, particularly for developing breakthrough products? To investigate this, an attempt was made to access the knowledge of market research practitioners from agencies with a reputation for their work on breakthrough NPD. We were surprised to find that this research had not been conducted previously. In order to make it possible for the sample of 24 market research experts identified for this study to share their knowledge, repertory grid technique was used. This psychology based method particularly seeks out tacit knowledge by using indepth interviews. In this case the interviews were conducted with professionals from leading market research agencies in two countries. The resulting data provided two unique insights: they highlighted the attributes of market research methods which made them effective at identifying customers’ needs and they showed how different methods were perceived against these attributes. This article starts with a review of the literature on different methods for conducting market research to identify customer needs. The conclusions from the literature are then used to define the research question. We explain our choice of methodology, including the data collection and analysis approach. Next the key results are presented. Finally, the discussion section identifies the key insights, clarifies the limitations of the research, suggests areas for future research, and draws implications for managers. We conclude that existing research is not aligned with regard to which methods (or combination of methods) are best suited to the various stages of the NPD process. We have set out the challenges and our own intended work in this regard in our section on ‘further research’. Also, the existing literature does not explicitly seek the perceptions of practitioner experts based in market research agencies. This we have started to address, and we acknowledge that further work is required. Although our research in ongoing, it has already yielded the first view of a model of the perceptions of 24 expert market researchers in the UK and Denmark. Based on the explanation of these experts, the model situates a derived set of categories in a manner that reflects the way in which they are inter-linked. We believe that our model begins to deal with the gaps and anomalies in the existing research into VoC methods

‘It is not only an artist village, it is much more than that’:The binding and dividing effects of the arts on a community

The value of ‘the arts’ in community development is increasingly being recognized. This paper contributes to emerging insights on the various impacts of the arts on communities by highlighting when and how they can have binding and dividing effects on a community. We draw on a participatory research project conducted in Pingjum, a village in the Netherlands that hosts many cultural activities and in which many artists live. We discuss how the arts in Pingjum influence the community in the village. In our discussion, we pay attention to the sense of community that the arts generate, the meeting opportunities they provide and how the community is engaged by some artists. Our study shows that the influence of the arts is context-dependent, with the arts having both binding and dividing effects on the community in Pingjum. In terms of the value of the arts for community development, we emphasize three key issues: that the arts (i) do not have only advantages for a community; (ii) do not engage the entire community; and (iii) could potentially contribute to community fragmentation. Given these issues, we argue that the arts should be considered as one of several supportive means in community development processes. Ideally, they are integrated into a wider community development strategy and planning, and exist alongside other associations and activities in a community. In this way, the arts can contribute to the robustness of a community and assist it in developing the capacity and resources to flourish

The role of the arts in coping with place change at the coast

This paper explores the role of the arts in people's coping with (potential) place change at the coast in light of wind energy developments. In doing so, we elaborate on the effects of the arts on people's emotional connections to the landscape; the memories, beliefs, meaning and knowledge they associate with the landscape; and the expression of people's attachments through actions. We draw on 28 walking interviews and three group discussions which were conducted in Pingjum, a village along the Dutch Wadden Sea coast. A key feature in Pingjum's landscape is the Gouden Halsband, a late medieval dike surrounding the village. Recently, the area around Pingjum (including this dike) was designated as a potential location for the construction of a new windfarm. In our study, we found that the arts in Pingjum fuelled people's emotional connection to their (coastal) landscape and the Gouden Halsband, enhanced their knowledge of both and triggered them to reflect on the meanings they assign to them. In addition, the arts enhanced people's awareness and stimulated their assessment of the windfarm plans. The arts framed people's interpretation of the windfarm plans, mainly bringing potential negative impacts on the landscape to their attention. In this way, the arts encouraged action, stimulating both efforts to preserve the Gouden Halsband and protests against the proposed windfarm plans

Invictus : Orchestral Prelude in 3 movements by Noel Stockton : analytical discussion of the synthesis of the basic elements of music in a third stream composition

This study aims to describe how the basic elements of music are synthesised and manipulated to create a composition in the musical style called Third stream music. This is done through a comprehensive description of the background of this musical style and a detailed analysis of a case study Third stream work, Invictus: Orchestral Prelude in 3 Movements, by the South African composer Noel Stockton and commissioned by the South African Music Rights rganisation. CopyrightDissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2008.Musicunrestricte

Multikulturele beradingsmodel vir tersiêre opleiding in die professionele diensberoepe

Text in AfrikaansThis study was aimed at the development of a multicultural counselling model for tertiary education with the emphasis on experiential learning and integration on all levels. Although the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) is prescriptive about the outcomes concerning multicultural involvement it does not clearly prescribe experiential learning - causing educational institutions to underplay experiential learning. Ignorance exists about multiculturalism in training programmes. Educational institutions often implement programmes randomly without proper consideration of the multicultural needs of the student population. People from different cultures often experience the caregiver as having little understanding and respect for diverse cultures, often leading to the early termination and inaccessibility of professional services. To provide guidelines to educational institutions about multicultural counselling training, the researcher provided a paradigmatic perspective as foundation to the drafting of a counselling model for training. The Grounded Theory was used to obtain scientifically based information about the multicultural counselling training phenomenon in South Africa as well as the development of a multicultural counselling model for tertiary education. People in professional services were interviewed and compared to literature, whereafter all applicable concepts, principles, processes and elements grounded in the paradigmatic perspective were examined, identified and coded as components of the multicultural counselling model, with the aid of a core category, categories and subcategories. Henceforth a multicultural counselling model for training was developed. The central thesis of the research is that the multicultural counsellor has certain skills that stem from the training received at South African educational institutions, which does not necessarily encompass the concept of multiculturalism. It therefore does not equip the student to successfully help patients from a diverse culture. This problem can be intercepted through a training model with appropriate components of multiculturalism in the curriculum of educational institutions in South Africa. Conclusions and recommendations were made according to the Grounded Theory. The findings of the scientific procedure were evaluated according to reliability as well as the criteria of Chinn en Kramer (1991). Answers were obtained through scientific reasoning and empirical research to produce a model for the implementation of multicultural training within the context of South African educational institutions.Social WorkD. Diac. (Play Therapy

Hanteringsriglyn vir beraders wat met adolessente in 'n multikulturele omgewing werk : `n Gestalt terapeutiese benadering

Text in AfrikaansThe research was directed at setting up guidelines for the counsellor dealing with the adolescent in a multicultural environment. The supposition of the study was that the adolescent in a multicultural environment should be treated by the counsellor with cultural empathy, understanding and insight. This process should be free from stereotyping and prejudice. Guidelines were set up using a combination of Gestalt philosophical principles, existing literature and semi-structured interviews with cultural therapy experts. For the purpose of this study Thomas and Rothman's intervention research model was applied. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain information on the adolescent in therapy, which was combined with information found in literature in order to set up guidelines for counsellors. The researcher concludes that the counsellor dealing with the adolescent in a multicultural environment, has to possess sufficient cultural knowledge, cultural efficiency and cultural empathy to achieve a successful theurapeutic outcome. Guidelines for the counsellor who works with adolescents in a multicultural environment were set up successfully to bridge the current lack of knowledge in the field.Social WorkM. Diac (Play Therapy

Distil - Liminal Architecture

Between the serene natural landscape of the Magaliesberg and the bustling chaos of the Mamelodi West Township lies an understated threshold that links these two contrasting environments. The heritage of the landscape tells of recovery and appreciation, as this once-broken landscape is now regarded as a small environmental haven. This threshold is defined by the intangible quality of the in-between space – that of communal energy. Therefore, the need to create space in this non-place is identified as this can capture its energy and define the threshold, which is the chosen site for this study. The intention is for the architectural intervention to become a transitional device; allowing the user passage from the urban- to the natural landscape. The project focuses on defining and creating ‘place’ in the ‘in-between’ space of the threshold that connects the urban and natural environment. The project utilises an abandoned water reservoir, which is within the threshold located at the foot of the Magaliesberg. The intervention envisions the re-purpose of this infrastructure to house an essential oils distillation facility. The threshold links to a landscape called Mothong, where medicinal plants and herbs are cultivated. In response to this existing conservation and environmental initiatives, the opportunity for socio-economic development was identified through the creation of a distillation facility that allows for public interaction with the processes. The theoretical grounding for this project considers the concept of liminality of rites of passage as discussed though the work of Arnold van Gennep (1960) and Victor Witter Turner (1979). The Oxford English Dictionary defi nes liminality as being “of or pertaining to the threshold or initial stage of a process” (Oxford Dictionaries English, 2018). Tracing its etymology, liminality has the Latin origin “limen” - translating as “threshold” - which is an inherently architectural element. The concept of liminality is introduced by an anthropology approach, which describes its three phases as separation, margin and aggregation. This guided the architectural interpretation of theory in this project.Mini Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2018.ArchitectureMArch(Prof)Unrestricte

Strengthening employee engagement through internal communication practices: a single case study

Abstract in English with Afrikaans and SeSotho translationsEmployee engagement is a phenomenon that has gained increasingly more attention in organisational communication studies and also in the postmodern organisational context. In the postmodern organisational environment, employee engagement focuses more on building relationships with employees than on individual performance. However, the value of internal communication practices to enhance employee engagement within a postmodern organisation has still not fully been explored. The study thus investigated, in accordance with what the literature suggests, a single case to test which internal communication practices are perceived as strengthening employee engagement within a postmodern organisation. Consequently, the study adopted a mixed method research approach utilising three research methods, namely a survey, a focus group and semi-structured interviews, to establish which internal communication practices the management of the organisation must adopt to strengthen employee engagement. The worldview adopted for this study was both the positivist and interpretivist research paradigms. Findings indicate that because the organisation’s employees’ views are heard, responded to and even form part of the solution, employees become more engaged. In addition, having too many internal communication tools and implementing them without a strategy in place can lead to employees becoming less engaged. Overall, the findings indicate that having a supportive management style, meeting employees’ needs and providing enough opportunities for employees to participate in problem-solving are deemed important for employee engagement. Interestingly, the findings show no correlation between the importance of establishing a good organisational culture and enhancing employee engagement in the organisation. Although the findings cannot be generalised to the larger population, the insight gained could serve as a heuristic for similar organisations to strengthen their employee engagement.Werknemerbetrokkenheid is ’n verskynsel wat al hoe meer aandag kry in organisatoriese kommunikasiestudies en ook in die postmoderne organisatoriese konteks. In laasgenoemde konteks word daar meer met werknemerbetrokkenheid gefokus op die bou van verhoudings met werknemers as op individuele prestasie. Die waarde van interne kommunikasiepraktyke om werknemerbetrokkenheid binne ’n postmoderne organisasie te bevorder, is nog steeds nie ten volle ondersoek nie. Daar is dus in die studie, in ooreenstemming met wat die literatuur suggereer, ’n enkele gevallestudie ondersoek om te bepaal watter interne kommunikasiepraktyke beskou word as praktyke wat werknemerbetrokkenheid binne ’n postmoderne organisasie bevorder. Gevolglik is daar in die studie ’n gemengdemetode-navorsingsbenadering aangeneem wat drie navorsingsmetodes insluit, naamlik ’n opname, fokusgroep en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, met die doel om vas te stel watter interne kommunikasiepraktyke die bestuur van die organisasie moet aanneem om werknemerbetrokkenheid te bevorder. Die wêreldbeskouing wat vir hierdie studie aangeneem is, is sowel die positivistiese as vertolkende navorsingsparadigmas. Bevindinge dui daarop dat omrede die werknemers van die organisasie se sienings aangehoor word, daarop gereageer word en dit selfs deel van die oplossing uitmaak, werknemers meer betrokke raak. Daarbenewens kan te veel interne kommunikasie-middels en die implementering daarvan sonder ’n strategie daartoe lei dat werknemers minder betrokke raak. Oor die algemeen dui die bevindinge daarop dat ’n ondersteunende bestuurstyl, voldoening aan werknemers se behoeftes en die verskaffing van genoegsame geleenthede vir werknemers om aan probleemoplossing deel te neem, as belangrik geag word vir werknemerbetrokkenheid. Interessant genoeg wys die bevindinge geen korrelasie tussen die belangrikheid daarvan om ’n goeie organisatoriese kultuur te vestig en om werknemerbetrokkenheid in die organisasie te bevorder nie. Hoewel die bevindinge nie veralgemeen kan word om die groter bevolking in te sluit nie, kan die insig wat verkry word as ’n leerproses gebruik word vir soorgelyke organisasies om hulle werknemerbetrokkenheid te bevorder.Bonkakarolo ba basebetsi ke ntho e hapileng tlhokomelo e eketsehileng dithutong tsa puisano tsa mekgatlo hape le maemong a morao-rao a mekgatlo. Tikolohong ya morao-rao ya mekgatlo, onkakarolo ba basebetsi bo shebana haholo le ho haha dikamano le basebetsi ho fapana le tshebetso ya motho ka mong. Leha ho le jwalo, boleng ba ditlwaelo tsa puisano tsa kahare ba ho ntlafatsa bonkakarolo ba basebetsi kahara mekgatlo ya morao-rao ha bo so ka bo hlahlojwa ka botlalo. Kahoo, phuputso e fupuditse ho latela seo dingodilweng di se supang, tlhahlobisiso e le nngwe ya ho lekola hore na ke mekgwa efe ya puisano ya kahare e nkuwang e matlafatsa bonkakarolo ba asebetsi kahara mokgatlo wa kamora nako ya morao-rao. Ka lebaka leo, phuputso e ile ya sebedisa mokgwa o tswakilweng wa dipatlisiso o sebedisang mekgwa e meraro ya dipatlisiso, e leng phuputso, sehlopha seo ho shebanweng le sona le dipuisano tse batlang di hlophisitswe hantle, ho sheba hore na ke mekgwa efe ya puisano ya kahare eo tsamaiso e lokelang ho e amohela ho matlafatsa bonkakarolo ba asebetsi. Maikutlo a lefatshe a amohetsweng phuputsong ena e ne e le a dipatlisiso a bontshang hore tlhokomelo le lebaka ke mekgwa ya kutlwisiso ya boitshwaro ba batho le a dipatlisiso tsa botoloki. Diphumano di bontsha hore hobane maikutlo a basebetsi ba mokgatlo a utluwa, a arabelwa ebile a etsa karolo ya tharollo, basebetsi ba kakgela ka setotswana le hofeta. Ntle le moo, ho ba le disebediswa tse ngata haholo tsa puisano tsa kahare le ho di kenya tshebetsong ntle le leano ho ka etsa hore basebetsi ba se ke ba sebetsa hantle. Ka kakaretso, diphumano di bontsha hore ho ba le mokgwa wa botsamaisi o tshehetsang, ho fihlela ditlhoko tsa basebetsi le ho fana ka menyetla e lekaneng ho basebetsi ya ho nka karolo tharollong ya mathata ho nkuwa ho le bohlokwa bakeng sa ho nka karolo ha basebetsi. Ho kgahlisang ke hore diphumano ha di bontshe kamano dipakeng tsa bohlokwa ba ho theha setso se hantle sa mokgatlo le ho matlafatsa bonkakarolo ba basebetsi mokgatlong. Leha diphumano e ke ke ya ba tse akaretsang ho batho ba bangata, temohisiso e fumanweng e ka sebetsa e le leano la mekgatlo e tshwanang ho matlafatsa bonkakarolo ba basebetsi ba yona. Mantswe a sehlooho: bonkakarolo ba basebetsi, puisano ya kahare, mekgwa ya puisano ya kahare, puisano ya mokgatlo, tshebediso e nang le sepheo ya puisanoCommunication ScienceM.A. (Communication Science

Between the Model and the Lived

“Building processes seem best evoked in terms of various forms of endemic uncertainty which, in turn, define an essentially turbulent industrial environment. The pursuit of stability is re-interpreted as ‘unstable equilibrium’ in building processes, requiring constant feedback to maintain control.” (Groak, 1992) The process of addressing a troubled spatial legacy within the context of South Africa has presented a challenging atmosphere regarding the preservation or reprogramming of urban and architectural space. This becomes a prevalent issue when considering critical urban regions such as Westbury in Johannesburg, where the social and built environment remain in a constant struggle for identity and defensibility. The need to address this reformation of urban space as well as urban programme has lead this dissertation to question the manifestation of social processes in spatial form. This dissertation hopes to propose a system of architecture and supporting infrastructure that will address existing spatial legacy, through responding to social and contextual issues; leading to a new platform for the sustainable progression of social activity and identity in the form of urban densification.Mini Dissertation (MArch(Prof)) --University of Pretoria, 2018.ArchitectureMArch(Prof)Unrestricte