Ecoscopy
Ecoscopy ( ancient Greek οἶκος oíkos "house", σκοπείν skopeín "spähen"), also ecoscopic market research, is a scientific method in market research that uses empirical methods to obtain objective factual findings (market parameters or data such as buyer structure, provider structure, Prices , price developments, product qualities and quantities). It represents the counterpart to demoscopy or demoscopic market research, which uses empirical surveys of test subjects to determine subjective findings (opinions, attitudes, expectations, motives, etc.). Ecoscopy distinguishes between socio-economic and economic data. Under economic data refers eg. Sales , sales , market share ; whereas socio-economic data mainly record external characteristics of market participants such as age, region and income.
Problems of ecoscopy
In contrast to demoscopic market research, the general problems of empirical social research ( validity , reliability, etc.) do not exist in ecoscopic market research . Problems only arise when data are refined using statistical methods ( interpolation , extrapolation, etc.).
Provider of ecoscopic data
In addition to public providers of ecoscopic data, there are now some private providers. These usually fulfill two functions: On the one hand, they offer comprehensive market data, which otherwise would have to be gathered from a wide variety of locations, from a single source. On the other hand, they offer the data in refined form ( forecasts , disaggregated data, etc.). Some providers also already link the data with geographical information (see geomarketing ).
Provider in Switzerland:
public
- Federal Statistical Office (FSO)
- Economic Research Center at ETH Zurich (KOF)
- Swiss headquarters for trade promotion
private
- BAK Basel Economics
Provider in Germany
public
private
Areas of application
Ecoscopic data are used in practice in the following exemplary fields of application:
- Creation of market forecasts
- Calculation of market potential for new or existing products
- Optimization of branch and sales networks
literature
- Nickel, S. (2004): Desk Research. Develop market information. Internet research. Search methodology and information tools. Cornelsen, Halle, 2004, ISBN 3-589-23521-7