Q&A: the Ipsos way

That is the question: Which one? by Jean-Marc Lech

Sociologists are compelled to categorize; order must be made of every opinion, attitude, intention, and declared behaviour. The availability of demographic, social, economic, financial, and intellectual variables offers the sociologist the tools of a coroner; that is, the pleasurable means to delve into people. Ones with a pulse, that is.

A sociologist's job is to sell answers to clients. Why do men prefer blondes, do left-wing voters prefer red meat, are free newspapers targeted to non-readers, does Internet use stop at 60? Can sparkling water sales be boosted by making the bubbles smaller?

But finding all these answers requires hypotheses and questions. Asking questions means investigating, seeking to learn and understand.

There may be questions without answers (ask the police), but there are no answers without questions.

Questions make up surveys, and surveys are what Ipsos is about. Whatever it takes, we'll find a way to poll: we go into people's homes, either with an interviewer or by phone, email or Internet. Then we go out onto the street, into stores, and outside polling stations. We ask questions to probe the unknown.

It only follows that we should welcome the advent of third-generation (3G) telephones with wide-open arms. If we can poll people by transmitting sound and video to the privacy of their cell phones, nothing stands in our way - except the wrong questions. In a world where surveys are universally accessible, can there really be bad sociologists? Yes, which is where Ipsos steps in.

Jean-Marc Lech is Co-President of Ipsos and has worked alongside Didier Truchot since 1982. A specialist in the public opinion field, he started his career in 1970 with IFOP (Institut Français de l'Opinion Publique), of which he was made Chairman and Managing Director in 1980. He has published a number of works relating to French society and politics, the most recent of which was entitled "France 2009, Le désir dans tous ses états". Contact : jean-marc.lech@ipsos.com..

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