Why SMAR?
- SMAR was established in 1961, so is the pioneer in marketing research in Pakistan.
- SMAR has developed its own household sampling frame on national basis. It allows 100% scientific sample selection with known probability, so essential for projecting survey results for the universe.
- SMAR has developed its own sampling frame of retailers and commercial points of consumption (FMCGs/POPs/POCs) in urban Pakistan through a 100% census.
- SMAR has its won national network of permanent multi-lingual field workers to conduct interviews for collecting information from the urban as well as rural areas. No field is sublet to third party.
- SMAR has number of telephone connections and trained interviews for impersonal interviews on phone.
- SMAR has its own focus-group facilities comprising one-way mirror and discrete audio recording equipments.
- SMAR has its own in-house data processing facilities staffed by two EDP Managersand 30 data Operators working under one roof.
- SMAR has trained analysts on its permanent payroll for carrying out state-of-the-art analysis of prossible inferences.
- Under no circumstances whatsoever is any work sublet or sub-contracted to third parties, a practice generally followed by a large number of research agencies in Pakistan.
FEILDWORK ROUTINES
- Permanent field staff (Fieldwork is never given to subcontractors)
- Establishment of control rooms in various cities
- Briefing by Project Managers
- Intensive Training & Mock Sessions
- Identification of areas & the starting points
- Droping interviews in the sample areas
- All interviews in the sample areas
- All interviews are on one to one basis
- Each interviewer operates independently
- All information/data is kept confidential
- Spot checks by supervisor
- Back checking by supervisor (15%)
- Inspection by Research Executive (5% Areas)
- Field editing by supervisor
- Surprise inspection by Research Executive / Project Manager
- Dispatches – Courier Services
DATA MANAGEMENT
The major areas of data management are:
- Editing
- Coding
- Selection of appropriate software
- Adaptation(Programming)
- Physical Checking of Listings
- Incorporation of corrections
- Generation of frequency distribution tables
- Preparation of electronic files for clients
- Competence in use of latest software for statistical analysis
- Development of reports and presentations
DATA RELIABILITY CONTROLS
- Manual checking
- Print outs of all data are checked by tallying with the original data with original documents/questionnaires
- General consistency checks
- Random checking is performed through double punching of 15% to 20% of the questionnaires.