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Specifications of marketing research conducted with underage respondents
Čepek, Michal ; Průša, Přemysl (advisor) ; Kolafa, Jan (referee)
This diploma thesis deals with the ethics of marketing research conducted with underage respondents. Child security is a very hot topic these days; therefore the field of market research should use only methods tolerated by parents. Global as well as local market research associations regularly publish codes of conduct and guidelines dealing with the ethics in market research. However, they define only basic rules and regulations and do not reflect the specificity of each method and technique. The goal of this diploma thesis is to identify methods used in market research that are not perceived as ethical by parents. Results should motivate research agencies to eliminate using such methods or at least modify them to decrease the level of controversy among general public. In order to identify unethically perceived market research methods, the author of the thesis conducted a quantitative research among the needed target group: parents of school kids. The survey found 5 methods that are considered ethical and thus do not pose any significant threat to the industry of market research: taste test, observation, product test, eye-tracking and communication test. Two methods were labeled as unethical by the respondents: field experiment and online discussion groups. Those methods can be used without any major changes provided that agencies communicate openly with parents all details regarding the research. They have to make sure that parents understand the methodology and are sure to let their children participate in such a project. Finally, three methods were recognized as highly unethical or even illegal: neuromarketing, netnography and geolocation (geomarketing). These methods carry a high probability of damaging the positive image of market research industry among general public. Less than one quarter of respondents consider these methods as suitable for use with kids and at the same time more than 25 % of parents think that those methods are illegal. In case of neuromarketing, it is recommended to firstly explain the used methodology in detail and, if possible, demonstrate its 100 % safety in presence of a doctor. Netnography was evaluated as highly unethical. On the other hand, it is a type of observation; therefore, its use in reality is unlikely to be registered by public. As a result, there does not have to be any severe steps taken to regulate this method. Geolocation scored as the most unethical market research method in the survey. This method is therefore not recommended for use as it carries an enormous risk of damaging the whole market research industry.
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