Annual Report 2006

Glossary of specialist GfK terms

 

A
Ad Challenger*Med
Instrument in the  -> HealthCare division. It is used to evaluate the effectiveness of potential advertising material in the competitive environment, offering  -> benchmark data for objective assessment of survey results.

AnalyzeIT
Panel evaluation software in the  -> Consumer Tracking division, which enables clients and GfK employees to easily access and launch reports and special surveys from the  -> household panel.

Automotive research
Qualitative and quantitative analysis of vehicle markets as a basis for the successful development and launch of vehicles and accessories.

B
Basic research
Market research is based on the findings of many different sciences, including psychology, sociology and statistics. Basic research reviews those findings and establishes by means of its own research whether and under which circumstances these findings can be applied in market research.

Benchmark data
Data used to compare performance features. The key figures of various companies, products or work cycles are compared in order to identify weaknesses and subsequently improve performance.

Brand ID
Instrument in the  -> HealthCare division. Used to measure brand perception and brand strength of prescription drugs and to identify the features which result in improved market positioning.

Business-to-business research
Surveys which focus on companies as the target group. The respondents are company representatives who are in a position to provide information on the basis of their post within the relevant company.

C
CAPI
Computer Assisted Personal Interview. Computerbased -> face-to-face interview. Compared with paper & pencil surveys, handwritten notes and manual data input are dispensed with. The data is available in digital form immediately after the interview.

Conjoint analysis
-> Multivariate analysis method to determine complex patterns of consumer preferences.

 

Consumer climate
Indicator that is calculated on the basis of the findings of a monthly consumer survey carried out on behalf of the European Commission. It gives insight into the level and general trends of private consumption specific countries: ->  Propensity to buy.

Consumer electronics
Also known as brown goods, which comprise products such as TV sets, DVD players, games consoles, MP3 players: ->  Retail and Technology

Consumer Jury
Online panel for slow moving consumer goods in the  -> Consumer Tracking division. It combines instruments for recruiting panel participants, for panel management and survey management with standardized survey software and also comprises output interfaces for various types of software: ->  Panel.

Consumer panel
A  -> sample of households which provide regular information on their purchases: -> ConsumerScan,   ->ConsumerScope,  -> panel.

ConsumerScan
 -> Consumer panel in which the purchasing behavior of households and individuals is recorded. Covers purchases of nearly all fast moving consumer goods.  -> Consumer Tracking, -> household panel,  -> panel.

ConsumerScope
Mail panel, carrying out continuous surveys of purchases of consumer goods with slow moving acquisition cycles and the use of services.  -> Consumer Tracking,  -> Panel, -> consumer panel.

Consumer Tracking
A survey of households and individual consumers that is repeated at regular intervals; Consumer Tracking is one of GfK’s business divisions.  -> Household panel,  -> panel -> tracking.

Custom Research
Custom Research is one of GfK’s business divisions. Systematic empirical research as a basis of marketing decisions.

E
Evogenius
Instrument used to produce and analyze media usage data. Initially designed for TV research, it has since been expanded to include radio, print, posters, online and cross-media:  -> Media.

 

Excellence Team
As part of the Excellence program set up in 2001, GfK managers selected globally work together on a project of strategic importance to GfK for one year at a time. The current Excellence VI Team is focusing on idea and innovation management at GfK.

Extrapolation
Derived total result based on partial results. In order to extrapolate as precisely as possible, the partial results used must take account of all conceivable aspects and be sufficient in size. This is known as a representative  -> sample.

F
5 Star Incentive Program
Part of the remuneration system for GfK Management Board members. The amount of these partial remuneration payments varies, depending on the share price trend and the key figures in the consolidated accounts.

5 Star Initiative
Corporate GfK strategy for the next four years. The five cornerstones comprise the aims of -> fact-based consultancy, Top 3, global reach, full service and excellent financials.

Face-to-face interview
Oral, direct interview conducted by an interviewer. Respondents do not see the questionnaire, but are asked the relevant questions by the interviewer.

Fact-based consultancy
Strategic client consulting based on figures. One of the five aims of GfK’s corporate strategy ->  5 Star Initiative.

Fusion measurement method
Combination of different metering techniques. Used primarily as a result of digital convergence in  -> media research.

G
GfK Academy
Continued professional development centers of GfK for market research fields. The GfK Academy in Nuremberg, Germany, targets international middle management staff. The GfK Academy in Brussels, Belgium, offers international workshops for GfK staff and clients in the ->  Custom Research division.

Global Key Account Management
Selected GfK employees in the  -> Custom Research division who manage global corporate client accounts.

 

GOP
Global online platform. Multilingual online panel system in the  -> Custom Research division that is based on standard software and technology, but offers individual customizing options for all networked GfK companies: -> Panel.

H
HealthCare
HealthCare is one of GfK’s business divisions, which supplies information services on product development, communications, image and NBA for drugs and devices and services in healthcare.

HILCA
Hierarchical individualized limit conjoint analysis. -> Conjoint analysis for better illustration of purchasing decisions regarding complex products. Product features required by consumers are not treated equally, but structured in a hierarchy based on target groups.

I
Impulse Mobile
 -> Individual panel in Germany to collect data on -> out-of-home consumption. Consumers report via cell phone on their consumption of coffee-to-go and fast food: -> Consumer Tracking, -> panel.

Individual panel
Representatively selected  -> sample of private individuals, who report regularly on their purchases:  -> ConsumerScan,  -> ConsumerScope, -> Consumer Tracking,  -> panel,  -> Impulse Mobile.

Internet sales reporting
Procedure used in the  -> Retail and Technology division that measures actual online purchases of specific items on the basis of significantly expanded retail samples:  -> Sample.

K
KES
Knowledge exchange solution. GfK initiative on global knowledge sharing between employees.

L
Leader panel
Reduced -> sample, used mainly in the  -> Retail and Technology division. Facilitates weekly reporting on rapidly changing product groups and prompt trend identification.

Lifestyle research
Surveys which encompass more than individual markets by aiming to divide the population into categories based on typical behavior. The categories describe behavioral types and lifestyles.

 

M
Market segmentation
Division of an overall market into sub-markets using different categories. Segmentation can be by product type, price classes, geographic split or psychological and socio-economic lifestyle features and value categories of consumers: -> Lifestyle research.

Media
Media is one of GfK’s business divisions, which provides information services on reach, intensity and type of use of media and media offering and their acceptance: ->  TV audience research,  -> media research,  -> ratings,  -> TV panel.

Media Day
Nationwide survey of the New York-based GfK subsidiary, MRI, on consumer behavior and media consumption by us citizens in the course of a day: -> Media,  -> media research.

MediaWatch
An electronic metering device incorporated into a wristwatch, used to measure usage of various media.->   Media,  -> media research, ->  portable people meter,  -> reach,  -> reach research.

Media research
Systematic, empirical research used as a basis for media planning by media companies and their advertising clients:  -> Media, ->  TV audience research,  -> portable people meter, ->  reach,  -> reach research.

Multivariate analysis
Method which is used to analyze the interaction of a minimum of three features (variables) at the same time. Key multivariate methods include multiple correlation and regression analysis, multidimensional scaling, factor analysis and ->  conjoint analysis.

N
Neuromarketing
Interdisciplinary field of research. Previously unknown patterns and processes, which control the decision of potential customers for or against a product are researched on the basis of changes in the flow of blood in the brain and put in relation to actual visible behavior.

O
Out-of-home consumption
Out-of-home consumption comprises all food and drink consumed outside the home, e.g. in restaurants, diners, pubs and bars and from kiosks. The term out-of-home consumption also covers ready meals and other fully prepared meals that are taken home for consumption: ->  Impulse Mobile.

 

P
Panel
A survey of individuals, households, companies etc. to obtain data on a single subject at regular intervals over a longer period, using the same ->  sample and carried out using the same methods each time ->  Consumer Tracking, ->  ConsumerScan, -> ConsumerScope,  -> household panel,  -> TV panel, -> panel maintenance,  -> tracking.

Panel maintenance
Instrument used to ensure the quality of panel surveys. Following the departure of panel participants or their familiarity with a survey topic, participants are removed from the panel at specific intervals and replaced by new panel members. Panel maintenance also comprises the exclusion of incentive hunters who only participate in panels to benefit from the reward system:  -> Consumer Tracking,  -> panel.

Panel portal
Website with a members’ section, which only registered panel participants can access. It provides information about the next surveys for online participants and the findings of previous surveys:  -> GOP,  -> panel.

Portable People Meter
Metering devices which are used in  -> reach research and worn at all times. Typical portable people meters are  -> Radiocontrol and the -> Media Watch by Swiss GfK subsidiary, the Telecontrol Group: ->  Media,  -> media research.

Propensity to buy
The intention of consumers to make major acquisitions in the near future. The propensity to buy is one of the indicators used in the GfK consumer climate survey based on consumers being asked the following question: “Do you think that it is wise to make major purchases at the moment?”  -> Consumer climate.

R
Radiocontrol
Electronic meter, incorporated into a wristwatch, that measures radio listening:  -> Media,  -> media research,  -> portable people meter, ->  reach, -> reach research.

Radio research
Measuring the listening habits of radio listeners: ->  Media,  -> MediaWatch,  -> portable people meter, ->  Radiocontrol.

Reach
The percentage of the total population or a specific target group reached by a medium. A central concept in media planning and   media research: ->  TV panel,   ->portable people meter, ->  reach research, ->  TV meter.

 

Reach research
The continuous recording of media usage: ->  Media,  -> portable people meter,  -> reach, -> TV meter.

Retail and Technology
GfK business division which provides retail information about consumer technology markets: -> Retail panel.

Retail panel
Representative sample of households, which report regularly on their purchases: ->  ConsumerScan, ->  ConsumerScope, ->  Consumer Tracking, ->  panel.

Retail panel/research
Regular recording of sales, product categories and products via a representative sample of retailers with different retail types and sales channels. ->  Retail and Technology,  -> tracking.

RFID
Radio frequency identification. Procedure to identify and localize objects, animals and people, using miniature chips on passports, bank notes and tickets. Can also be used in  -> reach research
and retail.

S
Sample
The observation data and/or survey units which are selected from all of the units and included in a specific survey: ->  Extrapolation, ->  StarTrack.

ScanIT
Scanner pen used to record purchases. Information is sent to GfK via the Internet:  -> ConsumerScan, -> Consumer Tracking, ->  panel.

Segmentation
-> market segmentation.

StarTrack
IT platform used to produce and evaluate data in the  -> Retail and Technology division: ->  StarTrack Explorer GSE.

StarTrack Explorer GSE
Online access to the StarTrack production and evaluation system, which clients can use to call up and compare information and track their markets in terms of volume, sales, sales channels and segment: ->  Retail and Technology, ->  StarTrack.

 

T
TC Score
Metering system used in -> TV audience research, which comprises a central piece of equipment and several metering modules, such as receivers, set-top boxes and DVD players. Particularly extensive data precision is achieved by surveying TV consumption and the use of additional equipment via TC Score modules: -> TV panel,  -> media,  -> media research, -> TV meter.

TC VIII
Metering system used in  -> TV audience research to measure TV consumption and the use of additional equipment, such as set-top boxes and DVD players, via a centrally installed unit: -> TV panel,  -> media,  -> media research, -> TV meter.

Test market
Largely self-contained sub-market, in which a new product is tested in a reality-based situation, e.g. a superstore specifically equipped for this purpose or in a region that is representative of a whole country.

Tracking
Surveys of individuals, households and companies, repeated at regular intervals and using the same interview method each time. Unlike a -> panel, the data is not necessarily collected from the same sources each time, but the structure of the sample is the same in each case: ->  Consumer Tracking.

TV audience research
TV audience research is used to determine audience share.  -> media,  -> media research, -> reach, ->  TV panel,  -> TV meter,  -> TC VIII, -> TC Score.

TV meter
An electronic instrument that measures a person’s TV viewing at regular intervals, frequently on a second-by-second basis: ->  TV audience research, ->  TV panel, -> Media, -> reach research, ->  TC Score, ->  TC VIII.

TV panel
A representative group of households whose TV viewing is continuously established via  -> TV meters and used as the basis for determining audience share and ratings. -> TV audience research, ->  media, ->  panel, -> reach.

 

V
Volumetric Price
An instrument developed for ->  test market research, which examines the possible price range of new products prior to their market launch, using online surveys and  -> CAPI.