1991-1995 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
- Organized a national interviewer network consisting
of approximately 350 interviewers. It is regionally based and
consists of 28 regional groups (100 interviewers in Sofia and 250
in all regional centers);
- Conducted 60 quantitative national sample surveys
(public opinion, social, marketing and audience research) and 30
qualitative surveys. The basic survey methods employed included
face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, focus group
discussions, omnibus surveys, and computer-based perception
analyzer system (quick-tally) for assessment of radio and TV
programming and advertising;
- Organized an international seminar on survey
methodology and organization in Sandanski, southern Bulgaria, in
August 1992. The seminar was attended by pollsters from Hungary,
Poland, Russia, Romania, and Bulgaria. The lectures included Dr.
Peter Mohler, Director of ZUMA, Mannheim, Dr. Mary McIntosh, Chief
of the European Branch of USIA Office of Research, and leading US
pollsters, Nancy Belden and Gary Lawrence;
- Completed a research project, At-risk Groups and
Social Problems in Bulgaria, in August у September 1994, which was
part of package of surveys commissioned by the World Bank. The
survey design employed several research techniques, including a
quantitative survey of clients of Social Assistance Offices, focus
group discussions with experts and representatives of risk groups,
and in-depth interviews with selected representatives of high-risk
groups. The analytical report of survey findings was presented at a
seminar organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare and
CSD;
- Prepared more than 20 publications, covering
topical issues such as pre-election attitudes and electoral
behavior, value system and political affiliations of Bulgarian
society, social stratification, at-risk groups in Bulgaria and
public attitudes towards mass privatization.
- Established good working relations and research
co-operation with institutions including the BBC World Service,
USIA Office of Research, Open Media Research Institute, the World
Bank, Worldnet TV and the International Social Survey Program, to
name but a few.
Vitosha Research conducted 26 quantitative and
qualitative surveys and research projects in 1996. They were
focused upon:
- Monitoring the public perception of economic,
political and social changes in Bulgaria;
- Conducting radio audience research, media
evaluation and music research;
- Conducting market research and consultancy
projects;
- Preparing a series of analytic reports on economic
reforms, mass privatization, social and political values during the
transition;
- Developing survey information database and
employment of new research techniques;
- Providing methodological and technical support to
the other CSD projects.
The Sociological Program started operating shortly
after the establishment of CSD. In 1990 it conducted the first
independent pre- and post election surveys after the democratic
changes in Bulgaria. This was an important contribution to
democratic institution building and to fostering public awareness
of the evolving new political and economic system. Vitosha Research
was launched at the end of 1994 to develop new orientations of work
for the Sociological Program of CSD and to deepen its concentration
in the field of market research.
Since its first surveys Vitosha Research has
accumulated considerable experience in quantitative and qualitative
research, which provided the foundation for building up an
effective, professional research unit. Vitosha Research now works
on contractual basis, covering a wide range of activities:
monitoring privatization and economic behavior, gauging political
attitudes, determining value orientations, conducting market
research, media and audience research, advertising studies and
others.
I. Research Projects
The research projects conducted in 1996 fall into
four major categories: public opinion surveys, media research,
market research, social and economic research.
1. Public Opinion Surveys
Seven research projects were completed. Five of them
were based on national representative samples and two on quota
samples. A total of 6500 face-to-face interviews were conducted by
the national interviewer net of Vitosha Research. The basic topics
covered were:
- public opinion about politics and the economy;
- elites and the changes in Bulgaria;
- monitor of mass privatization;
- private business and the state.
2. Media Research
Six media research projects were conducted in 1996.
Different research methods were used to evaluate some media
audiences:
3. Market Research
Six quantitative market research studies were
conducted during the year. They included 3500 face-to-face
interviews, 2000 telephone interviews and 9 field observations. The
following research fields were covered:
- regional infrastructure audit;
- advertising post-campaign surveys;
Market research projects were commissioned directly,
or through Bulgarian representatives, by KFC, Philip Morris
Services у Bulgaria, Amoco Petroleum Products (Bulgarian and Polish
branches), Intco Trade Ltd. Three new nation-wide and regional
databases were developed jointly with Datecs Ltd.
4. Social and Economic Research
Social and economic research included both
quantitative and qualitative surveys. They included over 4000
face-to-face interviews, 30 in-depth interviews, and 6 focus group
discussions (in Sofia, Yambol, Kurdjali, Straldja, Tenevo),
covering the following topics:
- attitudes towards social justice;
- relationships between citizens and government
authorities;
- economic climate for the private business in
Bulgaria;
- non-governmental organizations and their economic
environment;
- rural socio-economic survey of three country
regions in Bulgaria.
Social and economic research projects were
commissioned by the World Bank, the University of Glasgow, the
National Council for Soviet and East European Research, the US
International Research and Exchanges Board, Japan International
Cooperation Agency and the Royal Netherlands Embassy to
Bulgaria.
II. Conference
The conference Market Reforms, Advertising and
Audience Research was held jointly with the European
Broadcasting Union (EBU) in March. Distinguished professionals like
Michael Type, Head of EBU Data & Reference Center, Dr. Peter Diem,
Head of Audience Research, ORF, Austria, and Jane Perry, Media
Research Director of Young & Rubicam Europe made presentations at
the conference.
Apart from expert lectures on different research
practices of radio and TV audience measurement, the conference
provided a forum for discussions on the problems of competition and
professional communication in the fields of advertising and
audience research.
It was attended by broadcasters, journalists and
advertisers. Broadcast researchers were represented from both the
public and private sector.
III. Publications
Several analytic reports, articles and working
papers were prepared by the staff members of Vitosha Research:
- Monitor of Mass Privatization (analyses of
the results of a series of surveys conducted in April 1996 -
October 1996),
- Monitor of Mass Privatization (analyses of
the results of a series of surveys conducted in October 1995 -
October 1996),
- Does Bulgarian Society Support Mass
Privatization (October 1996),
- Private Sector and Government Actions in
Bulgaria (November 1996),
- Public Perceptions of Economic Problems
(December 1996).
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