Vitosha Research/Sociological Program
In 1997, Vitosha Research conducted 23 quantitative
and qualitative surveys.
I. Research Projects
The research projects conducted in 1997 can be
divided into four categories: public opinion surveys, social and
economic research, market and media research, and data base
development.
1. Public Opinion Surveys
A total of six research projects were coducted in
1997. Five of them were based on national representative samples
and one of them was based on quota sample. A total of 4,500
face-to-face interviews were conducted. The basic topics covered
were:
- Public opinion about politics and the economy;
- Elites and the changes in Bulgaria;
- Mass privatization attitudes.
The Vitosha Research team at
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2. Social and Economic Research
Social and economic research included both
quantitative and qualitative studies. Vitosha Research conducted
over 6,000 face-to-face interviews, 30 in-depth interviews, and 7
focus group discussions, covering the following topics:
- Non-governmental organizations and their economic
environment;
- Attitudes of Bulgarians towards corruption;
- Problems of health insurance;
- Social and political security;
- Relations between citizens and go-vernment
officials.
Social and economic research projects conducted by
Vitosha Research in 1997 were commissioned by United States Agency
for International Development (USAID), United Nations Development
Nations (UNDP), Urban Institute (USA), London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Diseases (UK), and University of Glasgow (UK).
International Social Justice Project
The International Social Justice Project is a
collaborative research effort aimimg to explore the perceptions of
social justice in six countries. The project includes the
development, implementation and analysis of data gathered through a
common survey questionnaire in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia,
Germany, Hungary, and Russia. The first stage of the project was
completed in 1991. The second stage of the project started in 1995
and the surveys were conducted in October 1996. The results of the
surveys were discussed at a conference in Beladjo, Italy in May
1997.
The basic objective of the project was to collect
and analyze information about public perceptions of social justice
in order to stimulate public support for reform processes and for
future social change.
Coping with Government
This project focuses on the interaction between
citizens and junior officials (state and local government). A
variety of in-depth, qualitative and quantitative methods were used
to study the strategies and the networks that people use to cope
with government in Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovak Republic, and the
Czech Republic. The problems are explored both from the point of
view of junior officials and of the public.
The objectives of the project were:
- To find out whether different forms of corruption
have emerged as a real problem, or does it represent a "culture of
complaining" which the old regime used for controlling
officials;
- To find out what coping strategies citizens employ
when faced with unfair treatment by officials. These strategies can
include: persistence, appeal to higher authority, to the press, to
elected officials; the use of contacts, influence, and bribery, or
simply attempts to minimize their interaction with officials they
do not trust.
- To find out whether citizens are in fact
comfortable with a culture of briberies and influence.
Human Security in Bulgaria
Vitosha Research contributed to a project aimed at
outlining the major human security issues in Bulgaria as perceived
by the public at large. It was part of the efforts of UNDP to
further enhance the elaboration of pro-active social and economic
policies designed to address the most acute problems of the
transition in Bulgaria.
A national representative survey (sample size N =
1500) was conducted in June 1997. The survey results will be used
as a groundwork for a future study of human aspirations. The survey
will serve as the basis for policy formulation and decision-making
as well as a criterion for assessing the effects of the social and
economic policy mechanisms which have been in operation for the
past few years. The findings and conclusions about human security
are expected to provoke further inquiry and discussions about the
human dimensions of transition in Bulgarian society.
Early Warning System in Bulgaria
Early warning systems explore the possibility of
anticipating and responding to crisis situations before they become
too violent or mitigating their effects once underway. Early
warning reporting develops predictive capabilities and enhances
informed judgments about possible sequences of events and
outcomes.
In November 1997, a project for development of an
early warning system in Bulgaria was initiated by United National
Development Program (UNDP). Work on the project is carried out by
CSD, the Department of International Relations Association, BBSS
Gallup, and Club Ekonomika 2000. The project activities
include:
- Design of a system of interrelated indicators aimed
at monthly monitoring of the dynamics of the overall economic,
social, political, religious and ethnic environment in
Bulgaria;
- Developing an effective frame for data gathering
and communication networks. Currently, the information is based on
monthly opinion polls, data from Bulgarian governmental
institutions and information in the press;
- Summarizing the findings of the monitoring system
and analyzing the information;
- Distribution of reports on a monthly basis and
bringing the information to the attention of all interested parties
including potentially affected actors.
The information system will be unique in Bulgaria.
It is expected that the ideal format of reporting will be achieved
after several months of experience.
3. Market and Media Research
Two quantitative and one qualitative market research
projects were conducted in 1997. They included 3000 face-to-face
interviews, six store checks, and desk research. The research
fields covered included consumer behavior surveys and a survey of
the Bulgarian pharmaceutical market. The media research projects
completed in 1997 focused on the assessment of media audiences and
programming evaluation.
4. Data Base Development
Two Vitosha Research projects included data base
design. The developed data bases provide accurate and reliable data
in the following areas:
- Bulgarian non-governmental organizations;
- Bulgarian public policy experts.
The projects were commissioned by Bulgarian
representatives of the Democracy Network Program at the Institute
for Sustainable Communities and the Austrian Institute for East and
South-East Europe.
II. Conference
Social Justice: Public Perceptions and Public Debate
(February 20, 1997)
The conference was organized with the support of the
Royal Netherlands Embassy and aimed:
- To present the results from a survey on political,
social, and economic justice conducted in December 1996.
- To provide an analysis of the current and former
(pre-89) attitudes towards justice in Bulgaria based upon
tendencies evidenced by the survey.
- To stimulate public concern and debate regarding
these issues.
The conference was attended by government officials,
researchers, journalists, representatives of non-governmental
organizations, and other interested observers.
Lecturers at the conference were:
- Blagovest Georgiev - Associate Professor at Sofia
University, Department of Sociology;
- Dimitar Ninov - Head of the Department of Social
Insurance at the Mi-nistry of Finance;
- Galja Krasteva - Senior Analyst at Vitosha
Research.
Mr. Alexander Stoyanov, CSD
Director of Research, chaired the conference on Social Justice:
Public Perceptions and Public Debate jointly with Mr. Lambertus van
Geel, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in
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III. Publications
Several analytic reports, working papers and
articles were prepared by the staff members of Vitosha
Research:
1. VR analytic Reports
- Public Perceptions on Social Justice (analysis of
the results of a survey conducted in December 1996)
- Perceptions on Social Justice: Overview Report
(analysis of the results of two surveys conducted in July 1991 and
December 1996)
- Public Opinion on the Eve of the Upcoming
Parliamentary Elections (April 1997)
- Public Opinion on Non-Governmental Organizations in
Bulgaria (analysis of the results of a survey conducted in December
1996)
- Non-Governmental Organizations in Bulgaria:
Overview Report (analysis of the results of a series of surveys
conducted in the period from May 1994 to September 1997)
- NGOs, Actively Working on Public Policy Issues
(April 1997)
- Problems of Not-For-Profit Organizations in
Bulgaria (focus-group discussion analysis, June 1997)
- Attitudes of Bulgarians towards Corruption
(analysis of the results of two surveys conducted in March 1997 and
September 1997)
- Human Security in Bulgaria (November 1997)
- Elites and Changes in Bulgaria (May 1997)
- The attitudes of the Bulgarian Elite towards NGOs
in Bulgaria (May 1997)
- First Wave of Mass Privatization and Problems of
Privatized Enterprises Management (focus-group discussion analysis,
May 1997)
- 1997 Bulgarian Think-Tank Survey: Final Overview
Report (September 1997)
2. Newspaper Articles
The public opinion does not consider as normal the
great social differences (Pari, March 19, 1997)
The third sector enlarges its positions (Balgarski biznes, vol. 19,
May 1997)
NGOs are not considered as a real corrective for the power and
business yet (Kontinent, October 23, 1997)
The modern tax environment for development of the NGOs (Delova
sedmica, vol. 38, 1997)
Corruption is not tolerated any more (Trud, November 25, 1997)
NGOs - the way ahead in the changing world (The Sofia Echo,
November 21, 1997)
Corruption: Society is not tolerating it anymore (The Sofia Echo,
December 5, 1997)
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