[SIZE=+1] Overview of Perceptual Mapping[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] William D. Neal The Sawtooth Software Conference on:
Conjoint Analysis, Perceptual Mapping, and Computer Interviewing[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] April 6-8, 1988 [/SIZE]
INTRODUCTION
Perceptual mapping is one of the few marketing research techniques that provides direct input into the strategic marketing planning process. It allows senior marketing planners to take a broad view of the strengths and weaknesses of their product or service offerings relative to the strengths and weaknesses of their competition. It allows the marketing planner to view the customer and the competitor simultaneously in the same realm.
Perceptual mapping and preference mapping techniques have been a basic tool of the applied marketing research profession for over twenty years now. It is one of the few advanced multivariate techniques that has not suffered very much from alternating waves of popularity and disfavor. Although I personally observed a minor waning of the use of the techniques in the early 1980's, it is now as popular as ever.
And although these techniques have been used extensively over a large number of applied research studies, and for a very wide variety of product and service categories, and have been subjected to extensive validations, there still remain some very basic issues as to the procedure's applicability and usefulness.
In addition, there remain many outstanding issues concerning the proper procedures and algorithms that should be used for perceptual mapping.
So, I see that my main task at this conference is to raise the issues, as I see them. I am taking a rather naive approach. That is, I will approach these issues from the research manager's point of view, and not the statistician's. These issues represent the kinds of questions that my clients ask me and my staff. Obviously, I have some answers, and some biases, but I will try to minimize those, and concentrate on the issues.
I know that many of these issues will be addressed at this conference, both in formal presentations and in informal discussions. I am taking this route in the hopes that this introduction will encourage greater investigation, increase validation activities, encourage additional, practitioner? oriented publishing activities, and provide fuel for additional conferences of this type.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
So, let's start with the first issue. Just what is perceptual mapping? Or, is it preference mapping? Or, is it structural segmentation? Or what? Here is a list of some of the names that I have seen this procedure called: - Perceptual Mapping - MDS Mapping - Preference Mapping - Market Mapping - Structural Segmentation - Product Mapping - Brand Mapping - Goal Mapping - Behavioral Mapping - Image Mapping - Strategic Product Positioning - Semantic Mapping
