The gap between beliefs and behaviours

This article discusses the apparent conflict between big data and market research in generating useful marketing insights.

The gap between beliefs and behaviours

James MurphyFuture Foundation

Understanding behaviour and motive are the preserve of market research. Even then, competing methodologies and subjective interpretations often produce conflicting findings. The entry into this arena of Big Data complicates these issues even further. In this article, based on the Future Foundation's recent book, The Big Lie, James Murphy dives into the maelstrom of conflicting and contradictory 'truths' with insights for marketing practitioners.

We open with a question that is both topical and pointed for the marketing community in every consumer-facing sector: what should we make of the...

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