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What is ISO ?
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international standards-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded in 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary industrial and commercial standards. It has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. While ISO defines itself as a non-governmental organization, its ability to set standards that often become law, either through treaties or national standards, makes it more powerful than most non-governmental organizations.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is the US representative to ISO for all standards development efforts. CASRO is the ANSI member representing the US delegation to Technical Committee 225, charged with the development of ISO 20252 and ISO 26362 and any other related research standards.
ISO 20252:2006 - Market, opinion and social research - Vocabulary and service requirements is an approved international standard of the ISO (International Standardization Organization.) The standard establishes globally recognized terms and definitions as well as the service requirements for organizations and professionals conducting market, opinion and social research.
As stated in the introduction of this standard, "An international quality standard ensures that the process elements of such research are undertaken to an appropriate standard and in a verifiable and consistent manner. This will enable data, arising from research studies carried out to this standard, being used to guide the provision of goods and services to citizens and institutions in a consistent and transparent fashion."
What are the key elements of the 20252 standard?
• Staff training and development
• Control of subcontractors
• Proposal/quotation content
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• Documented quality management system that can be audited
• Transparency to clients including client review of key steps and reporting
• Validation and verification of major process steps
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ISO 26362:2009 - Access panels in market, opinion and social research - Vocabulary and Service Requirements specifies the terms and definitions, as well as the service requirements, for organizations and professionals who own and/or use access panels for market, opinion and social research. It develops the criteria against which access panel providers can be evaluated and against which the quality of access panels can be assessed. ISO 26362:2009 is applicable to all types of access panels, whether recruited and used online (e.g. via internet) or offline (e.g. via telephone, post or face-to-face interaction).
What are the key elements of the 26362 standard?
• Includes the key elements of 20252
• Deals the specific requirements and issues surrounding access panels
• Addresses all access panels -- online and offline
• Does not cover continuously reporting panels (e.g., TV-rating panels)
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For Research Companies:
• Translates methodology into effective processes
• Formal systems uncover inefficiencies and encourage search for solutions to process problems
• Defines internal responsibilities and can promote staff satisfaction
• More consistent, reliable, transparent products and services
• Basis for subcontractor evaluation
• Reduced errors and rework
• Enhanced global competitiveness
• improves operations management and control of access panels
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For Clients:
• Assurance that the required processes have been carried out in ways which are recognized by the industry
• Improves clients ability to buy effectively
• Timely delivery
• More ability to focus on insight
• Quality accountability
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For Public (Respondents):
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• Enables ethical code protections for respondents and the public to be consistently applied
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For Government:
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• Standards are seen as self-regulation and reduce the risks of imposed regulation
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What is CASRO's position on adopting ISO 20252/26362 ?
Standards Development:
CASRO has been committed to these global research quality standards for over ten years by providing singular leadership as the U.S. representative to the Technical Committee (TC) that developed these standards. CASRO's involvement ensured that our members', as well as the US research industry's research and business processes are and will continue to be recognized and supported internationally. CASRO endorses this process standard as a quality foundation for research project management. CASRO considers the ISO 20252 process quality component part of the three pillars of quality: Standards of Ethics and Law, Standards of Scientific Practices, and Process Quality.
Global Adoption:
Certification to the ISO standard has been achieved by research companies in Europe, as well as Australia, Mexico, and elsewhere. CASRO's perspective is that it is prudent for its members to look ahead to meeting and exceeding this standard within their businesses. We believe the result will be improved productivity, efficiency, cost effectiveness and ultimately increased profits. Adoption of this standard is especially important for companies operating globally.
U.S. Certification Body:
CASRO has established the first U.S. based certification body for ISO 20252 and ISO 26362. CASRO Institute for Research Quality (CIRQ) provides auditing and certification services for these two ISO research standards.learn more
How can a CASRO member purchase copies of these standards ?
Standards documents may be purchased/downloaded through the U.S. member of ISO: ANSI (American National Standards Institute.) via the following links:
To request more information on ISO 20252 or ISO 26362, contact Jennifer Ward, CASRO Membership Director.
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