Qualitative Research as a Segment of the Market Research Industry

• ESOMAR's Global Market Research 2018 report shows that qualitative research, which includes qualitative data collection and analysis, accounted for only USD 6.83606 billion or 14% of the USD 45.829-billion global market research industry in 2017. Given this information, it is likely that the market for qualitative research in developing countries is smaller than USD 6.83606 billion.
• Only one developing country figured among the five largest markets for market research in 2017, and this country was China with a 5% market share. The rest of these five largest markets were developed countries, namely the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, which, together, accounted for 69% of the global market research industry that year.
• ESOMAR's Global Market Research 2018 report also shows, by country, the market research industry size and the percent breakdown of market research spend into quantitative research and qualitative research. This information, together with the United Nation's list of developing economies, can be used to compute or estimate the size of the market for qualitative data collection and analysis in developing countries.
• ESOMAR's report also shows, by country, the percent breakdown of the market research spend into client types, such as industries and government and non-profits. In the report, government and non-profits were classified as one client type.

Revenues of Sample Companies Provided

• ZoomInfo provides the estimated revenues of 60 Decibels, Viamo, and Premise, which were provided as examples of companies that provide qualitative data collection and analysis in developing countries.
• 60 Decibels has an estimated revenue of USD 198,000.
• Viamo has an estimated revenue of USD 13 million.
• Premise has an estimated revenue of USD 5 million.

Summary of Early Findings

• The size of the market for qualitative data collection and analysis in developing countries and its breakdown into client types could not be readily located in the public domain, but they may be estimated using country-level figures provided in ESOMAR's Global Market Research report.
• Market growth trends specific to qualitative research in developing countries could not be readily located in the public domain as well, but recent historical trends may be gathered by comparing values provided across ESOMAR's yearly Global Market Research reports. ESOMAR's Global Market Research report for years 2015 and 2016, for example, are publicly available.
• The market share of 60 Decibels, Viamo, and/or Premise could not be located in the public domain. Determining the market size based on the revenue and market share of some players in the market does not appear to be feasible.