Visit Psyma in Europe

Psyma on Research & Results 2011

Which city where Psyma has an office in is the most beautiful one in Europe? We asked this question during the "Research & Results 2011" market research fair in Munich / Germany last week.

Visitors could choose between 10 cities where we have offices: Madrid, Barcelona, London, Lille/Paris, Nuremberg, Munich, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest and Moscow.

Almost 500 visitors cast their vote!

You could win a weekend trip for 2 persons to the city that was elected. The lucky winner has been informed by e-mail.

So which city won the election?

Within Germany, Munich won over Nuremberg. But compared to the rest of Europe, none of these Bavarian cities could score: Paris and London seem way more attractive, with respectively 15% and 17% of all votes. But by far, the winner with 33% of all votes is... Barcelona!

We thank all the participants and encourage you to visit us not only in Europe, but in our offices in Philadelphia, Mexico City, São Paulo, Beijing or Shanghai as well!
Enjoy your visit to our website.

Left:
Matthias Fargel, Founding Managing Director of Psyma International Medical, Germany

Right:
Jeff Judek, Managing Director Psyma USA

Psyma operates main hubs for healthcare studies in Shanghai, Moscow, Nuremberg, Madrid, São Paulo, Philadelphia and Mexico City. Cross-national “Center of Excellence“ teams devote themselves – on top of our standard range of services – to specific markets like oncology, virology, biologicals/biosimilars, orphan drugs, medical technology and vaccinations.

In all countries, the domestic and international business units are now merged. The Germany based office in Nuremberg is directed by Dr. Hubertus Meixner, supported by Mr. Marian Mihelic, Director Market Development & Consulting. This strategic reorganization enables Psyma to offer its clientele an even broader spectrum of global and regional expertise with integrated resources in the European, Asian, North and Latin American markets.

(Left: Dr. Hubertus Meixner, Managing Director Psyma International Medical

Right: Marian Mihelic, Director Market Development & Consulting)

Coronary Heart Disease remains the leading cause of mortality in men over 45 years, and in women over 65 years throughout Europe. Therefore, the European Society of Cardiology has made prevention one of the priorities of its mission: ”to improve the quality of life of the European population by reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease”. Psyma International Medical Marketing Research war commissioned to conduct research in 6 countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland & UK) to target and catalogue processes that address the main obstacles for implementation of cardiovascular preventive strategies.

For more information on the study, please visit www.escardio.org.

For more information on Psyma Medical, please visit Psyma International Medical Marketing Research.

In issue 02/08 of the German market research magazine Context, the sales figures of its largest institutes were published. Psyma increased sales 17% up to € 25.8 Mil. (US$ 38 Mil.) and stays Germany's largest management-owned institute.   

For the first time, Psyma conducted more than 1,000 projects per year in 2007. Within the last 2 years, Psyma conducted more than 2,000 projects for 370 clients.

The team increased, as well. 45 new people were employed in 2007. Psyma now has 260 people on its payroll, among them 5 apprentices.

ORLANDO, Fla., May 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)* patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) who took the antibiotic Avelox(R) (moxifloxacin HCl) for five days experienced significantly faster recovery compared to patients who took Biaxin(R)(clarithromycin) or Augmentin(R) (amoxicillin/clavulanate) for 10 days. This was the principal finding of a study presented today at the 100th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society (ATS).

The study, conducted in the offices of primary care physicians, found that 70% of patients who took Avelox saw their symptoms resolve within five days or less compared to patients who took Biaxin (50%) or Augmentin (44%), two of the antibiotics commonly prescribed to treat these exacerbations, for 10 days.

Speed of symptom relief is the primary concern for people who suffer from exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. A recent international survey of more than 1,100 chronic bronchitis patients found that more than half (55%) identified faster symptom relief as their primary treatment need. More than half of patients reported that their AECB symptoms forced them to give up enjoyable activities or disrupted their sleep.(1)

"This study shows that Avelox is associated with a more rapid remission of symptoms compared with some commonly used antibiotics. This is consistent with previous studies. Avelox has also been shown to have excellent bacterial eradication rates," said Dr. Marc Miravitlles, lead study author, chest physician and senior researcher in the department of Pneumology at the Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain. "The combination of these factors may be a great benefit for patients."

Many COPD patients have some element of chronic bronchitis, which is characterized by persistent cough, for a minimum of three months per year, for two consecutive years.(2) AECB occurs when bacteria that are already in the bronchial tubes multiply and cause increased shortness of breath, mucus production, and coughing.(3) Clinical experience has shown chronic bronchitis patients experience approximately three exacerbations per year,(4) and that 50%-70% of these exacerbations are caused by bacterial infections.(5) In fact, respiratory tract infections (RTIs) such as bronchitis, sinusitis and pneumonia, are the most frequent cause of visits to physicians in the United States, compared to common conditions such as hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders and diabetes.(6)

"Primary care physicians are on the front lines of treating RTIs, and our first priority is diagnosing patients properly and providing them with treatment that will allow them to feel better and resume normal activities, such as work, as quickly as possible," said Shari Fine, D.O., Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UMDNJ, Jersey City, NJ. "Since so many exacerbations are caused by bacteria, it is important for primary care physicians to know that an antibiotic such as Avelox, which is fast-acting and effective for symptom relief and bacterial eradication, is available for the appropriate RTI patients."

-------------------------------------------------------
*Biaxin is a registered trademark of Abbott Laboratories **Augmentin is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline (1) International telephone survey, conducted by Psyma International Medical Marketing Research. Bayer AG sponsored this survey to assess patient conditions independently of physicians. (2) American Lung Association. Chronic Bronchitis: What is Chronic Bronchitis? Available at www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35019. Accessed May 4, 2004. (3) American Lung Association. Chronic Bronchitis: What Causes Chronic Bronchitis? Available at www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35019. Accessed May 4, 2004. (4) Niederman, M. The Role of Quionlones in the Treatment of Chronic Bronchitis. Infect Med 16(sA):5-7, 1999 (5) Miravitlles, M. Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations. Clin Pulm Med 2002; 9:191-7. (6) National Disease Therapeutic Index (IMS America, Ltd.) Bayer HealthCare

Source and further information: http://www.biospace.com/news_story.cfmStoryID=16289620&full=1

And still we consider ourselves a group: a formation in which personal relationships form stronger bonds than institutional regulation, in which trust in each other is just as important as the rules of business in a globalized world. It is this mixture of traditional company, international teams, multidisciplinary professionals, family business atmosphere and global player possibilities that will allow us an attractive market position in the future.

Contact: Lisa.Zeng@Psyma-China.com | Phone: +86 (021) 51.87.11.98

As part of the Psyma Group, Psyma Pesquisas de Mercado has access to seasoned professionals, methodological tools and extensive archives based on 50 years of industry experience, covering many markets and sectors. With clear and precise communication guaranteed thanks to native English, German and Portuguese research professionals (also fluent in Spanish), Psyma Pesquisas de Mercado makes the perfect research partner for all companies seeking market research in the region.

Previously European-based within Psyma, both general managers boast industry experience within the following sectors: pharmaceutical, healthcare & medical devices, automotive, consumer goods, banking & finance, IT & communication and e-business.
For further information and to make use of Psyma's unique services, please contact one of the following:

• General Phone & Fax:
  Phone: + 55 11 2925 6402
  Fax: + 55 11 2925 6403

• Ana Schaeffer
  Managing Director: Global Healthcare Research
  Avenida Iraí, 393, Cj.81
  04082-001 Sao Paulo
  Brazil
  Phone: + 55 11 2925 6405
  E-mail: ana.schaeffer@psyma-brasil.com
  

• Holger Rothemund
  Managing Director: Consumer & E-Business Research
  Avenida Iraí, 393, Cj.81
  04082-001 Sao Paulo
  Brazil
  Phone: + 55 11 2925 6404
  E-mail: holger.rothemund@psyma-brasil.com

We are excited to continue our US expansion by launching a new division specifically dedicated to “Customer Behavior and Insight” research. For decades, the consumer industry has led the way in going beyond conventional interviewing techniques, in order to better explore and understand customers’ attitudes and behavior. The launch of our CBI division is aimed at bridging some of the most innovative research techniques found in the consumer world with the traditionally more conservative pharmaceutical world.

Among others, ethnographic research is a technique that is increasingly being used in the pharmaceutical world, among both patients and prescribers to better understand:

• How disease states impact patients’ life, needs, drivers, motivators, compliance and behaviors
• Emotional and psychological drivers, which influence messaging, advertising and positioning of a prescribed product across the value-chain
• The context of behavior and interactions between prescribers, influencers, caregivers and patients, which effect compliance, usage and prescribing behavior
• How packaging, literature and ergonomics influence the correct usage of a drug

As part of Psyma’s new CBI division launch, we are pleased to announce the recent joining of Cara Woodland and Daila Boufford to our US office.

Both of them have extensive marketing research experience and will represent a major asset to our team and your next customer insight project.

To learn more about ethnographic research and how it can make a difference in addressing your business issues, call

• Cara Woodland at 610-992-0900 ext.115.

Cara will gladly set up a capabilities presentation to demonstrate her expertise in that field.

Psyma USA

As of the 1st September 2006 the strengths of ‘Traditional Consumer Research’ and ‘Online Research’ within Psyma will be combined: The companies ‘Psyma Psychological Market Analysis’ and ‘Psyma Online Research’ are merging to become ‘Psyma Research+Consulting’.

The merger of Psyma’s competencies enables us to provide you with our full compliment of market research techniques whether it be online or offline. This is in line with the Psyma philosophy: applying our expert knowledge of clients’ industries to develop the optimal research solution for you – drawn from the whole range of concepts, tools and techniques.

What’s in it for you? What’s new?
Thus, as a key benefit to our clients, competence centers will be formed to further strengthen our knowledge base and shorten delivery lead times. This will be accompanied by tools applicable to all industries, such as website and ad tests by means of Eye Tracking, concept tests based on conjoint analysis, sponsoring research and customer satisfaction analysis. The name ‘Psyma Online’ will remain a brand name and will continue to be used by Psyma’s leading international Website-Benchmarking-Tool.

Dr. Javier Cervantes is managing director of Psyma Latina, Mexico City

1.    Q: The world is getting more globalized every day, brands do not know borders anymore, and branding is no longer a single country affair. What does that mean for brand research?

A:  Branding is one of the hottest issues in global marketing – and therefore also for market research. It starts with finding appropriate brand names, which do not legally conflict with existing brands and IP;  they need trademarks which are unique and attractive for multiple target audiences: acceptable, easy to read, to spell, to write, to remember – and which convey an adequate label for the product, without misleading, ridiculing  the product promise or even offending the public.  Same goes for the logotypes and adaptation of advertisement. Quite a few global brands have to use regional labels and to localize their appearance or even product claims. Working towards these ends, assisting and guiding global brand managers in these missions is the core business of any international market research expert.

2.    Q : Which countries are currently especially in demand for international market research projects? Do you observe a shift in market research destinations? If we take a look into the future: Will we still see a major concentration of market research projects in the Western world of North America and Europe in the next five to ten years time?

A:  The demands for market research in specific world regions varies to a large extent by the type of products and services under investigation.  In general, market research demand shifts more likely under these circumstances:

• When main markets are getting saturated and/or are temporarily losing purchase power (i.e. UK, Spain for advertising)
• New buyer groups are emerging elsewhere (i.e. automotive buyers in China)
• When the political and economic environment allows more free trade, grants economic growth and enables research (i.e. fast growing purchase power in Angola )
• New product developments, cheaper, safer, more convenient product extensions create additional or new market opportunities (cheap mobile phones for the rural population in India)
• New market research techniques open hassle-free access to otherwise hard-to-reach target groups (online research granting access to medium town residents in Canada or Australia)

In general, we are witnessing an increasing demand for market access related studies in the “Emerging Markets”, also beyond the so called BRICs, such as Turkey, Balkan States, Middle East, some of the economically stabile African countries, several Central Asian States, the “next generation in Asia” such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, S. Korea, the Philippines, Australasia and several Latin American countries, such as Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina.  However, the USA and Western Europe will continue to be the core regions for international market research.

3.    Q: As Psyma started its internationalization fairly early on in the company’s history, what were the main challenges for such a middle-sized research agency then – and now?

A:  We want to build our international business organically: step by step, with our own people, within our own fields of secured expertise, financed by our own funds. This gives us cohesion, resilience and uniqueness. We rely on three double Psyma  “P”:
“ Psyma Personalities”: highly qualified and motivated local personalities as core staff;  we are used to building our local teams based on outstanding professionals who want to link themselves with the international markets but at the same time don’t want to become part of a homogenized, global tool or standard solution-selling organization.

“Particular Professionalism”:  we avoid the “Jack of all Trades” image. Instead, we build on our very specific know-how; the fine art of applied cross-cultural social, psychological and economic research; the unique expertise to elaborate empathic “understanding” of the target audiences by adequate qualitative techniques, supported by quantitative measurements and sophisticated statistical test designs.

“ Perfection and Passion”: Most of our international research executives take pride of their knowledge in methods, markets and “their” world regions; you sense the enthusiasm, when they are enabled to share their expertise with clients and when they are granted the freedom to groom their own local teams.

4.    Q: The digital age leads to changes in consumer behavior; real life is already complemented by virtual aspects such as social networks. What is your take on the relevance of these social networks for global market research? Will they sustainably change the way research is being conducted?

A: The new social media contributes to international market research in many ways: they offer a never exhausting flood of spontaneous comments on almost any aspect of high and low interest from almost any corner of this world: plenty of crude raw information material; the social media also allows new techniques in accessing global target groups and foster the development of research designs summarized as “co-creation” techniques. Social media make certain segments of international market research quicker and more spontaneous. They offer a low budget access to customer voice.

The far side of social media as a platform for international market research is the almost non existing control of essential parameters in serious scientific research: control of participants’ (self-) selection and their real background; the lack of  verification of sources; no intersubjectivity, no replicability, no guarantee of anonymity. A main legal and ethical challenge is how to draw clear demarcation lines between research, marketing, customer relationship management and sales.

I personally advocate a segregation between “creative” market research, which can handle some of the aforementioned limitations and an “objective” market research, whose role is to investigate markets systematically, to dig deeper for intercultural understanding, to test hypothesis, to gauge market opportunities and risks.  

5.    Q. Last year, 2009, was a tough one for market research as an industry, but many markets are already back on the growth track. Which learning can be taken from this “dent”? What are your expectations for a long-term development of the market research industry?

A:  ESOMAR has empirical evidence from the past decade that market research expenditure used to grow approximately twice as fast as the country specific or   regional GNP. When the economic slump hit, it hit us twice as hard as the decline in GNP. The correlation seems to be reliable in both directions.  With the recent economic recovery in Germany and other markets, there is justified room for optimism. However, another take home message from the past 2 years is that market research is becoming more diversified than ever, regarding methods of data collection, type of studies and target regions. That means, that certain segments of market research may benefit more in the future than others, i.e. online and social media, emerging markets and top notch market research geared towards a better understanding of unknown customer segments.
As long as the marketing still believes in “the early bird gets the worm”, we market researchers as worm-detectors should be on the safe side.

www.planung-analyse.de

Abstract

• Background: These studies sought to investigate the relation between social desirability and self-reported health risk behaviors (e.g., alcohol use, drug use, smoking) in web-based research.
• Methods: Three longitudinal studies (Study 1: N = 5612, 51% women; Study 2: N = 619, 60%; Study 3: N = 846, 59%) among randomly selected members of two online panels (Dutch; German) using several social desirability measures (Marlowe-Crowne Scale; Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding; The Social Desirability Scale-17) were conducted.
• Results: Social desirability was not associated with self-reported current behavior or behavior frequency. Sociodemographics (age; sex; education) did not moderate the effect of social desirability on self-reported measures regarding health risk behaviors.
• Conclusions: The studies at hand provided no convincing evidence to throw doubt on the usefulness of the Internet as a medium to collect self-reports on health risk behaviors.

Read the full article

Source:
BMC Public Health 2010, 10:720
Authors: Rik Crutzen / Anja S. Göritz
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/720

Traditionally, market research vendors and clients have been responsible for very specific portions of a study, but when you are aiming for a deep understanding of the consumer experience, this model presents some barriers. In this article published in Quirk's, Greg Cobb explores the value of a more collaborative client/vendor relationship.

Click here to download the article

Desayuno Hotel Marriot. Ciudad de México
18 de marzo de 2010

Los últimos dos años se han visto marcados por constantes cambios en el terreno económico, originados por el colapso en el sistema financiero  en los Estados Unidos. Dicho colapso eventualmente arrastró a otros sectores dentro del mismo país y posteriormente, consecuencia de la globalización, comenzó a afectar la economía de otras naciones.

Uno de los efectos más palpables fue el cambio en la manera en que las personas usan su dinero, ya que debido a la pérdida de empleos y al aumento de costos, lo cual llevo a un manejo más precavido de sus finanzas personales. Esto cobró un efecto en el área de la salud, en todos los niveles, tanto de las compañías farmacéuticas como en las  farmacias. En particular, resulta interesante hablar del efecto nacional en esta área.

Psyma Latina se avocó por segundo año  a estudiar este efecto con la realización del conjunto de estudios llamado “Regresando al sendero del crecimiento” entre médicos, consumidores y farmaceutas, con el objetivo de observar dicho efecto y reconocer si en esta área eran observables indicios de recuperación.

Dentro de los datos obtenidos, destaca que los médicos consideraron el año anterior (2009) como bueno en comparación con el  2008. Sin embargo ante la situación económica actual, y por presión de los pacientes , se han visto orillados    a reducir sus recetas de patente e incrementar la de genéricos. Por su parte los consumidores consideraban el año 2009 como similar al 2008 pero pese a esto tienen la firme intención de cuidar sus gastos, principalmente recortando aquellos relacionados con el descanso y la diversión; respecto a la salud, una de las formas de recortar gastos será mediante la búsqueda de consultas privadas más económicas.

Y por último, los farmaceutas ven una disminución en las ventas, inclusive en comparación al año 2008, de igual forma que perciben que la mayoría de los consumidores buscan maneras de ahorrar dinero en sus compras en la farmacia, a través de la compra de medicamentos de la misma sal pero más económicos, por mencionar alguna de ellas. Igualmente consideran que la manera de recuperar sus ventas como farmacia es través de negociar con los distribuidores mejores precios en los medicamentos.

Mediante la llamada técnica de “Visual Insights” se presentaron videos testimoniales  editados con las expresiones reales de médicos, pacientes y farmaceutas que opinaron sobre  la situación actual , En particular destaca el conocimiento y compra  de medicamentos genéricos incluyendo los llamados de  “Primer Nivel” .La Comunidad Medica en general está en contra de esta publicidad  de esta marca “Primer Nivel , ya que desprestigia su profesión   Dentro estudios realizados además de las encuestas y videos  , se llevó a cabo un Mystery Shopper en farmacias donde se constató que muchos de los cambios de receta son propiciados por los pacientes ante la necesidad de buscar medicamento mas baratos .

Finalmente, se concluyó que a pesar de los indicares macroeconómicos que apuntan hacia una recuperación económica, es necesario considerar que el mercado interno no tendrá tan rápida recuperación y que  por tanto los cambios de precio  en medicamentos debieran  ser moderados.

Este es un pequeño extracto  de los resultados obtenidos dentro de un paquete de 7 estudios  con 740 entrevistas y 2 videos   de 15 minutos cada uno, realizadas por Psyma Latina y que ponemos  a disposición de los interesados el detalle de tablas y cuadros  través de la compra del portafolio perteneciente a dicho estudio . Los interesados pueden contactar a Lucie Gallois para mayores informes lgallois@psyma-latina.com o con Patricia Colin pcolin@psyma-latina.com, tel 5592-0572

The members of TANLA family, which are widely known for its “researcher” identity since 1972, have played a leading role in the establishment, development and globalization of the research sector in Turkey, have decided to gather their respective professional experience under the roof of ESTIMA. Some of the “firsts” that were introduced to the business society over the past 30 years of uninterrupted service to the sector are listed below:

• Omnibus surveys (1983-),
• General election surveys (1983-),
• Application of qualitative techniques,
• Membership to a multinational research association (1984-),
• Application of CATI, sectoral surveys in banking (1985-),
• Information and research consultancy to presidents (Turgut Özal, Süleyman Demirel), prime ministers (Bülent Ecevit, Tansu Çiller) and numerous ministers, members of parliament and mayors (1983-2003),
• Database research (1991-),
• Establishment of Siar International as Turkey’s first international research chain in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan (1994-2002)
• First branded solutions (1994-),
• First online research through a proprietary online panel (2007-),
• First application of eye-tracking technology (2008-),
• First application of online brand monitoring, reputation, performance tools (2009-),

Since its inauguration 3.5 years ago, ESTIMA has conducted over 200 projects for more than 40 national, foreign and multinational clients. Pharmaceutical, IT & telecommunications, banking & finance, automotive. Public service, energy and petroleum are some of the sectors where ESTIMA generated extensive know-how and expertise over the years.

On top of all the experience detailed above, ESTIMA is the exclusive agency for the National Readership Survey (NRS). The NRS is currently the largest survey in terms of sample size in Turkey. Annually, 53,000 CAPI enabled face-to-face interviews are conducted nationwide.

One of ESTIMA’s cutting edge research provisions and customer insights is its experience in online research. As of January 1st, 2010, ESTIMA’s proprietary online panels exceeded the 525,000 panelist threshold. Some of its panels can be viewed at; www.teksatir.com.tr (opinion leaders panel), www.estimamedikalpanel.com (health professionals panel), www.akilfikir.com.tr (panel comprised of only university students).

Contacts:

• ESTIMA Research & Consultancy Co.                        
  Mr. Hasan N. Tanla                                                   
  Ahi Evran Caddesi                                                             
  Polaris Plaza K:2                                                        
  Maslak Istanbul
  Turkey
• Tel: +90 212 346 0848
  Fax: +90 212 346 0851
  E-mail: info@estima.com.tr
  URL: www.estima.com.tr

In line with the Company's premise of innovation, competitiveness and excellence in customer service, Psyma Ibérica appointed Núria Tomás Manager of this office. She holds an undergraduate degree in psychology by the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona and a postgraduate degree in Market Research by AEDEMO and another postgraduate degree in Strategic Planning of Business Communication by the Universidad Ramón Lull in Barcelona. Núria Tomás previously had positions of responsibility in marketing research and consulting firms, such as Gfk-Emer, Táctica Investigación y Estrategia and Link+Parter.

• Address:
  Passeig de Gràcia 86, 5º 1ª, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
• Phone: +34 93 487 79 14
  Fax: +34 93 487 17 01
  E-mail: info@psyma-iberica.com

Growing pains

In the United States, the launch of 3G services was not without its troubles. As the exclusive carrier of Apple, Inc.’s popular iPhone, AT&T did not anticipate the surge of simultaneous users that clogged bandwidth and led to network bottlenecks. Although an iPhone does not use an inordinate amount of bandwidth for basic functions such as telephone calls and text messaging, thousands of available programs rely on internet access for tasks such as ordering food, finding a public restroom and accessing social networking sites. Only after a public outcry over delayed messages, dropped calls and slow access did AT&T promise to upgrade its network infrastructure.

As users in China have already shown a strong interest in mobile internet access, the 3G providers will still need to ensure that their networks are equipped to sustain heavy bandwidth requirements.

Different standards in China

China Unicom, which won the right to be the exclusive supplier of Apple’s iPhone in China and recently began accepting pre-orders, is betting the phone will entice the masses to sign up for its 3G service. This is despite the fact that the iPhone has been hugely popular in China for a few years through illegal imports, although without the high speed access that Unicom promises to provide.

In contrast, China Mobile, the largest mobile operator by number of users, has decided to make the Lenovo-produced OPhone its flagship handset. The OPhone will have a customized version of the open source Android operating system introduced by Google and is being manufactured to support China Mobile’s home-grown TD-SCMA 3G standard. China Unicom’s 3G network and phones will use the WCDMA standard, which is common with the rest of the world.

Big impact of small apps

It is fair to say that the iPhone, with its slick user interface and the ability to run many programs that utilize the internet, is the beacon of a paradigm shift in the world of mobile communication. Much of the functionality of a PC has been squeezed into a small, handheld device and users are beginning to expect mobile devices to work as fast as their broadband-enabled PC at home. If AT&T’s iPhone experience is any guide, then Chinese users will also want to download all kinds of different programs to their smart phones. China Mobile recognized this and preparations are underway for an online application store similar to Apple’s App Store on iTunes.

Essentially, the iPhone has converted the venerable mobile handset into a mobile PC with mass appeal. Making calls is also possible but it is not necessarily the most important, most fun, or most often used function of smart phones. This is underscored by the fact the App Store now offers 85,000 applications and there have been more than two billion downloads since the store’s launch.

New business opportunities

The potential of internet-connected smart phones for creating new business opportunities, especially in China, is significant. China currently has more than 710 million mobile phone users; even if just half of these users switch to smart phones in the next few years, they would outnumber the total number of mobile phone users in the United States.

Many companies are discovering mobile marketing via smart phone applications as an effective tool which can help to build a brand in countries where 3G networks are already established. The big difference between those markets and China in terms of opportunity is size. There will simply be many more smart phone users in China than in any other country and smart phone applications represent an alternative to traditional online advertising where marketers can interact more directly with potential customers. Although many marketing apps in existence today are available for free and not a significant source of direct revenue, they represent a unique opportunity to push the envelope in terms of targeted marketing and branding.

Outlook for China

The largest impact on the lives of smart phone users in the U.S. does not come from simply having ready access to the internet. Instead, it is the fact that many little applications are now available to organize, inform, and entertain users on the go and make a real difference in their lives. Along those lines, Chinese smart phone users won’t stay far behind and will find creative ways to use their 3G phones.

Clearly, the advent of mobile internet to a large part of the world’s population is nothing short of a revolution. Its impact is far-reaching but cannot yet be fully gauged. Still, many companies have already started to explore how to use this technology to increase sales and reach customers through more targeted marketing. With the largest mobile phone user population in the world, the impact of 3G technology in China will be an important trend to watch as well.

Marcus Gladers is marketing manager for Psyma Business Research China. He can be contacted at Marcus.Gladers@Psyma-China.com

This article was originally published in the November 2009 issue of AmCham Shanghai’s Insight magazine. www.amcham-shanghai.org

Many pharmaceutical companies require BHBIA membership from their agencies when conducting healthcare market research in the UK because of the strict legal and ethical requirements. The adverse events-reporting requirements in the UK are among the strictest. As a consequence of that, the Pharmaceutical companies need to ensure that studies are conducted within the boundaries of the appropriate guidelines and with BHBIA-certified research executives.

Philip Howe, Director of Psyma UK Branch: “I’m delighted that we have been accepted as members of the BHBIA. This membership further raises the profile of Psyma Medical in the UK and endorses our capabilities to provide quality market research to our clients.”

Due to the increasing success of Psyma UK Branch in 2009, the company has moved to a larger office and increased the number of staff.

About Psyma UK Office

• Psyma UK Branch
  Waterloo Business Centre
  117 Waterloo Road
  London, SE1 8UL
  UK
  Phone: +44 207 902 1981
  Fax: +44 207 921 0568
  philip.howe@psyma.com

Philip Howe, a qualified biologist who has worked in the Pharmaceutical industry for some twenty years, will head up the new office. During this time Phil has held senior management positions in both the client and agency environments where a full understanding of all aspects of healthcare market research has been developed. He is at his best when designing qualitative approaches to answer tricky client questions.

His previous positions include Head of Business Information for a large pharmaceutical company and prior to joining Psyma he was the Managing Director of an international healthcare market research company. In addition he has been a speaker on international conferences, e.g. EphMRA, BHBIA, on a wide variety of issues.

Based on the consolidated experience of Psyma Medical Marketing Research International and Philip Howe, the UK Psyma office, will provide both qualitative and quantitative market research capabilities at both a national and international level.
It is also envisaged that this office will become a strategic point for all aspects of fieldwork in the UK market research arena.

• New address:
  Psyma Office UK
  Waterloo Business Centre
  117 Waterloo Road
  London
  SE1 8UL
  United Kingdom

• Phone: +44 (0) 207 902 1160
  E-mail: philip.howe@psyma.com

Broadcasting Focus Groups from China to your Desktop

Market researcher Psyma China has joined forces with US-based Focus Vision to offer video conferences and virtual focus groups from within China. This innovative service enables clients from around the world to watch focus groups and in-depth interviews in real time. Psyma China is one of only a few companies in China certified by Focus Vision. Clients can interact with participants while the video conference is in progress.

For an immediate quote and availability information please call Frank Fan in Shanghai (0086-21-51.87.11.98) or send an email to Frank.Fan@Psyma-China.com. We will get back to you promptly. For your convenience we speak English, German and Chinese.

pdf Entrevista a Matthias Fargel

¿En qué se parecen un médico español, otro alemán y otro chino?. ¿Y en qué se diferencian?. ¿Cuáles son sus respectivas actitudes hacia su profesión o, incluso, hacia la vida en general?.

Para intentar dar respuesta a estas y otras preguntas nació, en el seno del Grupo Psyma, la iniciativa de llevar a cabo el Global Doctor Survey, un estudio que se encuadra dentro de una cultura cotidiana de investigación farmacéutica internacional, pero que, precisamente, lo que pretende es adoptar una perspectiva un poco distinta de la que dictan las exigencias de la cotidianeidad y prestar atención a esas otras cuestiones que, tal vez, tenemos todos los días delante de los ojos, pero en las cuales no solemos reparar.

O, dicho de otra manera, ¿quiénes son esas personas con las que compartimos nuestro tiempo de trabajo, siempre hablando de fármacos, de patologías, de hábitos de prescripción, de nuevos lanzamientos…?

Es más, ¿podría suceder que conociendo mejor la “cara oculta” de estas personas fuéramos capaces de encontrar nuevas y mejores maneras de ayudarles en su labor?. Estamos convencidos de que sí.

Las 500 entrevistas telefónicas realizadas en E.E.U.U, Japón, Alemania, China y España, nos revelan que nos encontramos ante un profesional que se autopercibe como una persona sencilla, normal, que se aleja del estereotipo de triunfador social o apasionado con su vocación.

Así, el médico español se ve a si mismo, casi tanto como un profesional que cobra por unos servicios (de similar manera a como pueda percibirse un abogado o un contable) como un guía de la salud y son menos aquellos que advierten un componente más romántico o glamoroso y que se autocalifiquen como científicos o artistas. Junto con los médicos norteamericanos se muestran como los más felices en su vida en general y con su profesión en particular. Pero se advierte en general un cierto desencanto y un punto de frustración. Lo cierto es que, de la mano con el médico chino, el médico español es quien menos categóricamente afirma que haya visto cumplidas sus expectativas. Hasta tal punto, que un 26% reconsideraría volver a ser médico si tuviera la oportunidad de tomar la decisión de nuevo.

¿Qué lleva a este profesional a haber perdido ese puntito de ilusión y esa chispa de empuje? Posiblemente tenga mucho que ver con el hecho de que se observa un desajuste entre la medicina ideal que en su mente proyectan dar y la medicina que la realidad, del entorno, le permite ofrecer. 

Así, los drivers que más le motivan y que mayor satisfacción laboral le reportan, se refieren a mejorar la calidad de vida de sus pacientes, recibir su gratitud y respeto y disfrutar de una profesión con verdadero sentido y utilidad. Pero el médico español es, comparado con el resto de países, uno de los que mayores aspectos frustrantes observa y destaca en el ejercicio de su práctica diaria.

 En este sentido, la imposibilidad de profundizar en el desarrollo de las patologías, la dificultad de acceso a mejores recursos y la presión de tiempo le suponen una importante fuente de frustración. Es verdad, no obstante, que en el resto de países también se advierten  importantes elementos de frustración.

Respecto de otras variables que describen el comportamiento de los médicos españoles y determinan las semejanzas o diferencias con sus homónimos en otros países, merece destacarse que junto con los médicos chinos son quienes menos horas trabajan a la semana (alrededor de 50) y la mayor parte de su tiempo lo dedican a ver y tratar pacientes. Y las similitudes con los galenos chinos no acaban aquí, ya que son los médicos de esta nacionalidad los que presentan el perfil más cercano y semejante al del médico español.

Así, son con gran diferencia los que menos asisten al año a eventos médicos (congresos, conferencias, cursos, etc.). En cambio, en el caso del doctor español es quien mayor número de visitas de delegados recibe. Eso sí la imagen de la industria farmacéutica es positiva y existe un alto grado de satisfacción, especialmente respecto de la orientación de la misma hacia las necesidades del colectivo médico. De hecho, se reconoce a la figura del delegado de laboratorio un importante papel como fuente de información útil y necesaria para el ejercicio de su práctica diaria. Por lo demás, chinos y españoles son quienes en mayor medida acuden a Internet como fuente de información y valoran el papel de las nuevas tecnologías.

¿Y respecto de la persona?, ¿cómo es la persona a la que se dirige la industria farmacéutica española? Pues no muy distinto del resto de países. Sus prioridades, la familia y los amigos por encima de cualquier otra consideración, y sus hobbies principales el deporte, la lectura y como no, las relaciones sociales, aspecto éste que sí diferencia más a nuestro colectivo médico del de otras nacionalidades.

Pero, curiosamente, donde menos diferencias se aprecian entre los médicos de uno u otro país, vienen referidas a la autopercepción de sus atributos de personalidad. Da la sensación, que para ser médico, ya sea en E.E.U.U, España o Japón se requiere una personalidad bien definida articulada en torno a la empatía y fortaleza. La honestidad, sinceridad, capacidad de transmitir confianza, seguridad y fortaleza e independencia de espíritu son los atributos esenciales que los médicos perciben de si mismos como básicos para el ejercicio de su profesión.

En definitiva, el médico español desempeña su labor, fundamentalmente, en el ámbito de la medicina pública. Y se percibe, en este sentido, fuertemente condicionado por la estructura administrativa para la cual trabaja.

El tipo de relación que mantiene con su “empresa” favorece, en no pocas ocasiones, una cierta sensación de “anonimato” (una “pequeña pieza” dentro de una “gran maquinaria”) y de “bajada de brazos” (poco puedo hacer a nivel individual para cambiar las cosas que no me gustan) ante las circunstancias que le rodean. Sensación que, sin duda, se da de manera mucho más acusada en Atención Primaria frente a la Medicina Especializada.

La cuestión es que dicha sensación se filtra en la percepción que el médico tiene de si mismo y en la propia relación con los pacientes. Está claro que el trabajo del médico no es individualista, que forma parte de un sistema sanitario que es quien vela por la salud de la población y que cada profesional ha de “apechugar” con los pros y los contras de trabajar dentro de una organización. Pero,…¿qué ha pasado con el romanticismo, con la ilusión original de ser médico, con ese intenso momento de encuentro con el paciente en el que, sin condicionantes administrativos, comerciales… el médico no tiene más razón que poner su corazón en ayudar a la persona que tiene delante?

Ser médico no es fácil. El médico quiere sentirse MÉDICO. Y nos consta que hay muchos profesionales que están sabiendo encontrar las vías para conseguirlo. En cuanto a quienes trabajamos en los aledaños de la medicina, ¿podemos contribuir, cada uno desde nuestro papel, a alimentar el fuego de la “medicina-pasión” (algo que, por cierto, a todos nos beneficiaría)?. Estamos convencidos de que sí.
Psyma Ibérica  perteneciente al grupo internacional de investigación de mercados the Psyma Group, ofrece las metodologías más innovadoras a las principales corporaciones de cada sector. The Psyma Group cumple este año 50 años realizando investigación de mercados Ad Hoc de alto rendimiento a nivel mundial.

We invite you to join us at the upcoming PMRG Annual National Conference to be held in Phoenix, AZ in March 2008: The Crystal Ball. The program promises to be an interesting one, focusing on how we, as an industry, can predict the future with limited information.

Addressing this topic, Psyma International USA will present a session:
Ethnographic Techniques Applied to Innovation on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 from 3:30-4:45pm. Please join us.

Do you feel that you've talked with and about your patients until you are blue in the face? Have you looked at them from every angle and researched yourself into a corner? Are you looking for new perspectives and ways to identify potential new areas of insight? This session will focus on fact-finding tools not commonly used within traditional research parameters. Understanding your patients and the context of their environment is one of the most important factors in creating meaningful innovation.

For more information about our presentation, the conference, and to register, please visit: http://www.pmrg.org/2008ANC

We look forward to seeing you in Phoenix!

...is the keyword during our 50th Anniversary year. In this spirit, we are donating to "Doctors without Borders", "UNICEF", "Stadtmission Nuremberg" (Christian organisation) and the "Albert-Schweitzer Sternstundenhaus in Rueckersdorf" (childrens home) instead of giving Christmas gifts, so we can help ease suffering around the world.