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Of the questions regarding our services that we receive, some of them we hear quite frequently. Below are the questions that we hear most often. Of course, if you have any other queries, or would like further information on the topic, please do not hesitate to contact us. Please click on this link to send an email.
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Q1) Are we capable of group discussions? |
Regardless of what you may have heard, group discussions are possible in Japan. Not only that, it is a viable option to meet project goals. Over 10% of all projects that we have conducted in the past 3 years involved group discussion as its methodology.
There are currently seven research directors / senior research executives that are capable of not only moderating the group discussions, but also designing the study and analyzing / interpreting the findings.
Furthermore, in spring 2001, SSRI established our very own "state of the art" viewing facility, "West5". It is conveniently located in central Tokyo, and is equipped with a videoconference system, allowing for viewing from around the world. |
Q2) How many interviews can be conducted at a studio per day? |
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If you are coming from Europe or the United States for viewing the interviews, it is very much understandable that you would like to see as many interviews as possible. Unfortunately, however, the maximum number of interviews that we can conduct per day at a studio is three. Most physicians can come to the studios only at night (after work), which limits the number of interviews possible. Similarly, one group discussion can be conducted per day.
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Q3) Is FocusVision available for viewing? |
Not at the moment. Although there are some facilities in Tokyo equipped with FocusVision, as listed in the FocusVision homepage, these facilities are for private use only; we are not able to rent them.
Many facilities, including out very own West5, is equipped with video-conference systems other than FocusVision. Please, therefore, look into non-FocusVision options for viewing.
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Q4) Can you conduct interviews with patients? |
Patient interviews have become an integral part of healthcare market research. Staying atop this trend, SSRI has been steadily increasing our capability in conducting patient interviews.
However, we must say that patient interviews are extremely difficult to conduct. One reason for this can be attributed to the social climate of Japan, which considers ill people as somewhat inferior to those that are healthy. Such discriminatory atmosphere has been a pressure for patient to agree to participate. This is especially true for "sensitive" diseases, which are either life-threatening (e.g. cancer) or embarrassing (e.g. erectile disfunction).
The good news is that such climate is changing, slowly but surely. Furthermore, SSRI will continue its efforts in reaching out towards more patients. If there are any potential projects involving patients, please do not hesitate to contact us for detailed response.
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Q5) Do you conduct business-to-business research / consumer research? |
SSRI has its resources concentrated in the pharmaceutical-healthcare arena, and specializes in such projects. Consequently, our strength does not lie in interviews in the business/industry area. We think that we cannot provide an output at a level that both you and us would like to see, if we were to conduct a project in this field.
On the other hand, we are confident that we can provide you with a high-quality service for projects in the pharmaceutical - healthcare arena. We would be delighted to provide you with our costs and suggestions for these projects.
Questions regarding the distinction between a "patient" and a "consumer" may arise. We currently do not make a clear distinction between the two; in general, if the project is related to healthcare-related material, we would be more than happy to be of your assistance. Please contact us for any potential projects that you may have!
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Q6) Why is the telephone interview limited to 10-12 minutes? |
The duration of a telephone interview is limited to 10-12 minutes, including the introduction and questionnaire regarding demographics.
This is mainly due to the fact that communication over the telephone is considered to be relatively impolite. The respondents will demand the interviewer to visit them if they would like to have a discussion on a certain topic. Given such situation, we limit the duration of the telephone interviews.
As an alternative to the telephone method, we suggest a face-to-face approach, internet, or a telephone-fax / telephone-mail combination.
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