Strategic qualitative focus group research -- define and articulate our skills or we will be replaced by others []

The urgent need is addressed for the marketing profession to agree on and articulate the taxonomy of skills and signals of competency for those conducting qualitative market research focus groups. It us argued that this is required due to 5 factors: groups are used for strategic advice; they are high cost; people other than market researchers are offering them; the explanations of the skills seem to range from myth/magic through to experience and hard work; and for training and accreditation there has to be an agreed taxonomy.