| Abstract: | ![]()
The regulation of standardized social surveys by a German national and an international norm, distributed by the Deutsche Institut für Normung, Berlin, is presented, regarding general out-lines as well as important details. Furthermore, three perspectives are dealt with in which these regulations are important not only for market and opinion research institutes, but for the academic discipline of sociology as well. Firstly, sociology is a client of the institutes. Drawing upon regulations, it is better equipped to negotiate with the institutes and to justify specific demands. Secondly, sociology and the institutes are equally interested in public opinion. Both live from the trust of people in market and opinion research which is sustained through the regulations. Thirdly, sociology educates graduates to be employed by the institutes and should therefore know and teach the regulations. As for the future, the internationallization of the institutes and technical advances as online surveys require the permanent revision of the regulations. |
