“The past is a foreign country – they do things differently there”

The famous opening to LP Harley’s novel The Go-Between was beautifully reflected in the latest of the Network’s NED Talks delivered by Peter Bartram on 24 March. Peter drew on over 60 years’ involvement in research, as both a supplier and a client, to produce a fascinating litany of ‘then vs now’ comparisons.

Many of these comparisons highlighted what he felt had been lost in the intervening years: a solid statistical underpinning to both sampling and analysis, rigorous rules for good questionnaire design, and more broadly a sense of fun in the industry. On the other hand, Peter also recognised the failings of research in the 1960s and 70s: an academic approach that favoured technical considerations over commercial interests, the use of handwritten (and often illegible) presentation charts, and client entertainment practices that resulted in regular afternoon drunkenness.

For material, Peter drew on his book The Life in Research, published in 2021 and available for £15 from AMSR, which benefits from the proceeds of sale. A recording of the NED Talk will be available shortly from the Network on request.