Mark Kupferman's Blog » news http://www.kupferman.com Kupferman.com is Mark Kupferman's home on the Internet featuring articles, reviews and comments on a variety of subjects. Sun, 19 Jun 2011 05:42:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Universal Orlando Research Job Openings http://www.kupferman.com/job-openings-research.htm http://www.kupferman.com/job-openings-research.htm#comments Sat, 18 Dec 2010 21:03:52 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.kupferman.com/?p=325 Continue reading →]]> Universal Orlando is hiring for two consumer research analysts and one programmer (who will specifically focus on consumer research related online and database programming). If you’re interested or think you know someone who might be interested please don’t hesitate to send them to www.universalorlandoresearch.com/jobs. These are permanent, full-time positions located in Orlando, Florida.

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/job-openings-research.htm/feed 0 IBM SPSS Statistics 19 New Features http://www.kupferman.com/spss-statistics-19-new-features.htm http://www.kupferman.com/spss-statistics-19-new-features.htm#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:51:09 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.kupferman.com/?p=298 Continue reading →]]> IBM/SPSS have posted to their web site the features of IBM SPSS Statistics 19, the latest version of SPSS for 2010 (known briefly for a time as PASW Statistics). New features include general linear mixed models, faster performance, a statistics web portal, automated linear models, a few syntax editor improvements, default measurement levels, a few new direct marketing capabilities and integration with the (new) IBM SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services system.

  • General Linear Mixed Models (part of the Advanced Statistics Add-On) allow you to “create more accurate models for predicting non-linear outcomes based on hierarchical/nested data or data that includes repeated measures.”
  • Faster Performance: Supposed to offer faster compiled transformations in SPSS Statistics server, as well as faster pivot table generation in SPSS Statistics Base (which is a good thing — tables in SPSS 16+ seemed to take a lot longer than they did in SPSS 15).
  • Statistics Web Portal: Another feature for those of you using the SPSS Statistics Server lets you allow clients to do their own ad-hoc queries and analysis via a web interface. Also requires SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services.
  • Automated Linear Models: This should be fairly interesting. It allows you to build “powerful linear models in an easy, automated way in SPSS Statistics Base and in the SPSS Statistics Server.” It promises “automated data preparation to get data ready for analysis in a single step; techniques to improve model stability and accuracy; support for categorical predictors; more variable selection methods; interactive visualizations.”
  • Syntax Editor Improvements: Apparently more than a dozen performance and ease-of-use enhancements in the syntax editor.
  • Default Measurement Level: Allows you to automatically set your measurement level. The software automatically looks at the data when you open the file and decides what type of measurement level is best. Not that this took a lot of time, but every little time saver helps I suppose.
  • New Direct Marketing Capabilities include an improved interface; a scoring wizard; better, smarter output; integration with Salesforce.com.
  • IBM SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services: New software to let you share and re-use data sets, secure them, and make them easier to use across the company.

There are lots of information and documentation available for SPSS 19. Read “IBM SPSS Statistics: What’s New” for detailed descriptions of the new features or you can download a free 14-day trial of IBM SPSS Statistics 19 from the SPSS web site. All of the user manuals for IBM SPSS Statistics 19 are also available online, including plug-ins, tools, command syntax reference, and guides to each of the modules.

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/spss-statistics-19-new-features.htm/feed 2 The Salt Room (Orlando, Florida) http://www.kupferman.com/the-salt-room-orlando-florida.htm http://www.kupferman.com/the-salt-room-orlando-florida.htm#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:02:39 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.marketresearchtech.com/?p=228 Continue reading →]]> Some friends of mine are launching a new business in town called The Salt Room. It’s a new salt therapy treatment center which will be located in Orlando where folks with a variety of respiratory and skin diseases can come for relief of their symptoms. Basically, they have three rooms which are filled with salt — there is salt on the walls, on the floor, and in the air. And when you breathe it you get a concentrated feeling much like what you get when you breathe the salt air on the beach or in a deep salt cave.

Visit the Salt Room Orlando web site.

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/the-salt-room-orlando-florida.htm/feed 0 QuestionPro Survey Software Blog http://www.kupferman.com/questionpro-survey-software-blog.htm http://www.kupferman.com/questionpro-survey-software-blog.htm#comments Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:20:40 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.marketresearchtech.com/questionpro-survey-software-blog.htm Continue reading →]]> The founders/employees of QuestionPro maintain an interesting company blog that, in addition to describing specific features of their service, also includes a variety of more useful, general information that anyone can theoretically use with any survey service. It’s always nice to see a company that isn’t just focused on getting more clients but is also willing to add to the general knowledge available online.

Interesting posts include:

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/questionpro-survey-software-blog.htm/feed 3 MarketTools zTelligence adds new features http://www.kupferman.com/markettools-ztelligence-upgrades-2008.htm http://www.kupferman.com/markettools-ztelligence-upgrades-2008.htm#comments Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:54:10 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.marketresearchtech.com/markettools-ztelligence-upgrades-2008.htm Continue reading →]]> San Francisco-based MarketTools announced today that their survey software product, zTelligence has been given a variety of new features designed to make the product easier to use including several new advanced capabilities. New features include interactive video tutorials, frequently asked questions, a regular live training sessions; new authoring features designed to make survey development go faster; and new reporting features that improve flexibility.

The new zTelligence Resource Center offers:

  • Guided, interactive video tutorials on topics like survey authoring, reporting and analysis, including basic and advanced survey design, question types, skip logic and piping, reporting overviews and edit functions;
  • FAQ and tips sheets on zTelligence functions and capabilities;
  • Library of MarketTools-developed, pre-formatted templates for conducting various types of research projects. Current templates include product and concept testing, advertising effectiveness, attitudes and usage, brand awareness, packaging testing and pricing evaluation;
  • Whitepapers covering information to help users conduct more informed research;
  • Search function for all Resource Center content;
  • Access to product and company news and support information;
  • Live, hosted, bi-weekly trainings on zTelligence.

The new authoring features are designed to increase efficiency and flexibility ofr more experienced users, including the ability to copy-move-delete entire sections of a survey.

The new “Scale Rollup” feature makes it possible to easily produce top/middle/bottom two box rollups for any combination of questions.

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/markettools-ztelligence-upgrades-2008.htm/feed 0 SPSS 17.0 Drops Support for PowerPC Macs http://www.kupferman.com/spss-170-powerpc.htm http://www.kupferman.com/spss-170-powerpc.htm#comments Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:04:07 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.marketresearchtech.com/spss-170-powerpc.htm Continue reading →]]> SPSS announced recently to its Mac-based customers that SPSS 17.0 for Mac would not be released for the PowerPC based Mac, effectively discontinuing SPSS development for the PowerPC. PowerPC Mac users presently represent about 3% of all online computer users, down from 4.2% back in 2006 when the Intel based Mac was released. This based on the following letter which was recently e-mailed to SPSS for Mac users: 

Dear SPSS for Mac customer:
Your investment in SPSS for Mac demonstrates your commitment to maximizing
the value your organization gains from statistical analysis. SPSS Inc. is
equally committed to developing technologies that help you derive valuable
insights from your data.
The purpose of this e-mail is to inform you that SPSS will not support the
PowerPC chip in our next product, SPSS 17.0 for Mac, which is scheduled for
release in the third quarter of 2008.
This decision, while not an easy one, was based on two key factors:
--Most Apple computers now rely on Intel chips. Since August 2006, Apple
Inc. has released computers that run on Intel chips instead of PowerPC
chips; as a result, PowerPC market share has declined substantially
--The strategic allocation of development resources. Focusing development on
Intel-based hardware enables SPSS to devote more resources to developing
other features and advancements that SPSS customers have requested
We regret any inconvenience this change may cause you. We appreciate your
loyalty to SPSS for Mac, and we hope that you will select SPSS 17.0 for Mac
to meet your statistical analysis challenges.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.
Sincerely,
Arik Pelkey
Senior Product Manager
SPSS Inc.

At the time Intel-based macs were released, the MacOS’s overall market share (as reported by NetApplications) was about 4.29% of all computers on the Internet. In February, 2008 it represented 3.07%, while the Intel-based Macs represented 4.39% (grand total of 7.46% — huge increase for Macs overall in 2 years).

It still means that a little over 40% of all Mac users are still using PowerPC based Macs, which means that there are still going to be a lot of people who don’t get to upgrade to SPSS 17.

To be perfectly honest, even though I have SPSS 16.0 I still really only use SPSS 15.0. I’m still having trouble getting used to the new java-based interface. Unless SPSS 17.0 gets some exciting new features, I may continue to stick with 15 anyways.

So…no big loss for the MacOS users?

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/spss-170-powerpc.htm/feed 0 PSOL Boosts Response Rate +23% with Prizes http://www.kupferman.com/psol-incentives-boost-response-rates.htm http://www.kupferman.com/psol-incentives-boost-response-rates.htm#comments Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:09:01 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.kupferman.com/blog/?p=131 Continue reading →]]> Lake Superior College recently collected data for its 4th Priorities Survey for Online Learners, a standardized-ish survey from Noel-Levitz that helps schools measure the satisfaction of their online programs.  What’s neat (from my perspective) is that this year they offered their survey pool of over 2000 potential respondents the chance to win one of 40 2 GB USB drives for participating in their PSOL survey and got a responses rate of 23%. When they last did the survey in 2006 without offering an incentive they only got a 17% response rate. That’s a 23% increase in the response rate.

Now I don’t know a ton of details about how they marketed this survey versus the last survey, but based on conducting numerous studies myself I can definitely say offering an incentive — even just a chance to win — can have a big impact on the response rate for your survey. I’m not 100% sure why, but I believe it is because it gives people who are on the fence about spending the time it will take to complete your survey are swayed enough by the incentive to take the plunge.

In any event, if you are going to go to all of the trouble to write, collect, analyze, and report on a survey, offering at least a small incentive is a great way to boost your response rate (make sure you keep in mind the applicable laws regarding sweepstakes)!

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/psol-incentives-boost-response-rates.htm/feed 0 Vovici Buys Raosoft EZSurvey http://www.kupferman.com/vovici-raosoft-sale.htm http://www.kupferman.com/vovici-raosoft-sale.htm#comments Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:31:41 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.kupferman.com/blog/?p=105 Continue reading →]]> Vovici (formerly Perseus SurveySolutions and WebSurveyor) announced today that they were acquiring EZSurvey and EZReport from another survey software provider, Raosoft Inc. Vovici will take over all EZSurvey maintenance contracts and will provide customer service and support.

According to the press release, the acquisition will will:

…strengthens Vovici’s ability to move new clients onto its Web-based survey and Enterprise Feedback Management platforms, as the majority of Raosoft’s clients are now using desktop software to develop and conduct online surveys. Additionally, this acquisition reinforces Vovici’s position within the government market leveraging Raosoft’s Federal government client base, which includes the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and Department of the Treasury.

Government clients of Raosoft included the Department of Agriculture, Commerice, Defense, Energy, Interior, Justice, Labor, Treasury, EPA, FAA, FBI, IRS, FDA, and various other agencies and offices. Corporate clients include AARP, ACNielsen, American College Testing, the America Red Cross, AT&T, Deloitte & Touche, Costco, McDonald’s, Time Warner Cable, and educational facilities including Emory University, U-Mass Boston, and Penn State.

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/vovici-raosoft-sale.htm/feed 0 SPSS 15 Doesn’t Work with Microsoft Vista? http://www.kupferman.com/spss-15-vista-incompatability.htm http://www.kupferman.com/spss-15-vista-incompatability.htm#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2007 05:28:11 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.kupferman.com/blog/?p=88 Continue reading →]]> I came across a post on comp.soft-sys.stat.spss in which the purchaser of a new Dell system with Vista Home Premium edition was unable to install SPSS 13, 14, or 15. They indicate that they spoke to SPSS support, who told them that none of the versions which require activation will install on Vista.

In a follow up message, it was noted that SPSS was working on a patch and that the estimated date of release is the end of April, 2007.

Followup: SPSS has released a hotfix to address the problem. It can be downloaded from the SPSS Support Website (login required — you can use user: guest/password: guest). In addition to the hotfix, the page also identifies the procedure for installing SPSS 15 on Visita.

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/spss-15-vista-incompatability.htm/feed 0 Teen Mobile Research Panel Introduced http://www.kupferman.com/teens-everywhere-the-n-announced.htm http://www.kupferman.com/teens-everywhere-the-n-announced.htm#comments Wed, 13 Dec 2006 02:47:18 +0000 Mark Kupferman http://www.kupferman.com/blog/?p=83 Continue reading →]]> The N, MTV/Nickelodeon’s evening network for teens, has announced an alliance with mobile community provider mbuzzy.com to create a teen wireless research panel using the mbuzzy technology platform beginning in January. The program, to be called "Teens Everywhere" will allow the alliance to conduct research with 10,000 teen panel members via their mobile phones on a variety of topics, ranging from network programming to advertising to events and other information.

Read the full press release at Yahoo.

]]> http://www.kupferman.com/teens-everywhere-the-n-announced.htm/feed 0