Marketing research firms and corporate marketing departments use surveys to find out what people think about products and services. These surveys determine what new products consumers want and their satisfaction levels with existing products. Companies often decide to launch new products and discontinue old offerings based on the results. Surveys also help companies gauge the effectiveness of advertising and public relations campaigns, and television and radio media use surveys to determine their ratings.
The stock market uses economic forecasts to measure business confidence levels, which help determine economic growth or recession periods. Opinion polls about businesses often help people decide whether to buy or sell stock and can play a role in the stock's price fluctuation. Accountants also use surveys, when conducting audits, as the amount of financial information they amass is usually too great to examine, so they sample accounts or survey very specific information.
Academic researchers use surveys to gather information about specific events, behaviors, ideas and attitudes. For example, communications scholars might use a survey to find out how people feel about online chat rooms. Sociologists conduct surveys about poverty and crime in particular communities or demographics. This research is published in academic journals or by the agency that is funding the research. Nonprofit organizations and social service departments often provide grant money for these kinds of survey because they use the data gathered to plan future operating budgets.
Government agencies use survey data to decide how to allocate money to specific causes and areas. The most well known is the U.S. Census. This information determines which states and agencies get funding for the next 10 years. State and local governments use surveys to find out what citizens think about new projects, infrastructure improvements, unemployment rates and education reforms. The results of these surveys decide the fate of many government employees and the constituents they serve.
Opinion polls are surveys that gauge the public's attitudes about a variety of topics, most commonly political candidates. You've heard the term "ahead in the polls," which means that more people say they will vote for a certain candidate at a given time. Politicians also use these surveys to find out the most important issue for a certain group of people so they know what to talk about in speeches, interviews and debates. Opinion polls are quick and inexpensive ways to find out what people think.