Officers:

Hartmut Scheffler - Chairman
Harald Hasselmann - Deputy Chairman
Bernd Wachter - Deputy Chairman
Erich Wiegand - Managing Director

History, Aims & Objectives

The ADM was established on June 20, 1955 in Würzburg as "Arbeitskreis für betriebswirtschaftliche Markt- und Absatzforschung e.V." and registered as an association on June 26, 1956. However its history reaches back to the year 1949. On April 29, 1949 the "Arbeitskreis für betriebswirtschaftliche Markt- und Absatzforschung" was set up at the Nuremberg School of Economics. In 1960 the association changed its name to "Arbeitskreis Deutscher Marktforschungsinstitute e.V." and finally on April 27, 1989 the general assembly of members decided to give it the name used today, "ADM Arbeitskreis Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstitute e.V.".

From its foundation in 1955 to the present day, the chairmen of the ADM have been: Prof. Dr. Georg Bergler (1955-1956), Dr. Julius E. Schwenzner (1956-1965), Wolfgang Ernst (1965-1968), Dr. Emil Bruckert (1968-1974), Hans-Jürgen Ohde (1974-1977), Werner Ott (1977-1987), Hartwig Schröder (1987-1993), Dr. Klaus Haupt (1993-1999), Dr. Rudolf Sommer (1999-2002), Dr. Klaus L. Wübbenhorst (since 2002).

The ADM is registered as a non-profit making association. It is a professional organisation whose main purpose is to look after the interests of the private market research agencies belonging to the association. They regard themselves as members of an advisory service profession. Their working methods are those used in scientific research. The ethical standards and their perception of the profession derive from this. As the agencies conduct scientific research they enjoy the right to the freedom of research vested by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The specific aims and objectives of the ADM as laid down in its rules are as follows:

- to preserve and advance the scientific character of market and social research;
- to preserve the reputation of market and social research among the general public;
- to promote the general public's trust in market and social research;
- to preserve and implement professional principles;
- to guarantee data protection and the anonymity of respondents;
- to protect clients against inadequate surveys;
- to protect the general public against inadequate publications;
- to combat unfair competition;
- to foster contacts with national and international organisations;
- to promote fundamental scientific research;
- to foster contacts with faculties for the social sciences at the universities;
- to encourage and promote the new professional generation;
- to advise and represent its members in practical matters;
- to publish specialist literature;
- to promote cooperative understanding and conduct between members
- to provide expertises on market and social research issues;
- to sort out differences of opinion in all areas of market and social research.

The professional rules which have been established by the ADM are considered to constitute accepted professional practice and are thus binding to everyone conducting or commissioning market or social research in Germany, irrespective of whether or not they are members of the association. They are also binding to foreign research agencies and clients who conduct or commission research in Germany. 

Codes & Standards

i) ICC/ESOMAR International Code of Marketing and Social Research Practice. Adherence to this code is mandatory for all members of the ADM

ii) Quality Standards.

In 1999 the ADM issued "Standards for Quality Assurance in Market and Social Research" which represent a frame of reference encompassing the entire research process and describe the requirements towards the individual steps of it that are relevant to quality. They should be regarded as being a catalogue of mandatory aims which must be achieved in order to ensure the quality of research results. However, the manner in which these aims are achieved remains open within the framework laid down by accepted scientific principles. In addition to the general quality standards "Standards for Quality Assurance for Online Surveys" have been issued in 2001 and published also in a condensed version as "Checklist for Clients Commissioning Online Surveys".

At the moment the existing quality standards of the German market research industry are to be transformed into a national norm "Services in Market and Social Research" by the ADM and the other German associations in close co-operation with the DIN. This norm will also constitute the position of the German market research industry in the negotiations regarding the development of an international ISO norm for market research.

Members List

AMR - Advanced Market Research GmbH
ASK Gesellschaft für Sozial- und Konsumforschung GmbH
Roland Berger Market Research
BIK ASCHPURWIS + BEHRENS GMBH
BIK UMFRAGEFORSCHUNG GMBH
BIK MARPLAN INTERMEDIA GMBH
Bonner Institut für Markt-, Meinungs-, Absatz- und Sozialforschung marmas bonn GmbH
C.M.R. Institut für Communication- & Marketing-Research
Compagnon Marktforschungs-Institut GmbH & Co. KG
CZAIA Marktforschung GmbH - TECUM®
ENIGMA GfK Medien- und Marketingforschung GmbH
facit Marketing-Forschung GmbH
Foerster & Thelen Marktforschung Feldservice GmbH
forsa Gesellschaft für Sozialforschung und statistische Analysen mbH
ForschungsWerk GmbH
GfK AG
IFAK Institut GmbH & Co. KG
Impulse Forschungsgesellschaft für Marketing und Organisation mbH
infas Institut für angewandte Sozialwissenschaft GmbH
Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach GmbH
Institut für Marktforschung GmbH - IM Leipzig
Intermarket Gesellschaft für internationale Markt- und Meinungsforschung mbH
Ipsos GmbH
IRES Gesellschaft für Unternehmens-, Marketing- und Kommunikationsforschung mbH
Dr. von Keitz GmbH Institut für Kommunikations-Forschung
Krämer Marktforschung GmbH
LINK Institut für Markt- und Sozialforschung GmbH
M & E Deutsche Gesellschaft für Markt- und Engpassforschung mbH
Mafo-Institut GmbH & Co. KG
MARPLAN Forschungsgesellschaft mbH
mc markt-consult institut für strukturforschung und marketingberatung GmbH
Media Markt Analysen GmbH & Co. KG
Millward Brown Germany GmbH & Co. KG
polis Gesellschaft für Politik- und Sozialforschung mbH
PSYMA GROUP AG
result: Institut für Medien- und Meinungsforschung Sabine Haas GmbH
rheingold Institut für qualitative Markt- und Medienanalysen
RMM Marketing Research International GmbH
SCHAEFER Marktforschung Institut für Markt-, Sozial- und Werbeforschung GmbH
Sinus Sociovision GmbH
SKOPOS – Institut für Markt- und Kommunikationsforschung
TEMA-Q Technik und Management für Qualität GmbH
TNS EMNID Markt-, Media- und Meinungsforschung
TNS Infratest
Umfrageninstitut Klaus Peinelt GmbH
Unabhängiges Meinungsforschungsinstitut INFO GmbH
USUMA GmbH