Publications

Below is a summary of publications and other industry activities.

Repertoire

• ORCID ID 0000-0003-3579-7307: ORCID is a non-profit organization supported by a global community of member organizations, including research institutions, publishers, funders, professional associations, service providers, and other stakeholders in the research ecosystem.
  
  
• Research Gate: As a social researcher, my interests are to understand people in various contexts. I’ve worked across 21 countries and five continents. Was Chairperson of SAMRA and is a SAMRA Accredited Researcher since 2011. I find demographic classifications less and less relevant. Human traits, thoughts and fears are similar irrespective of age, gender or race classifications. My latest work is about behavioural patterns in combination with personality characteristics. Click here for more info

Published articles

• Understanding a Nation: A Social Segmentation of the Diverse South African Population (2020): This paper describes a study of South Africans’ national perception and alignment to the dimensions of active citizenship, social cohesion and national pride. The study covers the 2017–2018 period and is based on a survey undertaken with a nationally representative sample. It identifies ten segments in the South African population that each point to distinct patterns of behaviour, attitude and opinion. Each segment displays a particular predisposition towards integration, social engagement and participative citizenship. The segmentation is defined by social and psychological characteristics and not demographics, although it offers demographic data on the composition of each group. The derived model yields significant insight into the national trajectory in the spheres of politics, civil society and the economy. It illuminates the dynamics of South Africa’s pluralistic society and offers a platform for further political, social, economic and market research. Angelopulo, Wegelin, De Kock, Thirion-Venter (2020). Understanding a Nation: A Social Segmentation of the Diverse South African Population. January 2020. Politikon Click here for more info
  
  
• Assessing Entrepreneurial Mindset: Results for a New Measure (2019). This research describes the results of a national survey of entrepreneurial mindset conducted with 3,194 randomly selected individuals in a representative national sample. Several other measures of entrepreneurial personal characteristics appear in the literature. These include the Entrepreneurial Attitude Orientation measure (cf. EAO, ), the General Enterprising Tendency (cf. GET2, ), the test of Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy (cf. ), and the Entrepreneurial Mindset Profile (cf. EMP, ). Valuable as these measures are, each has important limitations. This comprehensive study successfully addressed nearly all of those limitations. Shaver, Wegelin, Commarmond (2019). Assessing Entrepreneurial Mindset: Results for a New Measure. December 2019. Discourse and Communication for Sustainable Education Click here for more info
  
  
• Brand South Africa (2019): As a young democracy, many attributes shape our behaviour as we consider what South Africa is as a nation developing from a now abandoned historical path. To understand the impact dynamics of a pluralistic society coming together, a tailored segmentation model was developed. The model was based on four constructs: national identity, national pride, active citizenship and social cohesion. The aim was to encompass insight into attitudes, behaviours, and opinions as they are manifested in the realms of politics, business and civil society. A multi-methodological approach was followed, including Omnibus, online survey, focus group and in-depth interview methods, resulting in ten behavioural groups or segments that articulate the key anchor points of South Africans. Monitoring these groups yields insight into levels of integration, social engagement and citizenship, and assists in building a body of knowledge to inform and direct a nation in the making. Click here for more info
  
  
• If we are good researchers, why should we fear more data? (2014): Our world is becoming ever more digital, with each connection producing data, meaning we are experiencing a never before seen data deluge. Businesses recognise the opportunity of tapping into these new data sources which is driving interest in BigData. Sectors within the market research industry fear that BigData has the potential to replace the need for data collection. However, in this paper we suggest market research has the opportunity to embrace BigData because on its own it has limitations which can be overcome using market research expertise. The industry should reposition itself as data curators to complement the BigData opportunity. Click here for more info
  
  
• Creative, relevant appliance labelling campaigns (2005). This paper recounts highlights gleaned from the two consumer surveys that sketch South African appliances buyers who will use the new energy efficient appliances labels. By drawing on the information gained from these surveys, a communications campaign that supports the new labels will engage consumers by making the labels more relevant to their lives. Once armed with the knowledge of purchasing biases along with the wealth of data about what moves consumers to purchase one appliance over another, the energy efficiency communications campaign will increase consumer confidence in choosing more efficient appliances. Co-authored “Creative, relevant appliance labelling campaigns”. by Lisa Surprenant, Alliance to Save Energy, USA; Christine Egan, Collaborative Labelling and Appliances Standards Program, USA; Carol Mulholland, Academy of Educational Development, USA; and Jan Wegelin, MarkData, South Africa. EE Publishers (Pty) Ltd. August 2005. Click here for more info

Book contributions

• Rigour and relevance in entrepreneurship research, resources and outcomes. Frontiers in European entrepreneurship research. (2019): This insightful book examines the need to bridge the gap between scientific rigour in entrepreneurship research and its practical relevance to external stakeholders, and demonstrates clearly how this can be achieved in practice. Featuring cutting-edge research, Rigour and Relevance in Entrepreneurship Research, Resources and Outcomes presents and evaluates current critical approaches in the field, analysing their theoretical value and their relevance to policy and practice. Click here for more info
  
  
• World Bank: Doing Business in South Africa (2018): Comparing Business Regulation for Domestic Firms in 9 Urban Areas and 4 Maritime Ports with 189 Other Economies. 2018 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. Click here for more info
  
  
• The Handbook of Mobile Market Research: Tools and Techniques for Market Researchers (2014): The Handbook of Mobile Market Research is the first guide to focus exclusively on the use of mobile technology in market research. From a global perspective, more people own mobile phones than landlines or computers, and most people have their mobile phones with them at all times—along with their tablets, smartwatches, media players, and navigation devices. The continuous surge of mobile innovation provides unprecedented access to real-time consumer behaviour. Mobile market research allows users to reach more people, engage more people, and collect more valuable data as respondents are free to engage at their own pace, on their own time. Industry forerunners Ray Poynter, Navin Williams, and Sue York employ decades of study to examine the present and future state of mobile market research, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches. This book contains clear, comprehensive knowledge for those who implement, utilise, and study the field. Click here for more info

Speaker events

• Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology. 2020 Conference Program. “A Psycho-Social Behavioural Interpretation of South Africans”. Click here for more info
  
  
• SAMRA 2018 Annual Conference: Click here for more info
  
  
• Africa’s Big 7 (2018) Africa’s Big 7 continues to be the leading trade exhibition where agents, distributors, retailers meet to shape the food and beverage industry in Africa. It is truly an international event where 67 countries gather to network and forge relationships successfully. Click here for more info
  
  
• SAMRA 2014 Annual Conference: Click here for more info

Industry clips

• Big Data: Black hole or opportunity? (2020 Moonstone): In recent months many of us have had to adopt a different rhythm to how we live and work. We changed the way we shop to online, we applied for digital services both for engagement and entertainment and learnt to navigate a space we’d heard about but not experienced. These trends will continue to develop and offer us even more options and opportunities in the coming months. All these developments, systems and integrated structures have one common denominator, large data volumes. Intuitively we know this, but at the same time thinking about how much data is generated becomes unfathomable. It’s the same feeling one gets when trying to imagine what a million oranges or people, grouped together, will look like. There are practical implications to working from home or engaging remotely or virtually, and we have become well-versed in these, illustrating our ability to adapt. However, the practical side is often easier to notice, easier to measure and even predict. The more important aspect, and often less overt, is the change in our behaviour. Why are these aspects important? Click here for more info
  
  
• Stethoscope for organisational health (2018 Hidden Voice): Productivity in the workplace is one of the key drivers for economic growth and Africa is lagging far behind the rest of the world.  According to the Africa Competitive Report 2017 compiled by the World Economic Forum and the World Bank, productivity has grown far less in Africa than it has in more advanced economies. Click here for more info
  
  
• Toward a Comprehensive Measure of Entrepreneurial Mindset (2018 Allan Gray Orbis Foundation): Our objective is to build a comprehensive measure to assess the “entrepreneurial mindset.” It is first important to note that this is not the old “entrepreneurial personality” wine in a new and more attractive bottle. In our view, “mindset” includes elements traditionally considered to be narrow personality traits, elements that are broad personality dispositions, elements that are much more typically considered cognitive processes, and still others that are behavioural dispositions rooted in interactions with other people. To keep our arguments clear, we treat these influences on behaviour as if they were independent of one another. Click here for more info
  
  
• Money-making machine for the poor. (2018 Sowetan): Money stokvels give banks a run for their money. In a country where financial inclusion continues to be a challenge, stokvels are providing South Africans with a platform to save money for their needs and escape poverty. For decades, black communities have been using stokvels to save money for financial, social and entertainment needs, this practice continues to be popular.
  
  
• SONA analysis (2015 TNS South Africa): We explored mixed modes and technology assisted research in a pilot study to understand reactions to social and political events. Click here for more info
  
  
• Can you buy shares in a stokvel? (2016 bizcommunity): Click here for more info
  
  
• The business of chocolate (2012 South African Food Review): Despite tough economic times, no one can resist the lure of chocolate for long. The market has shown steady growth. Click here for more info
  
  
• Oiling the market (2012 South African Food Review): The edible oils market maintains a reasonable contribution to overall GDP compared with other food and beverage categories. Click here for more info
  
  
• Bottled water trends (2011 BMI): From 1998 through to 2007, the bottled water market averaged a volume growth rate of 27.0% per annum. This was a function of the category being fairly new and becoming established within the South African market. The growth in popularity of bottled water was exceptional, reports BMI. However, following this boom, category growth plummeted. From an exceptional growth of 30.4% in 2007, the volume increase recorded for 2008 was a limited 4.9%. The years to follow were much the same, with increases of 3.3% and 4.2% recorded for 2009 and 2010 respectively. Click here for more info
  
  
• SAMRA Council (2011): SAMRA elects 2011/12 council. At the recent Southern African Marketing Research Association (SAMRA) AGM in Johannesburg, the new council for 2011/12 was announced. Click here for more info