But market-research data, anecdote and simple observation all suggest that the economy has recovered from the post-communist crunch a bit more smartly.
According to data from the market research firm International Data Corp.
Charles Duhigg at The New York Times reports on how both the Obama and Romney campaigns are turning to market research and data mining in an effort to boost voter turnout in their favor.
In 1997, along with my brother, we revolutionised the trends information business with the launch of Worth Global Style Network (WGSN), which went on to become "the fashion industry bible" (The Wall Street Journal), providing trend forecasting, market research and data for retailers, manufacturers and designers.
Global PC unit shipments will drop 1.3% in 2013, following a 3.7% drop in 2012, according to market research firm International Data Corp.
Market research firm International Data Corp. now sees 2011 worldwide PC unit growth of just 2.8%, down from a previously forecast 4.2% rate.
FORBES: Slowdown: IDC Cuts 2011 PC Unit Growth Forecast to 2.8%
Market research firm International Data Corp. this morning chopped its forecast for 2011 worldwide PC unit shipment growth to just 4.2%, down from 7.1%.
FORBES: IDC Chops 2011 PC Unit Growth Forecast To 4.2%, From 7.1%
They do no market research, have little data on their customers, and have no experience in direct retailing.
The chief executive of one business-to-business (B2B) company, for instance, hired market research firms to gather data about its promoters and detractors.
Look behind the numbers: In the fourth quarter of calendar 1998, Dell's sequential growth, or the percentage increase in unit sales from the third quarter, was 12.6%, according to market-research firm International Data Corp.
Shipments of compact cameras declined last year, but those of the new type nearly doubled from the previous year, with projections of a fivefold increase by 2015, according to market-research firm International Data Corp.
WSJ: Camera Makers Enter New Mirrorless Arena for Serious Photographers
"The K6 family has undergone a lot of competitive pressure against Celeron, " said Mario Morales, director of semiconductor research with market researcher International Data Corp.
Total U.S. video game industry retail sales jumped a surprising 24% in the month from a year ago, according to new data from market research firm NPD Group.
For the month, according to new data from market research firm NPD Group, overall U.S. video game revenue at retail stores was down 5% from the same month last year.
FORBES: In January, Another Rough Month For Retail Video Game Sales
The global television market is expected to reach 254 million units in 2012, up 2% from last year, according to new data from market research firm NPD Display Search.
FORBES: TV Market Seen Growing 2% In 2012 To 254 Million Units
Sales of the Xbox 360 are on an upswing, jumping by 34 percent in the first eight months of this year versus the same period last year, according to data from market research firm NPD.
It was designed and formulated by CEA Market Research, the most comprehensive source of sales data, forecasts, consumer research and historical trends for the consumer electronics industry.
ENGADGET: Shocker: CEA's spending report finds Americans buying more technology
Last year, Android and Apple's iOS accounted for 87.6% of the 722.4 million smartphones shipped world-wide, up from 68.1% in 2011, according to data from market-research firm IDC.
In the global race of smartphone sales, Samsung (maker of the Galaxy) is in a two-horse race with Apple (maker of the iPhone), followed by the third most popular manufacturer, Nokia (maker of the Lumia), according to data from US market research firm Strategy Analytics.
Yes, it will even provide a ready-made market research tool, to collect even more data on our desires and dreams so it can provide better services.
FORBES: Google Says No to Retail Stores. How About Community Centers?
Eventually, that data could be sold as market research or be used to sell Hiya ads.
FORBES: WhitePages Wants To Be Your Location-Aware Mobile Address Book
We recently looked at the ten most influential celebrities using data from E-Poll Market Research.
FORBES: Rush Limbaugh's Real Problem: He's Become Less Influential
The findings are part of new market data from market intelligence firm ABI Research detailing the mobile broadband transition.
ENGADGET: ABI Research: LTE subscriptions surpassed WiMAX usage in Q2 2012
Sources: Market Guide and FT Interactive Data via FactSet Research Systems.
We used data from E-Poll Market Research whose E-Score Celebrity service ranks more than 7, 000 celebrities on awareness, appeal and 46 different personality attributes.
FORBES: Morgan Freeman Tops Our List Of The Most Trustworthy Celebrities
Market Data Retrieval, an educational market research company, found that 72 percent of the 2, 000 colleges that responded to its survey offered online courses in 1999-2000, compared with 48 percent in 1998-99.
CNN: fyi.com - Study: Public higher education embracing virtual classrooms
Banks, funds and research institutions have used it to analyze market data, and test trading strategies.
FORBES: Names You Need to Know in 2011: Palantir Technologies
North Korea does not publicize any kind of trade data, let alone allow independent market research.
In the U.S., second to Britain as a target market for Australian wine, sales data from MKF Research in Napa Valley show that in the 52 weeks to May 20 Australian wine sales grew by 6% in volume, but only by 4.6% in value.
So when it comes to estimating economic impact for sporting events, best to show caution and restraint, and ultimately attempt to verify any public statements with market research vis-a-vis on-site data collection so that you have a leg to stand on when reporting such figures.
FORBES: Educating Sports Commissions and CVBs About the Economic Impact of Sports
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