The collection of data by business partners is crucial in understanding the changes needed in market development programmes.
Data is necessary for tracking:
- Activity outputs
- Indication of market system change
- Market performance indices with a view to improving and increasing responsiveness to market dynamics
The data could be in the form of sales data, activity reports, business practices and other end-market information such as how customers are responding to products and their peculiar challenges dealing with the product/services which a development partner wants them to uptake.
Keeping it simple, building trust and demonstrating the value of the information to the partner’s bottom line often creates the incentive for businesses to report as expected.
This ‘How to!’ note, is one of a series in which practitioners share technical information about how to tackle a commonly met challenge in market systems development. If you would like to share your own ‘How to!’ note, please contact editor@beamexchange.org.