Barry wrote: "if this is the only data available is it better than nothing?"

Best evidence is your own  verifiable and repeatable research. Next best
is someone else's verifiable and repeatable research. In the case of the
Coopers study, no-one has ever been able to find it so we are unable to
decide if it was a well designed, repeatable, verifiable research project,
a quickly cobbled-together presentation based entirely on unsubstantiated
heresay evidence or just a throw-away line in a sales pitch. There is far
too much urban myth in RM, usually tracable back to a sales pitch (sorry,
objective white paper) put out by someone who just happens to be selling
something, or to a journalist in a hurry to beat something up.

If you cite research evidence, one day someone will ask that you produce
it. Citing unverifiable evidence will come back and bite you. Citing
unverifiable or unreliable evidence demeans the RM profession. Better to
put in a bit more time and find something better or even do some original
research yourself.

Cheers

Glenn

Glenn Sanders MRMA
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Australia

These views are mine alone. They may or may not be those of any
previous or present employers or clients. I don't know. If I'd asked
and they'd agreed, I would have signed it "Bloggs and Co and
Glenn". Or whatever. But I haven't, so I didn't.

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