Allensbach Institute
Encyclopedia
The Allensbach Institute, formally the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research or Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Polling , is a private conservative
opinion poll
ing institute based in Allensbach
, Baden-Württemberg
, Germany
.
and journalist
Erich Peter Neumann, and modelled after Paul Lazarsfeld
's Wirtschaftspsychologische Forschungsstelle at the University of Vienna
,
the Allensbach Institute was the first public opinion
research institute in Germany,
depending primarily on the sale of market research
studies for financing.
The institute conducted the "first [post-war] inquiry to assess former Nazi support",
and was contracted by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1950 to carry out monthly surveys of domestic public opinion.
In 1988, political economist Renate Köcher, a former advisor to Chancellor Helmut Kohl
, became managing director of the institute alongside Noelle-Neumann, who was also the sole shareholder
in the company. Noelle-Neumann transferred ownership of the institute to the Allensbach Foundation for Public Opinion Research in May 1996.
The Allensbach Institute is noted for providing the most accurate prediction of the results of the closely contested 1998 German federal election
.
, media
and social research
, as well as political opinion research, and has performed polls on topics ranging from participation in sport
s
to "radio listening and newspaper reading habits"
to support for a Europe
an monetary union and economic and monetary union
.
Deborah Ascher Barnstone, in a study of transparency in politics
and architecture
in Germany, asserted that the range of subjects covered by the Allensbach Institute makes it "an excellent source for information on the [German] general populace".
The institute employs roughly one hundred full-time employees, including about 25 scientist
s, and two thousand avocation
al interviewers, and conducts approximately one hundred surveys and 80,000 interview
s yearly. Although the institute conducts surveys primarily of German public opinion, it has participated in or carried out multiple "international opinion research projects".
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
opinion poll
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
ing institute based in Allensbach
Allensbach
Allensbach is a municipality in the district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany, which is known for being the home of the Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach, one of the best known polling organizations in Germany....
, Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
History
Founded in 1947 by political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-NeumannElisabeth Noelle-Neumann
Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann was a German political scientist. Her most famous contribution is the model of the spiral of silence, detailed in The Spiral of Silence : Public Opinion – Our Social Skin...
and journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
Erich Peter Neumann, and modelled after Paul Lazarsfeld
Paul Lazarsfeld
Paul Felix Lazarsfeld was one of the major figures in 20th-century American sociology. The founder of Columbia University's Bureau of Applied Social Research, he exerted a tremendous influence over the techniques and the organization of social research...
's Wirtschaftspsychologische Forschungsstelle at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
,
the Allensbach Institute was the first public opinion
Public opinion
Public opinion is the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs held by the adult population. Public opinion can also be defined as the complex collection of opinions of many different people and the sum of all their views....
research institute in Germany,
depending primarily on the sale of market research
Market research
Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy...
studies for financing.
The institute conducted the "first [post-war] inquiry to assess former Nazi support",
and was contracted by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1950 to carry out monthly surveys of domestic public opinion.
In 1988, political economist Renate Köcher, a former advisor to Chancellor Helmut Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
, became managing director of the institute alongside Noelle-Neumann, who was also the sole shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
in the company. Noelle-Neumann transferred ownership of the institute to the Allensbach Foundation for Public Opinion Research in May 1996.
The Allensbach Institute is noted for providing the most accurate prediction of the results of the closely contested 1998 German federal election
German federal election, 1998
A German federal election was conducted on September 27, 1998, to elect members to the 14th Bundestag, the parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany.- Issues and campaign :...
.
Activities
The Allensbach Institute conducts marketMarket research
Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy...
, media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
and social research
Social research
Social research refers to research conducted by social scientists. Social research methods may be divided into two broad categories:* Quantitative designs approach social phenomena through quantifiable evidence, and often rely on statistical analysis of many cases to create valid and reliable...
, as well as political opinion research, and has performed polls on topics ranging from participation in sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s
to "radio listening and newspaper reading habits"
to support for a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an monetary union and economic and monetary union
Economic and monetary union
An economic and monetary union is a type of trade bloc which is composed of an economic union with a monetary union. It is to be distinguished from a mere monetary union , which does not involve a common market. This is the fifth stage of economic integration...
.
Deborah Ascher Barnstone, in a study of transparency in politics
Transparency (humanities)
Transparency, as used in science, engineering, business, the humanities and in a social context more generally, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed...
and architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
in Germany, asserted that the range of subjects covered by the Allensbach Institute makes it "an excellent source for information on the [German] general populace".
The institute employs roughly one hundred full-time employees, including about 25 scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s, and two thousand avocation
Avocation
An avocation is an activity that one engages in as a hobby outside one's main occupation. There are many examples of people whose professions were the ways that they made their livings, but for whom their activities outside of their workplaces were their true passions in life...
al interviewers, and conducts approximately one hundred surveys and 80,000 interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
s yearly. Although the institute conducts surveys primarily of German public opinion, it has participated in or carried out multiple "international opinion research projects".
External links
- Official website
- Statista (Publication and Analysis of Allensbach Institute surveys)