Methodology
1,055 scientists completed a 28-question survey conducted by BioInformatics, LLC (Arlington, Virginia, USA) between October 8 and October 13, 2003.The electronic questionnaire was fielded to registered members of The Science Advisory Board. BioInformatics sponsors The Science Advisory Board, an online community
of more than 16,500 scientists, physicians and healthcare professionals from around the world. The Science Advisory Board is divided into two panels (Research and Clinical) and "convenes" regularly via the World Wide Web (www.scienceboard.
net) to voice their opinions on a wide variety of issues relating to biomedical research and clinical technologies. These experts-representing all aspects of the life sciences and medicine-have agreed to make themselves available to participate in our online research activities. The Science Advisory Board members who participated in this study were drawn from the Board's Research Panel. A skip pattern in the body of the questionnaire directed respondents to the questions that best reflected their experience. The survey answers only reflect those of the respondents who indicated in Question 1 that they use commercial purification kits for genomic and/or plasmid DNA. After answering Question 1, 510 participants who purify genomic DNA were directed to Questions 2-14, while 545 of the participants who purify plasmid DNA were directed to Questions 15-27. In each section, respondents answered questions regarding the source from which they purify their DNA (Questions 2 and 15) as well as their primary supplier of purification kits (Questions 4 and 17). The answer choices to these questions were then automatically inserted in several subsequent questions. After completing their respective sections, all respondents then proceeded to Question 28. The major objectives of this report are as follows:
• Identify the most common purification methods and uses of purified DNA
• Measure throughput and estimate growth in consumption of purification kits
• Identify preferred suppliers of DNA purification kits and assess their strengths and weaknesses
• Assess satisfaction with purification products from an end-user's perspective
• Understand the factors that influence end-users to switch suppliers
• Evaluate the extent and drivers of customer loyalty toward kit suppliers
• Compare the markets for genomic DNA purification kits and plasmid DNA purification kits To help you better understand how the study was conducted, this section is provided for free. |
