Target agency organized on Saturday November 17^th, 2018 at Kinshasa at training for supervisors, team leaders on the field.

A training related to remind them about basic elements on Market research as well as on roles and importance of a supervisor.

The Officer in charge of Study and Project Department, Hortense MBUMBA, started by explaining the concept “Market Research”.

A market research is a set of techniques through which we can assess, analyze and understand the behavior, appreciations, needs and expectations of a targeted defined population.  

The market research allows testing an idea and mitigating uncertainties and risks.

She indicated that there exists three categories of market research, i.e.:      

• Quantitative study that consists in data collection allowing to describe, by quantifying these data, attitudes, opinions and behaviors of a population or a representative sample of that population;
• Qualitative study that is a data collection allowing to get a deep understanding of attitudes and motivations of individuals of a population and; 
• Documentary study that aims at collecting information previously available on a subject, field or a specific market.

Supervisors also learnt different methods that are used for each category of study.

As for quantitative studies, data collection is carried out through these methods: PAPI, CAPI, CATI, CAMI, CAWI, CAGI and CASI. While qualitative studies are using the following methods to collect information: Focus Group, Personal Interview, Ethnographies, Intercepts, Immersion, Observation and Monograph.

As for roles and importance of supervisor, Target Project Manager underlined that quality of supervision has got an impact on results and the agency workplace.

A good supervisors’ team helps with the establishment of a positive workplace and supports surveyors to do the job effectively and feel competent.

She emphasizes that a supervisor is a team leader that is positioned between the agency performance requirements and specific stakes to the management of his team.

The supervisor must combine both technical and relational skills that will allow him better mastering the art of leading and also play his decisive role for the study success on the field.

The supervisor role is to manage both the team and progress of the job on the field. He is in charge of promoting awareness of his team members concerning job requirements and checking the consistency of data collected by these latter. 

She made a layout of a composite drawing of the supervisor position. This latter should be able to:  

• Understand the work environment in which to operate;
• Consider and be aware of his role (be skillful to plan and monitor his team);
• Be authoritarian and responsible;
• Be effective on the field by collecting reliable data;
• Maintain a good work and motivation environment.

While supervising surveyors, the supervisor has to play several roles for optimizing the performance of his team, in line with the field circumstances and contexts.

As Team leader, the supervisor should have both Team Spirit and Initiative Spirit;

He should be dynamic and professional, disciplined and respectful as well as be serious and punctual at work.

Supervisors have also been called to be motivators for members of their teams on the field.

Since, it is in consideration with all the aforementioned that they can be adequately represented.