Method

Desk research

Everything already published, organised so it is actually usable.

INEGI, sector databases, specialised studies, public registries and our links with university research centres provide a wide menu of quality sources. The work is not gathering them: it is cross-checking them, spotting where they contradict each other and building from them a reading of the market that survives a board meeting.

How it works

The question is defined and the sources able to answer it are mapped.

Data is extracted and harmonised — it almost never arrives comparable.

Sources are cross-checked and every assumption is documented.

What remains uncovered, and would need fieldwork, is stated explicitly.

When to use it

Cases where it fits

As the first phase of almost any study, so you do not pay to ask what is already known.
To size a market when official statistics are sufficient.
For competitive and regulatory landscape analysis.
When the deadline or budget does not allow fieldwork.

At a glance

Typical sample: Not applicable: documentary sources
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Coverage: National and international

What you get

Report with sources cited one by one
Harmonised data series, ready to use
Competitive and regulatory context analysis
List of information gaps that would require fieldwork

Frequently asked questions

Does desk research replace fieldwork?

Sometimes yes and often no, and the honest thing is to say so before charging for it. If official statistics cover the question, fieldwork is an unnecessary expense. If the question is about motives, perception, or a niche nobody has measured, desk research only serves to prepare the fieldwork.

Let's talk about your project

Tell us what decision you are facing and we will tell you which study answers it.