IQR is providing its research services to one of the leading directory of institutional investors in hedge funds and funds-of-hedge-funds. The system provides anyone that markets these products with an easily searchable tool, allowing subscribers to target relevant investors based on a number of criteria. The product is designed specifically for groups marketing hedge funds and funds-of-hedge-funds to the European institutional marketplace. It provides detailed information covering key contacts, asset allocations, previous investments made, current hedge fund investment plans and preferred strategies.
IQR team researches on fundraising and investment activity in the European and Asia private equity markets. The work includes writing qualitative profiles of investors and their funds, collating quantitative transaction information (financial data) via primary research and mapping the history of a private equity-backed business in the database (i.e. the time line from when the original investment was made to the realization of that investment).
The nature of the data being produced and researched by the team of researchers at IQR is of a fairly complex nature and not necessarily easy to quantify. There is a combination of qualitative and quantitative information in the directories and involves following responsibilities which adds value to our client’s databases
Whenever one is asked to undertake research, one of the first issues that tends to crop up is that of sample size. At least two aspects need to be highlighted in sample size considerations. First, are the results of the sample to be generalized to an entire population? This sounds like a trivial question and a somewhat shocked 'of course' refrain is to be expected. However, the corollary to this is, with what degree of accuracy and confidence do you want this to happen? Here lies the rub because these are researcher or management decisions and on this basis one can justify a wide range of sample sizes! In fact, more often than not, statistical considerations for sample size determination are of secondary importance.
A more relevant question to ask for sample size determination is perhaps what is the intended use of the findings? Will they be used to make a critical decision; as part of a PR exercise; or is it just a case of a 'nice to know' situation? Only the first objective is likely to require a representative sample. However, irrespective of sample size it is very desirable that a random sample is collected as this allows for statistical analysis of the data. Any random sample, even if the sample is not general sable, can be analyzed statistically. Moreover, there is nothing wrong with findings from a sample that are not general sable as long as the conclusions are clearly bounded by the limitations of the sample.
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