Political and social
TNS is the leading provider of political and social research in more than 25 countries worldwide. TNS Research Surveys' dedicated Political and Social unit has been advising South African government, parastatals and NGOs for the past 20 years.
Our mission
To undertake research and analysis that increases government and stakeholders' knowledge on major issues affecting the economic and social development of South Africa.
TNS recognises that research is central to the economic and social growth of South Africa and the eradication of poverty as it establishes an insightful base for making decisions, designing interventions and resolving the problems facing our country.
Our focus area
1. Effective Governance
Effective governance will examine issues that contribute to and constrain democratisation in South Africa. The research focus will include service delivery & government communication with civilians.
The aim is to undertake research that contributes to effective and efficient governance and service delivery across government departments at national, provincial and local levels and at parastatals including the delivery of social services.
2. Skills Development
To undertake research that contributes to the skills development required for productivity and employment in the formal and informal economy with a special focus on intermediate and high level skills.
3. Poverty Alleviation
To undertake research that contributes to economic growth and wealth creation in terms of the economy, labour market and the development of formal and informal enterprises. A particular focus will be on research that addresses the needs of those at the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ (Prahalad,2006)
Strategic research partnerships
The language of partnerships in social development is relatively new and even more so in research partnerships.
It is, however, an indisputed fact that the problems of our world are too great to be addressed by single disciplines or single institutions. A direct result of this, according to Gibbons et al, is the development of New Modes of Knowledge Production.
One result being the blurring of boundaries between disciplines, between research institutions and between research client with the line between academic and corporate and applied and basic research narrowing. This erosion of boundaries, a direct result of the problems that research needs to resolve, has resulted in communities of researchers stepping outside the traditional frameworks of enterprise or academic research and gathering in clusters around specific and defined research projects or research problems areas.
Global expertise in political and social trends
We have dedicated political and social researchers in offices across 70 countries and actually cover over 110 countries.
Our extensive global reach ensures a seamless international response to clients' global market information requirements in social and political research.
TNS Political & Social offers our clients a range of global branded insight services and solutions.
Eurobarometer, a major public opinion tracking service for the European Commission, operating across 30+ countries, providing insight on social trends.
Contact
Ivan Motlogeloa
+27 11 778 7848