AID Comes to the Aid of Marketing Management

Discusses automatic interaction detection (AID) developed by two Americans, Sonquist and Morgan in the 1960s, which was similar to the 'Belson Sort' which was a technique not followed through by UK researchers, thereby allowing US researchers to exploit it. Examines two examples of the use of AID to illustrate both its practicability and, to a degree, its limitations, although the exact findings are not shown for reasons of confidentiality — but its technique essence is communicated for consideration. Gives as the first case a problematic study of soft margarine and goes on to give examples using a figure as an aid. Adds case two — which concerns computers — and uses by way of illustration another figure. Summarises that if AID is used intelligently and with proper regard for its limitations, it can be relevant to a wide range of current marketing problems.