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The general context for this paper is access to higher education (HE) in the UK but the particular concern is participation. An important distinction is drawn between access and participation. The heterogeneous characteristics of HE and the complex choice processes of applicants mean that a finer level of description and analysis is required which goes beyond aggregate measures of access and examines the extent and the nature of participation. Equality of opportunity provides the underpinning for this paper, access to HE is the starting point, the focus is on participation and the approach is empirical and pragmatic. In 2002, the target for access to UK HE was set at 50 percent, which requires attention to shift from broad measures of access towards detailed measures of participation; particularly when the agenda is one of social inclusion, and when certain groups within society are still significantly under‐represented and disadvantaged at the level of participation.

The past decade has witnessed increased commercial use of data obtained unobtrusively from large‐scale geodemographic (GD) systems. However, consumer researchers have paid little attention to the potential of geodemography. Capitalizes on the fact that geodemography and Warnerian social class are underpinned by the same idea, i.e. that individuals resemble their neighbors, sharing many demographic and social‐status characteristics. Uses data from 675,615 households in 34 leisure and recreation categories to replicate, update, and extend findings in the social class literature. Results indicate that social class shapes lifestyle and recreational choices, and media habits; they also support Coleman’s (1983) income use hypotheses, and Levy’s (1966; 1978) media habit conjectures. Results suggest that a threefold classification of social classes (upper, middle and lower) may be more appropriate for predicting recreational choices than the traditional fivefold classification. Supplementing substantive findings, the study exemplifies how large‐scale, secondary databases can be applied in consumer research and offers suggestions to further refine social class measurement techniques.

Direct marketing has developed rapidly over the last 15 years owing to technological change and developments in markets and marketing. In 1086 William the Conqueror created the Domesday Book as a record of what each individual owned. The concept developed by George Orwell in his 1984 novel was one of more sinister surveillance by “Big Brother”. Although marketing might not be seen in either light, it is certainly being manifested in at least a parallel manner. Personalised data are increasingly being integrated via data‐fusion to form the next phase of database provision ‐ biographic information. This paper provides a perspective on these developments and raises a variety of marketing and social responsibility issues that are likely to become salient as we move into a new millennium.

This purpose of this paper is to explore the developments which have precipitated the use and integration of geographical information systems (GIS) within the South African Police Services (SAPS).

The paper provides a historical overview of GIS within South Africa, supplemented with the legislative origins of the integration of GIS within policing in South Africa. Various spatial analytic operations that GIS technology affords are highlighted to illustrate the potential that the technology offers to law enforcement agencies in South Africa.

A number of challenges face the full integration of GIS within the day‐to‐day policing operations of the SAPS. Several critical success factors are identified which need to be eminently satisfied before the widespread integration of GIS within the SAPS can be achieved.

GIS is envisaged as a tool to benefit the criminal justice community by playing an important role in the policing and crime prevention process. This paper identifies the major inhibitors to the potential offered by GIS to supplement policing within a South African context.

As the financial market experiences the consequences of nearing retail saturation together with an increasingly demanding consumer, financial concerns need to understand and react to their customers. The degree of rationalisation within the sector means players such as the Derbyshire Building Society must (a) maximise those capital assets which indicate potential and (b) develop effective and profitable new and existing outlets to strengthen their trading base. The development of an information environment which evolved from a close relationship between the Derbyshire Building Society and Market Profiles Ltd is described. The objective was to develop a quantifiable framework for strategic and tactical decision making, through the provision of a highly flexible and interactive PC‐based marketing information system capable of integration with a longer‐term mainframe solution. This was designed to make the Derbyshire more proactive in its marketing activity.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the importance of wine's region of origin in the consumer wine‐buying decision‐making process in the Australian domestic market.

Data collection takes place by means of a self‐administered and online approach in tandem utilising a highly structured questionnaire completed by wine consumers. The sample is limited to three groups of wine consumers – patrons of a wine bar in Sydney and two online wine communities unlocking access to a cross‐section of on‐premise trade and online consumers. The active memberships of the online communities amount to 3,600. In total, 352 usable surveys are obtained.

Region of origin is an important choice factor in the wine‐buying decision making process of consumers, but particularly so in terms of its multi‐dimensional nature (region name, wine type and grape variety). The most important choice factors in consumers' wine‐buying decisions are quality, price, grape variety, wine style and region of origin. Region of origin varies in degree of influence within different segments. Higher ratings for region of origin are given by female wine consumers, high involvement wine consumers and consumers who have participated in wine tourism to a greater degree.

The findings of this research suggest that wine's region of origin is a significant choice factor in the Australian consumer's wine‐buying decision making process. More than half of the respondents are residents of Sydney and the findings are therefore tentative due to the geographical limitation.

This study is of value to academic researchers, wine industry practitioners, and on‐ and off‐premise operators alike as it furthers the understanding of the importance of various choice factors in the consumer's wine‐buying decision‐making process and in particular the relative importance of region of origin within the main choice factors. It also highlights the specific market segments (geodemographic, behavioural and involvement level) and conditions under which the relative importance of region of origin varies.

Visualising and analysing geographical patterns in mental illness can be a starting point for understanding and creating effective policy around inequalities and how to resolve them. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

This research note looks at geographical variations in GP drug prescribing for schizophrenia and similar psychosis using open Presentation-level Data for England downloaded from NHS Digital.

The authors found considerable geographical variation in both the level of prescribing per thousand population at local authority level and in the rate of change measured over five years. There is a statistically significant north-south divide in prescribing. The authors have used social marketing geodemographics to explore possible correlates with the geographical patterns. Highest positive correlations show links to deprivation and less healthy lifestyle choices.

This is the first time National maps of geographical variation of GP prescribing for schizophrenia and psychosis have been produced. Seeing this geographical variation is in itself informative and a potential eye-opener. In doing so, new questions can be asked of the data, practice and policy.

Asserts that when faced with complex motives and behavior, humans tend to simplify and generalize in order to make sense of a bewildering set of complexities. Categorical systems are standard tools for boiling down the diversity of human behavior into manageable pockets (market segments) that allow us to predict future behavior. Discusses the merits of this process and also the risks of oversimplification. Examines examples of successful direct marketing to market segments, in particular the Cohorts II system, and makes suggestions as to how best to identify and reach market segments. Concludes by addressing current trends (e.g., using the Internet as a marketing medium) and how these will affect market segmentation.

Companies are ignoring a wealth of untapped marketing gold embedded in their internal customer files. If this information can be extracted from a database, it could become a key source of sales leads.

Explains how it is possible for universities which are part of the UCCA/PCAS system to develop insights into their recruitment process. The changes to the university sector and government funding of higher education make it critical for universities to understand the higher education marketplace. Shows how extracts from the main UCCA database can be used to model the selection process, competitor analysis and geodemographic modelling. The effective use of information already held by universities will allow them to respond to a changing marketplace in a planned and co‐ordinated manner.