As public opinion researchers, we often face objections when seeking the opinions of the general public. The argument is that the public does not comprehend the issues we present in surveys, or that they have no significant influence on policy-making and decision-making. Consequently, governments may be subjected to what could be called populist policies under the pressure of naively catering to the public’s desires.
Even though we measure the opinions of specialized groups in many of our survey projects, such as business people, experts, academics, and others, we do not see a conflict between them. Each group has its topics and questions, uses, methods of application, and degrees of importance.
There are valid reasons for the emergence of the term, applications, practices, and projects to measure the opinion of elites, specialists, opinion leaders, stakeholders, and other related concepts. These reasons stem from the belief that these minds have a greater influence than the general public or are more connected to the entity benefiting from the studies. Therefore, there is a need for more attention in understanding, extracting, and conveying these opinions to decision-makers. Sometimes, it is beneficial to compare their results with those of the general public, as some survey entities do when publishing results.
The importance of these specialized groups’ opinions in understanding and solving issues is undeniable, especially in-depth topics in economic, social, and political aspects. This requires a professional methodology in implementing them by selecting these leaders transparently, announcing selection criteria, determining how to reach and communicate with them, and building their databases. This is sometimes achieved through official records in the government, private sectors, and academia in universities, associations, and professional unions. At times, it is conducted through systematic office and field monitoring according to specific criteria, and sometimes through short surveys to the larger group to nominate the smaller group. For example, political science professors might select the best international relations professors, thereby highlighting the opinions of the elite in each field of knowledge to contribute to the betterment of our societies and countries.
Dr. Samir Abu Rumman
