Since the founding of Emergent Research nearly two decades ago, our mantra has been follow the data to where it leads us.
This requires us to minimize the impact of potential biases in our work.
As part of this effort, we've identified and analyzed a variety of potential biases, including two key biases: survivor bias and confirmation bias.
We've also put in place policies and procedures to minimize the impact of bias on our work.
But the current state of U.S. and global politics has us looking deeper at another bias - partisan political bias (which is a form of confirmation bias).
That the political discourse in the U.S. and elsewhere has become increasingly polarized is obvious.
A good example is the view of American's of President Trump. As the chart below (click to enlarge) from a recent Gallup poll shows, the view varies dramatically by political party affiliation.
Views on government policy at the national, state and local levels also vary substantially by party affiliation.
Emergent Research and our Small Business Labs blog are strictly nonpartisan.
But our job - identifying, tracking and forecasting the trends and shifts impacting the future of work and small businesses - requires us to evaluate government policies.
This is not easy in today's heated political environment.
Anything construed as being even remotely critical, or supportive, of the president or his policies is quickly attacked by one side or the other as as being biased.
As industry analysts and forecasters, we're used to being criticized. It's part of the job.
So we will continue to evaluate the impact of government policies on small businesses and independent workers. We will also stay strictly nonpartisan.
And we will continue to follow the data to where it leads us.
Comments