Abstract:

The market research profession has been consciously trying to evolve from a provider of data to a generator of insights and a consultant to management. The success of this transformation has been spotty and its pursuit may mask the need for more fundamental change. Long-term success demands the following: -giving up the search for the killer data-collection app; -expanding our expertise beyond understanding the voice of the consumer to encompass other types of data; -understanding our clients's businesses much more deeply; -developing new techniques to generate truly representative samples; and advocating a point-of-view not totally reliant on hard data. Ultimately, we must shift from relaying what we have learned to telling our clients what they should do.