2020, a pivotal year that was set as a time-stamp on many business strategies and plans over the past years. So, how many companies have set up a 2020 strategy over the last decade? Have tried to envision how their business will look by then? Have made plans to anticipate potential futures? And now? 2020 is in full swing!
Storytelling can conjure up magical imagery. In research, our challenge is bringing a method behind the magic. Sports can bring out the best in storytelling: drama is built-in; everyone can identify with the main characters. But not all storytelling is created equal. We wanted to test the theory that measuring storytelling effectiveness could directly influence business growth. We designed a new framework in the process establishing a new method for brands to evaluate storytelling effectiveness.
Much of innovation has been occasioned by the impact of the internet on our business, as we seek to come to terms not only with the power ofthe web itself but the amazing societal and generational changes that it has created. As social networking has established itself in multiple layers of society, so the potential of networks and communities is beginning to be discovered for the purposes of research, ideation and innovation with the customer. As Maria Rapp of Communispace says in this issue, its all about listening. And thats what makes it truly exciting - researchers and their clients are rediscovering the art and science of listening to people in new and challenging ways. Even more refreshingly, one of McKinseys latest benchmarking studies provides significant evidence that companies that use these and other research innovations are more likely to succeed. We should not be surprised that good, innovative research definitively leads to high market and financial performance, but it is always good to see it in black and white and to be able to share it with the world. According to McKinsey, high-performing companies adopt more innovative research techniques, embed them in the heart of the organisation and align their consumer insights functions as a whole with the strategic direction of the company and with senior management. That, in a nutshell, is what successful research is all about and what makes it such an exciting - and potentially cool -industry in which to work. We need to celebrate our innovations and our successes and evangelise them to the world, to business, to universities and to government. Over the next few months, you will see more of that in these pages and we hope you will join us in our evangelical mission!
If Corporate Communications firms are to survive in the network economy they must offer their clients solutions for communications strategy. They must also create stories and experiences for the clients of their clients, integrated in a creative business strategy. Firms must rise to the challenge of Human Talent and develop entrepreneurs and attract and retain talented employees, or, as summarised by one CEO: "I have only two priorities: One for Human Talent and one for Corporate Communications with Creative Business Ideas."
A high rate of Internet penetration does not itself ensure the development of eCommerce. All companies dealing with this issue must commit themselves to understanding the principles underlying any possible commercial strategy on Internet. This study aims to show how an erroneous management of this issue on the part of the companies existing in Uruguay (the country with the major Internet penetration in Latin America) led to an undeveloped market for eCommerce. It seems that market researchers could help solve this particular situation. Qualitative research (including interviews with advertising companies, significant companies who have recently built their own website, website design companies, and suppliers of services connected with electronic media) is described.
In the 1960's Tom and Audrey Eyton started a bi-monthly magazine, Slimming and Nutrition, working on their kitchen table at home. It cost them £2,000 to start: some years ago they sold it to a big publisher for £4,000,000. Thats profitability alright: where was the innovation?
This paper describes the research methodology used in a long range qualitative forecast of the future of the multinational pharmaceutical industry and same of the problems associated with qualitative international futures studies. The results of this study indicated that there was a need to develop more sophisticated attitudinal research techniques which could more effectively identify and monitor the political and social trends which are increasingly affecting the pharmaceutical industry. The study also identified the need to take a critical look at the industry and rethink our business strategy which has become outmoded as a result of our changing environment.
Two sets of basic questions are typically faced by all manufacturing companies which want to sell their products abroad: 1a. to sell the same products that are sold on the domestic market also on the foreign markets without any particular adaptation, or 1b. to have different product policies for each country or area; 2a. to apply the same marketing communication and price strategies at home and abroad, or 2b. to adapt such strategies to the local (i.e. different) conditions.