Summary
This paper discussed how market researchers can create more business impact by putting more emphasis on their own human decision-making, and avoiding the risk of dramatically undercutting their own effectiveness by focusing on data alone. The authors outline the barriers that contribute to the phenomenon of market research generally not achieving its intended impact. To improve things, they advocate additional researcher training - particularly in the areas of stakeholder buy-in, and reporting efforts that engage the audience more effectively. Strong communication skills are also essential. The paper also highlights results of a research report on the issue conducted by the authors, the headline finding of which is that researchers themselves agree with marketers that they are not having enough of an impact.

Summary
UK universities are having to come to terms with the double whammy of a 2010 Spending Review that will see budgets reduced from £7.1 billion to £4.2 billion by 2014, and the Browne Review of higher education funding and student finance, which argues that those who benefit (i.e. students) should make a far greater contribution to the cost than is currently required. Against this backdrop the authors seek to contribute to the graduate skills debate. They will demonstrate that delivering employment-ready graduates ignores the demands of a radically altered world of work in the face of the government’s response to the latest economic crisis. While its primary focus is on the supply side (graduates) the authors are cognisant of the market research industry, which itself is facing external pressures to shift from a milieu of data gathering to a future of intelligent insight providers. We then go on to present the development of a new type of university, which has actively sought to reduce its dependency on traditional funding sources. Finally, we present a model of a research facility at one university that has successfully engaged with the local and regional business community to the benefit of its student workforce. In doing so, it has helped to develop over 70 graduate researchers, with entrepreneurial mindsets, who have all gone on to secure enterprising futures.

Summary
GfK NOP is seeking to develop excellence through the use of Web 2.0 tools on its graduate training programme. Our approach has been to build excellence by adopting a new organisational form known as the ‘community of practice’ approach. This approach is emerging in companies that seek excellence as it promises to galvanise knowledge sharing, learning and change. It has led them into a world where the avatar has been conducting interviews in Second Life and they have been using social networks for research purposes. It is believed this approach will produce market researchers who are more attuned to client requirements of the future, and could possibly retain more talent within the industry, as it allows new entrants to see how they can contribute to the development of methods, techniques and products, and creates a better sense of belonging to the industry.

Summary
This paper uses the metaphor of jazz music-making to contribute to the growing literature concerning the need for a more holistic approach to research, and to suggest directions for research implementation. It suggests researchers can work towards an ‘effortless mastery’ of their craft, and posits potential new forms of evaluation criteria useful in evaluating research (and researcher) quality.

Summary
This article considers the urgent need to improve the numbers and quality of talent in the market research industry, especially in growing markets such as Asia-Pacific. A study is described into the attitudes and motivations of new graduates choosing careers. Market research is perceived as intellectually stimulating and offering opportunity to acquire knowledge, but requiring long hours and (worst of all) lacking esteem. Suggestions emerge for improving the image of the industry, including: more PR visibility; involvement in curriculum preparation and delivery; work experience; student seminars on market esearch.

Summary
This paper discusses how the role of the research professional inside a company is changing, from being a provider of information (managing traditional research projects) to a more significant and proactive role, identifying business opportunities, assessing risks and delivering analytical insights in all aspects of the business. This developing status is indicated by two Hong Kong case studies (described), and confirmed by a survey (described) among in-house research professionals in Hong Kong and China. Besides the in-house research role, the survey indicated how they fit into the company structure (still usually the marketing department), how they also retain independence, and how expectations are also expanding for external research suppliers, who should be closely supportive partners to their in-house colleagues.

Summary
Talent management is a problem for research companies in Asia Pacific, where the growth rate and resulting competition for graduates is huge. This paper looks at whether work experience for students in market research is an effective way of informing them and attracting them to the industry. A controlled experimental study (described) was conducted among students in Fiji, comparing cells who had work experience in the industry (in a junior capacity) against controls who had not, and showing two alternative stimuli (an information presentation and an outcome presentation based on a case study). Three hypotheses investigated were that impressions of the industry would be improved by a) having worked in it, b) being given structured information, and c) being shown the outcome of an actual project. Results: hypothesis a) was supported; hypothesis b) was supported for non-workers but not for workers; hypothesis c) was not supported, although workers seeing the outcome presentation did report some positive reactions. Conclusion: to increase the pool of graduates seeking careers in research, it would be beneficial to provide and market more junior work-experience positions (as field or data processing workers) for students.

Summary
Pragmatic polymaths are persons who are deeply interested in a range of subjects over and above their professions, and have attained proficiency in them. Such people are rare. The paper argues that they enhance the value of qualitative research and should be sought after. The need has grown with the increasing demand for, and supply of, innovative insights. Current practitioners may have difficulty profiting from these emerging trends because they are overwhelmed by the variety of new approaches and terms and cannot discriminate what is genuinely new, they cannot easily integrate all this knowledge to produce original insights or methods and they find it harder to communicate qualitative insights to more senior management. Pragmatic polymaths have the qualities needed to overcome these difficulties. For example they can engage multiple ways of thinking and seeing to develop insights, use a multi-disciplinary approach to develop new methodologies or create practical and compelling insights to drive business action.

Summary
In this article, Peter Mouncey, Editor of the International Journal of Market Research, and Roderick White, Editor of Admap, report on the MRS Conference 2008. They cover a broad range of themes, including the role of market research in the boardroom, the new structures that are developing in the industry and how researchers are adapting to the new challenges of the Web 2.0 world. It also contains information on a number of case studies, including those for Boots, the Post Office, Unilever, HSBC and Orange, detailing how these organisations are using research to shape their operations.

Summary
Research offers a creative, stimulating environment for people to build long-term careers, and so should be a magnet for graduates. This, however, is not always the case. This paper - written by three graduates who were hired as part of a recruitment scheme run by Synovate - draws both on their own experiences as well the opinions of other researchers, CEOs of research agencies and careers advisers to provide some recommendations on how the industry can recruit, and retain, more talent. It argues that market research is lacking a brand image - a key tool for attracting graduates - and is not successfully promoting its key selling points. While the industry is good at developing talent, it must also deliver roles that feature strong aspects of the jobs that originally appealed to its recruits.