Riding the Value Shift in Market Research: Only the Paranoid Survive

David G. Bakken

What is the biggest threat to the future of market research? This paper argues that deep, permanent changes in the competitive dynamics of market research are behind its growing commoditization and that of other trends like "DIY" research.

Riding the Value Shift in Market Research: Only the Paranoid Survive

David G. Bakken

INTRODUCTION

The market research industry seems under attack from all quarters. Agency researchers complain that the industry is becoming commoditizeddue to clients' unwillingness to “pay for quality.” Clients retort that their agency partners do not demonstrate the ROI for research and fail to provide the insights they need to realize their business goals. From outside the MR industry, software vendors are providing “do it yourself” tools that allow clients to conduct survey research without the assistance of an external agency. Both client-side and agency...

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