Change is the only constant, and who knows it better than us. Since internet and mobile is changing every industry so I decided to have a look at the impact of these two game-changing factors on MR and summed up my thoughts in the attached presentation. Here is a summary of what I think will happen in Marketing research:- 1. Traditional MR will be replaced by Social Media Listening and Integrated data solutions 2. Revenues of marketing research will mostly come from emerging economies and hence more understanding of local languages and cultures will be required to interpret data meaningfully 3. Integrated data mining tools that will integrate social media data, sales data/ retail data and with customer profile will be used in predictive models to forecast behaviors and trends. 4. Impact of each data based decision will be assessed through financial value i.e. cost of analysis and revenue generated 5. A Research manager will be required to understand the complete value chain of client and how the data is flowing in the value chain. Plus, he will be required to understand strategic planning, forecasting models, data integration methodologies

1. Future of Marketing Research Future of Marketing Research Factors that are changing the face of the business

2. Tomorrow Today 40% of growth is projected in the data that is generated on internet. Quantitative data will move away from traditional surveys to Social Media Listening & co-creation. Field work costs will be minimized, removing the entry barrier in MR industry and paving way for tech-savvy companies to offer social media based real-time dashboards to clients 80% of global research spending is currently dedicated to quantitative, survey-based, research (ESOMAR, 2010)

3. Tomorrow Today Emerging economies will be the focus, while more and more research will be conducted on growing Asian population. Listening through all available digital media will require understanding of languages and understanding of cultures. 76% of all traditional marketing research is conducted in the aging industrial zones i.e. 42% Europe, 34% North America.

4. Tomorrow Today The line between data and insight will diminish. Integrated data mining tools that will integrate social media data, sales data/ retail data and with customer profile will be used in predictive models to forecast behaviors and trends. Impact of each data based decision will be assessed through financial value i.e. cost of analysis and revenue generated. A research project, starts from field work followed by processing of data and ends at interpretation of numbers into insights and information

5. Tomorrow Today A Research manager: will be required to understand strategic planning, forecasting models, data integration methodologies. In addition to that, A Research manager will be required to understand the complete value chain of client and how the data flow in the value chain. Only in US alone, 1.5 million data savvy managers are required. Making this sector the only sector where number of jobs created is more than the talent available. A research manager: is required to understand basics of Statistical models, project management and presentation skills

6. Coming Soon In the next 12 months, Social media analytics and mobile surveys will be adopted faster than any other form of online MR. Source: The green book research industry – April, 2011

7. Recommended Readings Future of data: http://scienceroll.com/2010/06/08/the-future-of-data/ Future of mobile search: http://petitinvention.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/future-of-mobile-search-for-diet/ Future of MR by Robert Moran: http://www.strategyone.com/documents/CASRO%20Presentation%20Futures%20of%20MR.pdf MckinseyBig data: http://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/publications/big_data/pdfs/MGI_big_data_full_report.pdf ESOMAR 2010 report: http://www.esomar.org/uploads/industry/reports/global-market-research-2011/ESOMAR-GMR-2011_Preview.pdf