Market Connections Blog » Uncategorized http://marketconnectionsblog.com Marketing research news and insights from Market Connections Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:49:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Measuring ROI is Greatest Challenge for Contractors http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2010/07/28/measuring-roi-is-greatest-challenge-for-contractors/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2010/07/28/measuring-roi-is-greatest-challenge-for-contractors/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:07:41 +0000 MarketConnections http://marketconnectionsblog.com/?p=627 On July 27, 2010, Market Connections presented the findings of the 2010 Federal Community Social Media Study to a standing-room-only crowd at the Tower Club in Vienna, VA. Of the findings, Alice Lipowicz of Washington Technology wrote, “Federal contractors have jumped into social media in a big way, but many are finding it difficult to calculate a return on their investment, according to a new survey of 167 federal contractor employees by the research firm Market Connections Inc.

“The most popular social media tools among federal contractors are wikis, followed by commercial social networks, followed by blogs.

“LinkedIn was cited among the most popular social media sites for federal contractors…”

View the full article on www.washingtontechnology.com.

The full Federal Community Social Media Report takes a comprehensive look at the use of social media among federal agencies and suppliers, including analysis of the use of a variety of social media tools and planned investments in social media.

]]> http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2010/07/28/measuring-roi-is-greatest-challenge-for-contractors/feed/ 0 Lockheed Martin and Market Connections Present Cyber Security Study Findings http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2010/07/08/lockheed-martin-and-market-connections-present-cyber-security-study-findings/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2010/07/08/lockheed-martin-and-market-connections-present-cyber-security-study-findings/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:59:50 +0000 MarketConnections http://marketconnectionsblog.com/?p=545 Webinar details government attitudes on cloud computing

The Lockheed Martin Cyber Security Alliance and Market Connections presented the webinar Securing Data in the Cloud on June 23, 2010. The live event shared findings from a recent research study of federal government IT decision-makers and influencers involved specifically in cyber-related activities. The presentation detailed awareness of and attitudes on cloud computing and cyber security in federal agencies, in addition to considerations when moving to a cloud computing environment.

Download a PDF of the slide presentation.

View a recording of the webinar.

Speakers included:

  • Melvin Greer, Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Solutions’ (IS&GS) Cloud Computing Strategist, moderated the session.
  • Cynthia Poole, Director of Research Services and expert analyst at Market Connections, presented the results of the research study commissioned by the Lockheed Martin Cyber Security Alliance.
  • John Pescatore, Gartner Vice President, Distinguished Analyst and Cyber Security expert, provided additional insights on security considerations and best practices for government agencies moving to a cloud computing environment.

Download the related white paper, “Awareness, Trust and Security to Shape Government Cloud Adoption.”

More on the Lockheed Martin Cyber Security Alliance.

]]> http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2010/07/08/lockheed-martin-and-market-connections-present-cyber-security-study-findings/feed/ 0 Losing sleep over your to do list? Recontract! http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2010/06/03/losing-sleep-over-your-to-do-list-recontract/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2010/06/03/losing-sleep-over-your-to-do-list-recontract/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:00:55 +0000 Monica Parham http://marketconnectionsblog.com/?p=434 It’s common in every workplace to encounter stressful times when internal or client deadlines loom, staff members feel frazzled, and personal priorities weigh on our minds. Productive managers and staff recognize these pressures before they become problems and work on solutions, like delegating to other members of the team. Sometimes, though, we spend time stressing about whether we can accomplish what is expected of us or what we expect of ourselves. We may quietly fume at our desks, lose sleep, and avoid the intimidating task of approaching a supervisor to redefine priorities and expectations. That’s when “recontracting” will come in handy.

The Market Connections team learned in a recent training session that when you recontract, you go back to a manager or team member to adjust priorities, timelines, and expectations. Sometimes this is a formal change of duties and responsibilities; other times it’s a chance to casually air frustrations and shuffle immediate pressures and priorities. It’s often hard for people to do this because of our own internal expectations and pride: we want to do a good job, we don’t want to let our superiors or peers down, we don’t want to let ourselves down by admitting we just can’t do it all. Frequently, our own internal struggles, insecurities, and needs prevent us from productively handling a frustration before it becomes a full-blown problem.

When everyone on your team understands that it will at times be necessary to reprioritize or shift responsibilities, and that it’s ok to ask for help and admit you can’t be superman all 365 days of the year, recontracting can be an incredibly useful tool. We have embraced the concept here at Market Connections and are committed to recontracting with a calm, respectful, and solutions-oriented mindset. Our goal is to distribute responsibilities and priorities in a way that maximizes internal productivity and facilitates superior execution and delivery of our services to customers.

]]> http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2010/06/03/losing-sleep-over-your-to-do-list-recontract/feed/ 0 We’re Now on the GSA Schedule! http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/10/01/were-now-on-the-gsa-schedule/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/10/01/were-now-on-the-gsa-schedule/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:22:11 +0000 Lisa Dezzutti http://marketconnectionsblog.com/?p=342 Market Connections has been awarded a General Services Administration (GSA) contract.   gsa_logoAs of October 1, we’ll be on the GSA AIMS schedule under SIN 541-4A – Market Research & Analysis Services.  We look forward to providing our deep government market expertise and full-service research services to federal agencies.

]]> http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/10/01/were-now-on-the-gsa-schedule/feed/ 0 Certified Researchers Make a Difference http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/05/05/certified-researchers-make-a-difference/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/05/05/certified-researchers-make-a-difference/#comments Tue, 05 May 2009 21:34:47 +0000 Sarah Wholey http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/05/05/certified-researchers-make-a-difference/ prc-big.jpgWhen checking out market research firms, it can be a good idea to find out how many of their employees are professionally certified.  The Marketing Research Association established the Professional Researcher Certification (PRC) program to validate industry knowledge, dedication, and professionalism among market researchers.  A PRC designation assures the credentials of market researchers and underscores their commitment to continuing their professional education.  Similar to certifications in other fields, it sets an industry standard for excellence in research.

The PRC program also challenges participants to stay on the research industry’s leading edge through conference attendance, educational seminars, and peer-reviewed publishing.  This focus on professional development is one of many reasons you’ll benefit from choosing a research partner that employs certified professionals.

Over half of the researchers at Market Connections are PRC certified.  Furthermore, it’s our policy to share the knowledge gained through professional education and development with other staff members.  As a result, you can be assured that we have the expertise required to deliver quality research and actionable recommendations that will help you attain your goals.  Click here for more information on the PRC program.

]]> http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/05/05/certified-researchers-make-a-difference/feed/ 0 Get More Bang for your Research Buck http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/04/10/get-more-bang-for-your-research-buck/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/04/10/get-more-bang-for-your-research-buck/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:45:16 +0000 Laurie Morrow http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/04/10/get-more-bang-for-your-research-buck/ piggy.jpgIs your marketing budget shrinking faster than you can blink an eye?  You’re not alone.  In this economy, many organizations are looking for ways to both reduce their research investments and get a greater return from them.  Right now, it’s more important than ever to ensure a research project will maximize the learnings you need to enhance the performance of your marketing or operations.  But don’t worry, because with a little effort, you can get more bang from your research buck.  We’ll show you how.  Click here. 

]]> http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2009/04/10/get-more-bang-for-your-research-buck/feed/ 0 At this special time of year http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/12/24/at-this-special-time-of-year/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/12/24/at-this-special-time-of-year/#comments Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:30:43 +0000 MarketConnections http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/12/24/at-this-special-time-of-year/

Happy Holidays from all of us at Market Connections!

]]> http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/12/24/at-this-special-time-of-year/feed/ 0 Our take on the MRA Conference http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/06/27/our-take-on-the-mra-conference/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/06/27/our-take-on-the-mra-conference/#comments Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:42:51 +0000 MarketConnections http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/06/27/our-take-on-the-mra-conference/ As you may know, the MRA held its Annual Conference and Research Forum earlier this month. Three of our attendees have written a bit about their favorite program from the event.

John:
One of the sessions I found most interesting from this year’s MRA conference was a team-based, case-study exercise where we were broken up into six groups of 8-10 participants. Each group was given the same background information about a research project for a fictional company, “Bunny Burgers”. That’s when things got interestingââ?¬â?each team was tasked with creating a research project that would help Bunny Burgers understand the market, and guide their marketing investments, but each was assigned a different budget and timeline. About halfway through the exercise, each team was thrown a curveball that affected their research window, budget, or overall ability to complete the project (as so often happens in the real world!). It was fascinating to watch the teams, with people from all sides of the research spectrum offer their expertise and experience to address the challenges, and to develop a solution. The teams who were most successful teams treated the exercise as a collaborative project, worked closely with our “client”, and were capable of rolling with the punches and adapting when the process didn’t go exactly as planned.

Laurie:
One of my favorite sessions at the 2008 MRA conference, was the 4pm keynote speaker on Wed June 4. The session was titled: “Quality,?? What’s Love Got to Do With It.” The presenter was Robin Pearl,?? VP Market Research, The Estee Lauder Companies. In a very amusing way, she spoke of quality issues that can plague research projects from sample design and survey content to simple typos in reports. Her speech was entertaining as well as a good reminder that all research professionals need to pay more attention to details, both as a client and a vendor. She noted a great line,?? that when it comes to research we all need a “PHD (passion, heart and drive)”,?? you must love what you do! And the best part –free Estee Lauder Lip Gloss for all!

Cynthia:
A very interesting session I attended during the 2008 MRA Conference was titled “Mindreading & Measuring Emotion in Quali-Quant Research: It is NOT Smoke and Mirrors!”,?? presented by Brent Snider, a Client Director with BrainJuicer.
This presentation offered a peek under the tent at one of the emerging research techniques that attempt to measure emotions and validate insights,?? going a step beyond offering open-ends in an online survey. In other words, exploring another approach to getting the qualitative “whys” behind quantitative “whats”. Check out the website demo and “juice your brain“.

Sounds like the MRA conference was a great success!

]]> http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/06/27/our-take-on-the-mra-conference/feed/ 0 Announcing Market Connections’ NEW Webinar Series! http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/06/18/announcing-market-connections-new-webinar-series/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/06/18/announcing-market-connections-new-webinar-series/#comments Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:13:01 +0000 MarketConnections http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/06/18/announcing-market-connections-new-webinar-series/ Market Connections is gearing up for something brand new. Starting in July, we will be presenting a series of free webinars. Held every other month, each webinar will present a fresh look at topics relating to marketing research methods, using research effectively, the state of the market, and more!

Our first webinar of the series is entitled Create a Competitive Advantage with Market Research and will be held on July 21 at 2pm. Click here to register for our webcast.

We want to hear from you! What topics would you like covered in our webinar series? Leave a comment to let us know.

]]> http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/06/18/announcing-market-connections-new-webinar-series/feed/ 1 Technologies that Will Affect your Business in 2008 http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/01/22/technologies-that-will-affect-your-business-in-2008/ http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/01/22/technologies-that-will-affect-your-business-in-2008/#comments Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:29:08 +0000 MarketConnections http://marketconnectionsblog.com/index.php/2008/01/22/technologies-that-will-affect-your-business-in-2008/ 2007 was an incredible year for new and progressing technologies.  Web 2.0 applications, such as wikis, blogs, and podcasts were used by more corporate and government entities than ever before.  Multiple “green” technologies, such as blade servers, power throttling, and virtualization were discussed and developed.  And, as always, technologies relating to security were of top importance. 

As I was wondering what was in store for 2008, I stumbled upon an article in the January 7th edition of e-Week that mentioned the most influential technologies in the upcoming year.  They are as follows:

1. Access control apps
2. Server virtualization
3. Solid-state storage
4. Message security
5. Virtual infrastructure management
6. Encryption
7. Semantic Web
8. Wireless LAN
9. Next-generation web applications
10. Mobile devices

Is there anything on here that surprises you?  Do you think e-Week listed the most important technologies or are they missing some?  Leave a comment and let the entire Market Connections community know what you think!

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