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In New York, full service agency ORC International has hired former Nielsen marketer Ana Mackay-Sim as Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for overseeing brand and revenue-building marketing initiatives globally. More
ORC International has appointed Varna Arun, formerly of Frost & Sullivan, as Asia-Pacific Commercial Director based in Singapore. More
Full service agency ORC International has hired Nielsen veteran Tom Markert as Chief Executive Officer and Global Product Development Lead, based in its New York office. More
Business intelligence firm ORC International has launched Employer Branding, a three-dimensional framework to help clients engage existing and potential employees and create differentiation from the external marketplace. More
In the UK, ORC International has appointed former Harris Interactive exec Phil Brooks in the newly created position of Financial Services Research Director. More
ORC International has appointed Bhavya Sehgal as Senior Vice President, Asia, to lead and expand its strategy business across the region. More
ORC International has extended its long-established CARAVAN omnibus product with the launch of an Online Omnibus Survey of Hispanic consumers. More
Asia / Pacific Managing Director Greg Wayman is to leave ORC International at the end of the year, and will be replaced by former Nielsen exec Oliver Rust, who joins on November 10th. More
Database giant and former ORC parent Infogroup has suffered a setback in its lawsuit against former CEO Vin Gupta for illegal practices at his new firm DatabaseUSA, including the alleged theft of Infogroup's database. Attempts to throw out DatabaseUSA's defence are among the pleas rejected. More
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has appointed brand and innovation specialist Kevin Ford, previously Director of Research at NatCen, in the newly created role of Head of Markets and Products Research in Europe. More
ORC International has launched an off-the-shelf customer centricity tool, allowing client companies to assess and improve their performance. More
In Singapore, customer and employee research specialist ORC International has appointed Smitha Kuppa as Senior Research Director of its Qualitative practice, and Nellie Yeoh as Senior Consultant, Employee Research. More
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has promoted Craig Young to the new role of Managing Director in charge of its Australian business. The firm has also promoted Mia Wong to SVP Customer Research Asia, based in Hong Kong. More
Customer, employee, and market strategy research specialist ORC International has launched an online communities division, and appointed former Communispace exec Jennifer Adams to lead it. More
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has appointed industry veteran Jon Harding as Executive Vice President - US Business Development, and also hired Patricia Hughes and Joe Mann as Vice Presidents, Client Solutions. More
Peter Scott, Chairman and CEO of marcoms group Engine, is leaving the company following its recent acquisition by ORC's Chicago-based backers Lake Capital. More
ORC International is to join two partner firms in 'a next generation marketing services company' with annual revenues of c.$400m, following the acquisition of marcoms group Engine by ORC's Chicago-based backers Lake Capital. Partner firms will keep their separate identity. More
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has opened an office in Sevres, south west of Paris, where it has appointed former Ipsos exec Anne Lavielle to head up the new operation. More
Customer and employee satisfaction specialist ORC International has appointed four new members of staff in its Singapore office. More
ORC International has re-located its Singapore office to bigger premises in preparation for the launch of its new Strategy Research practice, which will focus on helping businesses drive organizational growth across the Asia Pacific region. More
Database company Infogroup, the former parent of research company ORC, has agreed to pay $13m to settle a dispute with an investor who claimed it was sold at 'an irresponsibly low price', under pressure from founder and deposed CEO Vin Gupta. More
The Supreme Court of New York County has ordered InfoGroup founder Vin Gupta to pay financial advisor Blackstone Advisory Partners $6.8m for work the firm carried out on his behalf relating to his bid to buy back the database firm from investors. More
In the US, customer and employee research specialist ORC International has appointed Natasha Kennedy as Senior Vice President, in charge of its Strategy Research Solutions team. More
US-based customer and employee research specialist ORC International has appointed Matthew Au as Managing Director, China at its office in Singapore, where it has also hired Jane Guo as Senior Qualitative Research Manager. More
In New York, customer and employee satisfaction specialist ORC International has hired Jeff Cox as Senior Vice President of US Business Development, and Richard Catrone as Executive Vice President of Global Operations. More
Technology research specialist Richard Noden has returned to ORC International as Research Director in its London-based Customer Strategy and Technology department. More
Scott Laing and Chris Robson, the co-founders of MR and data science firm Parametric Marketing, have joined the new Product Strategy and Analytics division of customer and employee research agency ORC International. More
Marc Litvinoff has resigned from his role as President and CEO of customer and employee research agency ORC International, and is being replaced by former Knowledge Networks CEO Simon Kooyman, who will take up his new position on Friday. More
Global customer and employee research agency ORC International has acquired Cincinnati-based consumer specialist MRSI (Marketing Research Services Inc.) from market research network the MVL Group. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
ORC International has added two new online sample options, geographical and 'generational' targeting, to its CARAVAN omnibus survey suite, offering interviews with a representative sample of US adults within any one state, top metropolitan area or age generation. More
Global market and employee research specialist ORC International has expanded its team with the appointment of four new members of staff in the US, and a senior exec in the UK. More
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has rolled out its 'Strategic Intelligence' service in Asia, which combines primary and secondary research with a range of other data. The Singapore-based division is led by former Nielsen director Nigel Carey. More
After more than seventeen years at ORC International, Martin Grimwood has left to head the financial services team at TNS-RI. More
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has launched the 'Customer Equity Model' framework, developed to measure those external attributes which influence consumers' buying decisions. More
In the US, ORC International has enhanced its suite of CARAVAN omnibus surveys with the addition of a youth service targeting teens and younger adults, and a parent omnibus. The firm has also expanded its Online CARAVAN International service into 12 new countries. More
Database giant and former ORC parent Infogroup is suing its founder and former CEO Vin Gupta for illegal practices including the alleged theft of its database. More
Database giant Infogroup has sold off its global market research arm ORC International to a group of the firm's senior managers, backed by Chicago-based private equity firm Lake Capital Management. Terms were not disclosed. More
ORC parent Infogroup has begun a programme of staff redundancies across a number of its US offices. While a report in one publication suggested 140 employees would lose their jobs, CEO Clare Hart has denied that this is accurate. More
Vin Gupta - the founder of ORC-parent Infogroup - has asked a Delaware-based judge to dismiss claims from former shareholders that he was in breach of his duties during the firm's $468m sale to private equity group CCMP Capital Advisors last year. More
In the UK, employee research specialist ORC International has launched a new product called 'engage', which provides small and mid-sized organizations with access to a range of customisable tools for employee engagement studies, including surveys of leavers and joiners. More
In the UK, Infogroup-owned ORC International has launched a new Data Solutions group, which will help clients handle large amounts of complex research and administrative data. More
ORC International has launched a new practice within its Healthcare and Pharmaceutical division, focusing on FDA and Regulatory practice for the sector, and headed by Chief Research Officer Dr. Morris S. Whitcup. More
ORC International has partnered with social media monitoring firm Infegy to launch 'Social Analytics Solutions' - a new service which integrates social listening technology with hands-on analysis to enable clients to understand and act on billions of online conversations. More
Investment advisory firm Blackstone Group is suing Infogroup founder Vin Gupta, over an unpaid $6.8m bill connected with the firm's takeover last year. More
Infogroup|UK - which was established in 2007 with the aim of compiling a database of more than 2.5 million businesses and over 3 million business contacts in the UK - has been acquired by B2B data provider Market Location. Terms were not disclosed. More
Sacked Infogroup founder Vinod Gupta has formed Database101 - a new company already boasting a team of twenty-two, including seven of his former colleagues. More
Richard Lloyd has left his position as General Manager of infoUK, following parent firm Infogroup's acquisition by CCMP Capital Advisors earlier this month. More
In the US, data giant Infogroup has appointed Marc Litvinoff as President of its research division, Opinion Research Corporation (ORC). More
In the US, CCMP Capital Advisors has completed its acquisition of data giant and ORC-parent Infogroup in a deal valued at $468m. A new executive leadership team and Board of Directors has also been appointed. More
Infogroup shareholders have OK'd the company's $460m sale to CCMP Capital Advisors, with 87 percent of the firm's 57.9 million shares accounted for in the vote but an unspecified majority approving the deal. More
Infogroup is set to proceed with its shareholder meeting tomorrow - voting on the firm's proposed acquisition by affiliates of CCMP Capital Investors LLP - after a Delaware court declined to issue an injunction which might have delayed it. More
US investment firm Cardinal Value Equity Partners has sold nearly 2 million Infogroup shares, in advance of a shareholder vote at the end of this month which will determine whether the firm should be sold to CCMP Capital Advisors. More
Database giant and ORC parent Infogroup has sent a letter to shareholders recommending that they vote in favour of the firm's sale to private equity firm CCMP Capital Advisors, at a special meeting to be held on June 29. More
A dissatisfied investor has claimed Infogroup is making corporate filings using 'selective financial data that may not present an accurate picture of the value of the company' to justify its sale to CCMP Capital Advisors. More
Infogroup has reported a 3% decline in net sales to $124.2m for the first quarter of 2010, with net sales in its marketing research group almost flat at $24.4m during the period. However, following cost reduction measures, Group net loss of $9.3m in Q1 2009 was turned into net income of $7.3m this quarter. More
Opinion Research-owner Infogroup is proposing to secure a $365m secured credit facility, which it will use to part-fund its $635m takeover by affiliates of CCMP Capital Advisors. More
In the US, market and employee research firm ORC has added a 'five-star ratings' system to its CityMARKS city measurement tool, to enable local governments to understand how their city or town meets its citizens' expectations. More
Former Dow Jones EVP Clare Hart is reportedly set to take over as Chief Executive Officer of Database giant and ORC parent Infogroup if the company's acquisition by CCMP Capital Advisors is approved. More
The sale of database giant Infogroup has been opposed by two further investors, who accuse the firm's Board of Directors of attempting to sell the company at 'an irresponsibly low price'. More
Data giant Infogroup has launched a suite of products for social media listening and monitoring; it will also offer consulting and campaign management for social media, and development of iPhone apps and widgets. More
Former Infogroup CFO Stormy Dean says he is confident he will win his claim against the database giant, which fired him last year; and refutes charges brought against him in a new SEC civil lawsuit. More
Vin Gupta, the founder of database giant Infogroup, has agreed to pay $7.3m to settle federal regulators' charges that he improperly used nearly $9.5m of company money. In doing so, he has neither admitted nor denied the allegations. More
Infogroup's planned acquisition by private equity firm CCMP Capital is the subject of a shareholder lawsuit, according to investor advocacy group The Shareholders Foundation. More
In the US, global research firm ORC has helped develop a program to offer jobs to people with disabilities looking to work from home. More
Infogroup, the parent of researcher ORC, has agreed to be acquired by affiliates of CCMP Capital Advisors, LLC for a total of around $635 million, including refinanced debt. More
ORC owner Infogroup is in final negotiations to be acquired by CCMP Capital Advisors, according to reports in the Omaha World-Herald. More
Global research firm Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has teamed up with social media software specialist Mzinga to create online market research communities for customer and employee research. More
Database giant Infogroup has reported a 13% drop in fourth quarter revenue to $24.7m for its market research arm, with an operating loss of $7.7m owing to a goodwill impairment charge. More
Database giant and ORC parent Infogroup has made 40 employees redundant as part of a companywide restructuring plan. More
Infogroup-owned employee, customer and stakeholder market research consultancy ORC International has expanded to Scotland with the opening of a dedicated public services office in Edinburgh. More
Former Infogroup CFO Stormy Dean is suing the ORC parent for about $1.15m for severance and bonuses he says the company refuses to pay him. More
Infogroup company ORC is adding a cell phone sample option to its CARAVAN® Telephone Omnibus, 'designed to reflect the growing importance of cell phone usage nationwide'. More
Database giant Infogroup has announced a rebrand, aimed at providing clients with 'a more unified approach'. MR subsidiary Opinion Research Corporation is among the major brands keeping their identity while strengthening their positioning as an Infogroup company. More
Data giant infoGroup has reported revenue for its MR firms down 16% to $24m in quarter three, with an operating loss of $700k compared with operating income of $1.4m for the prior year period. More
ORC parent and database giant infoGroup has responded to a press report that it is taking bids to sell the company, by stating that it is evaluating its operations and prospects to determine what is in the best interests of all shareholders. More
ORC parent and database giant InfoGroup has fired one of its top executives, EVP and General Manager Stormy Dean, a fourteen year veteran of the company. More
ORC parent and database giant infoGroup has reached a provisional settlement to resolve a two-year investigation into its accounting practices by a regional branch of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). More
ORC parent and database giant infoGroup has reported an 18% decline in second quarter revenue to $122.2m (from $148.5m in 2008). More
ORC parent and database giant infoGroup has named Roger Siboni as its new Chairman of the Board, replacing Bernard Reznicek who took up the position last year. More
In the UK, former Opinion Leader and ORC International Director Rachel Lopata has set up a new consultancy to help public sector clients engage in more effective dialogue with their communities and stakeholders. More
ORC parent and database giant infoGROUP has reported a 17% drop in first quarter revenue to $127.5m from $153.3m in the prior year period. For the quarter, reported net loss was $9.3m compared with net income of $6.6m in 2008. More
infoGROUP Inc. has entered into an agreement to sell social research specialist Macro International Inc. to ICF International for $155 million in cash. Macro was acquired with ORC in December 2006 but is not considered to be 'a strategic fit' with the Group's other business. More
In the US, Vin Gupta – the founder and former CEO and Chairman of ORC parent and database giant infoGROUP – claims he is exploring a proposal to acquire all the firm's outstanding shares and take the company private. More
ORC parent and database giant infoGROUP has made two senior appointments: Thomas W. Oberdorf joins as Chief Financial Officer; and Thomas J. McAlister as Chief Information Officer. Interim CFO Stormy Dean becomes EVP and General Manager of the Data Group. More
ORC parent infoGROUP has named Thomas J. McCusker as Executive VP for Business Conduct and General Counsel. He will oversee the firm's legal affairs and its compliance with new corporate governance controls adopted following recent litigation and the sacking of founder Vin Gupta. More
In the US, ORC parent infoGroup has partnered with location content firm Urban Mapping to augment its business listings with relevant neighbourhood information. More
Database giant and ORC-owner infoGROUP has appointed Lisa Olson as its Senior VP of Corporate Relations, responsible for investor relations, PR, internal communications, government and community relations. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has rolled out its weekly online omnibus CARAVAN – which provides consumer opinion on brand awareness, product image, and market trends – across Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has appointed Koh Hwee Hoon as Research Director – Singapore, responsible for co-ordinating and overseeing the company's research operations in the local market. The firm has also moved in to larger Singapore offices. More
Company founder Vin Gupta is to receive $10m as part of a severance agreement from ORC-owner infoGroup. The company filed its delayed second-quarter earnings report with the SEC yesterday, revealing that soaring costs reduced quarterly net income by almost 32% to $4.3m despite a 17% increase in revenue to $187.2m. More
Less than a month after removing Vin Gupta from his role as Chairman of database giant and ORC parent infoGroup, the firm's Board has announced his resignation as CEO. More
The Board of database giant and ORC owner infoGroup has removed Vin Gupta from his Chairman's role following an investgation which has found him guilty of 'excessive spending'. In support of the finding, the firm has introduced a new policy which limits directors' use of company funds. More
infoGROUP, until this week known as infoUSA, is combining two of its market research businesses, recently acquired Guideline and Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), and has placed ORC President Gerard Miodus in charge of all operations for the new unit. More
Recently acquired infoUSA company Opinion Research Northwest has launched IDetailing(TM), an online qualitative solution for 'ideation' and brainstroming. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has launched Small Business CARAVAN, a shared-cost US omnibus study which 'checks the pulse' of the small business community. More
Database firm and ORC parent infoUSA will change its name to infoGROUP, effective June 1st. The company says the new name is a better reflection of its 'broadening global presence and long-term business strategy'. More
Database giant and ORC parent infoUSA has reported preliminary unaudited first quarter revenue of $191m, compared with $158m recorded the previous year. EBITDA was $27m for Q1 2008, compared with $24m for Q1 2007. More
Database giant infoUSA, the parent of Opinion Research Corporation, has announced plans to compile telephone-verified B2B and B2C databases for China and India, in partnership with a number of companies in the regions. More
Data giant and parent of Opinion Research Corporation, infoUSA, has hired Andy Taylor as Head of Marketing and Product Development of its new infoUK.com business. More
Business and consumer database giant and ORC parent infoUSA has announced that it will not meet the initial March 17 deadline for filing its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007. The firm cites shareholder litigation and an ongoing SEC investigation. More
Data giant and parent of Opinion Research Corporation, infoUSA, has appointed former Experian Business Information MD Richard Lloyd as General Manager of its new infoUK.com business. More
Opinion Research Corporation's parent firm infoUSA has released results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2007 ending on December 31. Record Q4 revenue of $185.8m includes $67.0m for the Marketing Research Group established in December 2006. More
In London, Sally Winston has rejoined ORC International as Principal Consultant with the Employee Research (ER) team, after a brief stint as Business Development Director, Organisation Consulting with YouGov. More
infoUSA-owned Macro International is to close its 60 seat St Albans, Vermont call centre at the end of the month, because it has been unable to recruit sufficient staff to warrant upgrading the facility with the latest software and communications innovations. More
UK-based ORC International is to launch two new syndicated studies for the life insurance sector, measuring IFA feedback for the corporate protection and annuity markets. Both research studies will use face to face interviews with a range of intermediaries. More
Business and consumer data giant infoUSA, which owns Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), has announced it will be opening its new UK operation in Manchester in early January. More
In the US, Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has launched a new online tool to help small and medium-sized companies assess the health of their customer relationships. More
According to Opinion Research Corporation's (ORC's) latest 'Ouch Point' survey, lack of communication from managers is a chief complaint among US workers. More
Opinion Research Corporation ORC and US public relations firm The Hastings Group (THG) have announced PR PLUS(TM), which is described as 'a PR friendly survey in a box'. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has acquired Northwest Research Group, based in Boise, Idaho, effective October 1. Details of the transaction were not disclosed. ORC parent infoUSA has meanwhile reported strong results for the third quarter. More
Business and consumer data firm infoUSA, which owns Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), is to compile a database of addresses for every business in the UK, updated by means of 2-3 million telephone calls per annum. More
Business and consumer database firm infoUSA, which owns Opinion Research Corporation, has reported second quarter results. Record revenue of $160.1m included $50.1m from ORC; excluding the recently purchased research firm, revenue rose 9.7% on the year. More
infoUSA-owned Opinion Research has bought Melbourne-headquartered NWC Research, headed by current AMSRS President Greg Wayman, in a move to expand its presence into the Asia Pacific region. Details of the transaction were not disclosed. More
Database giant and Opinion Research Corp owner infoUSA has appointed Ron Hanzlicek as CFO of its Market Research Group, with accounting and finance responsibilities for newly acquired Guideline as well as Opinion Research® and Macro International®. More
Database company and ORC owner InfoUSA has survived an attempt to unseat three of its directors at last week's AGM; but continues to attract heated criticism from minor shareholders including Dolphin Limited Partnership and Cardinal Capital, who last month filed a mismanagement lawsuit. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has rolled out its Out-of-Box-Experience (OoBE) research service in the States to allow clients to view firsthand how their customers react to a new or existing product from the moment that they receive and open the box. More
Only around half (51%) of US companies formally ask their employees about their views of the workplace, according to findings from Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) - and almost half of these (46%) fail to use the response to change things. More
According to the results of Opinion Research USA's first 'Ouch Point' survey, disorganisation is the greatest frustration for workers attending business meetings (27%). People who interrupt peers and try to dominate meetings come in second on the list of irritations (17%). More
Database marketing firm infoUSA delivered record revenues of $157.9m (up 53%) in the first quarter of 2007, with $48.1m generated by recently acquired MR agency, Opinion Research Corporation (ORC). However, profits fell 20% to $6.3m as higher expenses outweighed revenue growth. More
Eight firms have been selected from more than 380 applicants for the UK government's 'Catalist' shortlist of suppliers in the marketing and MR consultancy category. They include agencies ORC International, Ci Research and Quadrant / BMG Research. More
Super Bowl advertiser infoUSA, the new owner of Opinion Research Corporation, has reported record revenues of $125.1m in the fourth quarter of 2006 and $434.9m for the full year 2006 – the latter a 13.1% increase. The firm also plans new product releases and a reorganisation of its key divisions. More
Opinion Research Corporation, recently acquired by infoUSA, has announced the establishment of a formal polling partnership with news and information network CNN. The two firms have been working together on individual contracts for around nine months. More
New owner infoUSA has announced its intention to split Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) into two distinct groups: government research under the name Macro International and corporate MR with the existing name. John F. Short steps down from the Chairman and CEO roles as two new leaders are named. More
Database firm infoUSA has completed its acquisition of Opinion Research Corporation on schedule, with Opinion Research shareholders approving the sale at a meeting on Monday. More
Full service agency ORC International and MMR division UK Fieldwork Services have announced a joint venture company, ORC Fieldwork Services, which will conduct ORC's field data collection and will be managed by directors from both companies. More
Following yesterday's appointment of a new head for its Public Sector research, ORC International has announced the arrival of Andy Waller, previously of GfK, as Head of Operations at its European Information Centre based at the Angel, Islington. More
Richard Abraham, formerly Head of Research, Information and Customer Feedback at the London Borough of Southwark, has joined ORC International to head up its Public Sector research team. More
Global top twenty agency Opinion Research Corporation has been bought by consumer and business database and marketing firm infoUSA Inc., for $12 per share in cash, valuing the research company at around $134.3 million, including the assumption of debt. More
Mobile phone and mobile data markets continue to expand and diversify, giving rise to a large number of published reports and top line results releases. Here DRNO covers a few, from cellphone feature requirements to MR opportunities, to the challenges facing corporate Blackberry managers. More
UK agency ORC International has launched OmniPanel, an opinion panel to track consumer usage patterns, behaviours, preferences and buying intentions in the mobile telecoms industry. More
US-based provider Opinion Research Corporation has announced improved results for the first quarter of 2006. Revenue, which declined in three of the previous four quarters, was up 2.4% versus Q1 2005 to $47.3m. Operating income from continuing operations rose more sharply to $753,000 from $393,000 last year. More
UK consultancy ORC International has launched an addition to its suite of web analysis tools. ORC MET is a marketing effectiveness tool which allows online interrogation and cross analysis of sales, marketing and market research data. More
Opinion Research Corporation has announced financial results for the fourth quarter and the year ended December 31, 2005. The full year saw a 6% increase in revenues to US$190 million, whilst income from continuing operations was $1.6m, $0.1m up on 2004. More
Opinion Research Corporation has sold the teleservices part of its business to a management group, and announced the closure of its market research operations in South Korea and Mexico as well as one of its US call centres. More
UK-based online specialist Lightspeed Research has appointed Ralph Risk, formerly of ORC International, as Marketing Manager for Europe. Based in London, he will develop a European marketing strategy for the company. More
The UK's ORC International is due to deliver the first results from its new syndicated study - ORC Protection Track. The rolling six-month study is designed to assess what drives financial advisers' satisfaction with protection products and suppliers. More
Opinion Research Corporation has reported a net income loss of $4.65m for the third quarter of 2005. Revenues fell from $48.9m in the third quarter of 2004 to $48.7m in Q3 2005, although the company's social research division saw revenues rise slightly. More
UK agency ORC International has appointed Hayley Warner, formerly of MORI and edexcel, as AD in its Public Sector division, and Lindsey Alldridge, from TMP Worldwide and TNS, as an Employee Research Consultant. Stephen Hood and Mike Gray have both joined as Research Executives. More
Despite a steady decline in gambling in recent years, ORC's annual GamblerTrack study reveals that 60% of the UK population still participates in gambling. Online gambling is on the rise, increasing by 46% last year, while traditional methods are declining. More
ORC International has launched a new secure web portal, AccessPoint, which allows clients to store and manage all their research material in one central repository, and to monitor the progress of surveys. The system is available to all clients of the UK agency. More
The Welsh are rapidly adopting broadband, according to research for The Welsh Assembly by ORC International. However, its men are more likely to rate themselves as 'advanced' computer users, while women often admit to finding the screen and keyboard 'a bit scary'. More
ORC International has appointed Nicola James as a Technical Consultant in its Statistics Department. James worked previously for the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN). More
US-based Opinion Research Corporation and Sweden's Observer Group have announced financial results for the first quarter of 2005. ORC's rising revenues from social research offset a slight decline in market research and a bigger fall in teleservices, while Observer reports continued positive development in the US but a weak quarter in Europe. More
Opinion Research Corporation has appointed Philippe Monnier as its MD for Mexico. Monnier has considerable experience in the local market and worked most recently as Project Director of IPSOS-BIMSA. More
They may sound cheerful (sometimes) but the UK's call centre employees are the least satisfied of any occupation according to ORC International. The agency's latest benchmarking study found only 25% satisfied with their pay, compared with an overall UK average of 41%. More
Opinion Research Corporation has announced healthy results for the fourth quarter and full year 2004. Net income was $2.4m, or $0.38 per diluted share, compared with a loss of $8.9m in 2003 – the difference is almost exactly the amount of an $11.5m goodwill impairment charge in 2003. Figures are net of tax benefits. More
Opinion Research Corporation has recently announced that 2004 revenues are expected to be within the previously issued revenue guidance of USD$194 to USD$196 million but that it is reducing its 2004 net income guidance. More
Sixty per cent of UK workers are proud of who they work for, according to employee research specialist ORC International. Housing sector employees top the table, with 72%'proud to work for their organisation'. More
World top 20 agency Opinion Research Corporation has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed stock offering of up to $50m of shares, largely for purposes of repaying debt and repurchasing securities. More
ORC International is to give executives from Swedish car manufacturer Saab access to a new online system to evaluate marketing effectiveness. The tool links breaking research data with existing information such as advertising spend and retail sales. More
Research agency ORC International has earned the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2000 quality certification... for its web designers. More
ORC International has announced the opening of its new London call centre, based opposite the company's head office in Islington. The 125-station facility offers improved productivity thanks to advanced data collection software and communications functionality. More
Opinion Research Corporation has continued strengthening its Advisory Services division with the appointment recently of Kevin Lake as Customer Strategies Research Director. Lake will be responsible for client guidance in areas associated with Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Value and Long Term Value. More
Opinion Research Corporation has recently appointed Sean Healey as VP of Corporate Branding in its Advisory Services division. In previous roles, Healey has managed business development programs for Young & Rubicam (WPP) and Foote, Cone & Belding (IPG). More
The current popularity of fast turn-around home decoration and improvement television programmes could explain recent research findings from ORC International that women in particular in the UK are neglecting the importance of decorating preparation and quality tools and equipment. More
Employee satisfaction in the UK workplace is steadily rising, according to a new report from ORC International entitled 'Putting it in Perspective'. Two thirds (67%) of employees rated as satisfied, compared to 58% in 1999. More
Research clients from Woolworths, the Cabinet Office, Defra and FOCUS DIY will be among those addressing ORC International's ninth annual employee research conference in London this month. More
Luton Borough Council has more than doubled the response rate for its employee research after a five year gap, using a consultative approach initiated by ORC international. Forty-two per cent of staff responded to the recent survey, against only 17% in 1999. More
ORC International has announced the appointment of Clare Warren as Quality Manager, following work in similar roles at TRBI and TNS. More
UK agency ORC International has launched 'ORC Repaircheck' - a standard survey that enables housing providers to gauge tenant satisfaction with repair services. More
ORC International has announced the opening of an office in Perth, Western Australia, specialising in employee research. More
UK agency ORC International treated clients and the press to a glimpse of its Vision for the future of MR last week in Central London. The company's survey management, analysis and reporting will all be Web-based on most projects, giving clients continuous access to project progress and often to results as they emerge. More
Opinion Research Corporation has announced a strategic alliance with Boston-based MarketBasics, which will operate as its regional office in the New England area. More
Opinion Research Corporation has just established the ORC Sports Research Desk and has hired Seth Levenstein, formerly President of Dynasty Sports Marketing, as Director. More
International hotel group Marriott recently commissioned ORC International to conduct its first-ever online “Conference Standards Customer Audit” among buyers of its UK conference facilities. The customer satisfaction and mystery audit research is a continuous tracking study and its main objective is to monitor the satisfaction levels of business clients who organise and/or host conferences at Marriott hotels. More
Around half of Britain's Independent Financial Advisors (IFAs) are aware of the Raising Standards Quality Mark scheme introduced by The Association of British Insurers (ABI) in 2000, and a significant proportion say it has influenced their choice of provider, according to research by ORC International. More
London-based ORC International have appointed a housing research specialist to work with local authority and other clients. Adam Smith has more than twelve years experience working with housing organisations at a national level, most recently as Feedback Business Manager at the National Housing Federation (NHF). More
Opinion Research Corporation has announced the promotion of Frank J. Quirk to President of the Company – he will also remain CEO of the ORC Macro subsidiary, a position he has held since 1980. During his tenure, ORC Macro has increased its turnover from $3m to $115m per annum. More
ORC International has announced that Nigel Maxfield, MD since November 1997, is stepping down from the position while Richard Cornelius, Deputy MD since 1997, takes over as MD. Maxfield will remain on the Board, take responsibility for a key account and work on new business development, initially in the public sector. More
Three quarters (76%) of council officers feel that the government is being unrealistic about the resources needed for authorities to meet the e-Government agenda, according to recent survey results from ORC International. The target for authorities to make all government services available electronically, set by the Office of the e-Envoy, is December 2005. More
ORC International has announced the appointment of Mark Beauchamp, formerly Research and Consultation Manager at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, to the role of Associate Director in the public sector research division. More
The financial services function within ORC International, recent winner in Marketing Magazine's first-ever market research awards, has been further strengthened by the appointment of Shirly Ogarro, previously of TNS and NOP World, to the post of Director. More
Opinion Research Corporation has announced a multi-year strategic alliance between its commercial marketing research unit, ORC International, and Greenfield Online, Inc., a pioneer in conducting marketing research via the Internet. Greenfield will power ORC International's online research data collection needs for its syndicated and proprietary research products and for new online offerings. More
Responses to a survey conducted online may suggest sharper opinions than a paper equivalent, with more high and low ratings and strong agreements / disagreements, as opposed to fence-sitting or moderate answers, according to a paper at the recent ORC International 8th annual employee research conference. More
ORC International has announced a syndicated mystery-shopping product for social landlords in the UK who are preparing for Housing Corporation inspections or looking to test their delivery of housing services and telephone helplines against Customer Charters. The service was launched at two seminars in early July. More
ORC International has beaten off stiff competition to win the financial category at the first ever research awards to be sponsored by the UK's Marketing Magazine. More
Research consultancy ORC International has appointed Louise Vacher as Divisional Manager of its London-based Consumer, Trade & Retail division. Louise has fifteen years' experience within the research industry, mostly on the agency side, but also including client-side experience at Nestlé UK. More
The Lord Chancellor's Department (LCD) has just published a public consultation paper about attitudes to traditional court dress in England and Wales. The paper is based on public opinion research conducted by ORC International. Wigs get majority support but (other) traditional attire does not. More
ORC International will be hosting its eight annual employee research conference in London on 3 June for client-side HR personnel. The event will enable participants from a wide range of organisations to share best practice for conducting employee research, and provide the opportunity to discuss how employee research can be used to address the challenges facing HR professionals. More
Opinion Research Corporation has recently announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2003 showing revenues up to $43.2 million from $42.5 million in the year earlier period. More
Opinion Research Corporation has opened an office in Shanghai to focus on marketing research opportunities in China. This office will provide research and consulting services to clients serving consumers and businesses in the region and so extends ORC's Asian operations into mainland China. More
Board game manufacturer, Cranium Inc recently commissioned market research consultancy ORC International, to conduct an unusual research project to establish popular and regional UK opinion of board games. Around 750 people were recruited to each invite up to seven friends to their own homes to participate in a Cranium game session. More
Britain's leading grocer Tesco has commissioned employee research specialist ORC International, to develop a customised survey management system that will enable the company's HR team to design, process and analyse data from various employee research projects in-house. More
Recent results of an on-going study from ORC, which examines trends in the UK's gaming industry, have highlighted that the proportion of the population participating in the Lotto game has been declining for some time - falling to around 61% of adults in 2002, compared with 75% in 1998. More
ORC International has just appointed Sarah Michell - head of operations - and Kate Pritchard - divisional manager, employee research - to its management executive, which is a new body responsible for the day-to-day running of ORC Internationals' business in the UK. They join the company's four UK board directors: Richard Cornelius, Rory MacNeill, Nigel Maxfield and Trevor Robinson. More
The Inland Revenue in the UK has commissioned ORC International to help evaluate its company car tax reforms that were implemented in April 2002. The aim of the research is to assess the impact that the new reforms are having, by talking to those who have been affected. More
For the first time, the British Safety Council (BSC) has formed a partnership with employment research consultancy, ORC International, to promote the importance of measuring stress in the workplace by using the company's recently launched online survey tool called ORC SAFE (stress analysis for employers). More
Occupational psychologist Rob Charlton has recently joined ORC International in the UK, as a consultant responsible for the design and delivery of employee research projects. More
Research consultancy, ORC International, has recently eveloped a mathematical analysis ool for Nationwide Building Society in the UK that reveals the link between employee commitment, customer satisfaction and business performance. More
Opinion Research Corporation has this week reported record third quarter revenues and a 25% increase in third quarter earnings per share for the three months ended September 30, 2002. More
ORC International in the UK has recently won the one-year contract to conduct First Great Western Trains' customer satisfaction research, with effect from December 2002. ORC International will conduct 400 interviews a month across the FGW region and the results will be presented on a quarterly basis. More
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has recently launched a new website, developed by ORC International, which will provide open access to all the UK's local government Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPI). More
Opinion Research Corporation's Social Research Business has this week been awarded US$18 million in new contracts or contract additions. These contracts, in the USA for the National Science Foundation, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Eye Institute, the Department of Education and the University of South Carolina, are mostly for periods of at least two years. More
Recent results from Opinion Research Corporation show revenues climbing to USD44.8 million in the second quarter of 2002 from USD45.2 million the year previously, whilst first half revenues stood at USD87.2 million compared to USD90 million. More
Market research consultancy ORC International will be hosting its annual local government and housing conference on 5 September 2002 in London. The conference will cover a broad range of current consultation and research issues being faced by organisations serving local communities. More
ORC International has appointed Simon Holroyd Divisional Manager of its Central Government Research Division. He takes up the newly created position following a period of growth in the company's sales of public sector research. More
Opinion Research Corporation has announced that John S. Watts, Ph.D., has joined the firm as Global Managing Director, Decision Sciences. In this new position, Dr. Watts will provide leadership in developing strategic and tactical applications of the company's modeling, predictive behaviour and forecasting capabilities, in particular, focusing on market segmentation and sizing, competitive analysis, product/services configuration, demand forecasting and pricing analysis. More
ORC International is hosting its second free seminar in London on 11 July 2002. Focusing on Internet technology and statistics, the half-day should help researchers combine these new tools with more traditional methodologies. More
ORC International is running a free seminar on effective research strategies next month, Wednesday 31 July 2002. To be held at the London office, the event will focus on how research can improve customer retention. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has been named one of Fortune Small Business's '100 Fastest-Growing Publicly Held Small Businesses in America' for the second consecutive year. ORC is one of only 35 companies to appear both times the prestigious list has been published. More
Results of this year's annual ORC 'SnackTrack' study show that the UK impulse market for soft drinks is back in growth - up 4.4 percent in value terms, and 2.4 percent for purchases. Impulse sales are still dominated by colas (Coca Cola), but planned sales are now led by fruit carbonates. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has just been awarded another contract in the growing US market for web-based public sector databases. The contract represents a $4 million, multi-year award to manage the registration, report processing and quality assurance functions for a state health organisation. More
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council in the UK has created a new citizen's panel that will enable it to take the views of Oldham residents into account when making its decisions. The panel, called 'The Oldham Way- Listening to Oldham' consists of 1,280 volunteer members from the local community. More
Research agency ORC International has launched a panel of UK and European brand and communications directors to find out their views and opinions on a range of branding issues. More
Employee research specialist ORC International is hosting a free seminar at its London offices on 2 May, focussing on its new on-line tools designed to help HR professionals collect and analyse their employee research data. More
Less than a quarter of NHS employees in the UK feel it is safe for them to challenge the way things are done within their organisation, according to the findings from ORC International's latest benchmarking study. More
In response to the Government's recently announced changes to the UK's gambling regulations, ORC International has released findings from its latest GamblerTrack 2001 study. This research shows a significant and ongoing decline in the number of Brits now visiting casinos. More
Thomas Shimko has joined Opinion Research Corporation as Global Managing Director, Loyalty Strategy. Shimko will, amongst other things, be tasked with developing applications for the company's loyalty-related research. More
Employee research specialist, ORC International, has just calculated that its 'Perspectives' benchmarking database - launched back in 1996 - now contains the opinions of nearly 1.1 million UK employees. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has recently reported its results for the year ending December 31, 2001. Over these 12 months, ORC achieved record revenues, registering a final total of $177 million, a 10% performance rise year on year (i.e. from $161 million for the year 2000). More
ORC International has announced the recruitment of Nick Mawditt as the company's new trade and retail manager. Moving from research director at Initiative Media, Mawditt will be based in ORC's London offices. More
Ufi (University for Industry) has just commissioned research consultancy ORC International to undertake a two-year project, which will include mystery shopping all 1,400 learndirect centres in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. More
Internet betting in the UK appears to be on the rise despite a more general downturn in traditional gambling. This is the main finding from the latest research in ORC International's 'GamblerTrack 2001'. More
Opinion Research Corporation has just taken on Joel H. Goren as Global Managing Director, Brand Strategy. In this new position, Goren will provide strategic branding capabilities and consulting expertise to augment the company's brand research capabilities. More
Opinion Research Corporation's US market research unit has been awarded a series of contracts with a combined value of USD$7.0 million. These contracts, all with leading, global technology organizations, will be completed over the course of 2002. More
MR consultancy ORC International is hosting a free seminar on using online research for conducting employee opinion research. The event will be held at ORC's London offices on 27 February. More
The Consumers' Association has commissioned ORC International to conduct an online "mystery shopping" programme. This is intended to assess the service levels as provided by companies whose websites display the Which? Web Trader "seal of approval." More
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