CASRO Conference Celebrates Growth

CEOs and senior managers at the recent Annual Conference of CASRO (the Council Of American Survey Research Organizations) were optimistic about continued growth and emerging opportunities for research - both in America and overseas.

Speakers pointed out that the industry's near double-digit growth is the highest for five years. The theme of the conference, which celebrated CASRO's 30th anniversary, was 'Growth: The View from the CEO Bridge'. Keynote speaker Chuck Martin from NFI Research presented the results of a CASRO member survey, which confirmed that growing the business is the key focus and challenge for research leaders.

CASRO's Board Chair for 2006, Dale Lersch of PERT Survey Research, noted that CASRO's lobbying support of research self-regulation, along with its emphasis on standards, has enabled research businesses to grow successfully. 'Our identification, particularly at the federal government level, as a distinct and separate industry from sales and marketing has helped improve the research industry's image, and our businesses, too,' he told delegates.

Speakers predicted that the research industry will continue to grow in many directions - becoming more innovative, operating in more markets, and developing more specialisms. Cambiar Consulting's Simon Chadwick, the 2004 CASRO Board Chair, believes research firms will also take on a more consultative role: 'Tomorrows research businesses will be analytical advisors, making corporate sense out of integrating information from multiple sources'.

According to the current Chair, Dave Richardson from Harris Interactive: 'Survey research businesses are expanding into new frontiers. CASRO and its members are charging ahead on revised Internet standards, on research accountability and credentials, and on building platforms for career development as well as industry co-operation.'

CASRO, which has 280 member companies, is online at www.casro.org.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.