Center for Strategy Research

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• Vol. 11, Issue 6, August 2015

Hello!

Summer’s almost over, so it’s time to finish up (or start on) that summer reading list before it’s too late! For a quick overview of how Julie’s summer reading list reminded her of some of the great research we’re doing, read this month’s installment of Research with a Twist, “Read ’em if you got ’em!”

Read ’em if you got ’em!

Everyone has busy lives, and those of us here at CSR are no exception. In the summer, though, I like to kick back and catch up on a year’s worth of reading, particularly if it includes a sunny day, a beach chair, and a cooler full of craft beer. Although I prefer fiction when enjoying the sun and sand, many of the books I’ve read this summer remind me of… market research… what else?

For those of you looking for late summer reading suggestions, here are some of my favorites seen from our ever-present research-geek prism:

1. Wolf Hall is everywhere this year: Both the BBC broadcast and Broadway productions were popular, and everyone is talking about this amazing historical novel. Set in Tudor-era England, events typically told from “the good guy,” Sir Thomas More’s, point of view (think A Man for all Seasons) are re-told from “the bad guy,” Thomas Cromwell’s, vantage point. I love the quote from this book, “These maps are deficient in all practical respects. They do not, for example, tell you which way is north.” How do business leaders (today’s Cromwells) make decisions when they don’t understand the terrain — or worse, think they do, but don’t. Market research, especially studies designed to achieve a competitive advantage, provides maps to help orient companies to the “true north” of our customer and client needs.

2. I’m a big fan of Phillippa Gregory’s entire body of work, and so, this summer I read The King’s Curse, which ends with the beheading of Anne Boleyn. This and Wolf Hall, and other tales of Tudor England, are the ultimate Win-Loss experience — win and be queen, lose and off with your head! Remind you of any company you work for? Wins and Losses Research answers the questions, “Why does your company win sales? Why does it lose them?” All of the drama of Tudor England, with none of the bubonic plague.

3. I read a lot of crime fiction and am still hoping to get to J. K. Rowling’s two newest crime stories, The Cuckoo’s Calling and The Silkworm, before the end of the summer. I picked up the first Harry Potter book shortly after its publication, and since reading the full series, I’ve developed a great admiration for the way the arc of Rowling’s story captures Harry and his friends as they come of age. I feel like I’ve come to know these characters in a way that lingers with me — they are more like friends than fiction. Customer Experience research, or engaging with a group of customers over time, achieves a similar, deeper knowledge and understanding than can be attained by a single interaction. And of course, unlike the Harry Potter series, no dark lord Voldemort thirsting to annihilate us Muggles!

4. Like many who have read this beloved classic, I revere Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. I haven’t yet read the “prequel” to that novel, To Set A Watchman, which was released this summer, but given the controversies surrounding it, I don’t think I want to, either. The damage to the Harper Lee and Atticus Finch brands as a result of this book release remind me of the importance of conducting brand and image research. Just because you have a new product doesn’t mean that releasing it is good for your business in the long-term: research can guide informed decision-making.

5. When I share my favorites from my summer reading, I think the list is incomplete if it doesn’t include veteran-CIA-operative-turned-new author Jason Matthews’ thrillers, Red Sparrow, and its sequel, Palace of Treason. These newest additions to the American spy novel underscore the importance of espionage and surveillance to national security. Many of you are familiar with the seminars our team at CSR has developed and delivered on the parallels between military and market research strategy, starting with the basic premise that smart military leaders use spies to the greatest extent possible to ensure success of campaigns, and smart corporate leaders use market research to ensure success of products, services, and strategies. I first met Jason over 20 years ago when I dated his younger brother, and learned then of his vast operations experience and responsibilities. While I could detail some here, I’d have to kill you afterwards.

6. Finally, while I am not a dog owner, I understand and appreciate the deep love, affection, and loyalty that build between man/ woman, and his/her best friend. There is no better example of such commitment as in the wonderful book, The Art of Racing in the Rain, which was recommended by our niece, who read it for school. The story, brilliantly told from the dog’s point of view, reminded me of the Customer Loyalty work that we do, that emphasizes the importance of listening deeply to customers as a means of building a loyal, committed relationship. And, of course, this is a perfect read for the “dog days” of summer!

Here’s the Twist: As research geeks, we see the benefits of research everywhere we look. From Tudor England, to Hogwarts, to Depression-era Alabama, to the corridors of the Kremlin, and even to the mind of a dog, the necessity of listening deeply to those who are important to us shines as bright as the August sun. Speaking of, we have some books, beach and beer to get back to. See you in September!

— Julie