Shifting Views on the Research and Advisory Model: Signs of a Turbulent Economy

Authors: Joanne Lustig, Vice President & Lead Analyst; Louise Garnett, Vice President, Outsell Scout Analytics

Each year for the last three years, Outsell has completed an end-user study gauging budgets, value proposition, and comparative value of the products that fall under the research and advisory business model. This end-user perspective is invaluable to vendor portfolio managers, especially in challenging economic times when hard decisions must be made about how to apportion flat or declining content budgets. This report reviews the results of Outsell’s end-user research on the research and advisory model, provides insights into users’ perceptions of this content and its perceived value, considers implications for this market, and makes recommendations for vendor portfolio and information managers who are responsible for buying decisions for IT & Telecom (ITTRRS) and Market Research, Reports & Services (MRRS). It contains:

- A market overview, including Outsell data on market research spending patterns by job function and research vendor;
- Outsell data on research and advisory budgets and vendors used by respondents;
- Analysis of perceived and comparative value of research and advisory services, including Outsell data on perceived value for money and value compared to other types of research offerings;
- A look at what products respondents are planning to use to replace research and advisory services;
- Imperatives for vendor portfolio managers and other centralized buyers.