Business
6/16/14
The relevance of reviews
Recently, Corona conducted some focus groups in part to understand how people make an important decision. In analyzing the groups, I found that in seeking resources to help make that decision, people preferred referrals from their family, friends and neighbors over quantitative data that was developed using a sophisticated methodology. Why? Participants viewed referrals as […]
By Sarah WilliamsRead More
5/27/14
Yes, that college degree is still worth the cost of attendance
Here at Corona, we help organizations make strategic decisions via our research and strategy services. But individuals can also use research to make strategic decisions. We read a lot these days about the cost of higher education. While rises in health care costs get more attention, inflation in higher education costs have actually outpaced them, […]
By Kevin RainesRead More
3/21/14
How to creatively solve problems
I read this article in the Atlantic a few months ago which described how a surprising number of inventions and innovations in various fields are coming from people who are not experts in the field of interest. It reminded me of how some scientists have created computer games based on real world problems, and people […]
By Kate DarwentRead More
2/26/14
What are you measuring when you ask your customers, “Are you satisfied?”
Business, governments, and nonprofits often ask those who come into contact with them how satisfied are they with X? You’ve undoubtedly been asked this yourself in the past and perhaps you’ve even run your own customer feedback (often dubbed Voice of the Customer) program. Doing so is smart as it can uncover problem areas and […]
By David KennedyRead More
2/4/14
Putting the Pieces Together: Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods
When clients come to Corona and ask us to help them find answers to their most difficult questions, we typically take a quantitative or qualitative approach to our research. Sometimes, however, we use a combination of both methods. As you might imagine, there can be lots of value in bringing the two types of data […]
By Sarah WilliamsRead More
1/16/14
Qualitative Market Research How-To: Online Bulletin Boards
An important part of Corona’s front-end consulting for research involves helping clients pick the best approach and research method and instrument. In-person focus groups are still very relevant for qualitative research, and the takeaway value from focus groups lies in the discussion, but what do you do when you need qualitative feedback that doesn’t require […]
By Andrew MonroeRead More
1/10/14
Where does a SWOT come from and where does it lead?
Prior blogs I’ve written have established the link between company-level strategic planning, which includes competitive strategy, and marketing organization planning. I’ve also discussed several analytical tools used for competitive strategy, including the SWOT analysis (Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats). I was recently reading through a LinkedIn group’s lively dialogue on the topic of SWOT analysis. One theme that arose is […]
By Leo LewisRead More
12/16/13
Increase in giving
Per the IRS, the Federal gift tax is a tax on the right to transfer property from a living person to other persons or trusts. For the latest year available (2011), the Internal Revenue Service reported that 3,040 gift tax returns filed that year listed gifts of $1 million or more (all gifts, including charitable […]
By Kevin RainesRead More
12/5/13
Deciding where to give in the season of giving
As the season of giving approaches many of us start to think about what we can do to make the world a better place, to help those less fortunate than ourselves, to give back or pay it forward. And in addition to undertaking individual acts of kindness, many of us will look to nonprofit organizations […]
By Beth MulliganRead More
11/26/13
Black Friday Fever: Facts and Findings
While I’m a sucker for a good bargain, when it comes to holiday shopping, the idea of venturing out on Black Friday has never sounded appealing to me. Upon researching what’s been called the most hype-filled and the busiest shopping day of the year, I found that in-store sales on the day after Thanksgiving in […]
By Sarah WilliamsRead More