High Technology - After The Fall

1. High Technology - After The Fall A Presentation to the Ottawa Chapter of the PMRS Rob Woyzbun Managing Partner

2. Research and the Tech Sector • Trials and Tribulations • How the technology sector can better take advantage of MR • or • How can the MR community “step-up”

3. Research and the Tech Sector • Presentation Overview • 1. The state of the sector • 2. In vivo observations • 3. The psychology of a tech firm • 4. Suggestions • 5. Wrap up and discussion

4. Research and the Tech Sector • State of the Sector - Plus ça Change • Spending / earnings / capital • Incredibly competitive • Pace of change • Customers battered and bruised • Smart companies are INVESTING • Buyers of research?

5. Research and the Tech Sector • Implications / Predictions • Rock solid BP and BC • Better marketing / positioning • REALLY care, understand customers • MR projects on the money path • Revenue • Tactics

6. Research and the Tech Sector • MR Psychology • “We’d do more research if we could afford it” • “We learn everything we need from the sales team” • “Everyone knows market research is just smoke and mirrors ...” • “all this analysis is for weaklings - we’re entrepreneurs here - our gut is all we need”

7. Research and the Tech Sector • Missing the Point? • Technology sector culture and values not externally oriented • + • Research industry has poor “visibility” into/within the executive (C) suite

8. Research and the Tech Sector • Why is This So Wrong? • Because Canada will not able to compete effectively on a international scale. • We will not be able to build sustainable, knowledge / learning based enterprises, economy

9. Research and the Tech Sector • Evidence? • A. DeGeus HBR,88 - learning organizations are more competitive: “The ability to learn faster than your competitors may be the only sustainable competitve advantage. • B. Deshpande and Webster (JofMR, 89) - cultural of a true learning organization - market orientation and entrepreneurship. • C. Slater & Narver (JofM, 95) - described market orientation as principle foundation of the learning orientation. • D. Day (CA Mgt. Review, 94): - “A market driven culture supports the value of market intelligence and the necessity of functionally coordinated actions directed at gaining a competitive advantage.”

10. Research and the Tech Sector • What’s The Solution? • success = learning culture • learning culture = market culture • market culture = market research • market research = success

11. Research and the Tech Sector • What’s The Solution? • success = learning culture • learning culture = market culture • market culture = market research • market research ≠ success • ?

12. Research and the Tech Sector • Barriers / Challenges - Client Side • 1. Culture and market orientation • 2. Tax incentives • 3. Marketing - “service” and silos • 4. Bias towards “pure” science or engineering

13. Research and the Tech Sector • Barriers / Challenges - MR Side • 1. MR is not at the table • 2. Sketchy business cases • 3. Give clients what they ask for vs. what they need? • 4. Bias towards the “technical”

14. Research and the Tech Sector • What To Do? - Client Side • 1. Build / Reform Marketing culture • 2. Advocate tax relief • 3. Manage / secure the BUDGET • 4. Move MR projects closer to $$$

15. Research and the Tech Sector • What to Do? - Service Side • 1. Evolve the species • 2. Evangelize • 3. Making better client business case • 4. Balance - strategic partner vs. service provider

16. Research and the Tech Sector • Wrap Up • The tech sector has tremendous opportunity to better leverage MR • Client culture change is required • The MR community can step up • THANK YOU!