Market research is critical to the overall success of any organization. The trick is in finding a way to acquire the amount and depth of research your business needs in the most cost-effective manner. There are a number of ways to purchase market research, so, in order to increase ROI, organizations must determine which type of research solution best fits the frequency of their research requirements.

Working in market research, I often hear people say "what exactly is market research," or "I don't need it." But, what many people don't realize is you certainly need market research even if you don't realize it, and especially if you want to secure funding from investors.

If you've ever watched an episode of ABC's hit show "Shark Tank," you've seen numerous hopeful entrepreneurs walk into the tank and deliver their pitch. Then, the questioning begins: What are your sales? Who is your competition? What will you use the money for? How can you scale your business? How & where will your product be distributed? Who is your target market and what are their spending habits?

When it comes to marketing, attempting to sell your audience on an idea or concept can sometimes be more challenging than simply selling a finite product. Historically, marketing sustainability has certainly faced its obstacles, particularly in the United States. Numerous approaches have been taken – some appeal to our higher purpose, or our environmental responsibility, while others believe it is more about focusing on the "me" factor, or the direct value to the consumer. Despite these challenges, recent studies are showing that U.S. consumer attitudes toward sustainability are trending optimistically, reaching an all-time high. With this in mind, marketing an environmentally-conscious brand story and business model may have an impact on more than just the environment; it may be as important as ever to your brand image and even your bottom-line.

On Wednesday, March 25, 2015, H.J. Heinz and Kraft Foods Group announced a $36 billion merger between the two major market players aimed at reducing costs, increasing international growth, and developing a more consumer-centric direction. The merger results in the creation of the 5th largest global food company.

Sincerely,

The MarketResearch.com Team

Market research, while critical to the overall success of an organization, is viewed by many as a big-ticket item when it comes to budget. But, although quality research doesn't always come cheap, its importance, not just for your marketing department, but for your entire organization is paramount. The benefits far outweigh the cost. You have to look at it from the mindset of an "investment" versus simply money spent. Most organizations understand that a complete lack of market research, or even just an inadequate amount, can put your organization at risk, yet some still struggle to jump the hurdle in allocating the resources necessary to their market research efforts. If we look at it from this perspective, perhaps it is most effective to consider the value market research holds across multiple departments within an organization. In doing so, you can more easily understand the value you are getting for your dollar.

Whether you're launching a small start-up company or beginning a new multi-million dollar project, you must determine a budget for the required market research. However, there are so many crucial factors to consider if you want to set an appropriate budget that will meet your needs without over spending. So, after consulting with MarketResearch.com Research Specialist Robert Kaminsky, here are four tips that will help you allocate the best percentage of your budget for your market research efforts.

Whether it's used by professors to educate the next generation of research, business and marketing professionals, or it's used to help offices of technology transfer and commercialization centers research and develop new products, academic institutions have a vital need for current and comprehensive market research. However, many traditional academic market research solutions do not offer the flexibility and diverse coverage necessary to accommodate the various needs of multiple departments within an institution. MarketResearch.com's Profound solution is now being offered to the academic community in order to provide the capabilities and content needed to maximize institutions' budgets while providing the high-quality content that academia requires.

MarketResearch.com partners with over 700 publishers to offer customers the most comprehensive collection of diverse business intelligence. Each publisher has its own story and offers unique and insightful perspective into the industries they cover. This week, MarketResearch.com is spotlighting global, multi-industry information provider MarketsandMarkets. Read on to learn more about MarketsandMarkets and their products.

No matter what industry you are in, people are always itching to find out which latest and greatest trends are impacting the market. But, when your market is continually evolving, like the food & beverage industry, it can be difficult to stay on top of the most current trends. Because tracking industry trends plays such an important role in making business decisions and creating opportunities, we have put together a list of the hottest current and emerging trends in the food & beverage industry.