Both residential and nonresidential construction markets are on solid footing, and steady gains can be expected over the next 12 to 18 months. In 2016, year-to-date new home sales are up 9 percent and existing home sales are up about 5.5 percent, according the latest US Census and National Realtors Association.

Furthermore, housing prices are trending upwards and have increased 5 to 6 percent compared to the same period the year before.[1] The US Census indicated in May that the residential housing market was on pace for about 1.164 million starts for 2016, while Freedonia anticipates new residential housing starts will ultimately reach above 1.2 million for the year. In addition, home builder confidence has remained positive throughout all of 2016.[2]

The home care industry is worth $84 billion in the U.S. alone and employs more than 1.7 million people. As seniors age, exponential growth is projected in this industry in the coming decade. The global home healthcare industry is forecast to produce revenues of $300 billion in 2020, up from $180 billion in 2014.

For more information on these healthcare industry trends, check out the infographic created by Be Independent Home Care, which draws on data and analysis found on MarketResearch.com and other sites.

There’s been a lot of coverage in the popular press in recent years about how thinking comprises two different modes — one mode that is very conscious and slow, and another one that occurs quickly, without conscious attention (Kahneman, 2011). The idea of “two modes of thinking” is not really a new idea,[1] but it may actually be of critical importance for market researchers.

Why? Because if there are two modes of thinking, which one are consumers using when they participate in market research? And which ones are they using when they shop and purchase? And does it vary by category? If these modes really do affect how people think, market researchers who pay attention to them will be able to generate even more powerful insights into consumer behavior. 

Despite past failures and false starts, virtual reality is taking off. According to a report by Rider Research, virtual reality has become one of the hottest technology buzzwords for 2016. Consumer demand is rising fast as realistically priced virtual reality and augmented reality products hit the market.

But what exactly are augmented reality and virtual reality products? Who can use them? And which industries are going to most benefit from these new technologies? Read on to find out.

U.S. sales for natural polymers will exceed $5 billion in 2020. Natural polymers are polymeric products derived from plant and/or animal sources, including copolymers containing synthetic compounds such as cellulose ethers, starch and fermentation products, exudate and vegetable gums, protein-based polymers, marine polymers, and others.   

These natural ingredients are used extensively in the large food and beverage industry. However, the medical market will take over as the largest outlet for natural polymers by 2020. A slowdown in oil and gas drilling activity will restrain growth for natural polymer use in this industry, especially for gums and other polymers that are used as additives in drilling and fracturing fluids. Read on to see how the many and varied natural polymers are used, and learn how the demand is shifting.

Back in 1954 in the classic business book The Practice of Management, Peter Drucker wrote:

"Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two — and only two — basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business."

Yet how many businesses manage, staff, and budget their marketing departments as their ultimate competitive weapon? Are businesses failing to thrive because their marketing departments lack the proper “nutrition” in the form of market research to use to create innovative marketing strategies and tactics?

We have a strange fascination with fat cats — not the wealthy members of the modern aristocracy, but rather plus-sized felines who flaunt their curves in roly poly reverie in pictures and online videos. Youtube is littered with hundreds of thousands of videos of overweight pets, including a video of the world’s fattest cats that has over 31 million views. That’s more views than most videos of the president, and approaches Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift levels of ogling devotion.

Educational institutions face a unique set of security issues in order to ensure student safety. They must protect vulnerable student populations while balancing budget limitations, the desire to maintain inviting spaces for the students and community, and maintain government safety standards.

Media coverage of a number of school related tragedies has spurred upgrades to security equipment and procedures focused on student protection as public outcry boosted funds available for security spending. As a result, there has been a shift at a large share of schools — particularly primary and secondary — to devote a portion of their budget each year to evaluating and improving their existing security systems. 

Read more to see how security challenges vary by the type of education facility.

There’s a sentiment in some quarters that applying technology to market research, particularly automation, is either out of scope, or introduces sampling or methodological variability. As a result, an amazing amount of mundane survey setup, and data integration, and reporting remains manually done. This is rather silly given the rich complement of technology available to take that off of market researchers’ hands, and frankly, assure greater accuracy.  

Jack W. Plunkett, CEO of Plunkett Research, Ltd, opens a recent video with the remark, “I can’t imagine any single sector that has been more disrupted or forced into more change than the media and entertainment industry over the past few decades.”

According to Mr. Plunkett, there’s more disruption to come. This vast, global industry will continue to evolve rapidly over the next decade as business models shift. Watch the video below and read this post to get valuable insights into this complex industry.