Nowadays, technology makes life easier for us. We are surrounded by so many “smart” devices that do many of our daily tasks for us. There’s an abundance of this newer technology from smart wearables, to smart homes and smart grids. As technology advances it will only become more ingrained into all aspects of our lives. A study last year by IBM predicted the upcoming five smart technology trends for the next five years will include smarter classrooms, stores, medicine, privacy and protection, and cities. The evolution of technology isn’t stopping anytime soon.

It is estimated by the year 2016 that 191,800 multipurpose industrial robots will be shipped out worldwide. With the addition of computerized automation and other technology to the mix, it should come as no surprise that millions of people have lost their jobs in the past 30 years. Oxford researchers say that 45% of America’s occupations will be automated within the next 20 years. You also might not even need match.com in the future because bold predictions say that by 2050 humans can fall in love with and marry robots.

As a provider of stem cell products and technologies, you need to make effective product development decisions, generate improved revenues, and take market share from your competition. To do this, you need to be educated about prevailing market conditions. This involves knowing which stem cell types are showing the most promise and understanding methods through which they could be commercialized.

Stem cells are still a relatively new discovery, as the first stem cells were discovered in human cord blood in 1978, the first mouse embryonic stem cells were derived in 1981, and it was not until 2006 that induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were produced for the first time.

As summer draws to an end and kids across the country pout as they head back to school, parents planned their final weekend getaways during the last three-day weekend of the warm months. Since the economic recession, the number of families traveling during Labor Day Weekend has dropped significantly. But, in 2013, 34.1 million Americans traveled during the holiday, the highest number recorded since 2009.

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.

In the past two years, we have watched the Big Data phenomenon lead the market research industry in a new direction. Organizations have built immense databases with information on everything from science to retail, from government to consumer opinions. As growth continues and big data plays a larger role in marketing decisions, suggestions that big data will push out traditional market research have been discussed. But, in all reality, that simply will not happen.

Growth in the $54.6 billion in vitro diagnostics (IVD) market during 2013 came from emerging markets while developed nation markets grew at a much slower pace. All of the major IVD companies reported large increases in the top seven emerging markets. This is mostly fueled by privatization and health insurance initiatives by governments and employers. Medicare price cutting in the U.S. is expected to continue, and the IVD market in Europe should remain essentially flat for the next few years. 

According to Kalorama Information’s biennial survey of the IVD industry, The Worldwide Market for In Vitro Diagnostic Tests, 9th Edition, China, Brazil and Korea were among the countries that received industry interest in the form of acquisitions, partnerships and expanded sales efforts.

Cat products account for over a third of sales in the CAN$2 billion Canadian pet products market, and Canadian cat owners are fully in step with the pet pampering and product premiumization trends that have long characterized the U.S. market. By some measures, in fact, Canadian cats are more than a whisker ahead. According to pet owner surveys conducted by Packaged Facts over the April to June 2014 period, 30% of Canadian cat owners purchase cat food formulations that feature poultry or meat as the first ingredient, compared with 19% of U.S. cat owners. 

The U.S. weight loss market has hit a plateau, experiencing  little growth over the last 6 years. After the downsize of the economy, consumers have decreased their purchases of diet drinks, health club memberships, medical programs, diet books, and exercise videos and moved forward to a more do-it-yourself (DIY) approach. Yet, small niches in the industry are starting to boom.

According to a report by publisher Marketdata Enterprises Inc., the value of the U.S. weight loss market declined by 1.8% in 2013, down to $60.5 billion. The market is expected to increase in 2014 with the increased DIY dieting trends and as organizations sort out the effects of the Affordable Care Act.

As an intern in the field of market research, I am learning what it is like to be in a career setting, as well as getting a feel for what market research truly entails and if it is where I see myself in the future. On a daily basis, I am putting into practice the information I’ve been learning in my marketing courses and applying it to my work. But, while researching information for a blog post, I noticed a gap between my life as a student and my life in the “real world.” The information I am being taught in my marketing courses does not always match the information industry leaders are saying out here in the working world.