I am always amazed that through science man has determined that the universe is between 14-15 billion years old and, even more astounding, is the calculation for the Universe’s expansion. So, why was it that, at the Perfect Information Conference in 2012, 30 leading information professionals with hundreds of years of experience between them could not come up with the answer to a simple question: What is the ROI (return on investment) from market research? Is this the information industry's holy grail? Maybe…..

Let’s consider this in another way. If there are too many variables to determine which piece of data or knowledge proved pivotal in the launch of a new product or successful investment, then consider this: Where was the value derived? 

Whether your goal is to grow your brand, company size, or profits, growing your business is an essential, yet difficult, process to tackle. Recently on our blog, we discussed three market research questions that will fuel your business growth. The gist was to analyze how you monitor your target audience, competition, and your company's technological advances (or lack there of). Because looking at questions like these from a fresh perspective is sometimes necessary to improve, I wanted to revisit this idea of growing your business with a few more strategic question suggestions. 

The start of a new year is a time for new beginnings and progress, and the healthcare industry is no different. As we enter 2014, healthcare will experience some very notable changes. To find out some of the most substantial trends to note in the coming year, I spoke with Bruce Carlson, Publisher at one of the industry's leading market research producers, Kalorama Information.

Here are some of the biggest talking points for 2014:

Coming off a rebound year in 2013, particularly in the K-12 school market, educational publishers and providers of instructional materials are expected to see respectable growth throughout 2014 in the K-12 segment and more stability in the higher education segment with the total industry reaching $14.5 billion in 2014, up 9% from 2013. 

Looking ahead at the new year, the food and beverage industry is slated to experience both new and continued trends. While overall retail sales will continue to climb, some dynamic shifts will also occur. To find out some of the projected upcoming trends for 2014, we reviewed The Future of Food Retailing in the U.S.: Shopper Insights and Market Opportunities, 4th Edition, a report published by leading food and beverage industry experts Packaged Facts.

As we say goodbye to 2013 and ring in the new year, it's important to look ahead at what we can expect throughout 2014. Continuing on the ideas of the 2013 trends, the pet industry should experience slight, but steady, growth across the board in in the upcoming year, according to pet industry experts and MarketResearch.com publisher Packaged Facts. In Packaged Facts' report U.S. Pet Market Outlook, 2013-2014, they project a wide variety of industry trends that will gain momentum next year.

The mark of any successful business is growth. No matter how small or large a company may be, you must always strive to improve, to grow, to endure. But, that's certainly easier said than done, right? The trick is to focus your market research strategy around questions that are geared towards fueling your business growth. So, which questions really cut to the heart of true expansion? Here are a few suggestions to get your strategic wheels turning:

By the year 2017, nearly 2.5 billion people across the globe will be engaged in social networking. That's nearly a third of the earth's current population. So, regardless of how trivial people once considered social media to be, the truth is the social realm has become a truly viable resource for the business world. With this rapid progression of usage and its evolving reputation, it's becoming increasingly important for market researchers to take advantage of the unique networking opportunities social platforms provide. But because of preconceived notions, many professionals are at a loss when it comes to actually harnessing social media's capabilities in an advantageous way. Before this can be done, market researchers must understand social media in terms of practicality and application. So, how can social networking actually benefit your market research efforts? There are several things to consider when determining this.