Versta Research Blog

Versta Research Blog

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Versta Research is a marketing research and public opinion polling firm that helps you answer critical questions with customized research and analytical expertise.

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Versta Research Blog

Explore industry trends, research methods, and tips for your own research projects in the Versta Research Blog. All opinions are our own, and some may change over time.

First time reader? Check out the Best of the Blog for the most popular posts from almost 10 years of blogging. We’re glad you’re here.

Versta Research Post

A Peek into Big (and Erroneous) Data

Ever wonder what all those big data companies, who make tons of money selling information about you, actually know?  With newly heightened concerns about data privacy, some companies will finally give you a peek.  And it’s not too impressive.  Maybe it’s good enough for mass marketing, but for those of us in research who sometimes…

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Versta Research Post

Keep the N.S.A Out of Our Surveys

As a citizen and voter, I am appalled to learn that our government routinely spies on the phone and digital communications of ordinary people and businesses and now harasses the journalists who are bringing it to our attention. And as a business owner in the market research industry, I am deeply concerned that government spying…

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The Slippery Slope of Slider Scales

The Slippery Slope of Slider Scales

Every once in a while we opt for slider scales on surveys we have designed – usually when we want a numeric rating from 0 to 10.  It seems easier for respondents than shifting over to the number pad, and it offers a more fun, interactive experience than simply clicking radio buttons.  Sliders also allow…

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Versta Research Post

3 Early Interventions to Make Employees Happy

Dilbert could have read one of many articles over the last two decades about employee satisfaction and engagement.  There is an abundant literature on (1) how to define, conceptualize, and measure employee engagement, (2) how employee engagement drives business outcomes and improves profitability, and (3) the social-psychological antecedents of employee engagement, like the “sense of…

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Versta Research Post

Wine Scarcity Drives Consumers to Drink

Recently we’ve been writing about nuggets of gold discovered in the ivory tower – that is, market research insights we find by reading academic journals.  As luck would have it, we stumbled upon one such nugget this week.  It answered a question posed by Diana Hamann, aka the wine goddess, purveyor of a favorite local…

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Versta Research Post

Ten Things You Can Do with Census Data

Every year the Census Bureau comes under attack from elected officials who unfortunately know little about how immensely valuable its services are.  The Census accounts for a miniscule slice of the total U.S. budget, and yet it provides some of the most essential services that bolster good government, political stability, and economic growth.  These are…

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Versta Research Post

Big Question for Big Data: Does It Work?

The New York Times Magazine ran a feature article in June implying that big data and quantitative algorithms are the secret of how Obama won the election.  The young, technologically-savvy “Obama-wonks” who toiled in “the cave” writing thousands of lines of computer code, took advantage of huge repositories of data from the likes of Facebook…

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