With all the belly aching among researchers about do-it-yourself (DIY) research tools degrading the quality of our work and putting research firms out of business, Versta Research thought it would be instructive to ask the next generation of marketing and PR professionals how they feel about market research. What do they value, or not value, about market research, and how do they see themselves doing research and using research in their future careers?

We had our chance in April when I was back in the classroom for a few hours as guest speaker at the University of Illinois in Chicago. My task was to provide an insider view of market research to MBA and undergraduate business students, and to talk about the transition from academics to the world of business. I leveraged the occasion with a survey of 53 students enrolled in both graduate and undergraduate market research classes.

Research Is Valued, but Few Want to Do It Themselves

Students value and get excited about the outcomes of research. But they see the process of getting there as difficult. Few want to do it themselves. In open-ended format, students outlined the pros and cons of doing market research themselves.

We asked students to “free associate” with their opinions, thoughts and perspectives by completing the sentence “Market research is ______________.” Two themes dominated. First, market research is beneficial, important, and valuable, noted by 27 out of 53 respondents. Second, market research is tedious, difficult, lengthy, hard work, confusing, and or complex, noted by 30 students.

Some students find excitement in the tension between difficult research and what it can deliver, with one in twelve (8 percent) planning careers in market research. But they are far outnumbered by those who feel that market research, though valuable, requires talents, skills, and interests they do not have.

The survey also highlights a critical challenge for market research, which is that of relevance. More than half of students (57 percent) feel that market research is boring, even if it is important. In addition, many have experiences that call into question the value of research. When asked to think about their most recent survey experience as a respondent outside of class, only half (53 percent) believed it was likely to provide valuable information and just one in four (28 percent) found the survey interesting.

Research Edges Out Intuition

Ultimately, do today’s students see themselves relying on market research in their future roles as business professionals? The answer is yes. Three-quarters (75 percent) expect to rely on research as much or more than they expect to rely on intuition and common sense in their future business careers. Even among the one-quarter who see themselves following mostly business intuition, all agreed that research is important for today’s businesses, with nearly two-thirds (62 percent) believing it is very important.

Qualitative researchers may have an easier time reaching these future business professionals compared to those of us who focus mostly on numbers. Three out of four survey respondents (72 percent) see qualitative research as more interesting than quantitative research. But students are equally split on which of the two approaches is more valuable.

Even “Simple” Research Is Not Easy

I rarely have sympathy for pundits who decry the proliferation of DIY research tools and tighter research budgets. Technologies allow cheaper, more efficient work than in the past, and good researchers should take advantage of that on both the vendor side and the client side.

Plus, good researchers know that while DIY research tools make some things easier, technology will never remove the inherent complexity of research or the rigorous effort involved in executing research. Even with simple DIY tools, statistics are not easy (no matter how many automated dashboards you have), and they are devilishly difficult to communicate in clear and compelling ways. Today’s business students (i.e., tomorrow’s business professionals) know that.

Versta Research’s next generation survey shows that today’s business students know that good research begets valuable knowledge, which gives them the power to make smarter decisions. Our job is to help this next generation of marketing and communications professionals with the power of research to make those decisions with whatever tools, technologies, and expertise we can offer.