FUTURE TALENT MEETS THE INDUSTRY

ESOMAR CONGRESS 2010

Jiawei Liu Name: Jiawei Liu
Nationality: Chinese
University: IAE Grenoble, Grenoble, France
Title of course/programme: MSc in Quantitative Marketing
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How do you see the market research industry evolving and how can you contribute to it?

Personally, I see two main trends in market research industry. The first one is related to the development of technology. The 21st century has witnessed a proliferation of technology. In market research, the fieldwork has undergone a change from paper questionnaire to computer-aided interviewing and mobile and PDA are more and more widely used to facilitate interviews as well as to touch a larger population like business men. Also, more sophisticated methodologies such as neuroscience derivate from the technology advancement, which give more possibilities to market researches.
Another one is that institutions are getting more and more involved in their clients’ development and market research is becoming a data-based consultancy service. Nowadays, the institutions’ concern lies in more in the relationship with their clients than the service itself. They are playing an active role in their clients’ decision-making by offering not only the first-hand data and relevant recommendations, but also Q&A sessions, training programs, seminars, etc. They even relocate their office to accompany their client on a daily basis when necessary, like the creation of Ipsos Geneva. At the same time, the advertisers trust more their institutions by sharing more information with them. Their institutions have become someone to turn to when problems or questions occur. Sometimes specific seminars may be organized by advertisers to encourage more exchanges between their different institutions and to produce a synergy among them.

When it comes to my personal contributions to this industry, I think it could vary with the time going. As a fresh post-graduate, I have acquired a complete and solid base for research methodologies, data processing and fieldwork management from my school education. I think I’m “technically” fully prepared for my career. If this education and the practices appear somewhat academic and not cost-effective in the real world, the research mindset will still bring some fresh air to the company I’ll work for and to my clients.
In the future, I’ll be able to make greater contributions to market research industry by bringing my knowledge, my expertise, and my experience acquired in France to my home country, where the market of research is enormous while the market research there is still in a growing phase. I will be able to participate in this development by giving full play to my professional expertise acquired in Europe, my understanding of cultural differences and my good command of different languages. I’m actually convinced that with my continuous efforts I’ll be capable of injecting a momentum into the development of market research in China. There is a famous Chinese Odyssey about the journey to the West of a priest and his three disciples, who have overcome all difficulties to get the Buddhist Sutra. And now I’m making my Odyssey to the West too.

What are, in your opinion, the necessary skills for market researchers in the present environment?

Surely, a good market research should be passionate, rigorous, curious, and capable of managing many projects simultaneously and have strong analytical skills and inter-personal communication skills. But besides all these, I think a market researcher must have a strong customer service mindset.
On the institution side, customer service spirit has always been important. But it should be pointed out that it is getting more essential in the present context, where institutions are playing an even more active role. Put himself in the client’s place and the market researcher will better understand the client’s concerns, do his job better and in a proactive way, and be honest to his client if ever problems occur.

How do you see your career unfolding and what are your aspirations?

I’ll start my career in France since I believe I will learn a lot from its advanced market research experience. I also hope this job location will constitute a touch point for me to better understand the Europe through the cross-country projects. I wish to widen my vision and enrich my understanding of cultural differences by work replacements and then make most of it in my career as market researcher by providing in-depth analysis and relevant recommendations to my clients and thus accompanying them in their development. I’m strongly interested by FMCG industry and determined to be a market research expert in this field, which will also allow me to participate indirectly in the improvement of people’s daily life, and their well-being.

My overall goal is to learn about consumer behaviour and for that I views MR as a key tool.

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