Future Talent Meets The Industry

ESOMAR Innovate & Qualitative 2010

Raphaela Barran Name: Raphaela Barran
Nationality: German
University: Ramon Llull University - ESADE, Barcelona, Spain
Title of course/programme: Programme:Programme: MSc. in Marketing Management
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How do you see the market research industry evolving and how can you contribute to it?

Today’s business world has developed tremendously. Quality and efficiency don’t give a competitive advantage anymore, but emotions do. Evoking customers’ emotions creates preference on their part. Thus, qualitative market research becomes increasingly essential for companies. They have to understand the complexity of the human beings and find out their customers’ deep insights in order to connect with them on an emotional level. Consequently, qualitative market research enables a company to build a bridge to the customers, to act proactively concerning its offering and, finally, it leads to innovation.

I want to contribute to the market research industry by being aware of the importance of market research and its benefits for businesses, by being open and willing to further educate myself in this area and by adopting the latest methodologies and trying to get the best out of it.

I gained knowledge of market research methodologies and their use during my bachelor at Universitaet Passau, Germany, my master in Marketing Management at ESADE, Spain, and my practical work experiences in different industries and countries. Thus, I experienced it from different points of view and in different cultural contexts. From the theoretical and practical knowledge that I got, I want to use the most successful aspects and try to inspire others and enhance market research activities wherever I work to, finally, improve results.


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

Market research can be quantitative and qualitative what requires rational and as well rather emotional qualities of the researchers. Latter becomes more and more essential. Market researchers have to possess analytical skills and be good with numbers, but they have as well to possess emotional intelligence in order to understand people better, have to be sensitive to be able to put situations in the right cultural and social context, be curious and like to spend attention to details. Furthermore, they have to be creative to adapt their methods optimally to the desired output and to get the best out of the results.


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

I am very fascinated by interpreting and understanding consumers and by the possibility to create attraction and to captivate them. Thus, I would like to work in the marketing sector whose activities should be built on market research. Especially, I am interested in branding and design issues. Combining those with market research, primarily with consumer insights, creates consumer- and market orientation, fosters consumer-driven innovation and results in benefits for customers and companies. I want to be part of that and contribute to optimise those effects.

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