IJMR Editorial

Abstract

Over the decades, one of the continuing debates has been around the role played by market research at the boardroom level, and how it influences the strategic direction of the business. In my previous Editorial, I described the opening session at Impact 2019 ‘Intelligence Capital Debate’TM, held to preview the launch on 21 March of a new MRS/Kantar report, “The responsive business: creating growth and value through intelligence capital” by Julie Kollman and Andrew Curry (https://www .mrs.org.uk/resources/intelligence-capital). As I described, the main contention is that the power of knowledge, if effectively harnessed, can transform the strategy of an organization by keeping in touch with, and responding too, to the dynamic nature of today’s consumer. Therefore, knowledge should be treated as a key intangible asset-sharing in capital investment to create the “responsive business”. So, knowledge should obviously be a vitally important strategic resource; however, in our clamor to get the attention of the board, do we ever stop to think about how capable boards are to digest and apply the knowledge we ply them with, and their ability to see the potential for improving competitive advantage?