All industries, businesses and professions face a fundamental need to enhance performance quality.  This essential requirement is especially relevant whenever there is a widely perceived drop in the basic standards of quality.  This is the situation that the research industry now faces.

Concerns about research quality are nothing new. Yet, at the recent IIR Respondent Cooperation Summit (a CMOR partnered event), a broad-based group of industry leaders loudly voiced their growing concerns about “quality,” especially as it relates to the respondent, and the need to actively counter what is perceived as a rapidly deteriorating situation. Yet, at the recent IIR Respondent Cooperation Summit, a broad-based group of industry leaders loudly voiced their growing concerns about “quality,” especially as it relates to the respondent, and the need to actively counter what is perceived as a rapidly deteriorating situation.  Not surprisingly, CMOR is playing a key role in the follow-up to this important event.

CMOR will take the lead in facilitating an ongoing dialogue between research users, research suppliers and industry associations.  While the Summit was a good first step in engaging interested parties in an open discussion, there is a clear need for the industry as a whole to maintain momentum and develop concrete steps that counter the decline in quality.  In response to the need, CMOR recently announced a “5 Point Plan” for furthering the cause and developing a framework for achieving real progress.

The Plan recognizes that respondent cooperation issues are only part of the overall determinant of research quality.  As part of its core mission, CMOR has always focused on this element and it will continue to do so, while at the same time orchestrating a broader discussion of issues affecting quality.  The Plan addresses both CMOR roles and will:

1. Establish a forum of client companies so that research user views, concerns and needs can be fully understood, communicated and addressed.

2. Utilize the existing Industry Association Leaders’ forum to further the collaboration of industry participants as they work together to find solutions to research quality issues.
3. Facilitate the acceptance of uniform calculation rates/definitions; develop materials to educate the profession about the calculation rate/definition and utilize our Tracking Study as a measurement tool for the profession.
4. Investigate possible approaches to developing an accreditation program and best practices framework that deal with research quality.
5. Continue to address CMOR’s core respondent cooperation initiatives through ongoing analysis, education, training and communication programs.

By spearheading an industry-wide approach that focuses resources on these five actions, CMOR is confident that it can help address the issues that underlie the industry’s concerns and help develop real solutions to this pressing problem.  It is imperative that all segments of the industry join together in this critical effort and make a successful outcome the only possibility.

A consistent view expressed at the Respondent Cooperation Summit was the need to collectively work at improving quality.  CMOR heard the message and is ready to rally the industry to this mission.  We ALL have a role to play.

To learn more about how you can be involved in the Plan, please contact CMOR's Director of Respondent Cooperation, Patrick Glaser at pglaser@cmor.org