Long time MarketResearch.com partner Jack Plunkett was recently interviewed for a nice spread in the Atlantic. Jack is CEO and publisher of Plunkett Research. The topics ranged from Jack’s thoughts on sustainability, transforming his publishing business to a digital one and our fresh water needs.
Publishing more than 20,000 pages a year Plunkett said he is becoming well known “for explaining potentially difficult technical and financial trends in a manner that readers of most types can understand.” These topics include nanotechnology, globalization, solar power and water conservation. Plunkett said the worldwide financial crisis is the most significant factor impacting sustainability because of lack of investment. “There's a growing focus on backing long-term winners, rather than pursuing sustainability simply as a statement about how green and caring a corporation is, or how eco-sensitive a government agency might be.”
One misconception he tackles is that people assume his costs are down because he can deliver his content electronically instead of printed. “Nothing could be further from the truth. Printing a book is a relatively simple, inexpensive process. Building and maintaining a subscribers-only website, with multiple servers, backups, relational databases, custom user tools, redundant power and Internet lines, along with the engineers and experts to keep it up to date is an immense cost.”
The biggest challenge, not currently on the radar screen is the challenge and shortage in sustainable water. “Someone is going to make an immense fortune by solving or improving on this problem, while making the world a better place,” he said.
You can read the whole article at http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/10/a-conversation-with-jack-plunkett-market-research-publisher/246014/
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Thursday, October 6, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Market Research Pioneer Nielsen, Dies
Market research pioneer Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., died this week, leaving a legacy that made his name synonymous with television ratings.
The 92 year old rose to run the company started by his father 88 years ago to revenue of more than $680 million. He was introduced to computers during his work in World War II when he constructed a building to house a computer. That building was used to calculate metrics for accurate firing of artillery guns. He recognized the value in this for the Nielsen Company which at that point was measuring sales for food and drug stores and some radio station audience measurements.
The company jumped into numerous markets including tracking subscription data for magazines and oil and gas wells and was a pioneer of scanning technology. However, the Nielsen name is best known in the media measurement world with a near monopoly in the television ratings arena.
A company retirement policy forced him out in 1983. The next year he helped structure the sale of Nielsen to Dun & Bradstreet for $1.3 billion in stock. Dutch publisher VNU has since bought it, but retained the well-known Nielsen name.
Learn about our company and the services and products we offer: http://www.marketresearch.com
The 92 year old rose to run the company started by his father 88 years ago to revenue of more than $680 million. He was introduced to computers during his work in World War II when he constructed a building to house a computer. That building was used to calculate metrics for accurate firing of artillery guns. He recognized the value in this for the Nielsen Company which at that point was measuring sales for food and drug stores and some radio station audience measurements.
The company jumped into numerous markets including tracking subscription data for magazines and oil and gas wells and was a pioneer of scanning technology. However, the Nielsen name is best known in the media measurement world with a near monopoly in the television ratings arena.
A company retirement policy forced him out in 1983. The next year he helped structure the sale of Nielsen to Dun & Bradstreet for $1.3 billion in stock. Dutch publisher VNU has since bought it, but retained the well-known Nielsen name.
Learn about our company and the services and products we offer: http://www.marketresearch.com
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