Since 1989 I was fortunate to have been involved in a variety of research consulting projects spanning a wide variety of clients. My entry into the world of research consulting happened in 1989 when I joined an ongoing research project headed by Dr. Charles Steinfield at Michigan State University. The client was a multinational manufacturer of heavy construction equipment and the problem centered on determining why their implementation of an elaborate interactive information system did not result in the expected organization efficiencies. I quickly realized that my training in research methodology, psychometrics, and data analysis, in addition to being an asset to academic research projects, was in big demand for solving practical industry-related problems.
Projects that I worked on in the past several decades have spanned a wide variety of industries and include such topics as substance abuse treatment efficiencies, word processing/software user analyses, analyses of web users for the purpose of building a commercial website from scratch – including determining content, services, etc., measurement of student user satisfactions and demand for additional users for a nationwide discount card service prior to the company going public, analyses of GMAT takers for the purpose of optimizing the offerings of an existing MBA program and the launching of new MBA programs, alumni satisfaction studies for a business school, consumer analyses for a multinational fast food chain during a time of crisis, analyses of the factors that lead to the success and failure of new product launches and development and delivery of a related decision simulator for optimizing the preparations for new product launches, analyses of guests and potential clients for a vacation resort, determining the factors that lead to customer loyalty for an insurance company, and others.