QRCA Membership SurveyConducted July 2013

Report Written September 2013 by Jane Mount and Nancy Hardwick

Objectives & Methodology

2

Objectives

• In order to maximize interest in QRCA, as well as to focus on the services most valuable to members, QRCA leadership routinely surveys its members to:‒ Understand QRCA Membership attitudes toward QRCA‒ Understand their expectations from the organization‒ Measure usage of products and services offered by QRCA ‒ Determine the level of satisfaction with these products and services‒ Inquire of membership how to maximize its experience with the association

• This member survey was last conducted in 2008

3

Methodology

• An online survey was conducted from June 27 to July 27 2013, using SurveyMonkey software

• QRCA members worldwide were invited to participate via email, and reminder emails were sent. Invitations to complete the survey were posted on LinkedIn and the QRCA Forum. A note was also placed in NewsBites

• 768 members were invited to participate, with 415 completing the survey for a 54% response rate

• Those who completed the survey were entered into a drawing for a free year of membership

4

Key Measures – Satisfaction, Retention and Importance

5

Overall Satisfaction with QRCA

Q24. Overall, how satisfied are you with your QRCA membership? Are you…. (n=403) “Top two box” is a rating of 4 or 5 on a 1-5 scale, with 5 being the best.

• Overall satisfaction is relatively strong for QRCA, with almost three-quarters of members giving their membership a top 2 box rating

‒ Newer members (1-3 years) as compared to more established members give the association significantly lower ratings overall

‒ Men give significantly lower top 2 box ratings overall (63% vs. 77% women)‒ Those who participated in SIGs are significantly more satisfied (4.3 vs. 3.9 avg.)‒ Not surprisingly, those who are less likely to renew have significantly lower

satisfaction than others 6

Average Rating

4.0

5-Very sa

tisfied 4 3 2

1-Not a

t all s

atisfied

34% 39%22%

5% 0%

Overall Satisfaction73%

• The strong levels of satisfaction seen in the previous slide link to strong renewal intentions. More than eighty percent of current members are likely to renew next year

Renewal Intentions

57%

27%13%

2% 1%

Renewal Intention

Q25. How likely are you to renew your membership next year (2014)? (n=403)

84%

‒ Men are significantly less likely to renew than are women (75% vs. 87% top 2 box)

‒ New members (1-3 yrs.) are significantly less likely to renew than established members (4.0 vs. 4.5 avg. rating)

‒ SIG participants are significantly more likely to renew than others (4.6 vs. 4.2 avg. rating)

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Average Rating

4.4

• Those who definitely won’t renew (3%) or are hesitant about renewing (13%) are clearly questioning the value of their membership

– When reading the open-ended comments, additional nuances were uncovered• Several indicated they were retiring or leaving the profession• Some noted they have not been able to participate in events due to their schedule• Others noted they have not expanded their knowledge or network or have not

obtained business

– Many feel they are generally not getting enough out of their membership; some note the lack of proximity to meetings as an issue

– Expense is noted as a reason by almost one in five

– Some raised concerns about the proposed membership expansion

Reasons for Renewal Hesitancy

Q26. Why are you not likely to renew your QRCA membership? (n=14) Q27. Why are you not certain whether or not you will renew your QRCA member ship next year? (n=51)

Reasons(n=65)

Not sure of the value of the membership - I'm not involved/Not near meetings

60%

Too expensive 17%

Don't like where the organization is going/don’t like proposed membership expansion

9%

8

Reasons for Renewal Hesitancy

Q26. Why are you not likely to renew your QRCA membership? (n=14) Q27. Why are you not certain whether or not you will renew your QRCA member ship next year? (n=51)

• Some comments from members regarding their uncertainty about renewing their membership:

“…The only real benefit I get from my QRCA membership is an ability to say I'm a QRCA member. Originally, I also regarded it as a benefit that my contact info would be searchable on the QRCA website by someone looking for potential supplier, but social media has made this one easy to accomplish elsewhere. …”

“Not certain of the value. Now that I know there are more offerings, I will seek them out -- they haven't really been apparent to me. When I understand the value better -- I may be more certain of my intent to renew.”

“I haven't been fully engaged during my first year. It feels like a smart professional move to be a member, but I haven't made any strong connections, and can't say i have a full understanding or strong feeling about what the benefits of membership truly are.”

“I've been too busy to attend my local chapter events and I'm not sure I want to go to this year's conference. Those two are the most important aspects of my membership so without being able to participate, I'm not sure why I'd renew.”

“There is not much for members living in other countries. More could be done online and to vary the times so we don't always have to get up at 3am to join in.”

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Top Three Membership Benefits

Significantly more likely to be important to those newer in their research career (<10 years)

Q2: Please choose the three benefits of QRCA membership that are most important to you. (n=414)

Supporting QRCA as the international professional organization for qualitative research consultants

Referencing QRCA on my credentials and/or using the QRCA name and logo on my corporate company website

Social contact with other qualitative researchers

Having a sense of belonging or affinity with a professional organization

Contributing to and promoting the profession of qualitative research

Participating in local QRCA chapter affiliations and activities

Annual Conference

Learning from industry experts

Professional contact with other qualitative researchers

Improving my qualitative research knowledge overall

10%

15%

15%

20%

21%

23%

24%

36%

55%

67%

10

Significantly more likely to be important to those very established in their career (21+ years)

Participating in Special Interest Group affiliations and activities

Volunteering with a QRCA Committee/Chapter/Task Force/Special Interest Group/Board

Supporting QRCA as the international professional organization for qualitative research consultants

Referencing QRCA on my credentials/using the QRCA name and logo on my corporate/company website

Participating in local QRCA chapter affiliations and activities

Annual Conference

Social contact with other qualitative researchers

Contributing to and promoting the professionalism of qualitative research

Learning from industry experts

Having a sense of belonging or affinity with a professional organization

Improving my qualitative research knowledge overall

Professional contact with other qualitative researchers

33%

35%

51%

56%

56%

59%

66%

71%

74%

74%

78%

81%

Top 2 Box %

Member Satisfaction with QRCA• Those who are satisfied with the benefits of QRCA membership are

significantly more likely to renew their membership

Q3: Please rate how satisfied you are with QRCA for fulfilling your needs for the following benefits of membership.5-pt. scale (n=415)

Top 3 most important benefits are among the highest rated for satisfaction

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Member Satisfaction with QRCA (Continued)

• When compared to long-tenured members, new members report significantly lower levels of satisfaction across a number of association benefits – particularly those associated with participation and professional connections

• Older members (61+) and younger members (25-44) are significantly more likely to be satisfied with the benefit of “having a sense of belonging or affinity with a professional organization” than their middle age counterparts

Q3: Please rate how satisfied you are with QRCA for fulfilling your needs for the following benefits of membership. (n=415)Circled number is significantly different than the underlined number.

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Top two box %

Membership Benefits1-3 Yrs 15+ Yrs(n=109) (n=115)

Volunteering with a QRCA Committee/Chapter/Task Force/Special Interest Group/Board

15% 51%

Supporting QRCA as the international professional organization for qualitative research consultants

38% 58%

Annual Conference 40% 69%

Social contact with other qualitative researchers 46% 83%

Participating in local QRCA chapter affiliations and activities 47% 60%

Contributing to and promoting the professionalism of qualitative research 62% 75%

Having a sense of belonging or affinity with a professional organization 63% 83%

Professional contact with other qualitative researchers 70% 91%

Member Satisfaction with QRCA (Continued)

• Women report significantly higher levels of satisfaction versus men on all but one membership benefit

• Chapter members award significantly higher ratings than non-members to:– Professional contact with

others– Having a sense of

belonging– Social contact– Participating in a chapter– Volunteering with QRCA

Q3: Please rate how satisfied you are with QRCA for fulfilling your needs for the following benefits of membership. (n=415) Circled number is significantly different than the underlined number.

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Membership Benefits Avg Rating - Females

Avg Rating - Males

Professional contact with other qualitative researchers 4.4 4.1

Improving my qualitative research knowledge overall 4.2 3.9

Having a sense of belonging or affinity with a professional organization 4.2 3.9

Annual Conference 4.2 3.9

Contributing to and promoting the professionalism of qualitative research 4.2 3.8

Learning from industry experts 4.1 3.9

Social contact with other qualitative researchers 4.1 3.9

Participating in local QRCA chapter affiliations and activities 4.0 3.7

Supporting QRCA as the international professional organization for qualitative research consultants 4.0 3.6

Referencing QRCA on my credentials/using the QRCA name and logo on my corporate/company website 4.0 3.5

Volunteering with a QRCA Committee/Chapter/Task Force/Special Interest Group/Board 3.8 3.5

Participating in Special Interest Group affiliations and activities 3.7 3.2

How to Make QRCA More Valuable

Comments/Suggestions %

Keep up the good work/this is a great organization! 10%I need to get more involved/I am new to the organization 9%

Improve website/offer more online learning and webinars 9%Be more relevant/offer more relevant content 9%

More/improved local events/networking opportunities 8%Increase awareness/presence of the organization 5%

Increase awareness of member benefits 5%

Help us to get more business 5%Expand the membership/let more people in 4%Add new membership benefits, provide mentorship opportunities

4%

Keep membership limited/don’t allow clients 4%

Lower conference fee 4%

Better experts/speakers, hear from people in related fields 4%

Q28. What one thing could QRCA do to make your membership more valuable? (n=337)

• Respondents offered a variety of suggestions to make QRCA more valuable – which range from getting more involved to improving online offerings

14

Researchers who are early in their careers (<10 years), want to get involved, noting that above all other suggestions (19%)

Imagery – How do Members View QRCA?

• Members were asked to select the image that most represents how they feel about QRCA

Q4: Please look at the following nine images and select the one that most represents how you feel about QRCA. ( n=415)

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QRCA Imagery

K = 33% C = 25% R = 9% N = 7%

Q = 7% H = 7%S = 6% P = 5%

L = 2%

Q5: Which image did you select? (n=411)

Most Reflective of QRCA

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Reasons For Selection – Selected Responses

Q6: How does this image most represent how you feel about QRCA? (n=411)

K = 33%

C = 25%

“It helps me on my journey (path) as a qualitative researcher to move confidently forward in new directions (curving path), given the fresh ideas (green color) and support of colleagues and the network of wisdom and experience surrounding me (growth/foliage).”

“Taking me to both places I want to go and also to areas of new discovery”

“QRCA helps me with the journey of my career. Sometimes, my path feels a little rickety but QRCA helps me along the path. And, knowing that others are facing the same challenges provides a sense of peace and calm.”

“I often feel like a little kid, searching for answers, trends, tips, news about our industry and QRCA helps give me the tools I need to find the information I'm looking for.”

“Looking to the future with openness and curiosity - that's what QRCA does for me in keeping me current and forward looking in my expertise.”

“An organization that seeks to find answers, better ways to understand motivation...binoculars signify curiosity, seeking answers”

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Positive Themes

• A path, bridge to learning• On a journey, professional journey• Part of a group heading in one direction/like minded people• Looking ahead, seeking more, new trends in the industry• Exploration into the to unknown, new advancements, keeps me up to date • Looking closer, deeper, inquisitive, always learning• Happy, excited, inspired• The benefits are a gift, a gift to myself• Connections to colleagues, supportive• Fluid, flowing, dynamic, flexible• Welcoming , supportive organization• Refreshing, invigorating, new ideas forming, new perspectives

18Q6: How does this image most represent how you feel about QRCA? (n=411)

Negative Themes

• Seeing it all from afar, looking in from the outside– Hard to access benefits due to my geographic location, where meetings are held, my

schedule– I feel I’m not as involved as I should be, not taking full advantage of what is offered– Clients have no clue who we are or what we do

• QRCA looks nice but is not accessible, doesn’t offer support, needs to improve– Current benefits do not meet my needs, are not in my area of concentration or interest,

not in-depth enough, not cutting edge enough– Can’t get to events due to their geographic location or timing– Our chapter is floating, unsupported– Hard to log in and access the forum, can’t find what I want on the website

• Possible membership change is disappointing – “Expanding the membership is the last straw in gutting the historical role/positioning of

the organization. I don’t plan to renew my membership.”19

Q6: How does this image most represent how you feel about QRCA? (n=411)

Chapters, Groups and CommitteesAwareness, Affiliation and Participation

20

Participation in the QRCA Organization

Q15: In the past five years have you… (n=408)

Chaired a SIG

Lead a Task Force

Been a QRCA Board member

Chaired a Committee

Been an active member of a Task Force

Chaired or taken on a leadership role in your Chapter

Presented at a conference

Authored an article for VIEWS or an article published with QRCA support

Been an active member of a Committee

Attended a conference

3%

5%

7%

12%

13%

17%

19%

21%

29%

65%

More than two-thirds of QRCA members have attended a conference in the last five years

• Those highly satisfied with their QRCA membership are also significantly more likely to be involved in most of these activities

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A minority have volunteered for writing, presenting or leadership/ committee/task force roles within QRCA. Participation in these areas increases with membership tenure

Value of QRCA Services/Products

Q16: For each listed QRCA service/product, please indicate if you have used it and found it to be valuable. (n=404)

Product/ServiceHave used

and is valuable

Have used, but not valuable

Aware of, but have not used

Not aware

“VIEWS” quarterly publication 83% 8% 6% 3%QRCA website 74% 12% 14% 0%QRCA Annual Conference 66% 4% 29% 1%“Connections” monthly electronic newsletter 65% 16% 13% 5%

Qcast webinars 62% 5% 28% 6%“News Bites” bi-weekly email newsletter 47% 20% 19% 14%

Communication from the QRCA Board 43% 16% 29% 12%

Public QRCA Forum on LinkedIn 42% 10% 30% 18%Private Online QRCA Forum 38% 11% 28% 24%Qualocator Directory 28% 7% 40% 26%Professional Competencies document for QRCs 17% 6% 32% 45%

Joint AQR/QRCA Conference 17% 1% 50% 32%VIEWS Podcasts 12% 2% 56% 30%Discounts on non-QRCA educational events & training 5% 1% 44% 50%

On-demand educational videos 3% 0% 27% 69%

• Used and valuable - Views - QRCA website- Annual Conference, - Connections- Qcast webinars

• Suffering from low awareness and usage

- On-demand educational videos

- Discounts- Professional

competencies documents

- Joint AQR/QRCA conference

- Views Podcasts 22

Value of QRCA Services/Products

Q16: For each listed QRCA service/product, please indicate if you have used it and found it to be valuable. (n=404)

• Much of the lack of awareness in these products or services traces to new members. Their lack of awareness of many of these services is striking

QRCA Services/ProductsNew Tenure

(1-3 yrs.)% NOT aware

Professional Competencies document for Qualitative Research Consultants 85%

On-demand educational videos 81%

Discounts on non-QRCA Educational Events and Training 71%

Joint AQR/QRCA Conference 64%

VIEWS Podcasts 55%

Private Online QRCA Forum 40%

Qualocator Directory 36%

Public QRCA Forum on LinkedIn 29%

Communication from the QRCA Board 27%

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Chapter Affiliation and Attendance

• Although led by members from the Metro NY and Chicago chapters, survey respondents represent a wide range of QRCA chapter groups

• Among those belonging to a geographically based chapter, moderate participation in chapter meetings is reported:– 25% of respondents attended most or

all of their Chapter’s meetings– 38% attended some of their Chapter’s

meetings– 36% attended none of their Chapter’s

meetings– Few (10%) have attended a meeting

at a chapter that is not their own

Q7: Which of the following have you chosen as your “Home” Chapter? (n=411) Q8: In the past year did you attend… (n=355); Q11. Excluding virtual chapter events, in the past year, have you attended a chapter meeting at another chapter that’s not your own? (n=408)

Chapter Affiliation NY/Metropolitan NYC Chapter 13%IL/Chicago Chapter 10%CA/So. California Chapter 7%CA/San Francisco Chapter 7%Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter 7%OH/IN/KC Chapter 6%Southeast Chapter 4%MN/Minnesota Chapter 4%Texas and Friends Chapter 4%New England Chapter 4%Pacific Northwest Chapter 4%DC/Washington DC Chapter 4%Canada - Eastern Chapter 3%Canada Chapter 3%Florida Chapter 3%MO/Missouri Chapter 2%MI/Detroit Metro Chapter 1%NY/Western NY Chapter 0%Virtual/International Chapter 9%None/I did not choose a Home Chapter 4%

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In-Person Chapter Meeting Satisfaction• Those who have attended in-person

chapter meetings report relatively high levels of satisfaction (83% top 2 box)

• Reasons for satisfaction focus on the quality and breadth of the learning opportunities available as well as the opportunity to connect collegially with other members

“Good range of topics, great presenters, the opportunity to mingle with colleagues after the fact. I learned something each time. Well done.”

• Reasons for dissatisfaction focus primarily on meeting content and location

“Location is bit far and topics/speakers haven't been all that compelling.”

Q9: How satisfied are you with the meetings held by your Chapter in the past year? (n=224)

5-Very sa

tisfied 4 3 2

1-Not a

t all s

atisfied

53%

29%

10% 6%0%

Meeting Satisfaction

83%

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In-Person Chapter Meeting Suggestions

• Those attending their local chapter meeting shared some areas they would like to see improved– Speakers

• Fresh speakers, new ideas, better topics, not the same old topics/speakers • In-person presenters rather than watching Focus Vision or Ted Talk videos

– Strong leadership– More meetings/more active chapter

• No regular schedule• Wish more people would attend

– Support for chapters just starting or in need of revival

Q9b: Why do you feel that way? (n=224)

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Virtual Chapter Attendance/Satisfaction• Virtual chapter members are less likely to

attend most or all chapter meetings than their geography-based counterparts– 21% attended most or all of their meetings– 39% attended some of their meetings– 34% attended none of their meetings

• Virtual chapter members are less satisfied with their meetings; with only 40% awarding a top two box rating‒ 41% of virtual chapter members have not

attended meetings, therefore are unable to rate their level of satisfaction

Q10a. In the past year did you attend…(n=37) Q9: How satisfied are you with the meetings held by your Chapter in the past year? 5 point scale (n=37)

5-Very satisfied 4 3 2

1-Not a

t all s

atisfied

Don't know

8%

32%

19%

0% 0%

41%

Meeting Satisfaction

40%

27

‒ Virtual Chapter members would like more interaction during Chapter meetings and more communication between meetings

Although not included in the attendance/satisfaction stats, 20% of geography-based chapter members have attended a Virtual Chapter meeting.

SIG Awareness and Participation

• Awareness of the six QRCA SIGs (Special Interest Groups) is only moderate– 35% are aware of all six SIGs– 46% are aware of some of these SIGs– 19% are not aware of any of these SIGs– Those who have been QRCA members for 1-3 years are significantly less likely to

be aware of any of the SIGs (32% recall none)– Those most satisfied with their membership are significantly more likely to be

aware of and participate in SIGs

Q12: QRCA has six Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Are you aware of… (n=408) Q13: In the past year have you participated in any SIG meetings/events? (n=332)

Yes 39%

No 59%

Don't Know 2%

SIG Event Attendance• In line with these moderate levels of

awareness, we see reported participation in SIG events to also be relatively low‒ They are more likely to attract females

(43% vs. 25% males)

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Very sat -isfied

4 3 2 Not at all satisfied

34%

45%

17%

2% 0%

SIG Meeting Satisfaction

78%

SIG Meeting Satisfaction• Those who have attended SIG meetings/events report relatively high

levels of satisfaction with them. While top box ratings are somewhat lower than those of in-person chapter meetings (83%), more than three-quarters of attendees do report top 2 box satisfaction

Q14: How satisfied are you with the meetings held by the SIGs in the past year? (n=128)

29

Awareness and Usage of Job Bank• One-quarter of members have visited the job bank• Awareness of the QRCA job bank is also low, with less than half being

aware of its existence– While awareness is low across all member types, those who have been

members 1-3 years are significantly less likely than those who have been members 15+ years to be aware (64% vs. 50%)

– SIG participants are significantly more likely to be aware of the job bank vs. non-members (61% vs. 38%)

Q17: Which of the following best describes your experience with the job bank? (n=404) Q18: Why haven’t you visited the job bank? (n=70)

Statement %

I am aware of and have visited the job bank 25%

I am aware of, but have never visited the job bank 21%

I am not aware of the job bank 54%

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Among those who are aware but have not used the job bank, most (96%) are not in the market for a new job. However, 11% do not believe the bank has high quality offerings

Networking• Networking is frequently practiced among QRCA members. Whether

referring work, suggesting QRCA resources, or partnering on a project, almost two-thirds (63%) of QRCA members have leveraged their QRCA membership for networking opportunities in the past year

Q19: Which of these events has occurred in the past 12 months? (n=404)

QRCA Networking Participation %You referred work to another QRCA member

41%

You partnered with another QRCA member on a project

36%

Work was referred to you by another QRCA member

27%

You referred a potential QRCA member to the QRCA website

23%

A potential client contacted you as a result of your listing on the QRCA website

11%

You referred a client to the QRCA website 8%None of these 37%

‒ Once again, our newest members (1-3 years) are less likely to engage in these networking opportunities (less than half (48%) have engaged in any in the past year)

‒ Importantly, our most satisfied members are also very likely to have networked in the past year (71% vs. only 41% of those with moderate to low overall satisfaction)

‒ SIG members are significantly more likely to network than non-members

31

QRCA Publications

32

Connections Readership• About a third of members are frequent readers

of Connections (have read 7-10 of last 10 issues)• Somewhat more (45%), report unknown,

infrequent or no readership of the electronic newsletter– Notably, only 13% of new members are frequent

readers of this e-newsletter (7-10 issues), averaging only 3.2 issues. This is significantly lower than the readership of those who have been members 4+ years

Q20b: Of the last ten issues of Connections, how many have you taken a look at? (n=404)

Issues Read of Connections

Responses

None 13%1 to 3 25%4 to 6 21%7 to 10 34%Don't Know 7%Mean 4.8

33

‒ Correspondingly, those newer in their careers (<10 years) have also tend to have read fewer issues (3.8)

• Significantly higher readership comes from – SIG participants (5.4 vs. 4.5 for non-participants)– Those who are highly satisfied with their QRCA membership – Those age 61+ vs. those under age 54

Connections Evaluation • While Connections is seen as being well-written, fewer find it to be

relevant or engaging – Females rate the publication significantly higher than males on all attributes– ‘Don’t know’ ratings are about 20% of responses and trace more often to new

members– Those most satisfied with their QRCA membership rate Connections

significantly higher than others

Q20: How would you rate Connections in the following areas? (n=404)

34

Suggestions for Connections• While more than one-quarter have no suggestions for improvements,

suggestions offered focus on having Connections provide more professional/relevant content, or to simply reduce or eliminate its issuance

Q20c: What suggestions do you have to improve Connections? (n=159)

Suggestions for Connections PercentMore professional/relevant content 18%Fewer editions/discontinue it/it just gets lost in my inbox 11%

Haven't read it/don't know what this is/don't receive this 9%

Less social content 4%Read Views or LinkedIn discussions instead 4%

Include a summary paragraph with each link to see if I want to read it 4%

Improve navigation 4%Publish a hard copy 3%Nothing/NA/Like it how it is 28%Other 19%

“Other” comments include several with specific content suggestions (e.g.: less Board news, more personal news, include video, talk about member benefits like podcasts and the job bank)

35

QRCA VIEWS Readership• Readership is high for QRCA VIEWS. On average, members have read three

of the last four issues

Q21b: Of the last four issues [of QRCA VIEWS], how many have you taken a look at? (n=403) Q21c: Have you read the electronic version of QRCA VIEWS? (n=403)

Issues Read of QRCA VIEWS

Responses

None 6%One 8%Two 17%Three 19%Four 47%Don't Know 3%

36

– Those more satisfied with their membership read significantly more than those less satisfied

– Most (71%) have not read the electronic version of the magazine. However, younger members (25-44) are more likely to read the electronic version of the publication than are older members (61+) 38% vs. 19%

– SIG participants are significantly more likely to have read the e-version (39% vs. 24%)

– Those most satisfied with their membership are significantly more likely than those least satisfied to read the e-version (31% vs. 10%)

QRCA VIEWS Evaluation• Ratings for QRCA VIEWS are quite strong, with the majority of members

finding the publication to be well written, relevant and engaging– Females give significantly higher ratings than do males on all attributes– Those who are most satisfied with their membership and those who are most

likely to renew give significantly higher ratings than others

QRCA VIEWS Avg. RatingBeing well written 4.3Being relevant to my needs 4.1Having interesting and engaging subjects 4.2

Q21: How would you rate QRCA VIEWS in the following areas? (n=404)

37

Suggestions for QRCA VIEWS

Suggestions for QRCA VIEWS Percent

More relevant/in-depth content 16%Improve online version/transition to only online

12%

It is great/like it how it is 10%Better visuals/formatting 7%Print on less heavy paper 5%Don’t read it 3%Articles from clients or professionals in related industries

3%

Nothing/NA/Don’t know 32%Other 26%

Q21d: What suggestions do you have to improve QRCA VIEWS? (n=156)

• Suggestions for improving QRCA VIEWS focus on content, and enhancing its online version

38

Several suggested allowing opt-out of the print version

“Other” comments include wanting a way to get a synopsis for quick evaluation of article contents

QRCA NewsBites Readership

• Readership of QRCA NewsBites is moderate, but weaker than seen with other QRCA publications. The average member has looked at 4 of the last 10 emails, with one-quarter reading none– New members report the lowest readership

of NewsBites, averaging only 2.6 emails. This is significantly lower than members of 4+ years standing

– Those who have been members 15+ years view 5.1 emails, which is significantly more than all other members

– SIG participants look at significantly more emails than non-participants (5.2 vs. 3.4)

– Highly satisfied members and those who have been in research for 21+ years also view significantly more emails than others

Q22: How would your rate NewsBites in the following areas? (n=403))

Issues Read of QRCA NewsBites

Responses

None 25%1 to 3 19%4 to 6 19%7 to 10 26%Don't Know 10%Mean 4.0

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QRCA NewsBites Evaluation

• Ratings for QRCA NewsBites are quite low, with less than half finding it to be particularly well written, relevant or interesting– While “don’t know” ratings are higher among new members (nearing 50%),

they are high among all subgroups– Females generate significantly higher ratings than males– Those who are most satisfied with their membership and those most likely to

renew their membership rate NewsBites significantly higher than others

QRCA NewsBites Avg. RatingBeing well written 3.9Being relevant to my needs 3.6Having interesting and engaging subjects 3.6

Q22b: Of the last ten emails of QRCA NewsBites, how many have you taken a look at? (n=403

40

Suggestions for QRCA NewsBites

Suggestions for QRCA NewsBites Percent

Don’t read this/get too many emails/don’t receive this 16%

Send less frequently/discontinue 12%Combine with other publications/don’t understand the difference between them

10%

It’s great/keep up the good work 10%

Improve formatting/graphics 8%Content is not relevant/improve content 6%

Keep them short/make them shorter 6%Nothing/NA/Don’t know 28%Other 9%

Q22c: What suggestions do you have to improve QRCA NewsBites? (n=127)

• With regard to this publication, members are not generally offering suggestions for improvement, but rather questioning the rationale of its existence

41

Member Suggestions for QRCA

42

Member Suggestions for QRCA

Comment PercentKeep up the good work/happy with organization 23%

Increase awareness: of organization, benefits, etc. 12%

Improve events, conferences: more regular, different time of year, available online, etc. 10%

Improve website, continue online focus 6%Increase membership, open membership opportunities 6%

I need to be more involved/new to organization 5%

Make more relevant to me: improve content, help my business, etc. 5%

Improve international presence 5%Other 25%

Q38: Please provide any final comments or suggestions regarding QRCA and/or QRCA membership. (n=173)

“Other” suggestions include those around improving QRCA communications internally and externally (e.g.: strengthen networking and improve sharing, communicate the value of face to face research)

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A Look at the Respondents

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Length of Membership• Among respondents, the average length of membership is 10.2 years.

More than one-third have joined QRCA within the last five years

– Men have been members significantly longer than women (11.8 vs. 9.7 years) – Those who are members of a chapter have been QRCA members significantly

longer than those who are not chapter members (10.6 vs. 7.4 years) – Not surprisingly, older members and those with more years in research have

been with QRCA longer

Q1: How many years have you been a QRCA member? (n=415)Circled number is significantly different than the underlined number.

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Age

25-44 45-54 55-60 61+

Average Years 5 7.9 11.3 17.4

Years in Qualitative Research

1-9 10-15 16-20 21+

Average Years 3.5 6.6 10.5 18.1

Years as a QRCA Member

1-3 4-7 8-14 15+

26% 22% 24% 28%

Member Firmographics

Gender Tenure

Total Respondents

(n=415)

Male(n=109)

a

Female(n=293)

b

1-3(n=109)

c

4-7(n=90)

d

8-14(n=101)

e

15+(n=115)

f

Years in Research (Mean) 22.5 24.9b 21.6 16.7 20.2c 21.3c 30.5cde

Years in Qualitative (Mean) 17.2 19.1b 16.5 11.4 13.6c 16.4cd 25.9cde

Location: % US 82% 77% 84% 72% 79% 85%c 92%cd

Workspace% home-based 72% 60% 76%a 60% 70% 79%c 78%c

Owner/Partner no employees 63% 50% 67%a 57% 59% 67% 67%

Owner/Partner w/ employees 26% 40%b 20% 24% 24% 23% 30%

Work for someone else 12% 9% 13% 18%f 17%f 10%f 3%

46Q29: How many years have you been in marketing research? (n=402) Q30: How many years have you been a qualitative research consultant? (n=402); Q31: Where is your practice or company located? (n=402); Q32: Is your primary workspace located…? (n=402); Q33: Which best describes your role in the company? (n=402) Note: Letters in chart above refer to the column labels and indicated statistically significant differences.

Member Firmographics• About half of members have previously worked as a research supplier/full

service or on the client side

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Total respondents

Research supplier/full service 54%

Client Side 47%

Advertising Agency 32%

Quantitative Research Consulting 32%

Academia 17%

Facility Management 8%

Q34: Other than being a qualitative research consultant, in what other capacities have you worked? (n=369)

Member Demographics• QRCA members have the following characteristics:

– Average age: 52.3• Interestingly, the average age of new members (1-3years) is 46.5

– Gender: 73% Female, 27% Male

Total

Some college or less 2%

Bachelor’s degree 28%

Some graduate work 13%

Master’s degree 49%

Doctorate 8%

Q35: Are you male/female? (n=402); Q36: What is your highest level of education? (n=402); Q37: What is your age? (n=386)

Those aged 25-54 are significantly less likely than those 55+ to have education beyond a bachelor’s degree

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Conclusions and Implications

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Conclusions: Membership• Members value the opportunity to improve their knowledge and learning

from industry experts– This is especially true among those newer to the association– Improving knowledge and learning are strong benefits of QRCA membership

• Involvement (attending meetings/events, using resources) is key to long term membership and satisfaction– The more involved a member is with the association, the more aware they are

of the offerings and the higher they rate their satisfaction with the benefits– Newer members (1-3 years), men, and those not involved in a SIG or Chapter

are much more likely to be unsatisfied and therefore not as likely to renew their membership

• Opportunity: Those with less than ten years tenure with QRCA are very interested in getting more involved

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Conclusions: Newer Members • Not unexpectedly, longer tenure traces to higher levels of awareness and

participation in QRCA programs and events, and ultimately to higher levels of satisfaction

• Newer members (1-3 years) are less aware of what QRCA has to offer, and overall are less participative in and less satisfied with their membership. Versus long term members, they feel less connected personally with members, leading to lack of participation in education and networking opportunities and ultimately lower levels of renewal consideration

• Opportunity: We need to strengthen the on-boarding process to quickly ramp up knowledge of the organization and instill a sense of belonging– As learning opportunities and professional contact are deemed most

important by all members, this should be an on-boarding focus to demonstrate the value of QRCA strongly and early on

– On-boarding should also incorporate ways get new members involved

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Conclusions: Benefits• Many members are not aware of the benefits offered including:

– Private forum (24% not aware), Joint Conference (32%), Views Podcasts (30%), Discounts on educational events/trainings (50%), the job bank (54%) and on-demand educational videos (69%)

• Lack of awareness regarding member benefits is very low especially among newer members (1-3 years) and those less satisfied with membership

• Professional contact with other qualitative researchers is a critical benefit of QRCA membership– Networking with colleagues is therefore very important to members– Members are likely unaware that active involvement in QRCA can bring them

business• Overall 55% of members surveyed either referred work to another member,

partnered with a member on a project, or had work referred to them by another QRCA member

• Opportunity: Increase awareness of benefits of QRCA membership 52

Conclusions: Communication Tools• Members are not reading a lot of what is being sent out

– Either they are not aware or are not finding the contents beneficial

• Of the three major communication pieces, Views is the most read– Connections and NewsBites suffer from a lack of readers and contents that are

considered irrelevant or uninteresting (especially by those less involved)– Views garnered requests for more relevant and in-depth content

• Members are looking for more relevant content in all formats including presentations, meetings and publications

• Opportunity: Determine what members consider to be relevant content. Follow-up research may be warranted to understand what members are seeking in regard to information contents and frequency

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Conclusions: Chapters and SIGs• Chapters and SIGs tend to be made up of the more active members with

higher satisfaction overall– However some Chapters are floundering and are in need of help with their

programming, volunteer participation and attendees. There are also a few newer Chapters trying to become established

– The Virtual Chapter appears to be lacking attendees at their events with concerns about the absence of interactivity with other researchers raised

• Opportunity: Assist Chapters and SIGs with developing programming

• Opportunity: Virtual Chapter meetings need to be more engaging. Look for ways to energize those meetings with member interaction

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Conclusions: Age/Gender of Members• The average age of new members (1-3 years) is 46.5

• Interestingly men are less involved and less satisfied with QRCA then women

• Opportunity: This could mean we have an opportunity to recruit younger researchers or it might suggest that more seasoned researchers opt for qualitative research– Additionally, we do not know what the non-response bias is regarding age. Perhaps

younger members chose not to complete the survey

• Opportunity: Since men are a minority group in QRCA is there a way to get them more involved

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Conclusions: Job Bank• Awareness of the job bank is low across the association (46%)

– It’s particularly low among new members (member 1-3 years, 36% aware)

• A fifth of the membership are aware of the job bank, but have never visited it because they are not in the market for a new job– 11% of those who haven’t visited don’t believe the job bank has high quality openings

• Opportunity: Re-evaluate the relevance of the job bank to the organization and determine if it can be an effective resource for members

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