Strategic Research

Strategic research is crucial for a company's success as it focuses on the long-term vision and direction of a company or organization. It aims to understand the broader market landscape, identify future opportunities and threats, and inform high-level strategic decisions.  With strategic research it sets the overall direction of the ship, while tactical research involves adjusting the sails to optimize the current course.

Environmental Trends: monitor relevant macro trends that impact your markets and products, e.g.: technology, geo-political, social, economic

Competitive Intelligence/Analysis: understand how traditional and emerging competitors go to market; mitigate threats, leverage opportunities (SWOT)

Market Landscape & Boundaries: determine opportunities AND limits of where to compete

Customer Analysis/Segmentation: market to the “right” groups for your company; identifiable, accessible, meaningful.

  • Implement efficiently & effectively against your segmentation (link to “Living” Segmentation)
Learn More

Strategic Research

Why Ironwood? Ironwood takes an “outside-in” view to pinpoint how changing market dynamics impact your company, its key customer segments and its products to minimize threats and maximize your business performance.

Key Characteristics

  • Long-Term Focus: Looks beyond immediate needs and focuses on trends and potential scenarios that could impact the business in the future (e.g., 3-5 years or even longer).
  • Broad Scope:  Examines the overall market, including industry trends, technological advancements, economic factors, political/regulatory changes, and evolving consumer behaviors.
  • Identifies Opportunities and Threats: The goal is to pinpoint potential new markets, unmet customer needs, and emerging threats from competitors or market shifts.
  • Informs Strategic Decisions: The insights gained from strategic research guide critical decisions such as market entry, product development方向, diversification, mergers and acquisitions, and overall business strategy.   
  • Exploratory and Forward-Looking: Often involves more exploratory research methodologies to uncover novel insights and anticipate future scenarios.

Examples of Strategic Research Questions:

  • What are the major global trends that will impact our industry in the next decade?
  • What new customer segments are likely to emerge in the future?
  • What are the potential disruptive technologies that could reshape our market?
  • What are the long-term implications of changing consumer values on our brand?
  • What new business models could we explore to achieve sustainable growth?
  • What are the potential risks and opportunities associated with expanding into new geographic markets?

Common Methodologies Used in Strategic Research:

  • Trend Analysis: Identifying and forecasting long-term market trends using historical data and expert opinions.   
  • Scenario Planning: Developing different plausible future scenarios and analyzing their potential impact on the business.
  • Competitive Intelligence: Monitoring and analyzing the long-term strategies and potential moves of key competitors.   
  • Technology Forecasting: Assessing the development and potential impact of emerging technologies.
  • Macroeconomic Analysis: Evaluating the influence of economic indicators on the market.