Sponsored Research

Strategy-focused companies are gathering information nonstop. They're using this knowledge to:

compete better in their industries and markets
find benchmarks for their development
capitalize on the breakthroughs of leading innovators worldwide
integrate practices that will foster creativity, speed, and agility of their businesses

To help companies develop strategic knowledge about issues critical to their growth, The Conference Board offers its sponsored research program. The goal is to partner with our member companies to explore how business is reshaping itself today, and to learn how such reinvention can both improve global enterprise and contribute to the well-being of society.

Communicating to an Influential Audience

The research findings of The Conference Board reach a large audience. Our membership network ensures that the published research reports go to some 6,000 senior managers of approximately 2000 member companies in nearly 60 countries worldwide. Our reports are found in the collections of public and private libraries worldwide. Corporate sponsors also receive multiple copies of the research reports for their own internal and external distribution.

In addition, we regularly release our research findings to the media. Articles generally are in such publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week and Fortune. We also enjoy wide coverage on broadcast television, cable, radio, and the Internet

How You Participate

The Conference Board enjoys a unique level of trust throughout the international business community. Because of our unrivaled reputation for excellence and objectivity, we have earned access to the thinking and practices of the world's leading executives. Our research teams partner with these leaders to translate their experiences, expertise, and insights into important strategic lessons for Conference Board members worldwide.

Our professionally managed research program, which began nearly 90 years ago, addresses today's critical business areas. It focuses on the changes, challenges, and opportunities senior executives are dealing with right now and how they are transforming these realities into competitive advantage.

If you are a Conference Board Associate at the Participating Member level or higher, you can take part in our research program in two ways:

Join a Working Group of Sponsors
Senior executives with expertise in specific functions are invited to join a working-group forum in their area of specialization. Together with your colleagues in other organizations, you work with The Conference Board's professional research team to develop and carry out function-related research initiatives. As a participant, you contribute to the design of the study and take part in consultative sessions that identify common experiences, challenges, and goals. You are also involved in assessing the research findings.

Working groups are limited in size, allowing participants to network extensively and productively in a small, private framework. All members of the forum appear as contributors to the research report The Conference Board publishes reflecting the group's work. More about working groups.
Sponsor a Study
Your company can also choose to be the sole sponsor or participate in a multi-company sponsorship of a research project. Executives of your firm collaborate with professionals of The Conference Board to design the study. Managers with specific related expertise take part in sessions where you identify key issues, priorities, and goals. You participate in reviewing and evaluating all phases of the project, including the analysis and presentation of findings.

When The Conference Board publishes the research report, your company's name appears on the cover page of the study as the exclusive sponsor. On the inside front cover, the report will include your company's logo and a brief description of your business. All research-related press activity recognizes the sponsoring organization as well.

How You Benefit

When you participate in a sponsored research project, you contribute to a body of knowledge about strategic business practices worldwide. It is knowledge that shows how companies perform and grow, how markets change and adapt, and how organizations survive and excel.

In addition to supporting advances in business knowledge that can benefit your company, you gain other competitive advantages, including:

Allying your company with a business research leader - The Conference Board -whose products and services regularly receive positive attention from business, government, academia, policymaking institutions, and the media;
Developing solutions to problems of strategic relevance to your business, your industry, and your market;
Identifying your company as a backer of independent business research;
Gaining new insights into how internal and external forces can affect your business;
Staying on top of the latest lessons learned in your function or industry;
Educating the market on current topics and best practices in your function or industry;
Exchanging experiences, ideas, and insights with leaders across all industries;
Data access to research information, where TCB provides unique cross-tabs to help sponsors drill down in areas of specific interest; and
Gaining access to unique research findings you can use in internal and external business applications.

Your knowledge-building partnership with The Conference Board will help you meet your own strategic goals while bolstering research in the business community worldwide. Better yet, your company will share credit for this important work.

New and Emerging Research

To give you an idea of the research topics with which you can affiliate your company as a sole sponsor or a working group sponsor, please refer to our Research Listing.

Guidelines for Research Partnerships

All sponsored research initiatives support The Conference Board's mission of improving the business exterprise system and enhancing the contribution of business to society. To protect our reputation for independence and objectivity, we do not conduct advocacy or marketing research projects and do not support the products, services or viewpoints of any business or organization.

The Conference Board maintains control over all aspects of sponsored research: content, research methodology, selection of survey participants, analysis, conclusions, publication format, printing, copyright, distribution, and promotion.

All sponsored research data is proprietary information of The Conference Board. To ensure the confidentiality of research participants, only summary data is shared with sponsors. No interview notes or individual survey responses are released without the written consent of respondents.

Publications based on sponsored research acknowledge all sponsors. Individuals who contribute significantly to shaping the research may be recognized as co-authors or contributors or listed in the acknowledgements.

Research sponsorship opportunities are an exclusive benefit for Associates of The Conference Board at the Participating Member level or above.

For more information:

Linda Barrington
Research Director, Management Excellence
Tel: +1 212 339 0481
Fax: +1 212 836 3825
E-mail: linda.barrington@conference-board.org