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Research philosophy

Many of the countless ambitious GfK research and development projects have in common the fact that they are almost always carried out in close cooperation with clients and academic institutions or management consultants. The future – and this applies not only GfK, but the whole of the industry – depends to a large extent on the degree to which we are committed to working with our clients and associates to identify market potential and transform it into success. Quality and innovation remain the essential engines which inform our information services and consultancy, enabling us to be of the greatest possible use to our clients when they are making their marketing decisions.

As in the past, we shall continue to dedicate ourselves to making a contribution to the recognition and reputation of our profession worldwide and to its future opportunities with our first class business instruments and services. The principal engine of the innovations which ensure the quality of our research and development work is GfK-Nürnberg e.V. (GfK Association), the parent company of today’s GfK Group, which is also the majority shareholder. GfK enjoys the support of this unique Association, whose financial and human resources make a huge contribution to advancing the professional qualification of the company’s market researchers and to developing innovative instruments and processes on an ongoing basis.

It is largely due to the GfK Association that some six years ago, GfK was able to introduce the "Market Information Management” course in conjunction with the Business and Social Sciences Faculty of Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen. This is an interdisciplinary study course for students wishing to specialize in market research related careers. GfK finances the course and contributes its market research and methodological expertise to the course.

A further initiative of the GfK Association is the establishment of the Nuremburg-based GfK Academy, which offers a modular international training and further education program directed at middle management in Germany and abroad. The main focus of the course lies in the linking of specialist knowledge with communication expertise aimed at empowering management to hone their strategic thinking and decision-making skills.

However, our commitment to research and teaching is not limited to Germany. GfK has also helped Russia ’s top business university, Moscow ’s State University – Higher School of Economics, to establish a department specializing in market research, which is supported by GfK with personnel and other resources. We have also committed financial and human resources to one of the world’s most highly rated institutes for market research at the University of Georgia in Atlanta, USA.