Sample Projects
Industry analysis The Health Care and Biotech Workforce in the New Orleans Area – Overview -2009. Entities in the Medical District were concerned that rebuilding of two major hospitals destroyed by Katrina would severely strain the labor pool. We creatively combined a number of publicly available statistics to analyze the gaps between supply and demand across the large number of occupations in medically related fields. The study also established the framework for on-going benchmarking of workforce development.
Business planning A successful local non-profit organization was invited to compete in a program to replicate its model across the country. We researched all aspects of the business plan – philanthropic trends, the target market, key competitors, marketing strategies – and wrote the text. The core product was refined through telephone interviews with a sample of potential clients.
Product development A local company was exploring the introduction of a new product line. We researched market trends related to on-line training, and performed an in-depth analysis of competitors in a narrowly defined niche market, including specific product features, pricing, marketing strategies, and distribution channels.
Targeted marketing Several firms wanted to target new business. For a Web designer, we analyzed the existing client base, and developed a strategy for identifying potential clients using free resources. For a destination management company, we developed a call list to solicit companies in select industries for corporate meeting and vacation incentive events.
Primary data collection A professional association needed member input on potential new projects. We designed and administered an on-line survey that elicited a 64% response.
Instruction New entrepreneurs were struggling to find information for their business or marketing plans. We teach a course on Fundamentals of Business Research, focusing on free resources, offered through the Small Business Development Center.