By Adam Phillips
The Research Network held its Summer Party at Doggett’s Coat and Badge in the first week of July as usual. It’s a pub with a top floor terrace on the Thames Path by Southwark Bridge that has a wonderful view of the City. There was a good turnout of members and guests and an excellent buffet was provided. The weather was perfect, and many decided to stay on until the early evening.
Adam Phillips talked about the Network’s oral history project. There are now 25 recordings on the MRS website available for anyone to listen to https://www.mrs.org.uk/resources/oralhistory with a further six in preparation this year. The interviews are around an hour long and provide a fascinating insight into the personality and experiences of the people who built market research in Britain. They emphasise that, although the industry has changed in the last 20 years, with the advent of mobile research and big data, the mixture of curiosity and creativity needed to provide useful insights has remained an essential requirement for success.
The Autumn Lunch will be held at Azzurro on the Southbank near Waterloo on Wednesday 17 October. The next evening meeting will be a panel on the topic of the impact of research automation and Artificial Intelligence on research. The first evening meeting was enjoyed by those who attended it. The format will be similar, with a Panel chaired by Brian Jacobs and lots of time for socialising and discussion between the panel and the audience. It will take place on Monday 19th November at the IPA in Belgrave Square from 5:30 to 8:00. If you would like to come along to either event and are uncertain whether you will know anyone, please contact Gill Wareing who will be happy to tell you who will be there.
The Research Network always welcomes new members. If you are interested in joining, please contact our Secretary Gill Wareing at gillm.wareing@ntlworld.com. Our website is: http://www.research-network.org.uk
Adam Phillips
