2024 GRIT Business & Innovation Report

The annual GRIT Business & Innovation Report is your guide to important trends shaping the world of research, analytics, and insights. Innovation plays a key role in our industry, and the annual GRIT Top 50 Most Innovative Suppliers list celebrates the major players.

This edition of the GRIT Report covers everything from the evolving audience for insights to the latest in generative AI adoption via eleven jam-packed chapters plus independent commentaries from subject matter experts. We break down almost every topic by two brand-side and six supplier segment  to provide you with the granularity you need to understand to how industry trends impact you. 

Major themes:

Generative AI Replaces Work Processes

GenAI adopters are using it not only to supplement their work but to replace entire processes. Brand-side analytics, strategic consultancies, and full-service research and technology partners are leading the revolution. How aggressively should you adopt genAI and for what purposes?

Exceptional Insights Work Depends on Stakeholders

Brand-side researchers who consistently produce standout work do something others don’t: they involve stakeholders early and late in the project cycle. Because stakeholder collaboration ensures business relevance while streamlining socialization of insights, researchers gain new efficiencies so they can reallocate resources where they matter the most. What else drives exceptional project work?

Full-Service Research Continues to Attract and Grow

Despite pre-pandemic expectations strategic consulting would take over the supplier-side, full-service research has emerged as a safe haven post-pandemic, especially for suppliers. It continues to grow more diverse, attract larger companies, and functions as the leading model for those looking to scale. Are a la carte services still viable? What role should specialization play in offering and delivering services?

Analytics Grabs Executive Attention

Executive involvement in brand-side research peaked at 60% pre-pandemic, but lately the executive team has become more enamored of analytics - while only a minority of researchers report their engagement. Is analytics pushing the research function out of the limelight?

The Go-To Solution for Unstructured Data

GenAI’s more recognized strength lies in analysis of unstructured data, a key offering from strategic consultancies and full-service providers. However, adoption for both unstructured and quantitative data is lower among data and analytics professionals. Does this slower uptake limit opportunities for these professionals or do they have reasons to be cautious?

About the results:

The GRIT Report gathers data from insights professionals around the world. We break down each topic by two brand-side and six supplier-side segments to provide you with the granularity that enables you to grow your business and advance your career.