Although each study is unique, there are common frameworks that need to be applied. The following is a list of common study applications including the benefits achieved and the key components in the study.

Market entry study

Making the right choice as to whether to introduce a new product or enter a new market hinges on obtaining accurate, insightful information. Clients typically struggle to understand new markets because they do not have the knowledge that one gains from years of participating in a market.

RSR recognizes the unique nature of entering a new business and has developed a process specifically designed to study a new market. This process relies on constant interaction between RSR and the client so that both jointly learn about the market, its segmentation, the customer base, and the competition. The result is that the client gains knowledge of a market as if it had participated in the business for years.

Benefits Achieved

> Determine the attractiveness of the market to the client.

Key Components

An RSR new business development study typically answers the following:

> The market potential for the product

> Projected growth rates for the product

> Key barriers to entry

> Key current and projected competitors

> Similar products that competitors are developing

> Customer's view of the product

Customer analysis

Companies too often rely on their sales force to gather feedback from customers regarding company or product performance. The Company's sales force cannot provide consistent, unbiased information from customers. Management, therefore, often prefers a third party expert to get the inside story from customers.

RSR's expertise in customer analysis includes the following:

> Survey design

> Information gathering

> Analysis of information and recommendations

The most important part of survey design is customer selection. RSR works with the client to assure that a representative sample of customers is chosen. This sample may include those in different market segments and geographic regions as well as a sampling of the client's customers and key competitors' customers.

After the information is gathered, we analyze the findings by comparing and contrasting the information across each of the key customer segments. Based on these findings we recommend actions the client can take to improve its business.

Benefits achieved

> Understanding market share with each customer or in specific market segments.

> Understanding strengths and weaknesses with each customer and/or in specific market segments.

> Gaining insights into ways to improve business.

Key Components

> Application for the product

> Key purchase decision factors

> Supplier mix

> Annual expenditures

> Supplier evaluations relative to product, service, and price

> Future business opportunities

Acquisition analysis

Understanding an acquisition candidate's market is a critical part of the acquisition due diligence process. To thoroughly understand the market, it is necessary to gather intelligence independently rather than rely solely on information provided by the target company. Therefore, many companies seek third party, unbiased information on the market and the customer base before making a significant acquisition investment.

In producing acquisition due diligence studies, RSR will quickly assess an acquisition candidate's market position, and determine the likelihood of success in making the acquisition.

Benefits Achieved

> Understand the market feasibility for making a particular acquisition

Key Components

> Market Analysis

> Market size and growth

> Market segmentation

> Market shares of the major competitors

> The candidate's key strengths and weaknesses

> Key trends and factors affecting the market

Customer Analysis

> Customer's current and future purchases

> Customer's view of the acquisition candidate relative to other suppliers

Competitive analysis

Understanding competitors and the competitive environment is essential to making informed decisions. RSR's expertise centers on knowing the key competitors in a Business Cluster. It is at the Business Cluster level that the key forces of competition exist and need to be analyzed. RSR has developed frameworks for assessing and analyzing a competitor's current position and plans.

RSR has years of experience researching large and small competitors as well as private companies and divisions of publicly held companies. In our studies we contact various executives at the competitor organizations to obtain the complete story. We verify the information that the target company provides by contacting other companies in the industry as well as by contacting customers.

Benefits Achieved

> Understanding competitors' current business

> Understanding competitors' plans and goals

Key Components

A typical RSR competitive analysis includes an assessment of the following concerning a company's current business and growth plans:

> Sales and sales history

> Profitability

> Product mix

> Markets served

> Strengths and weaknesses

> Management

> Growth strategies

By analyzing these factors and more, RSR helps clients obtain the comprehensive inside story on the competition. We rely on our analytical frameworks and conversational interviewing approach to yield current, complete, and unbiased information.

Territory market studies

RSR produces territory market studies for manufacturers' representatives, sales organizations, and other companies whose business is limited by geographic boundaries. Clients typically request territory market studies to quantify the market potential of a new product or a new territory.

These studies are unique because competitors are sales organizations rather than manufacturers. Understanding the competitive landscape, therefore, involves learning about the capabilities of particular selling organizations and understanding the purchases and preferences of customers in a particular territory.

Benefits Achieved

> Quantify and segment the market potential for a product in a territory

> Find and understand the key customers for a product in a territory

> Assess and analyze the competition in a territory

Key Components

RSR typically answers the following questions in a territory study:

> Territory market size for the product

> Market shares of the major competitors

> Companies gaining or losing market share

> Key customers of the major competitors