Florian Preusser, a project manager at Profiles by Kantar based out of London, is the most recent recipient of the MRII Reg Baker Award, who shares motivations, experiences, and aspirations in our field with us. Florian talks about the initial spark that drove him to apply for the award to his reflections on our Measurement and Questionnaire Design Express course. Read on to learn more about him as we explore his perspective on the significance of winning the award, his pursuit of a career in market research and insights, and how he plans to leverage his MRII course experience to continue advancement of his career. Congratulations to Florian!
Tell us about your motivations for pursuing a Market Research / Insights career.
FP: As my friends and colleagues would probably echo, there are two things that motivate me in life: Being a good person, so making the world a better place for others, whether it be in big ways or the smallest of ways. Being a good and decent person goes a long way and doesn’t take much effort. The other thing is learning, creating and sharing knowledge and insights. Having moved over from social research, I am very happy to have found my home in market research and insights. It allows me to quench my personal thirst and drive for creating and sharing new insights and developments while making sure that this knowledge is actionable and understandable to a wider audience.
What motivated you to apply for the Reg Baker MRII Award?
FP: I had been following the MRII/University of Georgia for a while after I had heard about them through the ESOMAR Newsletter. I tend to follow the newsletters and the online workshops trying to learn and improve and strive for excellence in my work. When I saw that the MRII had advertised the Reg Baker MRII program, I saw this as my opportunity to gain access to high quality formalised training. Coming from a social and academic research background, I already brought some methodological expertise with me that—since joining Kantar—has increased in many ways. Having the training provided by University of Georgia meant having another puzzle piece in my career development.
What does it mean to you that you were selected as the Reg Baker MRII Award winner?
FP: Having been selected is a big honour. I had already won a company internal award the previous year and was nominated for the MRS Young researcher of the year award. Winning a Reg Baker MRII award means that my work and my strive for excellence, innovative insights and service to the discipline is being recognized. At the same time, it means that I can continue my path of learning and development and integrate strong foundations as well as latest developments in my everyday work. I am grateful to organisations like MRII and the University of Georgia to offer these kinds of awards to help researchers develop and progress.
What were your initial expectations (both positive and concerning) for the Measurement and Questionnaire Design Express course?
FP: In the past years, I focused very much on the technical aspects of market research (e.g. sampling and survey technologies) as well as understanding various methods and approaches, whilst maintaining a good level of engagement with survey design and analysis. Going into the Measurement and Questionnaire Design Express course I was looking to refresh the knowledge that I had already acquired as well as challenging some practices I had learnt over the years. Lastly, this was giving me the opportunity to learn new approaches and ways of thinking.
Tell us about your experience with the course you were awarded.
FP: My experience with the course was very good. I liked the way it was structured, giving a clear learning pathway and oscillating between general introductions and deep dive instructions. I also liked the interactive quizzes after each third of the course. They were helpful to hold myself accountable and helped with managing my attention spans. One of my favourite things about the course was the additional academic readings. Breaking the ivory tower and creating a constant exchange of knowledge and challenges between academia and industry should be paramount to an industry that sees itself as an extension of an academic discipline. Having these readings in there is not only immensely useful, but also a step in this very direction. This is one of the things that makes the MRII valuable, its interconnectedness with the University. I wish I could do some of the other courses as well, hopefully the award will be extended to cover two courses in the future.
What features about the course were most valuable to you?
FP: The most valuable features of the Measurement and Questionnaire Design Express course to me were the structured learning pathway and the integration of academic readings. The course’s clear organization facilitated an effective learning process, helping to manage attention spans and ensure a deep understanding of the material. The interactive quizzes after each segment of the course were also instrumental in reinforcing knowledge and maintaining engagement. Additionally, the inclusion of academic readings was immensely beneficial. These readings bridged the gap between academic research and practical industry applications, enhancing the overall learning experience. This connection not only provided deeper insights but also emphasized the importance of ongoing dialogue between academia and industry, which is crucial for the continuous development and relevance of the market research field.
How do you look to leverage your course experience as you progress in your research and insights career?
FP: I will shortly start a new job in the Innovation team of my company. Using the learnings from the course, I am looking to increase the level of quality in my work even further, which will hopefully translate into even better insights for my clients and a much better research experience for my research participants.
To apply for the next round of the MRII Reg Baker Award, go here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/5540220/289a006b44b0
