Learning the secret of a competitive edge
MRS unveils 2009 Training Programme
with a focus on building research and business skills
Date: 03 November 2008
In response to growing concerns among businesses over how to retain a competitive edge while costs are cut and margins squeezed, the MRS has unveiled its 2009 Learning and Development programme which promises to keep them on the front foot.
In the tough times ahead, businesses need to renew their focus on attracting and retaining the very best people. For individuals, this means honing skills sets and broadening expertise. For research businesses, it means investing in high quality specialised training programmes that set them apart from their competitors.
MRS, the UK’s largest provider of research training, runs a series of training courses aimed at agency and client-side researchers every year. In 2009, this programme includes a specific module on employment law that will appeal to those people with a responsibility for recruitment and retention. The course will examine the rights and obligations affecting research agencies and businesses and identify opportunities to optimise employment policies.
The programme will employ a variety of different formats designed to hone the skills of participants by taking them out of their comfort zone. Presentations, syndicated exercises, role plays, case studies and Q&As will be used to address a wide range of subjects, including online research, social networking and creative thinking. Along with courses on qualitative and quantitative research that have proved popular in the past, the programme will also include a module on B2B research that will examine the role of research in B2B marketing and give participants the skills to design an effective B2B research project. A seminar that addresses the business of research will round off the programme by focusing on commercial awareness and business skills – something that employers have repeatedly identified as lacking in their employees.
Robin Nash, MRS training programme manager, comments: “Training is a key differential when it comes to attracting and retaining staff, and MRS prides itself on keeping at the forefront of professional development in this rapidly changing world. New techniques and innovation are fundamental to research and this training programme will allow attendees to stay abreast of the latest developments, while simultaneously refreshing their core skills.
“MRS is fortunate in retaining some of the very best trainers in the research arena and from the broader business world. It’s all about offering a diverse programme that enhances researchers’ business skills as well as research capabilities, at all levels and across public and private sectors – so ensuring that business decision-makers are receiving an ever-improving standard of quality from research.”
Launching on 7 November, the programme will continue to offer some of the popular training courses introduced last year, in addition to the new sessions outlined above. Courses range from one day to three days, with Research in Action – the MRS Summer School, running for one week. They are run primarily at the MRS state-of-the-art training suite in Clerkenwell, London, with in-company training also available.
For more information on the range of MRS learning and development opportunities available visit www.mrs.org.uk/training or call 020 75661873.
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For more information on MRS and its activities, please visit its website at www.mrs.org.uk or call the MRS press officer Emily Luscombe on 020 7636 7366 / email eluscombe@camarguepr.com
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