[Sigia-l] making the case for field research for innovation

[Listera]

"Whitney Quesenbery" wrote:

> The sales force is engaged in one kind of field research, but may have
> absolutely no idea how the product is actually used.

No, no, I didn't say that the salesforce should be charged with field
research. I'm saying that while field research dressed up as ethnographic
study may be a turn-off to the management, something they are almost always
familiar with (their salesforce) can be shown to be engaged in field
research without too much problem. Some salesforces might be clueless
product pushers, but there are plenty that serve as the vanguard of a
company's understanding of a marketplace, spotter of trends, recorder of
customer needs/wants/issues, etc. It's easier to sell the concept when
couched in such familiar practices.

Best,

Ziya