A study of research customers: Overall satisfaction and recommendations for improvements

Abstract

In Australia and elsewhere, research is increasingly outsourced to specialized research institutions. While a growing body of literature has become dedicated in the areas of research commercialisation and technology transfer, this research has tended to overlook marketing principles, such as customer satisfaction and customers’ performance evaluations. In addition, science as a marketable service and/or product has so far been largely ignored by marketing academics and practitioners. This paper aims at filling this gap by applying traditional marketing theory to science as a marketable offering, more specifically by examining the overall satisfaction and performance evaluations of research providers in Australia. Based on 100 telephone interviews with clients of universities and other research institutions, an overall satisfaction level with research providers is discussed. The paper then identifies key concepts of customer demand and explores performance evaluations regarding these factors. The paper concludes with recommendations for academics and practitioners engaged in research commercialisation as well as suggestions for further research.