Published Feb 11, 2025
Marie Hense & Jiyu Zhang
As we look towards 2025, market researchers face a rapidly evolving landscape where adopting new methodologies, re-thinking old ways of working, and developing a more profound understanding of technology will be critical to staying ahead of the curve. While AI is transforming the industry, the heart of market research continues to hinge on human behavior. To help you navigate this ever-changing world, we’ve rounded up three must-read books for researchers in 2025 (plus a bonus blog!) Each of these titles offers valuable insights that can shape how you approach your work – whether you’re refining your methodology, improving quality, or thinking about how to turn your data into actionable insights.
What would a 2025 reading list be without a recommendation on AI?! Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick explores the growing role of generative AI in enhancing collaboration and collective intelligence in problem solving. The book explores how AI can be used to supplement human decision making by providing diverse perspectives, creative solutions, and new insights, particularly in complex scenarios. Mollick’s insights offer valuable strategies for leveraging AI alongside human input to create richer, more innovative insights, making research processes more efficient and inclusive.
Working effectively with both AI and diverse human teams is becoming increasingly important, especially as market research continues to evolve into a more interdisciplinary field. By integrating generative AI with the collective knowledge of clients, data scientists, and analysts, organizations can unlock new solutions to persistent challenges. Co-Intelligence offers practical advice for creating collaborative environments where AI and human input work together to solve these problems.
Why it’s essential reading in 2025: As market research increasingly combines AI with multi-disciplinary teams, generative AI will play a crucial role in enhancing collaboration, ensuring teams can make smarter, data-driven decisions and tackle complex problems. This book is a hands-on, easy-to-understand guide on this journey.
The Culture Map by Erin Meyer is an indispensable guide to navigating the complexities of cross-cultural communication. For market researchers, this book is essential in understanding how different cultures perceive and react to research practices, making it easier to design studies that resonate with diverse consumer segments. Meyer breaks down key dimensions of culture – such as communication styles, decision-making processes, and attitudes toward hierarchy – that shape behavior across global markets. This isn’t just important for research design and comparing results, but also for designing effective quality checks based on a respondent’s behavior.
Why it’s essential reading in 2025: As global research teams and diverse consumer bases become the norm, understanding cultural nuances has become crucial to interpreting data accurately and delivering insights that speak to a broad audience. Did you know that cultural understanding also impacts the effectiveness of quality checks?
In The Saint, Surfer and CEO, Robin Sharma offers a unique leadership fable that intertwines the personal and professional journeys of three characters representing different life paths. Each character offers important lessons about achieving balance, purpose, and extraordinary success. For market researchers, the book’s insights on leadership, productivity, and mindfulness can help boost both personal effectiveness and team collaboration in a demanding industry.
In the fast-paced world of market research, where data streams are endless and client expectations are high, The Saint, Surfer and CEO reminds researchers to stay grounded and focused on both the big picture and the smaller moments that drive success. Sharma’s focus on purpose-driven leadership and maintaining mental clarity amidst challenges is essential for researchers striving to deliver impactful insights without burning out.
Why it’s essential reading in 2025: As the market research industry becomes increasingly data-driven, researchers will need to balance analytics with creativity, focus, and clear decision making. Sharma’s book provides the mindset tools needed to thrive in a high-stakes environment.
Brent Dykes’ Effective Storytelling blog offers an expert look at how to craft compelling narratives from data. As data storytelling becomes more pervasive in market research, this blog serves as a helpful resource to researchers looking to improve how they communicate their findings. Dykes emphasizes the importance of using data not just for insights, but as a storytelling tool to engage stakeholders and drive action.
The blog covers a wide variety of topics related to data storytelling, including visualizations, presentation strategies, and the psychological principles that make a story resonate with audiences. For market researchers, learning how to tell a compelling story with data can significantly improve the impact of their reports and presentations. Dykes’ expertise in both data analysis and communication makes this blog a valuable guide for those looking to elevate their storytelling skills.
Why it’s essential reading in 2025: As data continues to become more complex, the ability to tell a compelling and clear story with research findings is key in ensuring that insights drive decisions. With more emphasis on data-driven decision-making, researchers who can communicate their findings effectively will be in high demand.
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