2020 GRIT Top 50 Released in Business and Innovation Report

Editor’s Note: Get your copy of the latest GRIT Business & Innovation Report!  

Welcome to the 27th edition of the GreenBook Research Industry Trends Report, using data collected in Q1 & Q2 of 2020. This report continues the effort we began in 2018 to have each report focus on different aspects of the industry. This edition focuses on issues related to business dynamics and the role of innovation.

Little did we know when we fielded the survey in March that the world was about to go through a period of immense disruption! In some ways, it was fortuitous that GRIT was in the field from March to April as we were able to capture shifting attitudes and expectations as the COVID-19 crisis was developing.

Despite the lack of prescience in our design, never before has the need to understand changes in the insights industry been more important. I don’t think I exaggerate when I say that the GRIT team rose to the occasion and provided vital, strategic direction for decision-makers during these uncertain times.

The sample size is somewhat smaller than usual for the Business & Innovation edition, although still in line with other GRIT reports. We chalk that up to people focusing on other priorities during the opening stages of the crisis, and rightfully so! We have made the effort to look at any significant changes in responses “pre” and “post” business lockdowns, despite the fact that the survey was not designed with this in mind. Still, we’ve been able to distill meaningful, relevant findings, which you’ll find summarized in the “The Impact of COVID-19” section.

Another major feature of this edition of GRIT is that we use our (updated) industry segmentation model as the lens for viewing all findings. Although often in the report itself we focus on Buyer vs. Supplier or regional differences. This new framework will allow for more consistency across all waves of GRIT and deeper analysis that we plan to make available via other channels soon.

We begin the report with the “Business” section – exploring the shape and structure of the industry and its evolving constituents. The section also examines technical drivers of decision making, organizational success factors, business outlook, and industry benchmarking. These chapters offer context for the second section, “Innovation”, where we explore buzz topics, innovation strategies, adoption of automation platforms, unmet needs. It is also where you can find the perennial favorite: the Top 50 Most Innovative Suppliers and Top 25 Most Innovative Clients.

GRIT is a community effort and our authors, commentary providers, sample partners, advertisers, and especially our research partners make it all possible. Special thanks go out to AYTM – Ask Your Target Market, Deckchair Data, Displayr, Gen2 Advisors, Infotools, Insights Association, Knowledgehound, MRII, NewMR, OdinAnswers, Stakeholder Advisory Services and Potentiate. We couldn’t pull this off without their generous contribution of time, energy, and expertise.

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