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Research on Demand

Research on Demand is a joint initiative between the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and CAPS Research. The Research on Demand program puts a dedicated team of researchers at your disposal. You get the customized research that you need when you need it, without having to dedicate valuable company time or resources.

How does it work?

Timeline Graph You submit your research request in writing via an online form, e-mail, or fax. Once your request is received by the ISM Resource Center, you will be contacted to further discuss the scope of your research proposal. Your request is then forwarded to the research team who performs the research and writes the report. A completed, edited, and copyrighted report will be forwarded to you upon completion — all in three weeks or less in most cases.

What kinds of research can I request?

The research team has access to the most comprehensive databases available today. Their job is to review the available information and objectively report the results in a concise format. Your completed report will give information to help you make informed decisions.

Listed below are a few of the questions the research team has addressed:

Reverse Auctions: Do they help or hinder supplier relationships?
What are considered best practices in terms of developing a minority supplier program within an organization?
What strategies are available to help reduce the costs of purchased services?
How can purchasing/supply attract and retain high performance talent?
What tools are available to measure purchasing performance?

A sample report on Reducing the Costs of Purchased Services is available here.

Research projects conducted for ISM use are available in Survey Research.

How do I participate?

Research reports can be created for you on a per request basis or through an annual plan offering substantial savings. The costs of this service are listed below:

Per request fee:	$500 USD per request, discounted to $375 USD for current CAPS contributors
Annual fee:	$2,000 USD annually, discounted to $1,500 USD for current CAPS contributors

The annual plan allows participants to request up to six customized research reports over a 12 month period. Payment is required in advance of performing the research.