What's the Question? - The Book
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What's the Question?

A step-by-step guide for more ​effective and efficient market research
Delivering solid information is a craft, delivering insights is an art.

What is ‘excellent’ market research? The obvious answer is that it should produce reliable and valid results. This is the craftsmanship of a good market researcher, as described in hundreds of market research handbooks. But it's not enough. Users of market research require more. They need relevance, meaning that results of market research can be used as a solid foundation for marketing decisions. Market research should delivers insights. And to do so, researchers need to answer the right questions instead of merely focussing on collecting and analysing data.  

The book ‘What’s the Question?’ contains a practical, stepwise approach and powerful tools for setting up effective market research that can deliver real new insights, supporting decision makers to make better decisions. And by only answering the right questions, research will become more efficient as well. 
If you are after a fantastic book covering the fundamentals of Market Research, with loads of great case studies, then I would recommend 'What's the Question' by Erik De Kort and Durk Bosma.  There are some great thoughts on framing questions well, and using target audiences effectively. I would recommend this for marketeers as well as insights professionals. 
Fiona Hall, ​Head of Insights UK&I at AkzoNobel Decorative Coatings at AkzoNobel
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I have stumbled upon the book, "What's the Question?" while researching for an end-to-end document for my employees to understand the basics of research. The book on the other hand exceeded my expectations, as it does not just explain the process in detail, but it provides information over the philosophy and how to approach a problem considering the big picture. In my opinion, this should be the way research will evolve and I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to have a contemporary grasp at research and not get stuck with methodologies.
Batukhan Taluy, Founder Uservision, Istanbul
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In 2011 two Dutch market researchers started writing. Their goal was to bridge the gap between what market research delivers and what marketing needs. In 2012 their book What's the Question? was first published in Dutch.  Almost any Dutch market researcher knows the book and many of them use it in their daily work. Several Dutch universities include the book in their curriculum. 
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In short, the authors provide a chrystal clear answer to the question 'What's the question?' (Max Kohnstamm, Tijdschrift voor Marketing) 
By employing a simple, still comprehensive and consistent language, ‘What's the question’ presents a 360 approach over all the MR tools today, helping especially to a wise selection among them and avoiding possible pitfalls down the road, via a large number of real case studies. Highly recommended. (Yiannis Karalis, Independent Market Research Consultant)

About the writers

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Durk Bosma (1975)
Durk gets pumped when confronted by complex research questions for which a simple approach must be found.  He is an allround market researcher with ample experience in all areas of the business. He learned the trade at Research International and learned how insights are applied by marketers at Pepsi and KLM. In 2013 he was nominated 'Researcher of the year' by the Dutch trade organisation MOA. In 2017 he founded Insight & Impact, after having worked as  an entrepeneur in market research in several roles since 2005.

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Erik de Kort (1948)
​After a long career at the authoritative agency Research International, Erik has been an independent market research consultant for many years. He also teaches marketing and market research at Nyenrode New Business School Amsterdam. During his long career, there is not a subject or an industry that he has not researched.  

A good book, pleasant and easy read, and highly recommended for being adopted in academia by those lecturers who are faced too often with student research projects ending up not being able to contribute too much to the initial client’s problem. (Chris de Meer, Lecturer in Marketing, Communication and Entrepreneurship)
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I am reading it in Dutch at the moment. Also very worthwhile, because to me the book describes a missing link, which in many researches is a trap but not recognised. This book shows exactly how to deal with this "trap". I congratulate Erik and Durk with this important book. Do yourself a pleasure and read it carefully. (Art Pickert, Teacher at InHolland University) 

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Registred at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce: ​67404154
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Buy 'What's the Question?'
  • The book
  • Masterclasses
  • Our blog
    • To deliver insights, why?-questions are needed
    • Insights: why isn’t market research delivering them?
    • Why Market Research is Like Drilling for Oil
    • Bridging the gap between market researcher and marketeer
    • Judge or explorer: The future role of the market researcher
    • More impact for market research (and market researchers)
    • The most promising new market research tool comes from the 19th century
    • The one question every market researcher should ask
    • The Shaky Business Case of Insights
  • Contact
  • Bonus!