Issue monitoring and strategy studies
Issue monitoring and strategy studies are used when approximate or anecdotal knowledge on opinions of customers or stakeholders is not sufficient.
For knowing what customers or stakeholders actually think about a political or societal issue is often crucial in order to prepare the right arguments for a discussion or to position oneself effectively as a player.
We study political, economic or social issues for our clients with the aim of establishing what society, a specific client group or a group of influencers and stakeholders defined for this question thinks about the issue in question. To this end, we enter into dialogue with people and systematically determine what their needs are.
“Issue monitoring and strategy studies come with a certain degree of risk and boldness. Our clients must be bold to systematically obtain the opinion of their stakeholders, because the result cannot be foreseen. There is usually strong pressure to act as far-reaching strategic decisions have to be taken. And yes, opinions and attitudes can take you by surprise, which makes it all the more important to know that they are. It is increasingly rare that companies and organizations can do without the attitudes, opinions and needs of their relevant stakeholder groups, because these attitudes, opinions and needs will inevitably be picked up by digital media. Issue monitoring and strategy studies help our clients to prepare before taking action instead of reacting without preparation.”
Strategy studies and issue monitoring allow systematically to establish, condense and formulate opinions of important stakeholders.
We position the players in terms of value and help to condense the opinions, attitudes and needs of the stakeholder group. These groups are usually both diverse and also difficult to pin down in the sense that effective possibilities for action remain unclear. We make them tangible for our client and enter into dialogue with the client. Our reputation underscores not only the importance and seriousness of the change process or the survey in itself, but also opens doors for us to a wide variety of people and groups. Stakeholders listen to gfs.bern and are prepared to enter into dialogue with us, because we have shown that we not only establish, condense and formulate the opinions of stakeholders, but also ensure that these opinions are heard.
Issue monitoring are carried out on a regular (in some cases annual) basis. Using sets of questions, we cover the central and most important drivers of attitudes, opinions and trends. Issue monitoring allows scenarios and forecasts to be drawn up. The results of well-known issue monitorings are published and attract a considerable media response. Strategy studies on the other hand are conducted without subsequent publication. We carry out a systematic situation analysis to provide a basis for strategic decision-making. At a later point, we repeat the studies in adapted form and consider the result.
"Since the conception of the Interpharma Health Monitor, Interpharma has been using surveys to establish a systematic dialogue with the Swiss public. The input from gfs.bern on relevant trends provides the basis for the comprehension of our members and for setting the priorities of our association. We thank gfs.bern for 30 years of successful cooperation."
Customers of issue monitoring and strategy studies
Well-known examples of issue monitoring that we carry out at regular intervals are the Credit Suisse Worry Barometer, the TCS Travel Barometer and the Banking Barometer of the Swiss Bankers Association. enable us to draw conclusions about changes over time that amplify what are otherwise only snapshots of opinion.
Issue monitoring and strategy studies are becoming increasingly important for companies, associations, NGOs, institutions and political parties. They all have to do with major societal changes and depend on knowing the values, drivers, opinions and needs of their influencers. If they have knowledge of these things, they can prepare. More and more of our clients are aware that these attitudes, opinions and needs are picked up on digital channels. But if values and opinions are not identified and seen until they reach the digital media, this leaves no time to prepare arguments, standpoints and positions. The result is a reactive set of arguments from a defensive position.
gfs.bern competency in issue monitoring and strategy studies
When it comes to issue monitoring and strategy studies, many of the methodological competencies of gfs.bern are deployed, such as survey techniques, dialogue skills and data science. Our expertise opens doors for us to stakeholders.
gfs.bern issue monitorings
The best-known strategy studies in Switzerland are the Credit Suisse Worry Barometer, the TCS Travel Barometer and the Banking Barometer of the Swiss Bankers Association.
