As part of the IAB Discovery: The Research Advantage event, held on February 17 at Urania in Zagreb, the Research Hub of IAB Croatia presented the results of an extensive study analysing the real role of market research in contemporary business. The focus of the research was on the extent to which companies use data in decision-making, which types of research are most represented, and how new technologies and AI tools are changing research practice.
The findings provide a detailed overview of the current market situation – from the frequency of conducting research and models of cooperation with external agencies, through the development of internal analytical capacities, to the specific obstacles organisations face in everyday work. It is a study that speaks not only about methodology, but also about the business culture of decision-making in the marketing communications industry.
The study was conducted by members of the Research Hub of IAB Croatia: Senka Brajović and Helena Erceg (Improve Research & Analytics), Vida Cencič and Matej Sever (Ipsos Hrvatska), Jelena Halić and Viktor Jonjić (AGB Nielsen Audience Measurement Croatia), and Nika Mutić and Josip Tvrtković (Valicon), which gave the research additional weight.
The results confirm that market research maintains a stable and important role in business practice: as many as 91% of respondents state they have conducted research in the past two years, with 85% relying on cooperation with external research agencies, while 55% simultaneously used internal resources, indicating an increasingly present combined working model.
The focus of research is directed toward better understanding consumers – nearly three quarters of respondents conducted studies on user habits, attitudes and satisfaction, while more than two thirds (71%) carried out brand and image research. However, despite the high prevalence of research activities, practice still faces limitations: financial uncertainty stands out as the most frequent challenge, with more than half of respondents cooperating with agencies (55%) stating they often or constantly encounter insufficient or unpredictable budgets, while around one third (35%) identify internal processes and decision-making dynamics as an obstacle.
Expectations toward research agencies clearly emphasise the importance of data quality and practical applicability – more than half of respondents (51%) highlight strong industry knowledge and understanding of business challenges as key value, while a significant share particularly values clear and understandable interpretation of results as well as concrete, operationally applicable insights and recommendations (38%).
At the same time, artificial intelligence tools are playing an increasingly important role in the research ecosystem: around four fifths of respondents use AI as a source of information about the market and consumers, but for only 3% does it represent the primary data source. In practice, AI is most often used to increase efficiency – approximately two thirds of users (65%) rely on it for quick overviews of market information, trends and summarising multiple sources, while formal research remains the key foundation of strategic decision-making.
Ultimately, the findings of the Research Hub of IAB Croatia confirm that market research continues to play a central role in informed business decision-making, especially in an environment that is becoming increasingly complex and dynamic. The research provides valuable insight into the real needs and challenges of the industry and establishes a solid basis for improving research practices, strengthening cooperation between clients and agencies, and ensuring more responsible and strategically oriented use of data in business decision-making.
