Empowering Researchers through Must-Read and Must-Listen Content
By Tamara Kenworthy, MBA, IPC, PCM | Editor-in-Chief, QRCA VIEWS Magazine | President, ON POINT STRATEGIES | Des Moines, Iowa, tamara@on-pointstrategies.com
Our industry faces the daily challenge of balancing the authentic voice of consumers with the many agile and innovative technologies that support our work. At VIEWS, our editorial team prides itself on bringing you authors that are sure to empower us all as we serve our clients. This issue is packed with thought leadership; let me unpack it for you.
With the U.S. headed into mid-term elections in 2026, we wanted to explore political research in our Industry Focus column. Our cover story is co-authored by two political research consultants, one from each side of the aisle. It’s so refreshing as they collaborate to share with us Qualitative Research for Political Campaigns in an Era of Hyper-Partisanship.
As political campaigns focus on differentiating their candidates and finding the best messaging strategies, so, too, must researchers look to differentiate our businesses to stand out in a crowded market. Our Business Matters column encourages researchers to identify their unique strengths in a competitive landscape and communicate them effectively for differentiation.
In our Luminaries column—a Q&A with consultant and author Samara Bay—we are empowered to uncover our voice story and improve our public speaking skills to influence others. Our quarterly Podcast features Sally Kohn, who discusses how to be more effective at delivering your message, and in Trends, we move beyond words and explore visually communicating insights for impact.
An issue wouldn’t be complete without content focused on AI and technology. In Quant Lens, a column on quant research for the qual researcher, we break down the complexities of synthetic data and how quallies can put it to work. In Schools of Thought, we are empowered to maintain humanity in research while co-moderating with AI. You can also read this article in Spanish on our website, as part of our initiative to support our global audience.
In our popular Toolbox column, we have two great “how-to” articles with techniques that you can put into practice right away. Our first Toolbox article empowers us to more effectively use laddering and scaffolding techniques for better interview outcomes, and our second Toolbox article explores how to conduct research with seriously ill patients, with techniques that can be used in any research project with topic sensitivity.
Living in a global society, our Global column takes you to Germany to explore the social-cultural factors behind its declining economy, as the author reflects on how a powerhouse country can now be “running out of steam.” As market research and travel oftentimes go hand in hand, QRCA is gearing up for its annual conference in February 2026. Our Travelwise column highlights the host city, San Antonio, and we hope it inspires you to register today for in-person education and networking.
Don’t forget to check out our two Book Reviews, Speakership is Leadership by author Margaret Watts Romney, and How to Make People Buy by author Thomas Zoëga Ramsøy.
Please share this fall issue (qrcaviews.org) with your network—post the flipbook link on social media and send clients an article you think will resonate with them.
Happy reading!
¡Feliz lectura!
Tamara Kenworthy
