Reporting directly to the Research Resources Manager, the Research Associate works with Faculty members on research and development projects that lead to multiple types of written and/or audiovisual output. The research agenda is determined by the Faculty members, but on the operational level, the Research Associate has a high level of responsibility for driving the project and delivering quality output. The role includes the following key activities:

• Making sure that output is delivered on time.
• Delivering quality output that is in line with Faculty members’ expectations and IMD’s standards.
• Writing case studies, articles, book chapters and other output.
• Providing proactive ideas and suggestions that will lead to new ways of thinking or new ways of presenting research material.
• Building good working relationship with internal clients, primarily Faculty members, as well as with external clients such as people at senior levels of companies involved in a research project (for example, case companies).
• Managing Faculty members’ expectations and driving the project throughout the research assignment.

R&D activities at IMD range from academic research (for “A” journals) to highly applied, practice-oriented research culminating in the development of tailor-made learning materials. Assignments typically include data searches, as welll as analyzing and synthesizing research materials, drawing conclusions and writing formal documents. The work includes both primary and secondary research using different research methodologies (qualitative or quantitative) and includes interaction with executives through interviews and surveys. The Research Associate may be involved in any one or several of the following types of activities, depending on his or her capabilities:

ACADEMIC RESEARCH: Conduct literature reviews, gather data from secondary sources, create hypotheses and research questions for the research project, determine the approaches for data gathering, create surveys/questionnaires, manage or coordinate the surveys or interviews, analyze the data (qualitative or quantitative analysis), create insights, write working papers, conference papers and academic articles.

DATA ANALYSIS: Gather data, perform statistical, econometrical or financial analysis and tests, and draw conclusions.

BOOK PROJECTS: Write book chapters or a whole book in collaboration with a Faculty member, search for illustrative examples of innovative business practices, coordinate the publishing process with the publishing house, coordinate the editorial process, manage multiple authors to deliver their chapters on time (if edited book).

DEVELOPMENT OF OUTPUT RELEVANT TO MANAGERS: Write articles for various types of media (print, web-based etc.) relevant to practising managers based on earlier research. Work with Communications team or with external publishers.

DEVELOPMENT OF CASE STUDIES: Gather data from secondary sources and conduct interviews with senior people in the case company. Structure and write the case study. Manage the relationships with the case company throughout the process, including receiving final sign-off to use the case in the classroom.

OTHER LEARNING MATERIALS: Develop research-based presentations or exercises to be used in the classroom.

PROGRAMS: Sometimes the Research Associate is involved in supporting programs, either by developing tailor-made material or by managing/coordinating project teams between the modules. This is not a core part of the role.