We Stand with Queen Bey

And Sheryl Sandberg. And Michelle Obama. And Jennifer Garner. And Jane Lynch. And Condoleezza Rice. And all the other women, men, and kids who believe in empowering young girls.

If you haven't heard yet, Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO and Founder of the nonprofit organization LeanIn.Org, wants to put a ban on the word bossy... And we think that's awesome.

At a young age, girls who are opinionated, who speak up or take initiative are often labeled as "bossy," while boys are called "confident" or "strong leaders." It's expected for a boy to be assertive and criticized when a girl acts the same way. Being called "bossy" at a young age can really hinder a young girl's confidence and hold them back from taking on challenges or opportunities. It tells them that it is not OK to speak up or to voice your opinion; it sets a precedent that girls can't be leaders.

The effects of being labeled "bossy" at a young age can stay with many girls throughout their lives and affects their mindset when starting to apply for jobs or when seeking promotions. A report by the American Association of University Women found that girls in 6th & 7th grade rate being popular and well-liked as more important than being perceived as competent or independent, while boys are more likely to rate those qualities as more important. Further, although women earn the majority of college degrees, women only "make up 19% of the U.S. Congress, 5% of Fortune 500 CEO's and 10% of heads of state.*

The fact that leadership is expected to look and act male needs to change. Now is the time to end this gendered language that discourages girls at an early age, and let's encourage young ladies to achieve their full potential. (Cue Beyonce - "Who Run The World?")

Have you witnessed this type of gendered language?

What would you say if you heard someone calling a young girl "bossy"?

I look forward to reading your comments!

Please join Moore Research in spreading awareness to #banbossy

Lindsay Moore

Project Director

*Source: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304360704579419150649284412

It's a Game of Facts

Are you ready for some football? A Super Bowl party?  In case you were wondering what to watch this Sunday, Super Bowl XLVIII will be played at Metlife stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 

         This year the Super Bowl teams are the Denver Broncos versus the Seattle Seahawks.  This is the first outdoor cold weather Super Bowl in its history.  The number of visitors expected to make their way to the greater New Jersey area this week is 400,000.  Roughly 20% of those guests or 82,500 to be exact will attend the game in person. Wish I could go although rumor has it an average seat goes for over $2,000, couch here I come.  While on my couch, I will be snacking away. Did you know that Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest day of food consumption in the United States after Thanksgiving?  Wowza that’s a lot of food!

         If you’re like me you want to watch the big game.  Some of you though are more interested in what comes during the time outs...the commercials.  Research shows that advertisers will pay up to a record $4.5 million for a thirty-second commercial spot. More than 105 million viewers are expected to watch. So next time you watch a Super Bowl ad maybe it will be something you can test at Moore Research.  If the game and the commercials aren’t your cup of tea you can always check out the halftime show, which this year will be Bruno Mars.  Looks like no bathroom breaks for me.

         They say this game is a game of inches, but I say it’s a game of facts.  Nearly $100 million is wagered each year.  Win or lose it’s an event that is watched worldwide and I for one, will be glued to the TV this Sunday.

Sidebar: Will the groundhog see it’s shadow?

• Who do you think is going to win?
• What’s your favorite part of Super Bowl Sunday?
• Share your Super Bowl stories with us!

Cathy Filipowski

Operations Manager

If it Can Go in Erie, It Can Go Anywhere

It’s not a surprise to most residents of Erie, PA when they find out that their home is the #1 snowiest city in 2014 so far (And the 3rd snowiest city of 2013!)*. Yes there is a lot of snow, and most residents keep cold weather necessities close to them like hot chocolate, snow scrapers and mittens, though there is more to Erie than just snow…

There are also pepperoni balls! Most Erie natives are shocked when they find out that pepperoni balls are mostly exclusive to Erie. Why wouldn’t the nation want to indulge on delicious fresh bread balls stuffed with pepperoni? Stanganelli's, Barbato’s, and Valerio’s are our local hot spots most famous for their PB’s. Though, one food that we KNOW is exclusive to Erie is Smith’s brand Hot Dogs. When visiting home from out of state, it seems to be the one thing that people want to eat here and take home with them. 

Pat F. explains his love for Smith’s:

"I cook a Smith's hot dog and I'm young again and back with my parents on the beach on Lake Erie. Now I can still have a Smith's but it's with my children on the beach in Santa Monica, CA. Yea for cross country delivery!"

Pat F. - Santa Monica, CA

With all that being said, Erie is also an ideal test market for products and services. According to the Erie Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce, “Demographically, Erie County is American in microcosm. With a population distribution and income tracking very close to national averages, Erie has long been a preferred test market for consumer packaged good companies.” Erie is a city that is reflective of most desired markets, which is only one of the reasons that our clients find Moore Research a valuable company to utilize to assess and strengthen their product lines or services.

Moore Research is experienced in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodology research. We not only are experienced in bringing in quality data, but also in taking the information found to the next level. Our ability to evaluate attitudes and behaviors are demonstrated through actionable results.

Do you think Erie is a good test market? If so, tell me why.

What is your favorite fun fact about Erie, PA?

What would you tell a friend (from out of state) makes Erie special?

Julia Thompson

Office Coordinator

*Rankings from the Golden Snow Globe, data from US cities over 100,000

Happy Holidays!

We wanted to take a moment and wish you all a very Happy Holiday season and a Happy New Year! Looking back on 2013, here are a few things we are thankful for:

• A dedicated & hardworking staff
• Clients who allow us to be an extension of their workforce
• A workable strategic plan that keeps us on track to growing our company
• A brand new website that we LOVE!
• Our social media followers and friends who help spread the word about Moore Research
• A collaborative work environment - "Team work makes the dream work!"
• A company culture where we believe in empowering and developing our staff, both personally and professionally

And the list goes on....

Thanks again to all who have helped make 2013 great, and we wish everyone a prosperous 2014!

-Moore Research Services, Inc.

iPhone Saves the Day

I've always loved my iPhone, but I was particularly happy to have it this past weekend. 

I was in my cousin's wedding on Saturday and after the ceremony, the wedding party was taking pictures on the altar at the front of the church. While we were busy smiling for the photographer, someone came into the back of the church and stole two of the bridesmaids purses, with a cell phone, credit cards, and cash inside. 

Immediately, I dialed 911 and explained what had happened. A police officer met us within minutes and asked some questions. I then realized we could try to use "Find My iPhone" to track where the phone was. The location was determined and the search was on. I stood with the officer and continued to update the location while the police officer updated the rest of his team on the robber's whereabouts. They ended up tracking down the vehicle and finding the purses. The robber ditched the iPhone at a gas station, and we used Find My iPhone to set off an alarm and found it on a shelf in the store.

The two bridesmaids ended up getting their belongings back within an hour or so, and we all couldn't have been happier.  We proceeded to walk into the wedding reception to the song, "Bad Boys," and ended up with a crazy story to tell. Thankfully, it worked out for the best and we didn't let the terrible act ruin the day!

TGFT (Thank Goodness For Technology)

• Do you have a story where Find My iPhone came in handy for you?
• In what instances have you used it?

I look forward to reading your responses!

-LM

Being Watched at the Self-Checkout Line

Is it just me or do you feel like the employees are watching you in the self-checkout line at the grocery store?

When I'm in a hurry and don't feel like interacting with people (admit it, we all have those days), I like using the self-checkout. I usually don't have to wait in a line and it is "supposedly" faster.... But is it? You have to ask for help when you can't scan a certain item and you have to make sure you set the scanned item down on just the right spot. And then, there is an employee who is basically eye-balling your every move.

So what's the point of these self-checkouts when you still need employees to help you?
What do you think about self-checkout lines? Do you use them?
Where do you think the future of grocery shopping is headed?

I look forward to your responses!

New Hires & Company Culture

Hiring a new employee or employees can be a lengthy and trying experience. Let’s face it, it can be a real headache. Not only do they need to meet the “job description” and have all the qualifications, they need to be someone who will fit with the company culture.

We have recently hired two new people, and they have been the “easiest” hires yet. Cathy and Julia joined Moore Research this year and have meshed with the team incredibly well (learn more about them here!). We have learned from our past experiences and have tweaked our interviewing and hiring process to ensure we are hiring great people. Here are some of our tips:

·        Do not hire on expertise alone

Of course the person you hire needs to be able to take someone’s blood pressure, create excel spreadsheets, cook a fantastic filet mignon, or whatever it may be. But, their technical abilities should not be the only thing you look at. Make sure the applicant’s personality and attitude match your company’s. If you really don’t get excited after their interview, keep looking.

·        Be blatant and clear-cut when explaining expectations

Let the applicant know exactly what they will be doing, what will be expected of them, and what they can expect in return (pay, benefits, hours, etc.). Leave no room for misunderstanding. This way, there are no let-downs on either side!

·        Stress your company culture from the beginning

Let the person you are looking to hire know about the company culture. When you conduct the interview, do it in a setting and place where they will most likely be directly working, and around the people they will be working closely with.

I’d love to hear about some of your experiences, and what has worked or what has been a challenge, either in the interviewing seat or the applicant seat!

Lindsay Moore

Project Director/Marketing Manager