- Campuses :
- Twin Cities
- Crookston
- Duluth
- Morris
- Rochester
- Other Locations
Background:
The University of Minnesota has a responsibility to meet the needs of Minnesota business and industry, which is what Academic and Corporate Relations Center (ACRC) was created to do. The ACRC serves as a "front door" to the Minnesota business community in connecting them to U of M resources. In order to do so, ACRC partnered with OMS to conduct the necessary research.
Action:
In the fall of 2006, a research project was developed collaboratively by ACRC and OMS called The Minnesota Business Survey. This project featured a web based survey that was developed in consultation with academic colleagues, Minnesota business leaders and business associations to gain knowledge on the following areas:
In addition to the survey, focus groups in the eight "McKnight Regions" of the state were conducted to obtain a comprehensive understanding of what Minnesota businesses expect from the University. Following the completion of the focus groups, fifteen in-depth, follow-up, interviews were conducted and used as a tool to elicit more detailed feedback.
Results:
The project provided critical information for understanding Minnesota business needs as they related to the resources available at the University. It supplied ACRC and President Robert Bruininks with data from over 300 Minnesota top executives regarding what they expect from the University. Insights were gained on the following topics: top services Minnesota company executives want from the University, the familiarity and value of services and resources offered, the kind of relationship the business community wants with the University, and improvement recommendations. This information has improved the landscape of ACRC in a way that makes them capable of catering to the needs of executives in Minnesota. It has also lead to better economic development in Minnesota. This survey is an ongoing effort which will be conducted every other year.