Opinion Research Corporation

Opinion Research Corporation, commonly known as ORC, is a United States-based research and consulting company founded in 1938 by Claude Robinson and George Gallup. Its origins lie in the development of organized public-opinion and survey research, a field that was still emerging as a commercial and social-science discipline at the time. George Gallup left the firm in 1939, while the organization continued to develop as an independent research business. ORC provides research and advisory services for organizations seeking information about customers, markets, employees, competitors, and corporate reputation. The areas associated with the company include customer-engagement strategy, market planning and development, employee engagement, corporate brand and reputation management, competitive intelligence, and on-demand business intelligence. Its work spans demographic, health, market, and opinion research rather than being limited to political polling. The company has operated internationally through a network of regional identities and offices. In the United States it has been associated with locations including Princeton, New York City, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, and Seattle. Its European operation has been identified as ORC International, with offices in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh. In the Asia-Pacific region, operations have been associated with NWC Opinion Research and offices in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China. These regional arrangements enabled ORC to conduct research across multiple national markets while maintaining a common international brand presence. ORC is also connected with professional standards organizations in the research industry. It is described as a founding member of the Council of American Survey Research Organizations and as a member of the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research, the Association of Market and Social Research Organizations in Australia, and the United Kingdom's Market Research Society Company Partner Service. Such affiliations place the company within the professional infrastructure of survey, social, and marketing research. The company's research has reached a broad public audience through the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. It also partnered with NYSE Euronext on an annual CEO report surveying chief executives of companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The report addressed topics including globalization, corporate governance, business strategy, and human resources. ORC was acquired by InfoUSA on August 4, 2006, in a cash transaction reported at $12 per share. The company later announced a return to independent status through a partnership and majority investment by Lake Capital, effective July 1, 2011. The available reference material does not establish a later ownership change or a current corporate website, so its present structure beyond that transition is not specified here.

Opinion Research Corporation was established in 1938 by Claude Robinson and George Gallup during the formative period of modern survey research. Its creation connected commercial research with the developing practice of systematically measuring public attitudes, demographics, and consumer behavior. Gallup departed in 1939, but the company continued operating under the ORC name and broadened its role beyond the early public-opinion context. Over time, ORC developed into a diversified research organization serving businesses, institutions, and media partners. Its scope included demographic and health research, market research, customer engagement, employee engagement, corporate brand and reputation management, competitive intelligence, and business intelligence. This portfolio positioned the company as a full-service research provider rather than solely as a polling organization. ORC expanded its international reach through regional operations in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. In the United States, the company maintained its worldwide headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, and operated from several additional major cities. In Europe, it used the ORC International identity and listed offices in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh. In Asia-Pacific, its activities were associated with NWC Opinion Research, with offices in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China. Professional associations formed an important part of the company's institutional profile. ORC is described as a founding member of the Council of American Survey Research Organizations and as a member of several international and regional bodies concerned with market and social research standards, including ESOMAR, the Association of Market and Social Research Organizations in Australia, and the Market Research Society Company Partner Service in the United Kingdom. The organization also developed visible research partnerships. Its polling work was distributed publicly through the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Separately, ORC partnered with NYSE Euronext on an annual CEO Report that surveyed executives of companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Topics covered by that report included globalization, governance, strategy, and human resources. A major ownership transition occurred in 2006, when InfoUSA acquired ORC on August 4 in a cash deal reported at $12 per share. The available material does not describe changes to the company's research portfolio during that period. In 2011, ORC announced that it would return to independent status through a partnership and majority investment from Lake Capital, effective July 1. The supplied references do not provide enough information to document subsequent leadership, financial performance, corporate restructuring, or a current website, so those areas remain unspecified.

• 2011

  Return to independent status

  [1]Opinion Research Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  ORC announced a return to independent status through a partnership and majority investment from Lake Capital, effective July 1, 2011.

• 2006

  Acquisition by InfoUSA

  [1]Opinion Research Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  InfoUSA acquired ORC in a cash transaction completed on August 4, 2006.

• 1939

  George Gallup leaves the company

  [1]Opinion Research Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  George Gallup departed Opinion Research Corporation one year after its founding.

• 1938

  Company founded

  [1]Opinion Research Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  Claude Robinson and George Gallup founded Opinion Research Corporation in the United States.

An international, full-service research and intelligence provider combining public-opinion polling with customer, employee, market, health, demographic, brand, reputation, and competitive research.

• Opinion research

  Public-opinion polling

  ORC's public-opinion research measures attitudes and views across populations and has been distributed through media partnerships. The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll is the best-known publicly visible example identified in the available material. The reference does not specify the poll's methodology, fieldwork schedule, questionnaire design, or current operating status.

• Market research

  Market and demographic research

  The company conducts research concerning markets, customers, and demographic groups. These services support market planning and development and can help organizations understand audience composition, needs, preferences, and behavior. The supplied material identifies the service area but does not provide specific named methodologies, software products, or proprietary databases.

• Health research

  Health research

  Health research is one of the subject areas associated with ORC. It forms part of the company's broader demographic, social, and market-research capabilities. No specific health program, client, clinical methodology, or current product name is identified in the available reference material.

• Organizational and customer research

  Customer and employee engagement research

  ORC's engagement-related work covers customer engagement strategies and employee engagement. These services are intended to help organizations assess experiences, relationships, and internal workforce perspectives, then use research findings in planning and management. The reference does not specify standardized packages or named platforms.

• Strategic intelligence

  Brand, reputation, and competitive intelligence

  The company lists corporate brand and reputation management and competitive intelligence among its areas of focus. Together, these services address how organizations are perceived, how their reputations compare with alternatives, and how competitive conditions affect strategic decisions. Detailed methodologies and current availability are not provided by the source.

• Executive survey

  NYSE Euronext CEO Report

  ORC partnered with NYSE Euronext on an annual report based on surveys of chief executives of companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The report addressed business issues such as globalization, governance, strategy, and human resources. The available material does not identify the full publication run or its current status.

• CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll

  United States · International media audience

  A partnership with CNN gave ORC's public-opinion research a recurring media outlet and made its polling visible to a broad audience.

  Outcome. The poll became a publicly recognized channel through which the company's research was seen around the world.

  Source
• NYSE Euronext CEO Report

  United States · International capital markets

  ORC worked with NYSE Euronext on an annual survey report examining the views of CEOs of New York Stock Exchange-listed companies.

  Outcome. The partnership produced research on globalization, governance, strategy, and human-resources topics.

  Source

• 2011

  Return to independent ownershipM&A

  Background

  After its ownership by InfoUSA, ORC announced a new arrangement involving Lake Capital.

  Action taken

  The company returned to independent status through a partnership and majority investment from Lake Capital effective July 1, 2011.

  Aftermath

  ORC resumed an independent operating position, while the supplied material does not specify later ownership, leadership, or financial results.

  Source

• 2006

  Accept acquisition by InfoUSAM&A

  Background

  InfoUSA acquired Opinion Research Corporation as part of a corporate transaction completed on August 4, 2006.

  Action taken

  ORC became part of InfoUSA in a cash acquisition reported at $12 per share.

  Aftermath

  The available reference later records a move toward independent status, but does not detail the operational consequences of the InfoUSA ownership period.

  Reported cash consideration per share. $12 per share (August 4, 2006)

  Source

1. 1Opinion Research Corporationen.wikipedia.org