about us.
Our kaupapa is to provide our clients with answers to their questions. It’s that simple. Whether it is understanding the impact of a set of government policies on a specific group within a population, knowing whether a data collection instrument is meeting the needs of end users or any number of other questions that require our qualitative and/or quantitative expertise, you can trust us to provide reliable data in agreed timeframes. Our purpose-built indicators are designed to provide you with the confidence to make business decisions using accurate information. We use whatever measures necessary to get the job done resulting in robust outcomes. By blending the value of statistics with interrogative analysis and a range of other techniques, we are able to ensure an end product which tells a coherent story. This enables us to stand behind the work we do so you can be on the front foot.
How it works.
Question
You share the question with us. We give you a free no obligation quote and a delivery time frame.
Accept or Reject
You accept or reject the offer. If you reject it, all good, have a happy day, talk to you next time.
We get to work
If you accept it, we send you a contract which we both sign, you pay, we do the work and provide you with the answer.
No Risk. Money Back
As per the contract, if you can prove that our answer is wrong, we give you your money back, all of it.
Our team.
Dr. Nathan McCluskey
I have a Masters of Social Sciences in Demography and a PhD in Political Science. I have worked academically at both Canterbury and Victoria Universities teaching in Political Science and Psychology and in the NZ public sector for over 8 years in the areas of analysis, design, interviewing, research and testing. Having led projects to develop and/or administer key New Zealand data collection instruments, I have a track record in information gathering.
Dr Gina Colvin (PhD) Nga Puhi, Ngāti Porou
Gina’s academic background is in cultural studies, social psychology and cultural competence. She has long experience in Treaty of Waitangi training and Te Reo Māori instruction. Gina’s expertise is in understanding institutional communities and the habits of mind that make them tick. She’ll sniff out those thought patterns that are holding your organisation back. She’ll find out how these habits of thought came about and what these habits of mind are doing to your work place. Gina’s passion is in helping an organisation creatively and collaboratively move toward being a more inclusive environment where everyone, despite their background, feels good about offering their best, and where clients feel safe about bringing their business. In training, Gina is a dab hand at saying difficult and hard things in palatable yet straightfoward and liberating ways. If you need a cultural assessment or training, particularly around questions of racial and cultural competency, Gina is your person. Gina is an excellent interviewer. She’ll do the research, write reports and she’ll even produce audio podcasts and media for your organisation.
Services.
Qualitative analysis
We identify the constituent parts of your problem and arrange those elements into functional groups. This enables us to either isolate the crux of the issue or build a picture of the relationships which are causing the chain reaction. We then present you with the substance you are after in the format you’d prefer. Whether the research is ethnographic (analysing a group of people), narrative (tells the story that emerges from a group of documents), phenomenological (relates to people’s aggregate experience with something), grounded (used to test a hypothesis or theory) or a case study (focuses on an individual case, experience or phenomenon), we do it.
Quantitative analysis
We analyse situations or events, especially the financial market, populations of people or animals, political indicators and trade figures, by means of complex mathematical and statistical modelling. This enables us to quantify past phenomena, explain current trends and to some extent predict future probabilities. If it can be counted, you can count on us to do it.
User needs assessments
We follow a systematic process for determining and addressing needs, or gaps between current conditions and desired conditions or wants. We gather appropriate and sufficient data to inform the process of developing an effective product that will address the needs and wants of your end-users. If you want to make sure that those who use what you produce are happy with it and especially how you could make them even happier, we can tell you that.
Questionnaire Development
You can be as involved or uninvolved as you like in this process, but whatever the case, we make sure that you are informed every step of the way. Once we’re agreed on the survey objectives, resources and time constraints, we can provide you with a product that is tailored to meet your needs right from the survey method to be used through the critical question composition phase to evaluation of the responses. All of our questionnaires are tested before going into the field so you can rest assured that it is fit for purpose.
Data collection
We collect information from all the relevant sources to find answers to your research problem by testing hypotheses and evaluating the outcomes. We use both primary and secondary data collection methods and apply both or either depending on the nature of the question you want answered. Where sources don’t already exist, we create them!
Report-writing
Once we’ve agreed on the terms of reference, we can take care of the rest. Whether you already have all of the information and you just need it sensibly compiled or whether you only have a title and nothing else, we can take the headache out of getting that final product ready for presentation to any audience. No job is too big or too small so go ahead and let us provide a product that meets your specifications.
Focus group work
Our focus groups are small, but demographically diverse groups of people. We study and record participants’ reactions and responses to everything from market research into new products or political analysis of policy preferences to the effectiveness of lines of questioning for wider research purposes. Through guided or open discussions about a new product or something else to determine the reactions that can be expected from a larger population, we are able to accurately predict the effectiveness of a product, policy or research tool so that you don’t waste a lot of energy and resource on a white elephant.
Cultural competency
We provide instruction to achieve cultural competency and the ability to appreciate and interpret accurately other cultures. From in-depth workshops on Te Tiriti o Waitangi through engagement exercises in systemic racism to realistic workplace problem-solving in the bi- and multi-cultural space, you will find our offerings both informative and practical. Prepare to be both confronted and inspired as we expose the unsaid and give you a legitimate New Zealand education.
Insights analysis
This value-added product allows us to take data your business or organisation already has and use it to best effect. Whether it is how to increase membership, vote-share, sales, response rates or subscriptions, let us show you the power of the information you’ve already collected by exploiting its salient features. We can build a story from the statistics that will lead to a happy ending.
Political polling
We undertake both in-depth face to face and superficial phone polling. Whether it be targeted or representative, we can provide attitudinal data from a range of subjective measures using both simple and complex scales. Let our polls fill the holes in your political puzzle.
Testimonials.
Nathan McCluskey provided me with the research evidence I knew I needed but didn’t know how to craft myself. Nathan’s contribution was quick and easy to understand. Nathan saved me countless hours and the final product exceeded my expectations. He provided the perfect end to end solution for the urgent policy need we had.
Sarah Howard
Central Government Manager
Nathan worked with me on significant projects where his research expertise and his ability to get on with people were invaluable to the process of our work.
Jan Pryor
Former Director, McKenzie Centre for the Study of Families
“I can summarise Dr. McCluskey’s notably strong character and acheivements thus:
“. . .his determination to meet goals.
“. . .his outputs have been strategically useful and thoughtful.
“. . .he will make a very useful contribution.
“. . .he would give you honest answers.”
Ian Pool, CNZM, PhD, FRSNZ
Emeritus Professor, University of Waikato
Why Select Us?
Guarantee.
At The Research Shop, we take pride in the service we provide. If you can prove that the answer we have given you is incorrect, we refund all monies paid to us by you. We challenge you to find a deal like that with any other research consultancy.
Everything Up Front.
We tell you how much your job will cost and it will be outlined in the contract of work. It will include the disbursements and GST components so there are no surprises on delivery (or afterwards). This means you get the output you want in a way that allows you to budget upfront.
Go-To Place.
You can turn to us for expert knowledge with confidence. Our broad range of academic qualifications, skills and experience underwrite our boldness in making this assertion. We draw from a wide field of both subject expertise and analytical practice which means we can provide as much detail as you need.
Experience.
Our team are customer relationship masters. Not only can we deliver the goods, but you’ll have fun interacting with us because we have a sense of humour and we’re not precious. It’s pretty typical for people to tell us how much they enjoyed the time they had with us.
Deadlines. Promise.
Honouring our deal is a matter of integrity for us. We will tell you what can and can’t be done within a range of timeframes so you know what to expect and most importantly when you can count on getting it. You have our word.
Well Rounded.
This is not a comment on the middle-age spread of any of our team in particular. The combination of abilities, education and experience that we bring to the table means we cover the bases and then some. It also means that we see the big picture which is often important in solving some of the problems that elude those with a more myopic perspective.
Start your journey with us now
Get in Touch
Here for you
027 257 8018
About us
Where questions go to get answered.
Where to find us
10a Strack Place, Redwood, Christchurch 8051, NZ
Keep in touch
Contact Us.
027 257 8018
Email us
theresearchshop.co.nz
10a Strack Place
Redwood
Christchurch 8051
Aotearoa, NZ