It seems there is always a business college somewhere putting out industry data research. These research projects give the kids something to do and learn as they practice studying this industry or that. Often one political group or another to illustrate a point or in an attempt prove their side of an argument about a particular industry uses these reports. Sometimes governments, political groups or the industry, fund these projects themselves. Those who use such research or figures should immediately be called into question, as we all know figures lie and liars figure. But are all these kids really lying? No, generally they are doing the best they can with limited resources and lack of knowledge, as well as highly skewed data.

In studying over 22 Industry sectors for the last 20-years in hopes of keeping my company at the forefront of the cleaning industry, I have seen my fair share of research which did not fit my actual knowledge of the industry as an insider or observations thru careful analysis. Recently a research student contacted me to send me a free copy of a research project they did on the Franchising Industry. Sounds great, as it is free right? Well, sure free is a good price indeed, yet the research student and college was in India and it was a study of the franchising Industry World Wide. Being deeply involved in the Industry and having wrote books on the subject, I respectfully declined my free copy noting;