Rockbridge Associates
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Market research |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Charles Colby |
| Headquarters | Great Falls, Virginia , United States |
Key people | Gina Woodall (President), Charles Colby (Chief Methodologist) |
| Products | Technology Readiness Index (TRI), Green Technology Index, Small Business Success Index |
| Website | www |
Rockbridge Associates, Inc. is a market research organization headquartered in Great Falls, Virginia, established in 1992. The firm focuses on fields such as technology adoption readiness and environmentally sustainable technology studies.
History
Charles Colby founded Rockbridge Associates in 1992.
During the mid-1990s, the company pioneered online methodologies including online surveys and virtual focus groups.
By the end of the 1990s, Rockbridge partnered with corporations like American Online and Sallie Mae to create the Technology Readiness Index (TRI). In 1999, it initiated the inaugural National Technology Readiness Survey (NTRS), which earned prestigious recognition from the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM).
In 2000, Rockbridge collaborated with Parasuraman to publish research on TRI in the Journal of Services Research. The firm began commercial licensing of TRI under the name Techqual, while offering complimentary licenses to academic researchers worldwide. Additionally, Rockbridge became affiliated with the Center for Excellence in Service at the University of Maryland, College Park's Robert H. Smith School of Business.
Parasuraman and Colby co-wrote Techno-Ready Marketing: How and Why Your Customers Adopt Technology in 2001, emphasizing consumer behavior regarding technology adoption.
In 2004, Rockbridge worked alongside Dr. Tom Reynolds to implement laddering interview techniques online for conducting means-end analysis.
By 2006, Rockbridge served as the market research partner for the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), overseeing its research operations through 2008.
In 2008, the company delivered presentations at both the American Marketing Association's Frontiers in Services Conference and the Marketing Research Association's Annual Conference. That same year, Rockbridge introduced the Green Technology Index to measure consumer acceptance of eco-friendly innovations.
In 2009, Rockbridge joined forces with Network Solutions and the University of Maryland, College Park to launch the Small Business Success Index, which was featured on Fox News.
Gina Woodall was named President of Rockbridge in 2012, while founder Charles Colby transitioned to the role of Chief Methodologist.