Aberdeen Group Inc. Boston, MA
www.aberdeen.com
Founders: John Logan, Peter Kastner and Thomas Willmott
Founded: 1988
Principal Executives: John Logan, President, Peter Kastner, Group Vice President, Thomas Willmott, Group Vice President
Description: User-oriented, considered by many observers to be similar to Forrester Research
 
Creative Strategies Consulting, Santa Clara, CA
www.creativestrategies.com
Founder: Tim Bajarin
Founded: 1981
Principal Executive: Tim Bajarin, President
Description: Once was a major player but has dwindled to a minor operation
 
Dataquest Inc., San Jose, CA
www.dataquest.com
Founders: Dave Norman, Bill Coggshall, Ron Miller
Founded 1971
Principal Executives: Manny Fernandez, Chairman, President and CEO, Gartner Group
Description: Historically the most visible market-research firm. Receives most of its revenue from vendors.
 
Dell'Oro Group, Portola Valley, CA
www.delloro.com
Founder: Tam Dell'Oro
Founded: 1995
Principal Executive: Tam Dell'Oro, CEO
Description: Concentrates on networking.
 
Disk/Trend Inc., Mountain View, CA
www.disktrend.com
Founder: James N. Porter, President, Robert Katzive, Vice President
Description: Focuses on computer storage
 
Forrester Research Inc., Cambridge, MA
www.forrester.com
Founder: George F. Colony
Founded: 1983
1996 Revenue: $22 million (estimated)
Principal Executive: George F. Colony, President and CEO
Description: A user-oriented firm perceived as having independence from vendors.
 
Freeman Associates Inc., Santa Barbara, CA
www.freemaninc.com
Founder: Raymond C. Freeman, Jr.
Founded: 1977
Principal Executives: Raymond C. Freeman, Jr., President, Robert C. Abraham, Vice President
Description: Follows the computer-storage market.
 
Gartner Group Inc., Stamford, CT
Founder: Gideon Gartner
Founded 1979
Principal Executive: Manny Fernandez, Chairman, President and CEO
Description: The $400 million public company (GART) is the largest in the field. With its origins watching IBM, Gartner focuses on advising computer users about trends and companies.
 
Giga Information Group Inc., Cambridge, MA
www.gigaweb.com
Founder: Gideon Gartner
Founded: 1995
Principal Executives: Gideon Gartner, Chairman and CEO, Henry Givray, President and COO, David Gilmour, Senior Vice President, Research
Description: Formed to deliver research over the Internet.
 
In-Stat Inc., Scottsdale, AZ
www.instat.com
Founder: Jack Beedle
Founded: 1981
Principal Executive: John Abram, President
Description: Follows the semiconductor industry.
 
International Data Corp., Framingham, MA
www.idcresearch.com
Founder: Pat McGovern
Founded: 1964
Principal Executive: Kirk Campbell, President and CEO
Description: Primarily serves computer and communications-equipment vendors; has a reputation for conservative forecasting.
 
Mercury Research, Scottsdale, AZ
www.mercury.org
Founders: Mike Feibus, Dean McCarton
Founded: 1994
Principal Executives: Mike Feibus, President, Dean McCarron, Treasurer and Secretary
Description: Focuses on the semiconductor industry.
 
Meta Group Inc., Stamford, CT
www.metagroup.com
Founders: Dale Kutnick, Marc Butlein
Founded: 1989 (a spin-off of the Gartner Group)
Principal Executives: Dale Kutnick, CEO and Research Director, Marc Butlein, Chairman
Description: Gets high marks from its computer-using clients.
 
Pathfinder Research Inc., San Jose, CA
www.pathfinder-research.com
Founder: Fred Zieber
Founded: 1991
Principal Executive: Fred Zieber, President and CEO
Description: Concentrates on the semiconductor industry
 
Sherwood Research Inc., Wellesley, MA
www.sherwoodresearch.com
Founder: David Thor
Founded: 1996
Principal Executive: David Thor, President, Research Director
Description: Provides data obtained by surveying end users to vendors and others.
 
VLSI Research Inc., San Jose, CA
www.vlsir.com
Founder: Jerry D. Hutcheson
Founded: 1976
Principal Executives: Jerry D. Hutcheson, CEO, G. Dan Hutcheson, President
Description: Concentrates on semiconductor-production equipment.
 
The Yankee Group, Boston, MA
www.yankeegroup.com
Founder: Howard Anderson
Founded: 1970
Principal Executive: Howard Anderson, Managing Director
Description: Built its reputation by concentrating on communications while its competitors focused on computers. The company has about equal revenue from users and vendors, which is unusual for a market-research firm.
 

Source: Upside March, 1997 pg. 107