Marketing and Development Research Associates

What Marketing and Development Research Associates does

Marketing and Development Research Associates (MDRA) is a privately held marketing research and consulting firm headquartered in New Delhi, India, founded in 1993 by Dr. N. Bhaskara Rao, former president of the erstwhile ORG and author of 'The Emperor's Mirror: State of Research in India.' The firm specializes in customized and syndicated quantitative and qualitative research, with a portfolio of proprietary methodologies including DEL Analysis (Defection and Leakage Analysis), a multi-stage sampling approach for Investment Climate Assessments, the Road User Satisfaction Index (RUSI) for NHAI based on 33 variables, a district-level Rural Opportunity Index (ROI), and a Customer Satisfaction Measurement System with loyalty modeling. MDRA organizes its staff into three teams — Customer Services (consultants and project managers), Technical Services (database managers, statistical analysts, electronic publishing specialists), and Management — and operates a nationwide field investigator network spanning urban and rural India, capable of executing surveys with sample sizes from 2,000 to 200,000.

The firm serves three primary customer verticals: Government Organizations (central ministries, regulators, PSUs), Corporate/Private Sector companies (oil & gas, automotive, consumer electronics, retail, healthcare, power), and Multilateral/International Organizations (World Bank, UNDP, UNIDO, ADB, Transparency International India, IIFT). Recurring product lines include election and psephology studies, market potential and demand estimation, brand effectiveness research, customer value measurement, product testing, impact assessment studies, and investment climate assessments. A flagship product is the India Today-MDRA and Business Today-MDRA annual ranking surveys for B-Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Coaching Institutes, conducted through long-standing media partnerships.

MDRA generates revenue exclusively through professional services — project-based research engagements priced on scope, methodology, sample size, and geography — with no public pricing or subscription model disclosed. The firm maintains no external equity investment, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed M&A activity. Credibility is anchored in third-party validation (World Bank 'Best Market Research Organization' rating, Harvard Business Review case study feature, MRSI membership) and the founder's reputation for independence from industry or lobbying interests.

Name

Marketing and Development Research Associates

Legal name

Marketing & Development Research Associates

Website

https://mdraonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MDRA is a privately held Indian market research and consulting firm, founded in 1993 and headquartered in New Delhi, that provides proprietary quantitative and qualitative research, ranking surveys, and investment climate assessments to government ministries, multilateral agencies, and large enterprises across India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Market Research and Consulting Services: MDRA generates revenue through providing customized and syndicated market research services including quantitative and qualitative studies, strategic consulting, and research-based advisory services to government bodies, private companies, and international organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Marketing and Development Research Associates (MDRA) is a premier marketing research and consulting organization in India providing customized and syndicated quantitative and qualitative research studies. The firm delivers strategic business planning solutions based on research findings and historical data analyses, serving government bodies, private sector enterprises, multilateral organizations, educational institutions, and media houses through proprietary methodologies such as DEL Analysis (Defection and Leakage Analysis), Election/Psephology Studies, Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Studies, Market Potential Assessment, Brand Effectiveness Research, and Investment Climate Assessment.

Product overview

MDRA (Marketing and Development Research Associates) is a premier marketing research and consulting organization established in 1993, specializing in customized and syndicated quantitative and qualitative research. The company's core offering is a portfolio of proprietary research methodologies centered around DEL Analysis (Defection and Leakage Analysis), complemented by services including Election/Psephology Studies, Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Studies, Market Potential Assessment, Brand Effectiveness Research, and Investment Climate Assessment. MDRA conducts research across multiple industry sectors including Automotive, Consumer Durables, Retail, Power, Oil & Gas, Infrastructure, Media, and Government. The company operates proprietary ranking surveys including India Today-MDRA Best Rankings (B-Schools, Colleges, Universities, Coaching Institutes) and Business Today-MDRA Best B-Schools Ranking. MDRA does not operate as a software platform but as a consulting firm providing strategic business planning solutions based on research findings and historical data analyses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DEL Analysis (Defection and Leakage Analysis) MDRA's proprietary methodology to analyze why customers defect to competitor brands, identify key factors in defection, analyze gaps between perceived and actual product benefits, and identify customer drop-off points in the purchase process.
• Election Related Studies Psephology studies including exit polls and election analysis using small sample sizes with high accuracy methodologies and thorough field surveys.
• Customer Satisfaction, Retention and Loyalty Studies Customer satisfaction measurement system capturing voice of customer feedback to identify product and service aspects of highest and lowest satisfaction, combined with loyalty measurement models.
• Market Potential Assessment and Demand Estimation Futuristic studies estimating industry-wise, geographical location-wise, and seasonal demand for products and services.
• Advertisement and Brand Effectiveness Research Monitoring brand effectiveness through brand awareness (aided and unaided), brand preference, consumer buying process analysis, brand image, and advertising effectiveness metrics.
• Market Structure and Segment Analysis Strategic marketing analysis helping companies develop and access new markets, introduce new products, and identify gaps in the marketplace with strong sales potential.
• Customer Value Measurement (CVM) Customer Value Management process providing insight into competitive landscape through identifying value criteria driving purchase decisions, benefits most important to customers, and company positioning versus competitors.
• Product Related Studies New product tests, attitude measurement, product attribute analysis combined with market research, usability, and user research for holistic market view.
• Market Opportunity Assessment Surveys and market studies to assess business opportunities in various types of markets for companies setting up new businesses or expanding into new territories.
• Market Strategy Formulation Strategic planning solutions including devising new strategies and formulating action plans based on insight gained from research surveys.
• Investment Climate Assessment Surveys capturing current investment climate, providing benchmarks and guidance to investors and policy-makers on FDI destination conditions.
• Impact Assessment Studies Studies evaluating the impact and effectiveness of various government schemes, infrastructure projects, and organizational initiatives.
• India Today-MDRA Best Rankings (B-Schools, Colleges, Universities, Coaching Institutes) Annual ranking surveys for educational institutions conducted in partnership with India Today magazine, covering B-Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Coaching Institutes.
• Business Today-MDRA Best B-Schools Ranking Annual ranking survey of business schools conducted in partnership with Business Today magazine, using rigorous methodology including physical audits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Highly accurate psephology studies using relatively small samples
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDRA conducted Investment Climate Assessment (Informal Enterprises) survey for the World Bank, collecting quantitative information from 800 private corporate units in manufacturing sector. Post-survey, MDRA was rated as the 'Best Market Research Organization' by World Bank officials in terms of competency, quality of fieldwork, responsiveness and sampling design.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDRA has conducted studies and surveys for UNDP on various development-related research assignments in India.
• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted Investor Perception Survey 2008 (Post OIFA-2004) in Orissa on behalf of UNIDO under DFID funded programme for implementation of Industrial Policy Resolution-2001 by Government of Orissa.
• India Today GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing partnership for conducting India Today-MDRA Best B-Schools Ranking Survey, Best Colleges Ranking, and Best Universities Ranking. MDRA conducts the research and methodology while India Today publishes and features the rankings annually.
• Business TodaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for BT-MDRA Best B-schools ranking surveys published in Business Today magazine over multiple years (2013-2017).
• Doordarshan NewscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDRA conducted live election results transmission from counting centers for Doordarshan News, providing up-to-minute information through special SMS codes. This success was repeated for several assembly elections.
• Transparency International IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted User Satisfaction and Corruption in Trucking Operations study covering 1222 respondents across 11 states. Study findings were widely published and appreciated by stakeholders and media.
• Asian Development BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted User Expectations and Satisfaction Survey in context of Power Sector Reforms in Madhya Pradesh for Asian Development Bank.
• Reserve Bank of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted Quarterly Industrial Outlook Survey for Reserve Bank of India.
• Times of IndiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated on election-related studies and polls, including Avaaz/Hindustan Times/MDRA opinion poll on violence against women in Delhi.
• IBF (The Indian Broadcasting Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted Estimation of C&S Households study for reliably estimating subscriber figures across eleven cities to validate figures given by MSOs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Kantar (IMRB International): Kantar's IMRB International is the legacy Indian market research leader, offering syndicated and custom consumer research across categories. Directly comparable to MDRA on quantitative/qualitative research, brand tracking, and customer satisfaction studies, but with global scale, syndicated products, and a much larger panel infrastructure.
• Nielsen India: Nielsen operates consumer measurement, retail audit, and media research in India, competing with MDRA for corporate market research budgets. Comparable on consumer panels and brand effectiveness studies, but differentiated by its global syndicated products and significantly larger scale.
• Ipsos India: Ipsos provides custom and syndicated market research in India including public opinion polling, advertising research, and customer experience studies. Comparable to MDRA across most service lines, with similar psephology capabilities, but backed by a much larger global research network.

Direct peers

• Hansa Research: Hansa Research is an Indian market research firm offering quantitative and qualitative consumer research, customer satisfaction, and brand studies. Closely comparable to MDRA in scale, customer base (large Indian corporates), and service mix, making it one of MDRA's most direct domestic competitors.
• Market Xcel Data Matrix: Market Xcel is an Indian field-based market research firm with pan-India execution capability, offering consumer research, retail audits, and customer satisfaction studies. Directly comparable to MDRA's field-network-led delivery model and target client base of large Indian enterprises.
• CVoter (Centre for Voting Trends & Research): CVoter is an Indian psephology and opinion polling firm conducting election surveys and tracking polls for media clients. Directly comparable to MDRA's election-related studies, with similar sample-based methodologies and Indian media partnerships.
• People Research on India's Consumer Economy (PRICE): PRICE is an Indian market research firm focused on consumer durables, FMCG, and rural markets. Comparable to MDRA on custom quantitative research, market potential assessment, and rural market studies (overlapping with MDRA's Rural Opportunity Index work).

Emerging players

• CSDS (Centre for the Study of Developing Societies): CSDS is an Indian social science research institution known for its Lokniti election studies and public opinion polling. Comparable to MDRA on psephology and social research, but operates as an academic/non-profit rather than a commercial consultancy — partial overlap in election and policy research.

Others

• Brainvire Infotech: Brainvire is a digital services and technology firm with adjacent capability in data collection and analytics platforms. Relevant as an emerging technology-enabled competitor that could disrupt MDRA's traditional field-research model with digital panel and platform-based offerings.
• IRIS Business Services: IRIS is an Indian data and analytics firm serving enterprises and regulators. Adjacent to MDRA's government and corporate research work, with overlap in policy-impact studies and large-scale data projects for public-sector clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marketing and Development Research Associates