Concept Overview refers to an analysis of a concept or a process. Specifically, Wonder’s clients want to understand how a company or organization has developed or executed a concept that has led to success in certain business operations (e.g., sales, customer satisfaction, employee retention, etc.).
A Concept Overview project allows clients to:
Always start with a direct search using keywords and search strings. Chances are, if a client is looking to duplicate a concept, it has already been studied in some capacity. For example, the search string, “QVC AND business model” brings up dozens of relevant results about this successful concept.
If you cannot find information through a general search, use more specific search strings, Boolean, and X-ray searches, as well as filters to pull relevant results.
<aside> 🧠 Note: Search strings and advanced search methods e.g., X-ray and Boolean search are tools, not strategies. Do not mention these in your research reports. Instead, mention the publishers of the resources, reports, and databases consulted (e.g., International Data Group (IDG)).
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If the concept overview is about a company (e.g., how a company implemented a specific concept or process), start by looking for this information on the company’s website. Explore all sections of the website, particularly the About Us, History, Testimonials, Reviews, Blog, Awards, Case Studies, and News sections, as available. This is particularly helpful if the company is specifically known for the concept (e.g., Zappos company culture).
Look into industry-specific case study databases and scholarly research as they tend to include concrete statistics on the concept, its implications, and results.
Search for industry awards. Clients are often interested in successful, innovative, and/or award-winning concepts so they can apply these concepts in their operations.
Some helpful resources can be found below:
Resources for a Concept Overview
Case Study Databases
Academic Research
⚠️ Note: Some of these sources require a student or faculty ID and password, but you can sometimes get the abstract for free, which can provide some details on the concept.
Company Case Studies
⚠️ Note: Companies only publish successful case studies to promote their services so watch for any bias that may be present.
Industry Awards
Check think tanks and policy institutes for information on work that these institutes may be conducting around a concept. Some prominent think tanks and policy institutes include the following:
Think Tanks and Policy Institutes
Many think tanks have a political agenda, so watch for bias. When in doubt, use this list of think tanks broken down by political leanings.
Explore non-profit organizations and NGOs that may already be studying the concept.