CDR provides independent organizational research through three principal service areas: the Business Diagnostic Instrument, our Association Efficacy Assessment, and selected Custom Research projects.
Each engagement is designed to produce clear, decision-relevant evidence, supported by rigorous methodology and direct senior involvement.
What it is:
The Business Diagnostic Instrument is CDR’s flagship organizational diagnostic. It provides a broad, evidence-based assessment of the conditions influencing organizational performance and identifies how leadership, communication, resources, work processes, and other internal factors interact.
Who it is for
Established organizations facing persistent, complex, or interconnected internal issues, particularly where leaders need a reliable organizational baseline before deciding what to address.
Why it matters
Visible problems are often symptoms rather than causes. The BDI helps leaders identify the underlying organizational conditions shaping performance so that effort and resources can be directed where they are most likely to produce meaningful improvement.
What it is:
The Association Efficacy Assessment is an independent examination of how effectively an association understands and serves its members. It can explore member priorities, engagement, perceived value, service effectiveness, strategic direction, and emerging needs.
Who it is for
Professional, political, public-sector, retiree, and other member-based associations seeking credible evidence to support governance, planning, advocacy, or service decisions.
Why it matters
Boards and executives often hear most clearly from the most active or vocal members. A structured assessment provides a broader and more representative view of the membership, helping leaders identify what members value, where expectations are changing, and where the association should focus next.
What it is:
Custom Research consists of purpose-built qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method studies designed around a specific organizational question. Projects may include surveys, interviews, administrative-data analysis, statistical modelling, program evaluation, or the integration of several evidence sources.
Who it is for
Organizations facing a complex, sensitive, or highly specialized issue that cannot be adequately addressed through routine reporting or an off-the-shelf instrument.
Why it matters
Good organizational research requires more than collecting data. It requires the right question, an appropriate design, rigorous analysis, and interpretation grounded in context. Custom Research provides that capability without requiring the organization to maintain a permanent internal research unit.
The Business Diagnostic Instrument is best suited to organizations seeking a broad assessment of organizational health and performance.
The Association Efficacy Assessment is designed for member-based organizations seeking clearer evidence about member value, priorities, engagement, and organizational direction.
Custom Research is appropriate when the question is specific, complex, or requires a purpose-built methodology.
Where the appropriate approach is not immediately clear, CDR can help define the research question and determine whether an engagement is a suitable fit.