5 What does this case tell us about the changing nature of the client–researcher relationship?

In October 2001 the joint venture of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications was formed; a new brand in a very competitive and fast-evolving industry. Tracking the development of that brand would be one of the key challenges of the new company. That meant understanding the legacy of the parent companies, as well as measuring how successfully Sony Ericsson was able to establish its own identity moving forward.
The senior management team recognised the need to engage with both employees and mobile phone owners in order to generate a clear understanding of current movements in the telecoms market, as well as of Sony Ericsson’s brand image and its level of brand awareness.