Since 1997, MSC has been a trusted leader in research focused on low- and middle-income (LMI) populations. We offer deep, field-based insights that go beyond the data to drive inclusive, sustainable, and growth-oriented solutions.
We combine robust quantitative and qualitative methods with cutting-edge tools to deliver evidence-based insights for product innovation, customer engagement, policy development, and market expansion. Our expertise spans:
- Business analytics, customer segmentation, financial and behavioral diagnostics.
- Market sizing, feasibility studies, demand forecasting, usability testing, and pricing analysis.
- Policy and impact research tailored for both public and private sectors.
As markets evolve and digitize, so do we. We bring the right balance of depth, agility, and contextual understanding to every research engagement. MSC’s research approach is adaptive and forward-looking—we continuously evolve with changing market dynamics, emerging technologies, and increasing consumer sophistication. Over the years, we have mastered advanced and context-specific techniques, such as:
- Lean data collection, behavioral science, customer journey mapping, mystery shopping.
- Ethnographic deep dives, financial diaries, AI-powered analysis, and design thinking.
- Compliance with data protection laws in different countries that maintains data privacy.
Over the years, we have helped 550 institutions, including donors, private sector players, social enterprises, and policymakers, to make strategic and data-driven decisions.
Signature projects
FAQs
MSC conducts research across three broad areas: business analytics and customer segmentation, market sizing and feasibility, and policy and impact research. Our work includes financial and behavioral diagnostics, customer profiling, demand assessments, market and regulatory assessments, and impact evaluations. We combine quantitative and qualitative methods with behavioral science, customer journey mapping, ethnographic research, financial diaries, lean data collection, and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered analysis. We have helped more than 550 institutions use research and data to inform strategic decisions across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. Our research covers financial services, agriculture, health, gender, climate resilience, and the digital economy.
Financial Diaries is a longitudinal research approach that helps build a detailed understanding of how people and enterprises manage their financial lives over time. MSC tracks financial and non-financial transactions, income patterns, cash flows, financial behaviors, and lived experiences. This approach reveals insights that one-time research may not capture.
We used Financial Diaries to understand the financial lives and needs of low- and moderate-income people and microenterprises, particularly women entrepreneurs. These insights help financial institutions and other stakeholders design products and solutions that respond more closely to customers’ actual needs, behaviors, and constraints.
MSC combines data science, AI, machine learning, and advanced statistical and econometric methods to generate evidence-based insights. Our capabilities include big data analytics, predictive analytics, natural language processing (NLP), geospatial analysis, network analysis, data integration, and interactive dashboards.
We also use technology-enabled and lean data collection approaches as part of our research. We combine these tools with thematic expertise and contextual understanding to ensure that data and technology generate practical, relevant insights. Our approach emphasizes transparent, accurate, and ethical use of data and compliance with applicable data protection requirements.
MSC uses research approaches that help us understand people’s lived realities, behaviors, needs, and decision-making. Depending on the research question and context, these approaches include ethnographic research, Financial Diaries, behavioral research, customer journey mapping, lean data collection, and other qualitative and quantitative methods.
Our research draws on deep local and sectoral knowledge to interpret findings within their social, economic, and market contexts. We also emphasize data privacy and compliance with applicable data protection laws in the countries where we conduct research.
MSC combines quantitative and qualitative research methods based on the questions that each engagement seeks to answer. Quantitative methods help identify patterns, measure outcomes, and test relationships across datasets, while qualitative methods help uncover behaviors, motivations, experiences, and context behind those patterns.
We combine these approaches with behavioral science, data analytics, and contextual expertise. This approach helps us develop a more comprehensive understanding of markets and customers and translate evidence into relevant insights for decision-making.
MSC designs research to support evidence-based decision-making by governments, donors, policymakers, financial institutions, social enterprises, and other organizations. We combine rigorous research with sector expertise and contextual understanding to translate evidence into insights that inform strategies, policies, programs, products, and services.
Our research outputs include analytical reports, policy and strategy recommendations, dashboards, data visualizations, and other decision-support tools tailored to different stakeholders’ needs.
