University of Michigan to end management of American Customer Satisfaction Index
The University of Michigan is formally ending its direct involvement in a nationally followed economic index historically identified with the university.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) will operate independently of the university under the auspices of a new company called ACSI LLC, which was formed by ACSI creator and U-M professor Claes Fornell.
The index, developed in 1994, provides a measurement of consumers' opinion of various products and services.
The move marks the end of a relationship that has drawn attention to the university’s economic expertise for years. U-M's Board of Regents is expected to approve the licensing agreement Thursday.
The U-M Ross School of Business’ National Quality Research Center (NQRC) had operated the index with cooperation from the American Society for Quality and Ann Arbor-based CFI Group. CFI Group CEO Sheri Teodoru did not respond to requests for comment.
Fornell, a partial owner of CFI Group and ACSI LLC, was traveling in Europe and could not be reached for comment. Fornell formed Ann Arbor-based ACSI LLC specifically to operate the index. It's unclear whether he'll continue using the U-M brand to market the index.
U-M spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said the move was the “natural progression” of a typical technology commercialization relationship between a university professor and a company.
“My understanding is that it will continue to be called the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Professor Fornell is taking that out into the marketplace,” Fitzgerald said. “It just won’t be affiliated with the University of Michigan.”
The ACSI provides analysis and data to some 44 industries and more than 200 companies and governmental entities.
“ACSI LLC will be able to develop and commercialize the index under the ACSI trademark,” U-M Vice President for Research Stephen Forrest wrote in an action request to the Board of Regents. “The Ross School of Business will free up resources previously spent in operating the index and housing the NQRC at the university.”
Contact AnnArbor.com’s Nathan Bomey at nathanbomey@annarbor.com or (734) 623-2587 or follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Concerned Citizen
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 : 11:32 p.m.
(To the "monitor": Thank you!...MUCH appreciated!!!:-)!)
Concerned Citizen
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 : 10:37 p.m.
This is just ONE set of statistics of many compiled by various affiliates of the University of Michigan. The Consumer Confidence Index is another, AND of longer history, and greater import. In fact, it might seem that the "creator" of the ACSI (addressed in this article and ONLY having been "created" [as this article states] in 1994), was/is benefitting from the long standing PR and reputation of the Consumer Confidence Index (not mentioned in this article) and associated survey and statistical work. I do not pretend to know all the details, however, if you check with the ISR (Institute for Social Research, located on the U of M Campus) or the SRC (Survey Research Center, located within the ISR) they can provide concise information regarding the long-standing survey about which we regularly "hear in the news", :-).
MetaSpring
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 : 12:48 p.m.
When does the relationship end? With such a public and noteworthy relationship ending, does this figure to lose points for the University's reputation?