Readership Report
Download this page as a PDFWhat Supply Chain Quarterly Readers Do When They See Your Ad
Our most recent readership study validates that CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly is fulfilling its mission of providing a journal of thought leadership for global supply chain executives. Responses to the survey confirm that readers place a high value on the publication's readability and spend a considerable amount of time reading the contents of each issue.
For the readership study, readers received an e-mail prompting them to go to an online survey website. Ninety subscribers responded to the invitation and completed the survey—a statistically valid 1 percent response rate to the approximately 9,000 invitations sent out.
As a journal of thought leadership, The Quarterly often presents innovative and complex ideas for operating supply chains more efficiently. The magazine's editorial staff spends a great deal of time working with subject-matter experts to develop exclusive articles for the publication and then editing their submissions. Clearly, those efforts are noticeable to subscribers, and readability appears to be a key reason for readers' affinity with The Quarterly. When asked if the magazine did a good job of making complex material readable and understandable, 96 percent said yes. The magazine is "clean and easy to read," wrote one respondent in the comment section of the online survey. "It's a good [publication], well-written and informative," wrote another.
The publication's content engages the readers, and survey takers said they spend a considerable amount of time with the magazine. Fifty-three percent of respondents reported that they had read all of the last four issues. In addition, 49 percent said they spend 45 minutes or more reading each issue.
The survey also shows that readers find the information in The Quarterly to be pertinent to their work as supply chain professionals. A full 97 percent of respondents said that the information presented in each issue is either "very useful" or "somewhat useful" in their jobs. In addition, 84 percent said that the magazine provides them with new ideas that are relevant to their work. "I find The Quarterly to be very useful in finding out what is happening and about processes used by international companies to improve their cost as well as become competitive," wrote one respondent.
When asked about their specific areas of interest, readers said they are most interested in articles about logistics and global developments. Readers were asked to rank supply chain categories on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being most important and 1 least important. Given CSCMP's previous identity as the Council of Logistics Management, it was no surprise that 91 percent of survey takers ranked logistics at 4 or 5. Next was global viewpoints, with 74 percent of respondents ranking that subject either 4 or 5 in importance. The remaining subjects ranked at 4 or 5 were as follows: technology, 61 percent; procurement, 52 percent; finance, 38 percent; and manufacturing, 34 percent.
The survey also asked readers about where they obtain information about supply chain management. Although most readers (84 percent) still turn to print publications first, online communication vehicles are gaining ground, as indicated by the fact that 73 percent also visit websites and 58 percent read electronic newsletters.
On the marketing side, The Quarterly provides an audience of supply chain professionals that no other publication reaches. When asked which other websites or publications they rely upon for information, 57 percent said Supply Chain Management Review, followed by Supply Chain Brain with 51 percent. In all, readers cited 35 other media outlets as sources of information—a clear indication that most other publications reach just a small percentage of Supply Chain Quarterly's readership. This is just one reason why the magazine offers unique value for advertisers who want to present their marketing message to this influential audience.
In summary, Supply Chain Quarterly is without doubt successfully fulfilling its mission to be a publication of thought leadership for global supply chain professionals. One satisfied survey respondent accurately summed up the magazine's editorial mission: "Keep the focus on demanding excellence and on thought-provoking articles."
Readership Survey Results
The survey results are based on 90 complete responses.
| 1.) Does CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly overall do a good job of making complex material readable and understandable? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 96% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No | 4% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2.) How useful to your job is the information presented in The Quarterly? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Very useful | 43% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Somewhat useful | 55% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Not useful | 2% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.) Has The Quarterly introduced you to new ideas that are relevant to your work? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes | 84% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No | 16% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4.) Looking back on the past year, have you ... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Read all four issues of the magazine | 53% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Read three of the four issues | 13% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Read two out of the four issues | 26% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Read one out of the 4 issues | 7% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Read none | 1% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.) How much time do you typically spend reading each issue? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| More than 90 minutes | 7% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 60-90 minutes | 16% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 45-60 minutes | 26% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30-45 minutes | 29% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15-30 minutes | 14% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less than 15 minutes | 8% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6.) The Quarterly covers certain aspects of the supply chain in each issue. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing the greatest importance and 1 the least importance, please rank your interest in each category. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7.) From what sources do you obtain business information to help you improve your understanding of supply chain issues and your company's supply chain operations? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Business magazines | 84% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Websites | 73% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Conferences and trade shows | 62% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E-mail newsletters | 58% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Business/trade associations | 53% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | 4% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Note: Multiple responses allowed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8.) Which other publications or websites do you rely on to obtain supply chain information? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Supply Chain Management Review | 57% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SupplyChainBrain | 51% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Supply Chain Digest | 42% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | 26% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Supply & Demand Chain Executive | 20% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SCExecutive.com | 16% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SupplyManagement.com | 16% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SCE Magazine (Supply Chain Europe) | 3% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Supply Chain Standard | 3% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| eSide Supply Management | 0% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Note: Multiple responses allowed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
What Supply Chain Quarterly Readers Do When They See Your Ad
