Overnight assessment of marketing crises.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation received significant negative publicity in 1987 when a surgical resident was reported to have AIDS. The resulting pressures from senior managers for immediate market information stimulated development of an overnight market research capability through prenegotiated contracts with market research suppliers so that studies could be implemented on short notice. Contracts have been signed with three market research companies and the overnight market research methods have twice been used successfully with only minor modifications.