About Us

DMR’s founder, Dr. Merrin, brings decades of experience to bear on all facets of customers’ experiences. Her doctoral dissertation examined how emotional and psychological factors influence behavior and refined prevailing theories of the time.

Mary Beth Merrin

Mary Beth Merrin, Ph.D.
Founder and CEO

Her expertise in attitude and behavior research led her into marketing and marketing research and she served as Vice President of Marketing Research and Strategy for Marriott Hotels International for over 10 years.

She has taught at Georgia State University and more recently at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Business on Marketing Strategy, New Product Development and Innovation, Research Methods, Communications and Tourism Marketing.

With methodological skills that travel easily across different vertical markets, Dr. Merrin founded Decision Making Research.  Her client work spans the gamut from high tech to high touch and global to local brands.

Her approach and deep understanding of human behavior and decision making empower her clients to harness the power of informed decision making for long term sustainability, revenue and growth.

Services Business of the Year

Washington Business Journal
Washington Post
Fairfax Chamber of Commerce

Services Business of the Year

HR Leadership
Washington

Services Business of the Year

Metro Bethesda
Rotary

Advisory Team

Our advisory team brings additional expertise and insights in all aspects of research and strategy.

Robert Bloch

Director, Entrepreneurship Program, Champlain College, SVP, Sales and Marketing, Marriott Hotels International

  • New Business Formation and Development
  • Sales and Marketing

Cynthia Flynn

Principle, Marketing Methods Group

  • Marketing Strategy
  • Marketing Research
  • In-depth Executive Interviews

Barry Goodstadt, Ph.D.

Principal, Telecom, Utility and Regulatory Consulting

  • Market Research
  • Multivariate Analysis and Modeling
  • Big Data
  • Market Research on Technology

Diane Schmalensee

Founder, Schmalensee Partners

  • Marketing Research
  • Change Management
  • Customer Experience Management
  • Customer Satisfaction

Discovering How People Make Decisions