{"id":2931,"date":"2017-02-16T15:24:14","date_gmt":"2017-02-16T21:24:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.manufacturedhomepronews.com\/industryvoices\/?p=2931"},"modified":"2017-02-16T15:24:14","modified_gmt":"2017-02-16T21:24:14","slug":"deja-vu-again-a-new-manufactured-housing-institute-mhi-initiative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.manufacturedhomepronews.com\/industryvoices\/deja-vu-again-a-new-manufactured-housing-institute-mhi-initiative\/","title":{"rendered":"D\u00c9J\u00c0 VU AGAIN? A New Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) Initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"

A New Study<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I like to say to myself \u201cIf you live long enough, you\u2019ll see it all.\u201d\u00a0 I have now lived long enough to see a second MHI effort to do \u201cmajor consumer research\u201d to \u201cprofile the housing needs and opportunities for the industry among various underserved homebuyers.\u201d Who can forget the first effort?<\/p>\n

Jeepers, I have no heart burn with the stated goal and direction of this initiative.\u00a0 I think it possibly worthwhile, furthermore, we already have experience along this trail.\u00a0 In the early 2000\u2019s Drucker Worldwide, who is conducting the current study, was replaced by Roper International, in the first effort.\u00a0 If the stated goals at that time were somewhat different, what was not different was the goal of gathering information by a consulting firm, Roper, create a report, then present a possible campaign to increase manufactured housing sales.\u00a0 Sounds good, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Roper study was to be the linchpin for an industry image campaign.\u00a0 Surely that was badly needed at that time, and still is.\u00a0 What remains to be seen is whether the course of this initiative ends differently than the Roper effort, which ended badly.<\/p>\n

Timetable<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the study timetable set forth by Dick Jennison, MHI President, it will be a multi-step process; the study first, then present the research results to the members of MHI to determine \u201cits next step is late-summer\u201d (2017).\u00a0 I must say that all sounds logical, practical and well-conceived, and very Roper-ish.\u00a0 So far, OK.<\/p>\n

\"RoperReportDruckerWorldWideMartyLavinManufacturedHousingInstituteMHStudy-PostedManufacturedHomeIndustryVoicesMHProNews628x230\"
As with all Industry Voices, letters to the editor, and op-ed posted commentary, the writer has provided their own text, while we as publisher created this particular image graphic, using the writer’s words and photo. \u00a0Differing viewpoints on this or other industry issues are welcomed.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For those of you out of swaddling clothes by the year 2000, the new study must send a chill down your spine and some involved in the Roper study, like me, might say a few more things.\u00a0 There might even be a question or two.<\/p>\n

Again??<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

First of all, quoting Yogi, this all seems like d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu all over again.\u00a0 Others might say, we sure had a fun time the last time we did a study but will the result be different this time?\u00a0 Some skeptics might ask, what has changed so much in the 10-12 years since the Roper study was concluded?\u00a0 Finally, is the initiative once again the springboard to the fabled \u201cIndustry Image Campaign,\u201d or headed to something else?\u00a0 One wonders.<\/p>\n

In view of the history on this thing, it is logical to be skeptical of the entire process.<\/p>\n

I was very much involved in the Roper effort, which died an ignoble death, dealt a crushing blow to the industry (from which it hasn\u2019t recovered), supposedly couldn\u2019t be afforded financially then, and the industry condition seems even weaker now.<\/p>\n

I would question, what is the goal of the initiative in terms of advancing the stated aim?\u00a0 After all, when you find out from the public that the MH industry is the least liked industry Roper ever<\/u><\/em><\/strong> studied, where do you go from there?\u00a0 And, what has changed since Roper reported these facts to MHI membership?<\/p>\n