Maagar Mochot - The Israel's leading research institution, was established back in 1992 as a private corporation.

The institution specializes in supporting major decision makers in the public, private and third sector organizations, with vital information through the collection and analysis of data, based upon surveys and other quantitative and qualitative research methods. The institution managers are: Prof. Ytzhak Katz, CEO, Prof. Baruch Mevorach, Scientific Director and Dr. Amir Horkin, Research Director.

Interdisciplinary Approach

Maagar Mochot operates on the basis of an interdisciplinary and multidimensional approach which enables the investigation of a given research topic thoroughly, from various view points, thus serving diversified customers in different operational arenas.
Among our customers are organizations from: national and local politics, business, law, communication, marketing and advertisement, sports and leisure, malls and commercial centers, education and higher education, transportation and road safety, health, charity and third sector organizations in general.

The interdisciplinary approach of Maagar Mochot is based upon the multidisciplinary rich academic and professional background, accumulated in the institution along many years of operation, and the full involvement of the institution's managers in all research and consultation phases, including deep investment in learning the customer's characteristics and unique needs.

The academic background of Maagar Mochot is backed by long research and teaching experience in leading higher education institutions such as: University of Minnesota, Middlesex University, Heriot Watt University, Tel Aviv University, IDF's College of Higher Command and Staff, The College of Law and Business in Ramat Gan, Israel College and Beit Berl College, in subject areas like: Research Methods and Statistics, Organizational Behavior, Political Behavior, Business Strategy, Public Administration and Policy and Political Economy. Maagar Mochot has proven capacity to provide the customer with some of the best "brains" (mochot in Hebrew) in various required knowledge areas such as: Politics, Public Administration, Economics, Management and Industrial Engineering, Psychology, Sociology, Marketing and Organizational Behavior. Maagar Mochot has the proven capacity to undertake research projects in Israel, the Palestinian Authority as well as abroad.

Maagar Mochot has both the capacity to provide the customer with research report as the final research project outcome, as well as the capacity for leading and accompanying the implementation of strategic, organizational and business processes, complex and prolonging as they might be (Election Campaign, Business Plan, Local Master Plan), where the research report is but one layer in the overall research project. Methodological Tools Data collection is carried out utilizing quantitative and qualitative methodologies, direct and indirect, obtrusive and unobtrusive.

Methodological tools

Among the methodologies utilized one can find: telephone, mail and internet surveys, face-to-face interviews with experts and various stakeholders, focus groups, direct observations, investigation of formal media publications, archives, hidden customer surveys and more.

The integration of various data collection methodologies in a given research project, allows a deeper and more thorough analysis of the subject area and the final achievement of a more inclusive and brighter picture, thus allowing for a better decision making process and decision outcomes. Data analysis is carried out by more conventional techniques such as pies, histograms, crosstabs, etc. alongside more sophisticated techniques such as: regression analysis, factor analysis and conjoint analysis, and more innovative techniques such as: Structural Equations Model, Quality Function Deployment, Benchmarking and Conjoint Performance.

Major Research and Activity Arenas

The interdisciplinary multidimensional approach allows us to provide professional services on a wide spectrum of arenas, such as:
Advertisement – advertisement firms, communication consultants, PR firms, organizational spokespersons.

Media – television channels, radio, national and local daily and weekly newspapers, internet portals, local and foreign news' agencies.

Political – national and local general elections, primaries, unions' elections.

Legal – the Israeli BAR, law offices, legal journals, Law schools.

Local Government – local authorities, local government economic services of the local authority ltd., water organizations, local economic firms, local training centers.

Sports and Leisure – entrepreneurs and managers of country clubs, fitness clubs, swimming pools.

Malls and Commercial centers – entrepreneurs, management firms and managers of malls and commercial centers, businesses and chains operating in malls and commercial centers.

Education and Higher Education – universities, private and public colleges, adult education institutions, Israel Ministry of Education, educational charity organizations.

Transportation and Roads Safety – police and enforcement agencies, public corporations.

Health – various HMO's, charity organizations (the Israel cancer association, etc.), entrepreneurs in primary and complementary health services.

Third Sector – charities and organizations in: environment, welfare, consumerism, health, community relations. Various Political Action Committees.

Marketing and General Business – entrepreneurs, private and public firms, banks,

Top Management Team

Prof. Ytzhak Katz

The founder and the CEO of Maagar Mochot. Ph.D. in Political Science from Tel Aviv University, Professor of Public Administration at Middlesex University, London. Author of: Privatization in Israel and Worldwide (Peker, 1997). Former advisor to the late Ytzhak Modai, Israel's Finance Minister in the early 90's. Served as a board member in various corporations: Youvalim – Pension Fund, Youvalim - Training and Development Fund, Impact – Union Bank Investment Portfolio Management and "Leumit" HMO. A member of Wapor – world association for public opinion research, Published tens of articles in professional and academic journals. Won the Jim Ingelton award from the IICC – Israel intelligence heritage and commemoration center (with Ygal Vardi). Scientific advisor and introduction author to leading managerial textbooks translated to Hebrew (by the Peker publishing house), including: "Built to Last – Successful Habits of Visionary Companies" (Collins and Porras, 1995) and "Good to Great" (Collins, 2001).

Prof. Baruch Mevorach

The scientific director of Maagar Mochot. Master in Organizational Behavior from the School of Management at Tel Aviv University and from the Department of Political Science at Tel Aviv University. Master and Ph.D. In Political Science from the University of Minnesota, USA. Management Professor at Middlesex University, London. Won teaching awards at Haifa University and Tel Aviv University. Teaches research methods and statistics, organizational behavior and public administration. Published tens of articles in academic and professional journals (Political Behavior, Electoral Studies, Public Administration, Long Range Planning, etc.). Serves as a chairman of the board in Impact – Union Bank Investment Portfolio Management and as a board member in Dan – Public Transportation Company. Former board member in Housing and Development (Shikun u'Phituach), Regent Investments and the Israeli Broadcasting Authority. Advised and is currently an advisor to leading public and private organizations such as the Israeli Aviation Industry, Clalit HMO, Osem – Nestle, Pelephon cellular company, the Prime Minister's office, etc. Lieutenant Colonel (reserves). Won excellence in service awards from the IDF's Chief of Staff and the IDF's Colleges' Headquarters.

Dr. Amir Horkin

The research director of Maagar Mochot. Master (cum laude) in Political Science, Tel Aviv University. Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the School of Management at Tel Aviv University. Published many articles in academic and professional journals. Won the 2009 Best Ph.D. Dissertation from The Israeli Political Science Association (ISPSA). Has vast experience as lecturer in research methods and statistics, organizational behavior, organizational sociology, Behavioral Sciences, work motivation, public administration & policy at Tel Aviv University, the Israel College and the Academic center of law and Business. Tenure track staff member at the Academic Center of Law and Business in Ramat Gan. A member of the Academy of Management (AOM) and of The Israeli Political Science Association (ISPSA). Lieutenant Colonel (reserves).

Maagar Mochot - Major Achievements 

The publication of "Local Hero – Elections to Local Authorities in the Era of Direct Elections" (Ramot – Tel Aviv University Press, 1998). The book analyzes and unveils the predictive powers of surveys on actual election results in the local arena in Israel.

Maagar Mochot was the only institution to accurately predict the election of Mr. Yory Guy-Ron in the second round of the Israeli BAR presidential elections in 2007.Maagar Mochot accurately predicted the victory of Mr. Ehud Barak over Mr. Ami Ayalon in the second round of the Israeli Labour Party primaries for the chairmanship position in June 2007 (for Channel 2, News Company).

Maagar Mochot was the first to identify the existing potential of the Senior Citizens' party in Israel, as early as February 2006.

Maagar Mochot was both the planner and the executer of the Israeli BAR Judges' Feedback research in the years 2002-2005.

Maagar Mochot was the only institution to accurately predict Binyamin Netanyahu's victory over Sylvan Shalom in the Israeli Likud Party primaries for the chairmanship position in December 2005 (for Kol Isarel, Israel broadcasting authority).

Maagar Mochot was the only institution to accurately predict Amir Peretz's victory over Shimon Peres in the Israeli Labor Party primaries for the chairmanship position in November 2005 (for Kol Isarel, Israel broadcasting authority).

Maagar Mochot was the only institution to accurately predict Ariel Sharon's victory over Binyamin Netanyahu in the Israeli Likud Party primaries for the chairmanship position in September 2005 (for Kol Israel, Israel broadcasting authority).

Maagar Mochot composed a Sports Master Plan for the city of Rishon le'Tzion, and followed the implementation of the plan.

Maagar Mochot's geographical preferences' survey lead the decision made by Ikea Israel, to open its flag store in the Ramat Poleg Commercial Center.

Maagar Mochot's economic feasibility study, lead the decision made by Bar Ilan University authorities, not to build a country club on the university's grounds.

The Israeli Lottery (Mif'al ha'Pais) changed its "Chish Gad" lottery tickets on the basis of a Conjoint Analysis conducted by Maagar Mochot. Consequently, a significant growth in sales and income, due to the "Chish Gad" segment, followed the change.

Surveys and research papers, submitted by Maagar Mochot, in support of different lawsuits, were accepted and adopted by Israeli courts. For example: the class action lawsuit against Tenuva in the "silicon case" and the intellectual property lawsuit of Nana-Disk vs. Netvision.

Maagar Mochot accurately predicted the results of Municipal Elections in a large number of local authorities in various election years (1993-2013).

Maagar Mochot is a central partner in the initiation and development of periodical social indicators such as: The Violence Index (together with the Harold Hartog School of Government at Tel Aviv University), The Israeli Societal Strength Index (together with the "Shderot Conference" and the Sapir College) and The Government Quality Index (for the Movement for Quality Government, in preparation).

Maagar Mochot polls and surveys are constantly translated by foreign news agencies and published in tens of internet portals in the Western World and various Arab countries.