Institutions outside the US have been relatively slow to develop a formally constituted institutional research capacity (rather than undertaking research into institutional functioning as the need is perceived), perhaps because of differences in the way that higher education is organised in their countries. Some examples of engagements in UK higher education that partially satisfy the conditions of institutional research as a corporate endeavour lead, via a consideration of various perspectives on the topic, towards an argument that, in a period of increased competition in higher education, institutional research will be critical to the continuing success of some institutions.