EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT


           This EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT dated as of August 8, 1996, between Audits
& Surveys  Worldwide,  Inc.,  a  Delaware  corporation  having an address at 650
Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10011 (the "COMPANY"),  and Joseph T.
Plummer,  an individual residing at Cedar Street, P.O. Box 304, Cold Spring, New
York 10516 ("EMPLOYEE").

                              W I T N E S S E T H :

           WHEREAS,  the Company  desires to employ  Employee,  and  Employee is
willing to enter into the employ of, and to render services to the Company,  all
upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein.

           NOW,  THEREFORE,   in  consideration  of  the  mutual  covenants  and
agreements  contained  herein,  and other good and valuable  consideration,  the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby  acknowledged,  the parties agree as
follows:

           1. EMPLOYMENT. Subject to and upon the terms and conditions contained
in this  Agreement,  the Company  hereby agrees to employ  Employee and Employee
agrees to enter  into the  employ of the  Company,  for the  period set forth in
Paragraph  2  hereof  and  to  render  to the  Company,  its  affiliates  and/or
subsidiaries the services described in Paragraph 3 hereof.

           2. TERM.  Employee's term of employment under this Agreement shall be
two (2)  years,  commencing  on August 8, 1996 and shall  continue  for a period
through and including August 8, 1998,  unless extended in writing as hereinbelow
provided or earlier  terminated  pursuant to the terms and  conditions set forth
herein (the "EMPLOYMENT  TERM").  Such term shall be extended for successive one
(1) year terms unless either party hereto gives  written  notice to the other of
its desire to  terminate  this  Agreement  at least six (6) months  prior to the
commencement of any such extension.

           3. DUTIES.  (a) Employee  shall serve as Vice Chairman of the Company
subject to the authority of the Board of Directors and Chief  Executive  Officer
of the  Company.  The Employee  shall have  supervisory  responsibility  for all
research  groups and divisions  including but not limited to the Audit Division,
Groups 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7, the Customer Satisfaction  Division,  the International
Division, the Media and Communications  Division, the San Francisco Division and
the Mid-West  Division.  The Employee will be responsible for the maintenance of
high quality research  standards for the existing  businesses of the Company and
for the  development of new business  including the  development of new products
and services and new clients. He will also have


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responsibility  for the direction  and  development  of the  Company's  research
business,  including but not limited to supervision  of all research  groups and
divisions,  major client  presentations,  analytical solutions and study designs
and new  products  and  services.  The Employee  will  represent  the Company at
industry  functions,  including  membership in industry  associations,  speaking
before industry  conferences and submission of white papers to industry  groups.
Employee shall perform all duties and services  incident to the position held by
him and to the responsibilities described above.

                      (b)  Employee  agrees to abide by all By-laws and policies
of the Company promulgated from time to time by the Company.

           4. EXCLUSIVE SERVICES AND BEST EFFORTS. Employee agrees to devote his
best   efforts,   energies  and  skill  to  the  discharge  of  the  duties  and
responsibilities  attributable  to his position,  and to this end he will devote
his full time and attention  during  regular  business hours to the business and
affairs  of the  Company,  subject to the  provisions  of the last  sentence  of
subparagraph 11(b) hereof.

           5.  COMPENSATION.  As  compensation  for his services  and  covenants
hereunder,  Employee shall receive a salary ("SALARY"),  payable pursuant to the
Company's  normal payroll  procedures in place from time to time, at the rate of
$325,000 per annum,  additional compensation determined as hereinafter provided,
and  such  bonuses  as may be  determined  from  time to time  by the  Board  of
Directors of the Company,  in each case less all necessary and required federal,
state and local payroll  deductions.  The Employee  shall be entitled to receive
annual  additional  compensation  in an  amount  equal  to 50% of the  Company's
profits  arising  out of sales to new  customers  and/or  sales of new  products
and/or  services to  existing  customers  directly  attributable  to  Employee's
efforts;  provided,  however,  that the  maximum  annual  amount  of  additional
compensation  that Employee shall be entitled to receive shall be $100,000.  For
purposes of this  Agreement,  profits  shall be determined by the Company on the
same  basis as it  determines  profits  for  research  groups/divisions  and any
additional compensation shall be paid at the same time as payments of additional
compensation are payable to other executives of the Company.

           6. BUSINESS EXPENSES.  Employee shall be reimbursed for, and entitled
to advances  (subject to repayment  to the Company if not  actually  incurred by
Employee)  with  respect to, only those  business  expenses  incurred by him (a)
which are reasonable and necessary for Employee to perform his duties under this
Agreement and (b) for which Employee has submitted  vouchers  and/or receipts in
accordance with policies established from time to time by the Company.

           7. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.  (a) During the Employment Term, Employee shall
be entitled to such insurance, disability and health and medical benefits and be
entitled to participate



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in such  retirement  plans or programs as are from time to time  generally  made
available to executive  employees of the Company pursuant to the policies of the
Company;  PROVIDED THAT Employee shall be required to comply with the conditions
attendant  to  coverage  by such plans and shall  comply with and be entitled to
benefits only in  accordance  with the terms and  conditions of such plans.  The
Company may withhold from any benefits  payable to Employee all federal,  state,
local and other  taxes and  amounts  as shall be  permitted  or  required  to be
withheld pursuant to any applicable law, rule or regulation.

                      (b) Employee  shall be entitled to vacation in  accordance
with the Company's policy in effect for executive staff, which shall be taken at
such time or times as shall be mutually agreed upon with the Company.

           8. STOCK OPTIONS.  Subject to approval by the  Compensation and Stock
Option  Committee of the Board of  Directors  of the Company (the "STOCK  OPTION
COMMITTEE"), the Employee will be granted an option to purchase 50,000 shares of
Common  Stock of the  Company  at the market  price of the  Common  Stock of the
Company on the date of grant,  which option will vest at the rate of 50% on each
of the  first and  second  anniversary  dates of his  employment.  In  addition,
subject to the  approval of the Stock Option  Committee  and its  evaluation  of
Employee's  performance,  Employee  shall be  entitled  to  receive  options  to
purchase up to 50,000  additional  shares of Common  Stock of the Company at the
market  price of the Common Stock of the Company on the date of grant on each of
the second,  third and fourth anniversary dates of Employee's  employment.  Such
options,  if  granted,  will  vest at the rate of 50% on each of the  first  and
second  anniversaries  of the respective dates of grant. All options referred to
in this paragraph will be granted under the Company's 1995 Stock Option Plan (or
any  subsequent  plan  adopted by the Company) and will be subject to all of the
terms and conditions of such plan.

           9. DEATH AND  DISABILITY.  (a) The Employment Term shall terminate on
the date of  Employee's  death,  in which event  Employee's  Salary,  additional
compensation,  reimbursable  expenses and benefits owing to Employee through the
date of Employee's death shall be paid to his estate. Employee's estate will not
be  entitled  to any  other  compensation  upon  termination  of this  Agreement
pursuant to this subparagraph 9(a).

                      (b) If,  during the  Employment  Term, in the opinion of a
duly licensed physician selected by the Company,  Employee,  because of physical
or mental illness or incapacity,  shall become  substantially  unable to perform
the duties and services required of him under this Agreement for a period of 120
consecutive days or 180 days in the aggregate during any nine-month  period, the
Company may, upon at least ten (10) days' prior written notice given at any time
after  the  expiration  of such 120 or  180-day  period,  as the case may be, to
Employee of its intention to do so,  terminate his employment as of such date as
may be set forth in the notice. In case of such



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termination,  Employee  shall be  entitled  to receive  his  Salary,  additional
compensation,  reimbursable  expenses and benefits owing to Employee through the
date of  termination.  Employee  will not be entitled to any other  compensation
upon termination of his employment pursuant to this subparagraph 9(b).

           10. TERMINATION. The Company may terminate the employment of Employee
for cause,  as such term is  interpreted  by the  courts of New York.  Upon such
termination,  the Company shall be released from any and all further obligations
under this Agreement, except that the Company shall be obligated to pay Employee
his Salary, additional compensation, reimbursable expenses and benefits owing to
Employee  through the day on which Employee is terminated.  Employee will not be
entitled to any other  compensation upon termination of this Agreement  pursuant
to this Paragraph 10.

           11.  DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION  AND  RESTRICTIVE  COVENANT.  Employee
acknowledges that, by his employment,  he will be in a confidential relationship
with the  Company  and will have access to  confidential  information  and trade
secrets  of  the  Company,   its  subsidiaries   and  affiliates.   Confidential
information  and  trade  secrets  include,  but are not  limited  to,  customer,
supplier and client  lists,  panels and  interviewers,  price lists,  marketing,
strategies and procedures,  operational techniques,  business plans and systems,
quality control  procedures and systems,  special projects and survey and market
research, including projects, research and reports for any entity or client, and
any  other  records,  files,  drawings,  discoveries,   applications,  data  and
information concerning the business of the Company and its customers and clients
which are not in the public domain. Employee agrees that in consideration of the
execution of this Agreement by the Company:

                      (a) Employee will not,  during the term of this  Agreement
or at any time thereafter,  use or disclose to any third party, trade secrets or
confidential  information  of  the  Company,  including,  but  not  limited  to,
confidential  information or trade secrets belonging or relating to the Company,
its subsidiaries, affiliates, customers and clients or proprietary procedures of
the Company, its subsidiaries,  affiliates,  customers and clients.  Proprietary
procedures shall include,  but shall not be limited to, all information which is
known or intended to be known only by employees of the Company, its subsidiaries
and affiliates or others in a confidential  relationship with the Company or its
subsidiaries and affiliates which relates to business matters.

                      (b) Employee will not,  during the term of this Agreement,
directly or indirectly,  under any circumstance  other than at the direction and
for the  benefit  of the  Company,  engage  in or  participate  in any  business
activity,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  acting  as a  director,  officer,
employee,  agent,  independent  contractor,  partner,  consultant,  licensor  or
licensee, franchisor or franchisee, proprietor, syndicate member, shareholder or
creditor or with a person having any other relationship with any other business,
company, firm, occupation or business activity, that is,



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directly or indirectly,  competitive with any business carried on by the Company
or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates during the term of this Agreement.  The
ownership  by Employee of 1% or less of the issued and  outstanding  shares of a
class of securities which is traded on a national  securities exchange or in the
over-the-counter  market,  shall not cause  Employee to be deemed a  shareholder
under this subparagraph 11(b) or constitute a breach of Paragraph 4 hereof.

                      (c) Employee will not,  during the term of this  Agreement
and for a period of three (3) years  thereafter,  on his  behalf or on behalf of
any other business  enterprise,  directly or indirectly,  under any circumstance
other  than at the  direction  and for the  benefit of the  Company,  solicit or
induce any creditor,  customer, client, supplier,  officer, employee or agent of
the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  or  affiliates  to  sever  his or its
relationship with or leave the employ of any of such entities.

                      (d)  Nothing  contained  in this  Paragraph  11  shall  be
construed as prohibiting  Employee from being engaged by a client or customer of
the Company upon his termination of employment by the Company.

                      (e) It is expressly agreed by Employee that the nature and
scope  of each of the  provisions  set  forth  above  in this  Paragraph  11 are
reasonable and necessary. If, for any reason, any aspect of the above provisions
as it applies to Employee is determined by a court of competent  jurisdiction to
be unreasonable or  unenforceable,  the provisions shall only be modified to the
minimum extent required to make the provisions reasonable and/or enforceable, as
the case may be.  Employee  acknowledges  and agrees  that his  services  are of
unique  character  and  expressly  grants to the  Company or any  subsidiary  or
affiliate of the Company or any  successor of any of them,  the right to enforce
the above  provisions  through the use of all  remedies  available  at law or in
equity, including, but not limited to, injunctive relief.

                      (f) This  Paragraph 11 and Paragraphs 12, 13 and 14 hereof
shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement for any reason.

           12.  COMPANY  PROPERTY.  (a) Any  patents,  inventions,  discoveries,
applications  or  processes  designed,   devised,   planned,  applied,  created,
discovered or invented by Employee in the course of Employee's  employment under
this  Agreement  and  which  pertain  to  any  aspect  of the  Company's  or its
subsidiaries' or affiliates' business shall be the sole and absolute property of
the Company,  and  Employee  shall  promptly  report the same to the Company and
promptly  execute  any and all  documents  reasonably  requested  to assure  the
Company the full and complete ownership thereof.




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                      (b)  All  records,   files,   lists,   including  computer
generated lists,  drawings,  documents,  equipment and similar items relating to
the Company's  business which Employee shall prepare or receive from the Company
shall remain the Company's sole and exclusive property. Upon termination of this
Agreement,  Employee  shall  promptly  return to the Company all property of the
Company in his possession.  Employee further represents that he will not copy or
cause to be copied, print out or cause to be printed out any software, documents
or other  materials  originating  with or  belonging  to the  Company.  Employee
additionally  represents  that,  upon  termination  of his  employment  with the
Company,  he will not retain in his possession  any such software,  documents or
other materials.

           13.  REMEDY.  It is mutually  understood  and agreed that  Employee's
services are special,  unique,  unusual,  extraordinary  and of an  intellectual
character  giving them a peculiar value,  the loss of which cannot be reasonably
or adequately  compensated in damages in an action at law.  Accordingly,  in the
event of any breach of this  Agreement by Employee,  including,  but not limited
to, the breach of the non-disclosure,  non-solicitation  and non-compete clauses
under Paragraph 11 hereof,  the Company shall be entitled to equitable relief by
way of  injunction or otherwise in addition to any damages which the Company may
be  entitled  to  recover.  In  addition,  the  Company  shall  be  entitled  to
reimbursement from Employee,  upon request, of any and all reasonable attorneys'
fees and  expenses  incurred by it in  enforcing  any term or  provision of this
Agreement.

           14.  REPRESENTATIONS  AND  WARRANTIES  OF  EMPLOYEE.  (a) In order to
induce the Company to enter into this Agreement,  Employee hereby represents and
warrants to the Company as follows:  (i)  Employee  has the legal  capacity  and
unrestricted  right to execute and deliver this  Agreement and to perform all of
his obligations hereunder;  (ii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by
Employee and the performance of his obligations hereunder will not violate or be
in conflict with any fiduciary or other duty, instrument,  agreement,  document,
arrangement or other  understanding  to which Employee is a party or by which he
is or may be  bound  or  subject;  and  (iii)  Employee  is not a  party  to any
instrument,  agreement,  document,  arrangement or other  understanding with any
person  requiring  or  restricting  the use or  disclosure  of any  confidential
information or the provision of any employment, consulting or other services.

                      (b) Employee  hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company  from and against any and all losses,  costs,  damages and  expenses
(including,  without  limitation,  its reasonable  attorneys'  fees) incurred or
suffered  by the  Company  resulting  from any breach by  Employee of any of his
representations or warranties set forth in subparagraph 14(a) hereof.

           15.  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL AND  CONSENT TO NEW YORK  JURISDICTION  AND
VENUE. In any action, suit or proceeding in any jurisdiction brought against the
Employee by the Company,  or vice versa, the Employee and the Company each waive
trial by jury. The Employee hereby


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consents  and  agrees  that the  Supreme  Court of the State of New York for the
County  of New  York and the  United  States  District  Court  for the  Southern
District of New York each shall have personal jurisdiction and proper venue with
respect to any dispute between the Employee and the Company. In any dispute with
the Company,  the Employee  will not raise,  and hereby  expressly  waives,  any
objection or defense to any such jurisdiction as an inconvenient forum.

           16.  NOTICE.  Except as  otherwise  expressly  provided,  any notice,
request,  demand or other communication  permitted or required to be given under
this Agreement shall be in writing,  shall be sent by one of the following means
to the Employee at his address set forth on the first page of this Agreement and
to the  Company at its  address  set forth on the first page of this  Agreement,
Attention:  Mr. Solomon Dutka,  Chief Executive  Officer,  with a copy to Parker
Chapin  Flattau & Klimpl,  LLP, 1211 Avenue of the Americas,  New York, New York
10036,  Attention:  James Alterbaum,  Esq. (or to such other address as shall be
designated  hereunder  by notice  to the other  parties  and  persons  receiving
copies,  effective upon actual receipt) and shall be deemed conclusively to have
been given:  (i) on the first  business day following  the day timely  deposited
with Federal Express (or other equivalent  national overnight courier) or United
States Express Mail, with the cost of delivery prepaid or for the account of the
sender;  (ii) on the fifth business day following the day duly sent by certified
or registered United States mail,  postage prepaid and return receipt requested;
or (iii) when otherwise actually received by the addressee on a business day (or
on the next business day if received after the close of normal business hours or
on any non-business day).

           17. INTERPRETATION,  HEADINGS. The parties acknowledge and agree that
the terms and  provisions  of this  Agreement  have  been  negotiated,  shall be
construed  fairly as to all parties hereto,  and shall not be construed in favor
of or against any party.  The section  headings  contained in this Agreement are
for reference  purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or  interpretation
of this Agreement.

           18.  SUCCESSORS  AND  ASSIGNS;  ASSIGNMENT;  INTENDED  BENEFICIARIES.
Neither  this  Agreement,  nor  any of  Employee's  rights,  powers,  duties  or
obligations  hereunder,  may be assigned by Employee.  This  Agreement  shall be
binding  upon and  inure to the  benefit  of  Employee  and his  heirs and legal
representatives  and the Company and its  successors.  Successors of the Company
shall include,  without limitation,  any corporation or corporations  acquiring,
directly or indirectly,  all or substantially  all of the assets of the Company,
whether  by  merger,  consolidation,  purchase,  lease  or  otherwise,  and such
successor shall thereafter be deemed "the Company" for the purpose hereof.

           19.  NO WAIVER BY  ACTION,  CUMULATIVE  RIGHTS,  ETC.  Any  waiver or
consent from the Company  respecting  any term or provision of this Agreement or
any other aspect of the Employee's conduct or employment shall be effective only
in the specific instance and for the



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specific  purpose  for  which  given  and shall  not be  deemed,  regardless  of
frequency given, to be a further or continuing waiver or consent. The failure or
delay of the  Company  at any time or times to  require  performance  of,  or to
exercise  any of its  powers,  rights or remedies  with  respect to, any term or
provision of this  Agreement or any other  aspect of the  Employee's  conduct or
employment in no manner (except as otherwise  expressly  provided  herein) shall
affect  the  Company's  right  at a  later  time to  enforce  any  such  term or
provision.

           20.  COUNTERPARTS;   NEW  YORK  GOVERNING  LAW;  AMENDMENTS,   ENTIRE
AGREEMENT.  This Agreement may be executed in two  counterpart  copies,  each of
which may be executed by one of the parties hereto, but all of which, when taken
together,  shall constitute a single  agreement  binding upon all of the parties
hereto. This Agreement and all other aspects of the Employee's  employment shall
be governed by and construed in accordance  with the applicable  laws pertaining
in the State of New York (other  than those that would defer to the  substantive
laws of another juris  diction).  Each and every  modification  and amendment of
this  Agreement  shall be in writing and signed by the parties  hereto,  and any
waiver of, or consent  to any  departure  from,  any term or  provision  of this
Agreement  shall be in writing and signed by each affected  party  hereto.  This
Agreement  contains the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all prior
representations,  agreements and understandings,  oral or otherwise, between the
parties with respect to the matters contained herein.

           IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties have executed this  Agreement as of
the date first above written.

                                             AUDITS & SURVEYS WORLDWIDE, INC.



                                             By: /s/ Solomon Dutka
                                             --------------------------------
                                                 Name:  Solomon Dutka
                                                 Title: Chief Executive Officer



                                               /s/ Joseph T. Plummer
                                             --------------------------------
                                                   JOSEPH T. PLUMMER




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