Chapter 6: International Marketing Research: Practices and Challenges
TRUE/FALSE
1. Companies selling consumer products are especially prone to experiencing product failure in foreign
markets.
2. Export research is an example of research in the study of industry, market characteristics, and market
trends.
3. Most Asian consumers have low levels of brand loyalty.
4. Behavioral intentions studies are conducted to identify market segments, profiles of heavy product
users, and occasions for consumption.
5. Russian women focus primarily on outward appearance and strive to make a bold personal statement.
6. Russian consumers spend more than Western European consumers on cosmetics and toiletries.
7. According to a recent study of Chinese market segments, Chinese consumers prefer lively colors, and
bright and bold packaging for their products.
8. According to a segmentation study, Chinese consumers are more likely to go through skin care
regimens and rituals, unlike Western women, who have less patience for rituals.
9. Proctor & Gamble made a marketing blunder in Japan when it initially launched a thinner diaper.
10. In Guangzhou, China, Frito-Lay’s Cheetos aren’t cheesy at all.
11. Product testing evaluates the extent to which the product conforms to local tastes.
12. Green signifies abundance in the Amazon region and disease in the Middle East.
13. Researching individual exporter and importer expertise and local influence is unnecessary in terms of
predicting a firm’s success in a particular market.
14. When a company wants to use coupons and promotions in a foreign country, the first thing it must do
is research what types of advertising people will best respond to, rather than to check on the legality of
premiums and coupons in these target markets.
15. Plant and warehouse location studies are NOT examples of distribution research.
16. In Ecuador, transportation between the capital city and Guayquill is likely to encounter difficulties
since the transportation infrastructure between the two locations is complicated by the terrain.
17. Giving away “money-off” vouchers is illegal in the UK.
18. In countries where salespeople typically keep the change, it is important to price the product a few
pennies below the amount that can be paid using larger currency denominations.
19. The extent to which Sony’s offer of financial incentives to electronics salespeople in Ahmedabad,
India, is likely to increase sales of the Sony brand is an example of descriptive research.
20. Phillip Morris advertises its Lark and Parliament brands in Japan and China using glamorous
American images.
21. Governments in developing countries often exaggerate poverty figures.
22. Reliable sources of data include the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, and the
Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development.
23. Non-systematic observation is a characteristic of quantitative research.
24. In certain countries, such as France and Italy, there is a preference for quantitative data.
25. In Eastern cultures, responses are likely to be affected by “acquiescence bias” whereby consumers
agree in order to please the interviewer.
26. Internationally, the cheapest survey method is the phone survey.
27. Experimental research has the highest validity and reliability of all types of research.
28. Themes that are functionally and conceptually equivalent across nations, such as the universal concept
of “affection,” manifest themselves similarly in different environments.
29. Emic instruments are culture free and extremely difficult to develop.
30. A typical semantic differential scale, anchored by words with opposite meanings is easy to understand
across most cultures.
31. Even if the same scale is used in different cultures, and the researcher has subjected the scale to
decentering techniques, the same scale is likely to have different reliabilities when administered in
different countries.
32. Although demographic data are often requested at the end of U.S. questionnaires, in many countries it
is more appropriate to request this information at the beginning of the questionnaire.
33. In developed countries, research examining family consumption patterns is typically going to survey
the extended family.
34. In the jury of expert opinion method of forecasting, obtaining a consensus or aggregate forecast may
be difficult to achieve.
35. Time series and econometric models are dependent on the availability of historical data.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. In addition to handling research obstacles usually encountered when conducting research in their own
countries, international marketing researchers also have to
a.
Address specifics of the international market
b.
Deal with respondents who are not used to researchers collecting data in their country
c.
Deal with respondents who are suspicious of foreign researchers
d.
All of the above
2. Export research is an example of a ____ study
a.
Industry, market characteristics, and market trends
b.
Consumer segmentation
c.
Test marketing
d.
Buyer behavior
3. Which of the following are examples of studies of industry, market characteristics, and market trends?
a.
Acquisition analysis.
b.
Diversification analysis.
c.
Market-share analysis.
d.
All of the above are examples of these studies.
4. Which of the following is not true regarding the buying behavior of Asian countries?
a.
In most Asian countries, consumers are individualists when it comes to purchases.
b.
In most Asian countries, consumers are brand loyal.
c.
In most Asian countries, consumers are more concerned with price than with quality.
d.
In most Asian countries, shopping tends to be done in groups.
5. Brand preference research falls into which category of research?
a.
Buyer behavior research
c.
Distribution research
b.
Product research
d.
Promotion research
6. Which of the following is not true regarding consumer segmentation studies?
a.
They may be used to identify consumer preferences.
b.
They are conducted to identify market segments.
c.
They may be used to identify profiles of heavy product consumers.
d.
They may be used to identify occasions for consumption.
7. Which consumers want to impress at any price focusing primarily on outward appearance and striving
to make a bold personal statement?
a.
Canadian consumers
c.
Chinese consumers
b.
Russian consumers
d.
Saudi consumers
8. Which consumers prefer less color and simple graphics and typography on their product packages?
a.
Canadian consumers
c.
Chinese consumers
b.
Russian consumers
d.
Saudi consumers
9. Which of the following statements is false regarding Russian cosmetics consumers?
a.
Russian women focus primarily on outward appearance and strive to make a bold personal
statement.
b.
Russian consumers spend 1.3 percent of GDP on cosmetics and toiletries.
c.
Russian consumers prefer less color and simple graphics and typography for their product
package.
d.
All of the above are true regarding Russian cosmetics consumers
10. Which of the following statements is true regarding Chinese cosmetics consumers?
a.
Chinese women focus primarily on outward appearance and strive to make a bold personal
statement.
b.
Chinese consumers spend 1.3 percent of GDP on cosmetics and toiletries.
c.
Chinese consumers prefer less color and simple graphics and typography for their product
package.
d.
All of the above are true regarding Chinese cosmetics consumers
11. Proctor & Gamble Japan may not have failed in its marketing of Pampers to Japanese mothers if it had
conducted a:
a.
brand awareness study
c.
a product packaging design study
b.
consumer segmentation study
d.
a brand attitude study
12. In which region does the color green signify disease?
a.
North Africa
c.
Amazon
b.
Middle East
d.
North America
13. ____ evaluates the extent to which the product conforms to local tastes.
a.
Brand name testing
c.
Concept development and testing
b.
Product testing
d.
None of the above
14. Which of the following is NOT an example of international product research?
a.
Brand name testing
b.
Product testing
c.
Concept development and testing
d.
All of the above are examples of product research
15. In Poland and Romania, simple packaging implies
a.
a generic brand
c.
a fresh product without additives
b.
that the company does not advertise
d.
that you should not buy it
16. For what type of study would it make a difference if the road between a country’s two major cities was
on rough, mountainous terrain?
a.
plant/warehouse location studies
b.
channel performance and coverage studies
c.
import/export analyses
d.
promotion research
17. Which of the following is an example of product research?
a.
Studies of plant location
b.
Studies of warehouse location
c.
Studies of the transport infrastructure
d.
Test marketing
18. Which statement regarding Kazakstan’s infrastructure is true?
a.
Kazakstan has an extensive railway network that carries products within the country.
b.
Kazakstan has a well-developed highway system that allows trucks to move product
within the country.
c.
Kazakstan’s telecommunications infrastructure is well developed, resulting in new
e-business start-ups.
d.
All of the statements are true.