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Chapter 8 – Developing a Global Vision through Marketing
Research
Teaching Objectives
The availability and accuracy of secondary data and the challenge of collecting primary data are the main
themes of this chapter. The need for good market data is becoming more important in today’s global
markets as companies are seeking market segments across country markets. While more and better quality
secondary data are becoming available, sources of secondary data in most countries is substantially less
than U.S. companies are accustomed to at home. The collection of primary data is also affected by the
availability of good quality secondary data. All in all, international marketing “market entry” decisions to
“continuous operations” decisions creates a need for different types of information and data. What
assistance does an MMIS provide?
1) Make students aware of the breadth and scope of international marketing research and the steps of
the research process.
2) Explore the issues of availability of secondary data and the need to validate data.
3) Examine qualitative and quantitative research and the problems of gathering primary data.
Comments and Suggestions
1. While the quality of secondary data are improving, there are major problems with data from some
countries including many developing markets. Most countries are aware of the need to improve the
quality of data collected and are taking steps to correct accidental as well as deliberate errors. The
National Statistics Enforcement Office in China said it uncovered about 60,000 instances of false
statistical reports since it began a crackdown. Most bogus reports involved industrial output. Seeking
advantage or hiding failures, local officials, factory managers, rural enterprises and other have filed
fake numbers on everything from production levels to birth rates. Such inaccurate reporting is not
unusual throughout the developing world although conditions are improving. It is important to stress
the need to validate secondary data. The transparency, Validating Secondary Data, lists several
questions to help in validating secondary data.
2. If a major research project such as the one described in Part I-F, The Country Notebook—A guide for
Developing a Marketing Plan or a similar research project, is used, it is important to stress the issues
discussed about secondary data since the students will confront most of these problems when doing
the research for their projects. Also, the appendix on sources of secondary data should also be brought
to their attention.
Lecture Outline
I. Breadth and Scope of International Marketing Research
II. The Research Process
A. Defining the Problem and Establishing Research Objectives
III. Problems of the Availability and Use of Secondary Data
A. Availability of data
B. Reliability of data
C. Comparability of data
D. Validating secondary data
IV. Gathering Primary Data—Quantitative and Qualitative Research
V. Problems of Gathering Primary Data
A. Ability to Communicate Opinions
B. Willingness to Respond
C. Sampling in Field Surveys
D. Language and Comprehension
1. Back Translation
2. Parallel Translation
3. Decentering
VI. Multicultural Research—A Special Problem
VII. Research on the Internet—A New Opportunity
VIII. Problems in Analyzing and Interpreting Research Information
IX. Responsibility for Conducting Marketing Research
X. Estimating Market Demand
A. Expert Opinion
B. Analogy
C. Income Elasticity
XI. Communicating with Decision Makers
