Chapter 08 – Developing a Global Vision through Marketing Research
Discussion Questions
1. Define:
Marketing research Multicultural research
2. Discuss how the shift from making “market entry” decisions to “continuous operations” decisions
creates need for different types of information and data. What assistance does an MMIS provide?
3. Discuss the breadth and scope of international marketing research. Why is international marketing
research generally broader in scope than domestic marketing research?
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Chapter 08 – Developing a Global Vision through Marketing Research
4. “The measure of a competent researcher is his ability to utilize the most sophisticated and adequate
techniques and methods available within the limits” (of time, cost, and the present state of the arts).
Comment.
5. What is the task of the international market researcher? How is it complicated by the foreign
environment?
6. Discuss the stages of the research process in relation to the problems encountered. Give examples.
The research program should include the following steps:
a. Define the research problem and establish research objectives.
b. Determine the sources of information to fulfill the research objectives.
c. Gather the relevant data from secondary and/or primary sources.
d. Analyze, interpret, and present the results.
The task of the research is to execute each of these steps with maximum objectivity and accuracy
within the limits of cost and time. The major difficulty in defining the problem and establishing
research objectives is translating the business problem into a research problem with a set of specific
research objectives. This first stage frequently goes astray because of improper problem definition.
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Chapter 08 – Developing a Global Vision through Marketing Research
The problems of gathering primary data are also important. The major problem facing the foreign
market researcher in gathering primary data is one of getting the unwilling respondent to provide
current and truthful information. Cultural variations also hamper the foreign researcher in locating
knowledgeable sources of information as well as influencing the general willingness to respond. In
some cultures, to discuss personal or family matters is taboo. Private matters are just not discussed
with strangers. There is also the problem of taxes when a researcher must ask questions which may
cause the respondent to feel that there is some possibility of divulging income. The respondent may
Another major problem in the collection of primary data is concerned with sampling procedures. An
important problem stems from the lack of adequate detail on universal characteristics and lists from
which to draw meaningful samples. Current and reliable lists are frequently not available. Telephone
directories, census tract and block data and detailed social and economic characteristics of the
universe are not available, if at all. Thus, sampling becomes much more complex and frequently less
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Chapter 08 – Developing a Global Vision through Marketing Research
A final problem with sample surveying is the language. The difference in idioms and the difficulty of
exact translations create problems in obtaining the desired information and the interpretation of the
respondent’s answers. Coupled with this language difficulty is illiteracy. In many countries with low
The last step in the research process is analyzing the problem and interpreting research information.
Once the data have been collected, the final and perhaps most critical step is the analysis and
interpretation of the findings in light of the stated marketing problem. Final analysis must take into
consideration the limitations mentioned above, and in spite of the limitations, produce meaningful
The market on which he is doing research. In order to analyze and in some cases to compensate for
research findings, he must determine the customs, viewpoints, semantics, current attitudes, and
business customs of a society, or a subsegment of a society. Second, the researcher must possess a
7. Why is the formulation of the research problem difficult in foreign market research?
The formulation of the research problem is difficult in foreign market research because of the cultural
variation from country to country and because of the vast amount of information which should be
known but often is not available to the decision maker. The situation is oftentimes acute in foreign
market research since unfamiliarity with the foreign environment tends to cloud problem definition.
8. Discuss the problems of gathering secondary data in foreign markets.
The problems of gathering secondary data are:
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Chapter 08 – Developing a Global Vision through Marketing Research
c. Comparability and currency of available data. In many countries, especially the lesser developed,
9. “In many cultures, personal information is inviolably private and absolutely not to be discussed with
strangers.” Discuss.
This, of course, is a major problem in the collection of primary data. This factor leads to some very
difficult and challenging problems in the collection of primary data, and it is one of the primary
10. What are some of the problems created by language and the ability to comprehend in collecting
primary data? How can a foreign market researcher overcome these difficulties?
The problems created by language are many. The obvious, of course, is the ability of the individual to
understand or the ability of the researcher to translate accurately a question into the language of the
11. Discuss how “decentering” is used to get an accurate translation of a questionnaire.
A hybrid of back translation, is called “decentering.” A successive iteration process of translation and
retranslation of a questionnaire, each time by a different translator. The two English versions are
12. Discuss when qualitative research may be more effective than quantitative e research.
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Chapter 08 – Developing a Global Vision through Marketing Research
Qualitative research is more effective than quantitative research when: 1) the researcher seeks open-
ended, in-depth and unstructured responses that reflect the person’s thoughts and feelings on a
subject. Qualitative research interprets what the “ . . . people in the sample are like, their outlooks,
their feelings, the dynamic interplay of their feelings and ideas, their attitudes and opinions, and their
13. Sampling offers some major problems in market research. Discuss.
There are several difficulties encountered in the process of taking samples and conducting field
surveys. The greatest problem stems from the lack of adequate detail of universal characteristics and
lists from which to draw meaningful samples. If current and reliable lists are not available, sampling
Besides the inadequacy of details on universal characteristics, the effectiveness of the various methods
of communications (mail, telephone, and personal interview) in surveys is also limited. In many
countries, for example, telephone ownership is extremely low, making telephone surveys virtually
worthless unless the survey is intended to cover only the wealthy.
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Chapter 08 – Developing a Global Vision through Marketing Research
14. Select a country. From secondary sources compile the following information for at least a 10-year
period prior to the present data.
15. “The foreign market researcher must possess three essential capabilities in order to generate
meaningful marketing information.” Discuss.
The foreign market researcher must possess three essential capabilities in order to generate
These essential capabilities suggest that the foreign market researcher should be either a foreign
national or should be advised by someone who can accurately appraise the data collected in light of
the local environment, thereby helping to validate secondary as well as primary data.
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