International Marketing Research: Practices and Challenges Dana-Nicoleta Lascu Chapter 6

Chapter Objectives Define international marketing research and provide a description of its immense scope; offer examples of each type of research conducted in international marketing Describe the steps involved in the international marketing research process while addressing, for each step, the international constraints involved Introduce the concept of decision support systems for international marketing and describe the sales forecasting process

International Marketing Research International marketing managers need to constantly monitor the different forces affecting their international operations International marketing research is especially complex

International Marketing Research International marketing research is the systematic design, collection, recording, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of information pertinent to a particular marketing decision facing a company operating internationally.

Research of Industry, Market Characteristics, and Trends Acquisition analyses Diversification analyses Market-share analyses Export research

International Buyer Behavior Research Brand preferences Brand attitudes Brands awareness studies Purchase behavior studies Consumer segmentation studies

International Product Research Concept development and testing studies Brand name generation and testing Product testing Competitive product studies Packaging design studies Test marketing #1

International Distribution Research Import/export analyses Channel performance and coverage Plant/warehouse location studies

International Promotion Research Studies of premiums, coupons, and deals Advertising effectiveness research Local media research Studies pertaining to personal selling activities Sales Force Compensation Quota Territory

International Pricing Research Studies projecting demand Currency and counter trade studies Studies of inflation rates and pricing Studies of negotiation tactics

The International Marketing Research Process STEP 1 Define the international research problem and agree on the research objectives Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Causal Research STEP 2 Set specific objectives

The International Marketing Research Process, continued STEP 3 Develop the International Research Plan STEP 4 Define Information Sources Secondary Data Researchers must determine if the information is available, and, if so, how reliable it is Internal data is useful only if company has collected similar info from relevant respondents in a country with similar environment

Secondary Data Constraints Conceptual Equivalence Concepts have different meanings in different cultural environments Functional Equivalence Products themselves may be used for different purposes in different country environments

Secondary Data Constraints, continued Availability, Reliability, and Validity Accuracy of secondary data can be questionable: Published statistics may be unreliable Sources of reliable data: World Bank United Nations Development Program Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Euromonitor

Primary Data Information collected for a specific purpose, to address the problem at hand. The costs of collecting primary data in foreign markets are likely to be much higher given the lack of an appropriate marketing research infrastructure

Primary Data Research Approaches Qualitative research has been particularly useful as a first step in studying international marketing phenomena. Focus Groups Observation Constraints: Responses can be affected by culture, individuals may act differently if they know they are being observed.

Primary Data Research Approaches, continued Quantitative research are more structured, involving either descriptive research approaches, such as survey research, or causal research approaches, such as experiments. Content Analysis Survey Research Experimental Research Constraints: Respondent factors, infrastructure factors

Data Collection STEP 5 Design Data Collection Instrument Emic instruments measure phenomena specific to each culture. Etic instruments measure the same phenomenon in different cultures. Constraints: Translation; Instrument Reliability; Reluctance to answer certain questions

Data Collection, continued STEP 6 Decide on the Sampling Plan Sample Unit Sample Size Sampling Procedure STEP 7 Collect, Analyze, and Interpret Data

Decision Support Systems for Global Marketing A coordinated collection of data, systems, tools, and techniques, complemented by supporting software and hardware designed for the gathering and interpretation of business and environmental data

Sales Forecasting Sales Force Composite Estimates Personal observations and expectations of the local sales force Jury of Expert Opinion Opinions of different experts about future demand The Delphi Method Experts to estimate market performance; findings are aggregated, and experts are queried again, in light of aggregate responses

Sales Forecasting, continued Time Series and Econometric Models Use data of past performance to predict future market demand Analogy Methods Estimation method that relies on developments and findings in markets With similar levels of economic development, or Where the product is in the same market development stage, or In markets which share similar cultural characteristics

Sales Forecasting, continued Point of Sale Research Made with the help of store scanners, in markets where they are available Involve comprehensive store audits

Chapter Summary Defined international marketing research Described steps involved in the international marketing research process and related international constraints Discussed marketing decision support systems and international sales forecasting