Abstract
As organizations continue to pursue more global strategies, the need to be able to understand consumers in far away places is increasing. Marketing research is the primary mechanism through which companies understand their current, as well as potential, customers. As companies contemplate the global marketplace, they must consider how domestic market research differs when conducted in international markets. In an effort to help internal client side marketing research managers design and implement improved international research studies, we briefly discuss the context for international market research and provide a framework for conducting international market research projects. Additionally, we present several factors that should be considered by marketers who engage in global market research studies. These factors represent the variety of challenges that must be addressed in order to conduct research across national borders. Particular attention is paid to the nuances related to primary data collection and questionnaire construction.
1. Marketing research goes global
Changes in the global environment are presenting organizations with both new opportunities and challenges. Rapid advances in technology, increasing international trade and investment, growing wealth and affluence across the globe, and a convergence of consumer tastes and preferences are compelling businesses to expand their globalization strategies and tactics (Javalgi & White, 2002). In essence, the global economy is forcing organizations to adapt to a new international order (Czinkota & Ronkainen, 2002; Rugman, 2001; Yaprak, 2002).
6. Guidelines for managers
Companies that already are, as well as those that plan to become, global marketers must look closely at the world marketplace to identify global opportunities (Jeannet & Hennessey, 2001). Consequently, in order for organizations to evaluate their numerous international opportunities, they must develop an expertise in conducting global marketing research studies. This expertise can be effectively translated into a competitive advantage. As companies continue to seek competitive advantages across national boundaries, being cognizant of the variety of cross-cultural marketing research challenges as discussed in this paper provides an essential ingredient to the firm's ultimate success. Clearly, international marketing research provides information about foreign consumers and critical information regarding the global marketplace.
