Global Marketing Management

Masaaki Kotabe & Kristiaan Helsen

Third Edition
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004
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Management, Third Edition, 2004
 Chapter 6

Global Marketing Research

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 Chapter Overview

1. Research Problem Formulation

2. Secondary Global Marketing Research
3. Primary Global Marketing Research
4. Market Size Assessment
5. New Market Information Technologies
6. Managing Global Marketing Research

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 Introduction

 Given the complexity of the global marketplace,

solid marketing research is critical for a host of
global marketing decisions.
 Most of the cultural blunders in global marketing
stem from inadequate marketing research.
 Six steps in conducting global market research:
1. Define the research problem(s)
2. Develop a research design
3. Determine information needs
4. Collect the Data (secondary and primary)
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 Introduction (contd.)

5. Analyze the data and interpret the results

6. Report and present the findings of the study
 Major challenges faced by global marketing
researchers:
1. Complexity of research design due to
environmental differences
2. Lack and inaccuracy of secondary data
3. Time and cost requirements to collect primary
data
4. Coordination of multicountry research efforts
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 Introduction (contd.)

5. Difficulty in establishing comparability across

multicountry studies

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 1. Research Problem Formulation

 Any research starts off with a precise definition of

the research problem(s).
 In an international context, the marketing research
problem formulation is hindered by the self-
reference criterion (SRC).
 A major difficulty in formulating the research
problem is unfamiliarity with the foreign
environment.
 Omnibus surveys are regularly conducted by
research agencies.

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 1. Research Problem Formulation
(contd.)
 Once the research issues have been stated,
management needs to determine the information
needs.

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2. Secondary Global Marketing Research

 Secondary Data: Data/information which is

already available.
 Primary Data: When the information is not useful,
or simply does not exist.
 Selected Secondary Data Sources: Lexis/Nexis,
FINDEX, National Trade Data Bank, U.S.
Department of Commerce, Japan External Trade
Organization (JETRO), OECD, IMF, The
Economist Intelligence Unit (E.I.U.), ACNielsen
Co, Taylor Nelsen Sofres, etc.

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 2. Secondary Global Marketing
Research (contd.)
 Problems with Secondary Data Research:
– Accuracy of Data
– Age of data
– Reliability over Time
– Comparability of Data
» Triangulate
» Functional or Conceptual Equivalence
– Lumping of Data

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 3. Primary Global Marketing Research
 Focus Groups
 Survey Methods for Cross-Cultural Marketing
Research:
– Questionnaire Design
» Conceptual and Functional Equivalence
» Translation and Scalar Equivalence
» Back Translation and Parallel Translation
» Scalar Equivalence
– Sampling: A sampling plan consists of:
» Sampling unit
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 3. Primary Global Marketing Research
(contd.)
» Sample size
» Sampling procedure
– Contact Method (see Exhibit 6-5)
» Mail
» Telephone
» Person-to-person interviews
» Online Survey Methods (see Exhibit 6-6):
 E-mail surveys
 Random Web site surveys
 Panel Web site surveys
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 3. Primary Global Marketing Research
(contd.)
– Collecting the Information
» Issues of nonresponse
» Courtesy bias
» Social desirability bias
» Redundancy (asking the same question in
different ways)
» Issues of ethnographic research

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 4. Market Size Assessment

 Method of Analogy
– Longitudinal method of analogy
 Trade Audit
 Chain Ratio Method
 Cross-Sectional Regression Analysis

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 4. Market Size Assessment (contd.)

 When using market size estimates, keep the

following rules in mind:
– Use several different methods.
– Don’t be misled by numbers.
– Don’t be misled by fancy methods.
– Do a sensitivity analysis by asking what-if
questions.
– Look for interval estimates with a lower and
upper limit rather than for point estimates.
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 5. New Market Information
Technologies
 Major developments/innovations:
– Point of sale (POS) store scanner data
– Consumer panel data
– Single source data
– Shift from mass to micro marketing
– Continuous monitoring of brand sales/market
share movements
– Scanning data are used by manufacturers to
support marketing decisions.
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 5. New Market Information
Technologies (contd.)
– Scanning data are used to provide
merchandising support to retailers.

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6. Managing Global Marketing Research

 Selecting a Research Agency: The following

considerations should be taken into account while
choosing agency:
– Level of expertise
– Qualifications
– Track record
– Credibility and experience
– Client record
 Coordination of Multi-Country Research:
– Emic versus Etic dilemma
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6. Managing Global Marketing Research
(contd.)
– The emic school focuses on the peculiarities of
each country.
– The etic approach emphasizes universal
behavioral and attitudinal traits.
– In cross-cultural market research, the need for
comparability favors the etic paradigm with an
emphasis on the cross-border similarities and
parallels.
– Several approaches may be used to balance
these conflicting demands.

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 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004

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