Clients want marketing research that informs them about what actions they should take, not only what their current situation is. This requires that marketing research use multiple measures instead of single measures, since single measures most often cannot be used to investigate causal relationships. If single measures are used, or if causal analysis with multiple measures is not properly carried out, the absolute or relative influence of one variable on another is easily under- or overestimated. This paper uses three examples from advertising research to illustrate and discuss the risk caused by improper analysis of drawing erroneous conclusions regarding causal relationships.
This paper describes the work carried out in explaining how the Indian consumer reacts to the very idea of consumption. The paper argues that culture is an important determinant of consumer behaviour across categories. A specific model of behaviour with regard to the Indian consumption culture is proposed in the paper.
The market research industry in Asia Pacific has recently undergone three major shocks: the globalisation of the Asian industry, the economic crisis, and the beginning of the internet era. This paper explores where the market research industry in Asia Pacific stands today and offers some views on where this industry is heading.
This paper addresses the eBusiness marketplace in Asia Pacific in the latter half of 2000, with a focus on long-term return on equity models. The dot.com hype through April of this year was a distraction for real businesses needing to understand that they must e-enable to achieve their click-and-mortar potential. Scores of get-rich-quick dot.coms with stupid business plans have left a path of bad faith in the internet marketplace in their wake.
This paper describes issues raised in a recent review of the Market Research Society of New Zealand's Code of Practice (based on the ESOMAR Code) with respect to its appropriateness for qualitative research. Qualitative researchers and social scientists in New Zealand have discovered that in some respects the Code has been written specifically for quantitative research and is not appropriate for some qualitative situations. Some specific issues are described, examples are given and appropriate actions are suggested.
This publication contains the papers presented at the 3rd Asia Pacific Marketing Research Conference and Exhibition Redefining Business in Asia Pacific. While Asia has made great strides in recovering from the worst economic crisis in a generation, the regions ability to sustain growth will depend on how well it adapts to the challenges of the mega trends that are transforming the global economy.
This paper describes methodological issues concerning the Association Pattern Technique, a method to quantify means-end chain structures. The method provides understanding in the way consumers are motivated to choose specific products. The main focus is on the experience and difficulties encountered, in using this method in Europe and China. The topics addressed include development of the questionnaire; analysis of the data; application for the business; and challenges ahead.
Advancing technology, global competition, fragmented and demanding markets, the internet, and the growing power of consumers are major forces, placing intense pressures upon local and global management to understand and better meet the needs of consumers. This paper evaluates the benefits of ethnography observational research in contributing to management consumer understanding. We illustrate the everyday lives of Asian and western consumers with case studies, video clips and analyses, and demonstrate the power of the ethnographic approach to new product development (NPD), branding and communications. Consumers are often unwilling or unable to expose their personal lives in interviewing, and observational research permits direct contact with real Asian everyday life behaviour.
Segmentation using values related variables is increasingly being used in Asia to help in the positioning of brands and to drive marketing communications. This paper addresses some of the drawbacks and limitation of this approach. In particular, it focuses on the failure of this approach to deliver a meaningful understanding of the relationship between brand and consumer and how this hamstrings the building of a brand. This paper posits that when understanding the relationship between brand and consumer, alternative approaches should be considered. In particular, it highlights why consumer need states provide a better platform for understanding consumers behaviour and brand relationships.