This paper is intended to be a practical one, this does not mean forgetting about theories, but trying to operationalise them, and contemplate the organisational steps to be taken in order not only to meet future demands (especially in international research) but also to influence future demands.
This paper discusses the various approaches that can be used when conducting international research with particular reference to the benefits of working with a Multinational Research Company or Group. The approaches that a company can adopt when conducting international research can vary widely from the highly centralised (commission direct from a central point) to the highly decentralised (commission at local level, with international management exercising a more or less loose overall coordination function). International Groups can service an international company's needs whatever the preferred approach. Indeed, International Groups are set up for this purpose, with consequent advantages in terms of quality, international comparability and international orientation.
International marketing strategies and styles vary widely from the marketing of almost identical brands through to the meeting of similar consumer needs across several countries via radically differing mixes of product, communication variables and price. Similarly, companies involved in marketing products or services in more than one country take many forms, ranging from home- based exporters through to multi-national concerns with operating subsidiaries in a number of countries. The most significant international businesses tend to be in this latter category and a key factor is the division of the various aspects of marketing policy making between the head or regional offices and the local operations. With such variations in strategy and structure it is not surprising that information needs are similarly diverse. It can be helpful to classify the main areas of research input as contributing to 1) market; 2) strategy or; 3) problem orientation.
The paper deals with the problems encountered and methods applied in carrying out a research assignment regarding the marketing of honey to the Middle East. The survey covered the whole area but concentrated on Saudi Arabia, Kuweit and Algeria considered to be representative of the Middle East both in terms of consumption habits and business environment. This case was selected because it had the advantages of incorporating several techniques and further more it covered a vast region at a cost that could be within the limits of most companies.
The objective of this seminar was to underline the value of the team-effort between user and supplier.
This paper sustains the thesis that market research on an international basis is a very different type of operation from single-country research, and that it requires a fund of experience and a combination of skills that is different from that required for research in one country. A researcher who is used to thinking in terms of one country only, or a research organisation - whether part of an international chain or not - that is primarily designed to handle research on a national basis is unlikely to have the adaptability, knowledge and experience for the execution of international research. The execution of international research is a highly specialised operation. It requires a high degree of central control by a group of researchers experienced and specialised in the management of international research.
This whole topic of the approach to researching advertising for an international brand is too complicated to do more than hint at the framework within which it is necessary to work. I hope that some of the more salient points will come alive by looking at visual examples. Just as there are many occasions when an international approach should not be attempted, the main situation which will lead to building an international brand is a strong centralised organisation rather than many separate points responsible for advertising and marketing policy. Such an organisation will constantly build standards for research, based upon the best local talent and continually checking that the commercial objectives are being met so that the brand does not become rigid.
Simultaneously with the increase of international economic operations - as well capital- as product- transactions - there is a growing interest in different aspects of international marketing. In many fields however, the evolution of the international marketing theory has not kept pace with the complex international expansion and activities of many firms. As a matter of fact, both American and European enterprises are now strongly dependent on foreign markets. In most cases however there is - in spite of this extreme internationalisation - no proper global international marketing strategy. In this article an attempt will be made to elaborate an alternative strategy, founded on four basic principles.
There is no difference between international marketing and domestic marketing. International (and multinational) marketing is only more complicated: the variables of the environment in many countries differ still from the variables in the home-market, but the commercial boundaries within Europe fade away. The countries of the EEC are forming the new home-market of the European firm. The European firm can only survive if they change their management vision from "traditional exporting" to export marketing or international marketing in the EEC. Besides is international marketing research indispensable. The activities in the export or international marketing planning: a. to analyse the environment and to distinguish the possibilities in the EEC (international marketing research; international market segmentation) b. to formulate the marketing strategy, among which the entry strategy c. to control and to evaluate the marketing strategy.
There are a number of factors that continue to form an obstacle to International marketing; and economic developments of recent years make ft difficult to forecast a favourable future for trans-national marketing efforts. This afternoon I should like to add my definition of international marketing to the great heap of definitions that is already in existence. Then I should like to dwell upon the relative usefulness of the exercise. Following that, I should like to discuss some of the present and future obstacles to international marketing, to finally talk about the role of International marketing research, as I see it.