Abstract:

This paper outlines our experience in the conduct of Market Research for clients concerned with the developing society of Iran. There is no doubt in our minds of the growing significance of market research in that country, the more so since it is not only developing rapidly but also has a basic economic structure similar to that in which market research techniques have flourished in the past. It is the authors' contention that the experience obtained in Iran is of relevance to other developing societies, and moreover that attention to the problems involved in such research forces the researcher back to basic principles and away from "techniques". The paper gives three case histories from recent studies, which serve to illuminate the problems discussed.