Abstract:

The paper commences by briefly reviewing some of the research problems which face marketing companies in the process of diversification and highlights the need for a reliable and inexpensive procedure for obtaining an overview of new markets. Next a discussion of some of the possible applications of Item X Use is given followed by a detailed and illustrated account of the methodology which includes 3 stages: A) Preliminary consumer research; B) Main fieldwork; C) Computer analysis and interpretation The paper concludes with a recapitulation of the salient advantages of the Item X Use concept including: Speed, Low Cost, Flexibility, Reliability, Practicality. Finally, the Appendix contains an illustrative example of an Item X Use study relating to Pharmaceutical Corporate Images.