Abstract:

In his book “Asia Rising”, Jim Rohwer describes Asia as a “bewildering amalgam of religions, races, cultures and languages, of rich and poor, and of advanced and backward.” The purpose of this paper is to find out whether market researchers can make sense of this “bewildering amalgam” of people that represents some 58% of the world’s population, and in a way that allows multi-national businesses to develop marketing strategies that are truly pan-Asian. The paper will examine the international research buying trends that have had, and will continue to have, a profound impact on the ways in which research suppliers in Asia will meet the changing needs of their multi-national clients into the next century.