Abstract:

The content of this paper is coming from purely empirical sources. The author has experienced the years of the transition as a market researcher coming from the academic field. This brand new situation opened up the world of West, with its developed technology, well-trained professionals and standardized procedures. The paper approaches the transition and its effects upon market research from two angles: first, from the input side: what was the most striking when understanding the difference of doing research for Western clients, how does it effect the personal attitude of the researcher and what are the most frequent types and strategies Western client apply in dealing with researchers and agencies from the East. The second part concentrates on phenomena Western marketers and researchers working in the region should keep in mind, like the fact that East Europe is not unified, that the differences between social-demographic groups might be greater than elsewhere, that the special historical and socio-cultural background of East European consumers might require unique techniques and care. The problem of branding is touched upon, from the aspect of new and relaunched brands. The paper is accompanied by a number of personal experiences, observations and examples.