Abstract:

Significant changes have occurred within multinationals during the past few years and most of them are now in the process of implementing new international marketing programmes. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part reviews the major aspects of the "changing world of marketing" and the new demands and needs addressed to the research industry. The second part will provide an analysis of the consequences of these new needs for the research agency, concentrating on the changes needed within the agency itself. Globalisation may be the way most companies are going, but this concept only, does not give the whole picture of the new marketing process. Marketing achievement is assessed in terms of getting the balance right between central marketing and strategic thinking and a decentralised and flexible marketing approach, adapted to national cultures. Operating today on a Pan-European basis means, even for companies which have been used to dealing with international issues for decades, being prepared to take on new challenges: in all aspects of their lives clients are now facing bigger and bigger decisions, and have to deal with extremely complex issues. International research has changed in scale and kind. Its role is clearly about helping clients to perform in their new tasks, and as there are many more issues in the marketing world today, there is more than just one possible research answer. There are basically three levels of services which can be provided by the research agencies, and it will be critical to assess in which area it is best concentrating our efforts and our investments. A marketing led agency will have more chance of succeeding in this new context than an agency purely technically led. Understanding the emerging market trends and the specific client needs, defining more precisely its positioning and its ranges of products and services and finally assigning the right people to take on the new challenges are going to be critical for the success of the research agencies of tomorrow.