| This article is meant to be a brief review and | | | | factors of importance for a sale and they can be |
| reminder of some valuable yet often bypassed | | | | collected in either real shopping trips or simulated |
| techniques to collect data on international markets | | | | ones.2. Projective techniquesSuch techniques are |
| and consumers.When thinking of market research, | | | | based on the respondent's performance of certain |
| surveys are most likely the first technique that | | | | tasks given by the marketer. The purpose is to have |
| comes to ones mind. However, surveys are a | | | | the consumers (respondents) express their |
| quantitative research and, in order to understand | | | | unconscious beliefs through the projective stimuli; to |
| customer behavior and the social and cultural context | | | | express associations towards various symbols, |
| in which our business will operate, we will need to | | | | images, signs.Cooper (1996) suggested that |
| perform some qualitative research as well.Qualitative | | | | projective techniques can be successfully employed |
| methods are most certainly a more appropriate | | | | to: |
| option when in need of researching patterns and | | | | - indicate emotional and rational reactions;- provide |
| attitudes in customer behavior, understand the depth | | | | verbal and non-verbal communication;- give permission |
| of the environment around the customer, and | | | | to express novel ideas;- encourage fantasy, |
| understand the cultural characteristics then influence a | | | | idiosyncrasy and originality;- reduce social constraints |
| customer - especially when the marketer is not | | | | and censorship;- encourage group members to share |
| familiar with the country of culture.There are certain | | | | and "open up".Projective market research techniques |
| situations where qualitative research alone can | | | | can take the following forms, presented |
| provide the marketer with all insights needed to | | | | below.Collages - used to understand lifestyles and |
| make decisions and take actions; while in some other | | | | brand perceptions, respondents are asked to |
| cases quantitative research might be needed as | | | | assemble a collage using images and symbols from |
| well.We will stop by the main qualitative techniques | | | | selected sets of stimuli or from magazines and |
| and see how and where they can be employed in | | | | newspapers of their choice.Picture completion - |
| international marketing. | | | | certain pictures can be designed to express and |
| Craig and Douglas (2000), mention three major | | | | visualize the issue under study and respondents have |
| types of qualitative data collection techniques:- | | | | to make associations and / or attribute words to the |
| observational and quasi-observational techniques;- | | | | given pictures.Analogies and metaphors are used |
| projective techniques and depth interviews;- creative | | | | when a larger range of projection is needed, with |
| group sessions (synectics).1. Observational and | | | | more complexity and depth of ideas and thoughts on |
| quasi-observational techniquesObservational | | | | a given brand, product, service, organization. The |
| techniques involve direct observation of phenomena | | | | respondents are asked to freely express their |
| (in our case, consumers' behavior) in their natural | | | | association and analogies towards the object being |
| settings. Observational research might be somehow | | | | studied; or they can be asked to select from a set |
| less reliable than quantitative research yet it is more | | | | of stimuli (e.g. photos) those that fit the examined |
| valid and flexible since the marketer is able to change | | | | subject.Psycho-drawing is a technique that allows |
| his approach whenever needed.Disadvantages are | | | | study participants to express a wide range of |
| given by the limited behavioral variables and the fact | | | | perceptions by making drawings of what they |
| that such data might not be generalizable - we can | | | | perceive the brand is (or product, |
| observe a customer's behavior at a given moment | | | | service).Personalization consists in asking the |
| and situation but we cannot assume all further | | | | respondents to treat the brand or product as if it is a |
| customers will act the same.Quasi-observational | | | | person and start making associations or finding |
| techniques are reported to have increased in usage | | | | images of this person. This technique is especially |
| over the past decades, due to the large scale | | | | recommended in order to understand what kind of |
| employ of surveillance cameras within stores. Such | | | | personality consumers assign to a brand / product / |
| techniques cost less than pure observational ones | | | | service.3. In-depth interviewsThese techniques of |
| since costs associated with video surveillance and | | | | marketing research put an accent on verbal |
| taping are far lower than a researcher's wage; the | | | | communication and they are efficient especially when |
| tape can be viewed and analyzed at a later time, at | | | | trying to discover underlying attitudes and |
| the marketer's convenience. When performing | | | | motivations towards a product or a specific market / |
| videotaping of consumers' behaviors, they can be | | | | consumption situation.Individual in-depth interviews are |
| asked to give comments and insights upon their | | | | performed on a person-to-person environment and |
| thoughts and actions while the conversation itself can | | | | the interviewer can obtain very specific and precise |
| be recorded and be further analyzed.Pure | | | | answers. Such interviews are common in B2B |
| observation: the marketer watches behavior of | | | | practices of market research, for example when a |
| customers in real-life situation, either in situ or by | | | | company conducts a research about a product |
| videotaping the consumers (less intrusive). | | | | among their existing corporate customers.Interviews |
| Videotaping can be specifically recommended when | | | | can be conducted by phone or via internet-based |
| studying patterns of different cultures, since we can | | | | media, from a centralized location: this can greatly |
| easily compare behaviors taped and highlight | | | | reduce costs associated with market research and |
| similarities and / or differences.Trace measures: | | | | the results are pretty much as accurate as the |
| consist in collecting and recording traces of | | | | face-to-face ones. The only disadvantage would be |
| consumers' behavior. Such traces can be fingerprints | | | | the lack of non-verbal, visual communication.Focus |
| or tear of packages, empty packages, garbage cans | | | | groups are basically discussions conducted by a |
| analysis and any other ways a marketer can imagine | | | | researcher with a group of respondents who are |
| (it's all about creativity here!). In eMarketing, trace | | | | considered to be representative for the target |
| measures come under the form of recorded visits | | | | market.Such meetings are usually held in an informal |
| and hits - there are numerous professional | | | | setting and are moderated by the researcher. |
| applications that can help an emarketer analyze the | | | | Videotaping the sessions is common these days, and |
| behavior of visitors on his company's website.Archival | | | | it can add more sources of analysis at a later |
| measures: can be any type of historical records, | | | | time.Focus groups are perhaps the ideal technique, if |
| public records, archives, libraries, collections of | | | | available in terms of costs and time, to test new |
| personal documents etc. Such data can prove to be | | | | ideas and concepts towards brands and products; to |
| of great use in analyzing behavioral trends and | | | | study customers' response to creative media such as |
| changes in time. Marketers can also identify cultural | | | | ads and packaging design or to detect trends in |
| values and attitudes of a population at a given | | | | consumers' attribute and perception. One of the |
| moment by studying mass media content and | | | | important advantages of focus groups is the |
| advertisement of the timeframe | | | | presence of several respondents in the same time, |
| questioned.Entrapment measures: those are indirect | | | | providing a certain synergy. Disadvantages refer |
| techniques (by comparison to the previously | | | | mainly to the costs involved and the scarcity of good |
| mentioned ones) and consist in asking the respondent | | | | professionals to conduct the interviews and |
| to react to a specific stimulus or situation, when the | | | | discussions.To conclude, we have to keep in mind |
| actual subject of investigation is totally different. The | | | | just how important non-survey data collection |
| marketer plants the real stimulus among many fake | | | | techniques are in today's market research. Not only |
| ones and studies reactions. The method is quite | | | | they provide more depth of analysis but they can be |
| unobtrusive and the marketer can gather valuable, | | | | performed in significantly less time than surveys and |
| non-reactive facts. When the respondent becomes | | | | they're more suitable to be employed during the |
| aware of the true subject under investigation (s)he | | | | exploratory phases of international marketing |
| might change the behavior and compromise the | | | | research.Otilia Otlacan is a young professional |
| study.Protocols: are yet another observational | | | | specialized in eMarketing and eBusiness. She is |
| marketing research technique which asks | | | | currently working as independent Marketing |
| respondents to think out loud and verbally express all | | | | Consultant and she is also teaching her own online |
| their thoughts during the decision-making process. | | | | course in Principles of eMarketing. |
| Protocols are of great value for determining the | | | | |