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Chapter 6 Global Information Systems and Market

Research

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Introduction

Understand the importance of information technology and marketing information systems

Utilize a framework for information scanning and opportunity identification

Understand the formal market research process

Know how to manage the marketing information collection system and market research effort

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Globalisation of brands

Re-branding with global brand names– Jif - Cif, Marathon - Snickers, etc– Unilever reducing portfolio from 1600 to 400

brands

e.g., Citibank/corp

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•> international travel•World media channels•Regional / global HQ’s•Economies of scale packaging, PR, image, signs, etc.•International consistency & global reach

MASSIVE COST SO WHY BOTHER?

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Information Technology for Global Marketing

Information Technology refers to an organization’s processes for creating, storing, exchanging, using, and managing information.

Management Information Systems provide managers and other decision makers with a continuous flow of information about company operations

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Tools of MIS

Intranet

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

Efficient Consumer Response (ECR)

Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS)

Data Warehouses

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Customer Relationship Management

New business modelPhilosophy that values two-way communication between company and customerEvery point of contact with a consumer is an opportunity to collect dataCan make employees more productive and enhance corporate profitability

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Customer Relationship Management

The major thing is, ‘One size fits all’ is not true. CRM is designed to support the sales

process, and if I develop a system that works in the U.S., it might not work in

Europe.”

- Jim Dickie, Insight Technology Group

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Privacy

Safe Harbor Agreement establishes principles for privacy protection for companies that transfer data to the US from Europe– Purposes of the information collected and used– An ‘opt out’ option to prevent disclosure of

personal information– Can only transfer information to 3rd parties that

are in compliance with Safe Harbor– Individuals must have access to information

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Information Subject Agenda

The starting point for global marketing information system is identifying a list of subjects for which information is desired– Should be tailored to the needs and objectives of the

company

Two essential criteria– Is all the information subject areas relevant to a

company with global operations

– Categories should be mutually exclusive

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Information Subject Agenda

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Scanning Modes: Surveillance and Search

Surveillance– Informal information gathering

• VIEWING – general exposure to information• MONITORING – paying special attention and

tracking a story as it develops

Search– Formal information gathering

• INVESTIGATION – seeking out secondary data• RESEARCH – conducting primary research

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Avoiding Information Overload

Global organizations need– Efficient, effective system to scan and digest

published sources of information in all countries in which it conducts business

– Daily scanning, translating, digesting, abstracting, and electronic input of information into MIS

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Sources of Market Information

Human sources– Executives based abroad are likely to have

established communication with distributors, consumers, customers, suppliers, and government officials

– Friends acquaintances, professional colleagues, consultants, and prospective employees

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Formal Market Research

Global Marketing Research is the project-specific, systematic gathering of data in the search scanning mode on a global basis– Challenge is to recognize and respond to

national differences that influence the way information is obtained

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Steps in the Research Process

Identifying the research problem

Developing a research plan

Collecting data

Analyzing data

Presenting the research findings

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Int’l research considerations (emerging mkts) IN ADDITION TO THE USUAL PITFALLS

Research norms may vary

Local researchers: availability / quality

Secondary data source reliability

Totally different infrastructure, e.g.,–Communications, transport, equipment, etc., –Employment: staffing costs / availability of field staff

Socio-cultural differences, living standards, literacy, tribalism

Political instability–Exchange rate fluctuations

Security

Legislation issues / corruption

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Standardised / multi country research

Direct comparisons between countries feasible

Economies of scale senior management time research development, data processing, etc.

Uniform quality control standards data collection, processing/analysis,

confidentiality, etc,

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Managing multi-country studies

Using own staff only

Using local agency only (Preferably international name)

Using own staff + local agency

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Identifying the Information Requirement

What information do I need?– Existing Markets – customer needs already

being served by one or more companies; information may be readily available

– Potential Markets• Latent market – an undiscovered market; demand

would be there if product was there

• Incipient market – market will emerge as macro environmental trends continue

Why do I need this information?

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Overcoming the SRC

Self-Reference Criterion occurs when a person’s values and beliefs intrude on the assessment of a foreign culture

Must be aware of SRC’s– Enhances management’s willingness to conduct market

research

– Ensures that research design has minimal home-country bias

– Increases management’s receptiveness to findings

No right or wrong, just different

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Are Latin Americans really Americans too?

U.S. perception

Latin American perception

Turkish perception

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Perception of Time

Organization of work– U.S.– Latin America

Organization of free time– U.S.– Latin America

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How to avoid SCR:– Define the business problem according to culture,

habits,norms in home market.

– Define the business problem according to culture, habits,norms in foreign market.

– Isolate the SCR influence in the problem and examine it carefully to see how it complicates the problem.

– Refine the problem without the SCR influence and solve for the optimum business goal situation.

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Ten Good Reasons to use export marketing research and take control of your export markets 1) Put yourself in the "driving seat"2) Develop an efficient market entry strategy3) Control overseas representatives4) Increase your profits5) Familiarize yourself with the market6) Save time and money7) Gain favor with potential customers8) A comprehensive report9) Expert help at hand10) Double your budget

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Developing A Research Plan

Do we need quantitative or qualitative data?

What is the information worth (versus what will it cost to collect)?

What will it cost if we don’t get the information?

What can be gained from the information?

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Availability and Use of Secondary Data

Availability of DataAvailability of Data

Reliability of DataReliability of Data

Comparability of DataComparability of Data

Validating Secondary DataValidating Secondary Data

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Collecting Data (cont.)

Primary Data Collection Methods– Survey research– Interviews– Consumer panels– Observation– Focus groups

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Special Considerations for Surveys

Benefits:– Data collection from a large sample– Both quantitative and qualitative data possible– Can be self-administered

Issues– Subjects may respond with social desirability– Translation may be difficult

• Use back and parallel translations to ensure accuracy and validity

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Sampling

A sample is a selected subset of a population that is representative of the entire population.– Probability samples– Non-probability samples

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Analyzing Data

Demand Pattern Analysis

Income Elasticity Measurements

Market Estimation by Analogy

Time-series displacement

Comparative Analysis

Cluster Analysis

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Presenting the Findings

Report must clearly address problem identified in Step 1

Include a memo or executive summary of the key findings along with main report

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Global Issues in Marketing Research

Many country markets must be included

Markets with low profit potential justifies limited research expenditures

Data in developing countries may be inflated or deflated

Comparability of international statistics varies greatly

Limits created by cultural differences

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Enhancing Comparability of Data

Emic analysis– Ethnographic in

nature– Studies culture

from within– Uses cultures’ own

meanings and values

Etic analysis– From the outside– Detached

perspective that is used in multi-country studies

– Enhances comparability but minimizes precision

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Looking Ahead

Chapter 7 Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning

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Intranet

A Private network

Allows authorized company personnel (or outsiders) to share information electronically

24-Hour Nerve Center

Return

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Electronic Data Interchange

Allows business units to:– Submit orders

– Issue invoices

– Conduct business electronically

Transaction formats are universal

Return

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Efficient Consumer Response (ECR)

This is in addition to EDIAn effort for retailers and vendors to work closely on sock replenishment

ECR can be defined as a joint initiative by members of a supply chain to work toward

improving and optimizing aspects of the supply chain to benefit customers.

Return

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Electronic Point of Sale

Gathers data at checkout scanners – Identifies product sales trends

– Identifies how consumer preferences vary geographically

Return

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Data Warehouses

Can help fine-tune product assortments for multiple locations

Enhances the ability of management to respond to changing business conditions

Return