With the process of economic globalization, the market and the scope of market competition has been extended to the world. Thus, international market research has become a very important content of marketing theory and practice, however, international market research and domestic market research there is a big difference, this difference comes from the object environment and methods and other aspects. Although marketing science, especially international marketing science on international market research has had a lot of assertions, but they are often in the solution to the problems faced by the international market research will often get into trouble. Therefore. There is a need for new ideas in conducting international market research. The content of international marketing research is not only extensive, but also extremely complex, and therefore more problems than the domestic marketing research, more special. In general, the international market research is faced with three aspects of the problem:
1, you must collect multiple market information intelligence. Sometimes up to more than a hundred countries, and each country's marketing intelligence needs are very different, which leads to increased research costs and research difficulties, due to the research of the countries can not take a unified model, in the countries of alternative research, the researchers may appear a variety of deviations.
2, must utilize secondary data. Some countries have more secondary information, while the majority of countries generally lack of secondary information, and due to the interpretation of statistical concepts in different countries, coupled with the collection of data of different degrees of accuracy, as well as the attitude of the providers of secondary information is objective and fair, all of which affects the limited and non-comparable secondary information.
3, must collect and utilize primary data. International market researchers in the collection of primary data often encounter such problems as language, the diversity of social organizations in various countries, the market effective rate of reflection is low, business and communication infrastructure limitations, and the collection of expensive, the difficulty is self-evident. So, how to overcome these difficulties? How to grasp the ****ness of the international market environment? How to combine research results and marketing decisions? The new methodology of international market research - comparative analysis model, which helps to improve the quality of research data, can provide researchers with a new way of thinking different from the traditional concept of solving the problem.
Comparative marketing research originated from the comparative research method proposed by T. A. Hagler in 1952. This method focuses on the entire marketing market management system.
1, marketing is a function of the environment
Comparative marketing analysis emphasizes the relationship between the marketing process and the environment, the marketing process is regarded as a direct function of the environment.
Marketing decision variable = F (marketing environment variable)
Once the environmental factors change, the marketing decision and the marketing process will also change. Comparative marketing analysis specifically utilizes the "dyadic country" analysis method. It starts by examining a country's environment and successful marketing processes, and makes certain adjustments based on changes in the environment.
Take the case of McDonald's to explain this theory. McDonald's marketing mix in the United States consists specifically of:
1) Product/service design. It focuses on high standardization, high and consistent quality, fast service and long business hours.
2) Price. A low price strategy is adopted.
3) Distribution. Set up stores in areas where townspeople live.
4) Promotion. Take the initiative with consumer-oriented advertising. Especially for young people, mainly relying on TV media.
With this marketing mix, McDonald's was a great success in the U.S. In the early 1970s, McDonald's was ready to explore overseas markets, which required an assessment of possible target markets first. Traditional theories suggest that McDonald's success in the United States came from its effective marketing strategy and McDonald's own efforts.
And the comparative analysis model suggests that McDonald's success is due to environmental variables that make the marketing mix (a function of the environment) successful. The difference between the two theories is that the comparative analytic model suggests that McDonald's should first capitalize on existing opportunities; whereas the traditional approach suggests that McDonald's efforts led directly to success. The comparative analysis model emphasizes that the marketing mix is a function of the existing environment, and that the existing environment enables the success of the given marketing mix. The importance of this concept is that success is not determined by the marketing mix alone, and that the company should first consider how to capitalize on the environment rather than developing the marketing mix from itself. It is therefore important to analyze environmental factors.
2, marketing environment elements (variables)
The most important environmental variables can be divided into: natural, social, economic and legal regulations.
1) Natural environmental variables
This type of variables mainly refers to the natural constraints of a specific market on the amount of product use, including population, population density, geographic location, climate, and the natural conditions of product use (environment, space, etc.). The population variable directly affects absolute market volume, which changes over time, as does climate; the conditions of product use relate to the function of the product in various environments.
In contrast to the case of McDonald's, the success of McDonald's cannot be separated from the natural environment element.
2) Social Environment Variables
This category of variables involves factors related to the social and human aspects of the market environment, including cultural background (ethnicity, religion, customs, and language), educational system, and social structure (individual roles, family structure, social class, and reference groups). The social environment has a significant impact on buyers' expectations, which do not differ by the natural environment.
Since domestic marketers tend to subconsciously and single-mindedly cater to local socio-cultural values when making decisions about the marketing mix, this may be overlooked in international marketing, on the other hand, it is important to exclude the cultural bias of a portion of the marketing managers, consciously or unconsciously. This requires an objective and impartial examination of the socio-cultural environment. In the case of McDonald's, there are many of the same socio-cultural factors that made it successful.
There is a very important value in American culture: the value of time. Fast food caters to this need to be able to eat outdoors at any time, anywhere, and at any convenience. Another cultural and social factor is the prevalent family structure in the U.S. and the trend toward a primarily youth-oriented culture. Since children are often the decision makers for outdoor dining, McDonald's advertisements follow this trend by primarily targeting children and teenagers. The social role of the typical American housewife has also changed, as they are increasingly going out to work, a change that has also increased the market for eating outdoors.
Additionally, it is the place of hamburgers in American food culture practices. The fact that the hamburger is a representation of traditional American food has existed before McDonald's came into existence. It can be said that the success of McDonald's products is largely due to the choice of this already existing and very popular food, the social, cultural environment of the United States for the success of McDonald's paved the way.
The various types of social cultures combine with each other to form the socio-cultural model. The comparative analysis model requires an understanding of the nature of the current national socio-cultural patterns in one's own country before examining the socio-cultural environment in another country, i.e., the impact of socio-cultural patterns on the marketing mix.
3) Economic environment variables
This category of environmental factors includes not only macro but also micro. Such as gross national product, national production value per capita, price level, income distribution, and the price of competing products and services. Economic factors influence the vast majority of consumer purchasing decisions. What it means for a rational consumer to maximize utility varies from country to country due to differences in income levels. Even if income levels are the same, different price levels can change customer buying behavior.
International marketing managers can start by analyzing the level of income and price separately, and then analyze the two together to examine their impact on the success of products and services. This approach can also be called an economic model.
The comparative analytical approach suggests that the relationship between economic models and marketing success can be drawn to a large extent from the domestic situation. In the case of McDonald's, the economic variables that influence the success of McDonald's are the level of income and the disposable income of U.S. residents, factors that make it possible for Americans to frequent McDonald's. Although dining at McDonald's is more expensive than preparing one's own dinner at home, McDonald's food has a comparative price advantage over traditional American restaurant dishes. These factors combine to make dining at McDonald's an economic phenomenon in American society.
4) Legal Environment Variables
Laws and regulations do not directly stimulate demand for a particular type of product or service, they simply indicate: "may or may not" . The company must have a clear understanding of the laws related to marketing decisions, which can vary greatly from country to country and will directly affect the company's marketing decisions. The influence of the legal environment on marketing can be confirmed in the case of McDonald's. McDonald's television advertising to children contributed to its success. However, in many other countries, especially in some European countries (e.g. Germany), such advertisements are completely banned.
3. Analyzing Environmental Variables
The comparative analysis approach to analyzing environmental variables differs from the traditional approach. Whether it is Robert Bartels (Robert Barrels) or Warren Keegan (Warren Keegan), they are in a particular country, the market examined the environmental factors, and then try to make the marketing mix to adapt to the environment. Comparative analysis, on the other hand, emphasizes the **** between, through the analysis of environmental factors, to identify the environmental variables that are critical to the success of the product or service, which are the same in any country. Such variables can be called "success factors".
Conventionally, marketers tend to view success factors as being under their control. Comparative analysis, on the other hand, views success factors as a function of the environment, i.e., a function of a particular environment consisting of many external, uncontrollable factors. It is the positive effects of the success factors, i.e., the opportunities, that make marketers successful. Thus, people can only be successful if they identify opportunities in their environment. This perspective inspires the person concerned to study and analyze the environmental variables in as much detail as possible. It becomes very significant for marketing and prevents the traditional behavior of overestimating the manager's own strengths.
The comparative analysis model provides a methodology for studying the functional relationship between a firm's existing marketing mix and its environment. Comparative analysis also provides a way to analyze separately the key environmental variables that (success factors) become the focus of international marketing research.
For example, in the case of McDonald's, success factors include: population, population density, family structure, mother's role, income level, and access to children's advertising media. When examining the environment of another country, companies must focus on these success factors and adjust their marketing mix appropriately. The above describes a way of thinking about market research, which still has to deal with a number of balancing issues in its practical application. If the researcher ignores these balancing issues, the analysis conducted in the research will become "out of sync". These issues are discussed in general terms below.
1, the consistency of the model structure
Countries have different degrees of social, cultural, economic, and political differences, and the research model constructed will also be different from the internal causes of non-comparability, which will affect the effectiveness of the model. Therefore, the factors related to model construction must be comparable and consistent. Generally speaking, the elements related to the model structure can be summarized into the following four parts:
1) Behavioral perception
This refers to the consumer's perception of a certain consumer behavior is comparable across countries? For example, in the United States, handing a guest a cup of coffee is done purely out of courtesy, and the guest can refuse; whereas in Saudi Arabia, this act of toasting a cup of coffee is imbued with a certain socially suggestive meaning, and the guest's refusal may be an offense. Consumer behavior can generally be examined in three ways: the content of the act; the object of the act; the name of the act.
2) Defining Variables
Variables in a comparative analysis model can be defined differently across countries, which can cause a lack of comparability in the data collected and bias the model.
For example, in the UK and France, a set meal usually comes with a dessert after the main course, whereas in China, a set meal does not necessarily include a dessert.
3) Time
Market research can be conducted simultaneously, consecutively or independently in different countries. And absolutely synchronized research is impossible. This creates time differences in the data.
For example, seasons, economic cycles, inflation, etc. can give time differences in the same variable.
4) Market Structure
Analysis of market structure requires factors such as the degree of market structuring and the stage of market development in particular. Because different distribution channels, advertising coverage, substitutes and the intensity of competition will affect the functional relationship of the comparative analysis model.
2. Measurement
The results of measurement are very closely related to the construction of the model. However, it cannot be assumed that a balanced construction of the model automatically guarantees a balanced measurement of the data. The following issues can be examined:
1) Qualitative standards
For example, product quality, safety, and grade will have different standards in each country. The researcher has to identify the differences between countries and try to use international standards.
2) Translation
Even if the constructed model itself is sound, translation problems can arise when analyzing it in the same language, thus compromising the accuracy of the model. Translation problems include both linguistic and non-linguistic translation problems. In this regard, sociological research methods, such as the two-way translation method, can be drawn upon extensively.
3, sampling
Sampling is widely used in research. However, in international market research, sampling will face two problems:
1) the standard problem of classification definition
Population sampling according to the classification of demographic information, but the classification standard varies from country to country.
For example, "social status" , in the United States is mainly based on the property owned by the subject; while in the United Kingdom, it is mainly based on the subject's family and party in society.
2) Problems of Sample Scope and Representativeness
The researcher has to make a trade-off between sample scope and representativeness.
For example, when conducting research on the inclusion of habits, generalized criteria such as age, income, education, occupation, etc. can be chosen to facilitate separate comparisons. But in our country, there is another representative criterion: the South or the North. The latter is not a generalized standard.
On the surface, the comparative analysis model is very similar to the traditional analysis of marketing environment factors, but because of the two for the environmental factors (environmental variables) there is an essential difference in the understanding of the same information to get completely different results. When we face a variety of problems in the implementation of international market research, the superiority of the comparative analysis model is revealed.