ABSTRACT
The process of researching international markets is not fundamentally different from the way marketing research is conducted in a purely domestic firm. The objectives, tasks and methodologies of the process are similar; but the scope, coverage, intricacies and, inevitably, cost, of international marketing research make it a highly specialised and complicated activity. It is quite easy to spend vast amounts of cash on researching international markets with a minimal pay-off. Marketing research always calls for a very clear understanding of the underlying reasons for the study coupled with concise and logical terms of reference. International marketing research requires an even deeper appreciation as to why certain resources are being allocated to a multinational study and a better assessment of the results that may emanate from such an expenditure. This problem is particularly acute in those situations where the resources available for international studies are limited and the major decision becomes the choice of priority areas within those limited resources.
