ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the embeddedness of global market research in discourses and mythologies of markets, consumers, products, and globalization which frames market research practices and consequently brand communication and product development. The market orientation logic suggests a certain relation between organizations and markets in which practices of market research play crucial roles. Market research methods are often divided into groups of quantitative and qualitative techniques in order to point towards the different criteria of reliability and validity. The role of research is to establish objective and value-neutral knowledge and measures, representative across time and context. The overall purpose of marketing research is to assess information needs and provide the relevant information in a systematic and objective manner to improve marketing decision making. The understanding of consumer preferences as a structure which shapes and co-constitutes organizational market realities renders visible through informants’ discourses on consumption and consumers, products, and the organizational role of market research.
