ABSTRACT
The prospect of researching a new, unknown country is a daunting one. Ideally the researcher should have a good knowledge of each country researched; however this is not always practical, especially if a small team has to cover the whole world. However small your knowledge of the country, you should be able to provide useful information. Before launching into a report it is useful to do some background work. If there is enough lead-in time and the country will continue to be an important part of your work in the future you might consider learning the language. Even more important, especially if your colleagues have no knowledge of the country, is to investigate its culture. A foreign language often seems the most difficult problem to overcome. Cultural differences also extend to fund-raising. In the US it is ubiquitous and profitable.
