5147 - INTERNATIONAL MARKETING RESEARCH

Hypercompetition leads companies that compete in the international arena to build a solid marketing information and research system. Managers that develop  marketing plans for international firms need a theoretical and technical background about the use of marketing research: the strategic marketing decisions, such as the selection of potential markets and the definition of the international marketing mix, should be supported and oriented by the results of marketing research.
The course takes participants deep inside the marketing research process. After defining the typical marketing objectives, the course presents the three types of research: exploratory, descriptive and causal. Later on, the methods of primary data collection are examined.
In the second part, the course presents how these research tools are implemented by the international firms to support the typical marketing decisions.
The course objective is, first, to give students a wide view of the marketing research process and the principal research tools. Later on, the course puts into practice these tools: participants are given all competencies for developing the most efficient plan for gathering the information they need to support international marketing decisions.  

The course analyzes the following contents:  

• The marketing information system
• Marketing research: problem definition and research objectives
• Exploratory, descriptive and causal research
• Exploratory research and collection of primary data: focus group and in-depth interview
• Descriptive research and collection of primary data: sampling plan, survey and observation
• Causal research and collection of primary data: the experiment
• Data analysis: techniques and models
• Marketing research for the selection of potential business opportunities
• Marketing research for macro and micro segmentation in international areas
• Marketing research for international positioning
• Marketing research for the definition of the international marketing mix

To be definined.

Written exam.