Consumers in different countries also vary in their attitudes toward marketing research.
People in one country may be very willing to respond; in other countries, nonresponse
can be a major problem. Customs in some countries may prohibit people from
talking with strangers. In certain cultures, research questions often are considered too personal.
For example, in many Muslim countries, mixed-gender focus groups are taboo, as is
videotaping female-only focus groups. Even when respondents are willing to respond, they
may not be able to because of high functional illiteracy rates.
Despite these problems, as global marketing grows, global companies have little choice
but to conduct such international marketing research. Although the costs and problems associated
with international research may be high, the costs of not doing it—in terms of missed
opportunities and mistakes—might be even higher. Once recognized, many of the problems
associated with international marketing research can be overcome or avoided.