2.1.2 Methods of International Market Research国际市场...

2.1.2 Methods of International Market Research国际市场调研的方法

To begin with,it is essential to set clearly-defined goals for the research,including what you want to know and why.Then,set off gathering data for the goal.Depending on your budget,time available and experience,research at different levels of sophistication is possible.Simple researches can be accomplished totally on your own,such as a study of demographic data of your target market or creating a short questionnaire on purchase preferences of prospects.Complex ones may require assistance from professional market research firms.Regardless of various constraints,a certain type of market research is always possible—be it a macro level or a micro level research,a desktop research(sometimes called a secondary research),a field research(sometimes called a primary research)or a combination of the two.

♦Desktop research案头调研

Desktop research exploits existing resources for the issues in question,which could be company records,government statistics,publications,and studies by research institutions like libraries,universities,international organizations,industry associations and consulting firms.A big plus of these resources is that they are readily available and cost-effective.Customer information from your past records of transaction is the most convenient place to start out.Try sales invoices,receipts and/or customers’ complaining letters.Oftentimes desktop research sheds light on just the same issue you try to resolve through field research.Therefore,you are highly recommended to consider these resources before conducting a field research.This is particularly cost-effective for international business.

Admittedly,however,desktop research is less targeted than field research.The statistics or studies may not tailor to your specific needs and some statistics are too expensive to purchase.Whichever the case,it still yields valuable information and answers questions that are not suited to address through field research,such as assessing macro-economic conditions or asking questions that may make respondents feel uncomfortable,such as questions about age and income levels.

♦Field research实地调研

Field research gathers first-hand information for a specific question or a series of questions.This is often difficult for international market research if you rely on your own.So,a market research firm can be hired.Information for a field research could normally be gathered through surveys,observations,or experiments.The pros of a fieldresearch lie in that you can specifically target your desired groups(such as your prospects or a geographic area for your business)and tailor the research to specific issues,which helps you better understand the market.The downside is that it can be time-consuming and expensive,and the results are not readily available,particularly when you need to hire a research firm.However,some cost for international research can be greatly reduced by using online survey services.Like in China,online survey services are popular in many countries.There are both free and paid services online.Try one called “easyquest”at “https://www.easyquest.com/en/”.It is free and handy,like Wenjuanxing in China.