Three important factors to consider when doing marketing research in South-East Asia As move comparies are doing business in the growing Asian market there i a need to conduct market research studies to find out how ‘product and service offerings canbe adapted to the dffring cutures and subcultures that exist in each country inthis dyramie region. Grace Chin, managing director of Asian Ferspectve,a New York research firm, suogests there are three factors which are cic tothe success of conducting market researc with Asan respondents, They ate: language cultural matering and techniques of communication, {terms of tnquage, interviewers mist notjust now the correct dlaect (there ate several versions of Mandarin and Cantonese for example but also must use the right phases and tone of voice to create proper bond withthe respondent. Ms Chin rots that respondents will tend to refuse when scripts are read fo them ina flat and unbiased tone or ithe fel information is being concealed from them. For cultural matching itis important to have ‘ea Asian’ not Westen-Aian (uch as Asian-American) researchers. That researchers ‘must be fuent inthe respondents culture. Asians, she notes, are reserved about thet feelings and therefore are unlikely to disclose this to interviewers with whom they have nothing in common culturally, even though they speak the same language Techniques are ako important. Trusts important in many Asian societies. This means the Asian respondent may actualy want to met the interviewer in ther vn neighbourhood Suspicion may be created by atelechone call flom a stranger from market research company, especialy since (with the exception of Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan} market researc, telemarketing and direct marketing are rot common practices in Asia, Questions ‘1 Do anintemet search on market research companies in South-East Asi, Do they flow any ofthese suggestions? Are techniques sed wich may not be suitable? 2 Ar the statements made by Grace Chin true for counties, and ethnic and language groups in South-East Asia? Provide evidence to support your opinion 3A Naw Zealand company wishes to research the Japanese marcet forthe export of meat. Do the same criteria as suggested by Grace Chin apply? Why? Again, provide some evidence for your answer.