UNDERTAKING MARKET RESEARCH WITH ETHNIC MINORITIES

It has been argued that problems have arisen in marketing because a substantial amount of ethnic minority research is conducted with reference to social science theories developed during the 1960s and 70s, when racial and ethnic populations were dramatically different in terms of their numbers , education, income, values, and lifestyles (Williams, 1995). However researchers have more recently identified the need to consider the issue of how to conduct research on ethnicity that overcomes these limitations. The focus of research outputs resulting from this change are geared towards research methods per se rather than helping market researchers involved in marketing to ethnic groups (see, for example, Stanfield, 1993; Stanfield and Dennis, 1993).

Social class has been a method of differentiating buyers among the white population but is more complex when we try to apply this to ethnic minorities, where discrimination in the labor market can often lead to people from those minorities working in lower-level occupations than might be predicted on the basis of their qualifications (Brown, 1992; Phizacklea and Miles 1992; Sly, 1994). Level of educational attainment may provide a better indicator than social class, but Indian, Black African, and Chinese individuals are more likely to have higher educational qualifications than the white population, though they are still more likely to be unemployed (Sills and Desai, 1996).

Qualitative market research with ethnic minorities can also prove problematic . Sills and Desai (1996) describe how difficulties can arise quite simply from language differences or from the use of idioms (in a non-English first language population), let alone from how people participate differently in focus groups or respond to interviews. Some ethnic groups tend not to participate in group discussions at all, for example, or often bring their families.

Many organizations are poorly placed to meet the needs of the ethnic minority market, resulting in the operation of "colorblind" marketing strategies but couched in terms of equality of opportunity for all. Law (1997) suggests that this response is fairly common within organizations and shows that they are not taking the ethnicity issue seriously.

We have sought to explain and demonstrate how our logic extends to a new thinking for international marketing. The constant theme of having to reconcile dilemmas is paramount. Part of the problem is that many professionals will have to unlearn what they have held dear for many years . As world markets have become an oligopoly, the classical approach has been to identify and exaggerate differences. In the past, differentiation was thought to be king. But evidence from our research at THT shows that to achieve true international success, differences should be celebrated and then integrated. As trading in the global village becomes the norm, market planning that can accommodate cross culture becomes mandatory. The approach described here will be an essential component of the marketer's toolkit to trans-nationalization.

We have sought to explore methods and techniques that range from how empirical data can be gathered as a basis for decision making, through market research in general, through to international research in particular. Let's conclude with a serious plea that researchers and practioners alike need to be humble in the measurement of meaning. Otherwise statistics becomes an instrument that closes a scientific system which needs as much openness as possible. In market research we have to go beyond a scientific inquiry into an appreciative inquiry.

Many problems will be encountered in market research. Many are very similar to the problems encountered by doing any multicultural research. We should all try to eliminate client versus vendor thinking when dealing with marketing research. These two are not adversaries; both should be working toward the success of the business. The real client is the customer who buys your product.