Editor's note: Sandra Wong, Ph.D., is research director at Asian Marketing Communication Research, Belmont, Calif.

What does "context" have to do with Asian marketing research? Context in many Asian cultures can affect the way you conduct marketing research for that population/community. Specifically, this article will look at how context affects:

The goal of marketing and customer satisfaction research is to provide your clients with insightful analysis so they can make effective business decisions. We all know careful planning is essential to maximize the benefits of research, but in our fast-paced business world, it's common for both client and researcher to rush from one project to another. Yet how many times have we said to ourselves, "We wouldn't have to do this 'rework' if we just took a little time to plan. Next time, we will take the time and do it right!"Such common sense is even more important when conducting Asian marketing research. The researcher often needs to consider additional nuances or complexities not always apparent in general market research. Involving a culturally sensitive researcher early in the research planning stages can help avoid mistakes that people unfamiliar with Asian cultures commonly make.

How do context and Asian family relationships add complexity to the selection process? Suppose a researcher wants to talk to "heads of household" about making financial decisions. The researcher randomly selects the Chinese residents of a particular three-unit Bay Area house. There are three names posted on the mail slots: Rose Lee is listed as occupant in the top unit; Ben Chan in the second; and the Fongs in the third. A researcher unfamiliar with Chinese family structure might conclude there are three separate, distinct families from which to gather data. This appearance is quite misleading, however. On closer examination it turns out the residents of the three units are al...