International Marketing Research— Effective Use of Secondary Sources

British firms are fortunate in having access to a plethora of information regarding markets and marketing activities in overseas countries. And yet, there are always nagging doubts as to the extent to which such sources of information are effectively used. Perhaps, the choice is too wide. The myriad of directories, research reports, sources of sources and books on overseas markets is just too time consuming to study in detail. There is little doubt, however, that a systematic study of secondary source information before entering a foreign market can greatly enhance an executive's feel for the environment in which his product may (or may not) be selling. This article attempts to help those managers wishing to conduct international market research in the art of finding and using published sources of information.