Date of Award

8-1-1996

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Department

Master of Business Administration

First Advisor

Dr. Louis Pol

Second Advisor

Dr. Sufi Nazem

Third Advisor

Dr. Maurice Parker

Abstract

Over the last two decades more companies expanded their business internationally. Key factor to successful global decision making is marketing information. International companies find it essential to know how to do research abroad and how to do it most cost effectively. Although this knowledge is crucial to international companies there is a general lack of cross-national research on survey methodology. Only cross-national comparisons of survey methodology detect differences and similarities in patterns of survey methods and offer insight into the standardization versus adaptation debate. Globalization of markets suggests that survey methodology moves toward greater similarity (standardization), which is more cost effective. However, cross-national differences prompt an adaptation strategy to avoid losses caused by inappropriate strategies. This thesis represents a comparison of survey methodology in the US and Europe. The main goal is to detect differences in survey methodology between the two markets. The review of literature suggests differences between the ,US and Europe with regard to factors that influence the utilization of a survey method. Important issues are the costs of conducting a survey, the access and acceptance of survey media, the availability of mailing lists, and the debate over the differentiation of telemarketing and telephone research. Primary studies of US, UK and German journals were classified through a content analysis. The statistical analysis resulted in significant differences in the utilization of personal interviews and mail surveys in the US and in Europe. No significant difference was found for the use of telephone surveys. Furthermore, differences between European countries were tested and resulted in significant differences. Results are discussed and interpreted with regard to cross-national differences.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the College of Business Administration and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Business Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha.

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