The document outlines a process for marketing to customers in other cultures. It begins with defining marketing and market research. It then instructs the reader to create a flow chart showing the step-by-step process from identifying a potential market to establishing successful relationships with foreign customers. It notes that culture can impact the marketing process and cause problems if not carefully considered.

1. T2. Specification of Marketing as a Process
By now you have your definition of Marketing....
TASK: Now I am looking for you to actually take this definition and render Marketing as
a process that runs from the earliest idea of a potential market, right through to a successful
relationship between company and client (where the customer is of another culture and
living in a nation other than that of the company). Please produce this process as a Flow
Chart that chronologically sequences a series of step-by-step activities. (I realise that some
steps run in parallel).
Let me help get you started.....
Presumably your process will involve initial research into the market potential? Here is an
idea of the scope of just one early element of the process: Market Research, which, for your
information, I distilled as follows for the benefit my Lörrach students:
...”Market Research is an ongoing, outward-looking process by which an organisation seeks
systematically to acquire (through primary or secondary research) relevant, valid and
reliable data concerning its existing and potential customers and competitors (and any
present or forecast influences acting upon them which may present threats to or opportunities
for the organisation and its future aspirations) with a view to transforming such data into
knowledge (by means of its organisation, presentation, analysis, evaluation, synthesis and its
timely communication and sharing) in order to underpin strategic and tactical decision-
making such that the organisation is continually engaged in learning and thus always able to
maintain the best fit, dynamic equilibrium between its internal production & service
capabilities and external opportunities/market demand. The Market Research process is such
that although it may be nominally the responsibility of one function/division/department, it
will involve most, if not all, business functions and staff in gathering data, transforming it,
sharing it, learning from it and responding thereto.” T. Jolley (2007)
SO: you have identified a potential market for your product: what comes next? (Continue
your Flow Chart...and keep going....)
Where am I going with all this? .............Well, if I can get you to understand Marketing as a
process... I can then get onto the really interesting stuff and ask you to analyse each
component stage/activity in this process and identify exactly where ‘culture’ and ‘inter-
cultural’ matters may be important issues / play a important roles. I want you not only to be
able to understand culture, but why, where and how it plays a role in order that you can
manage it: you can DO something with it. A lot of people tend to know ‘about’ certain
things, but they often prove unable to intervene at critical moments because they do not know
where to look, what to look for or how to respond. Consider Market Research as defined
above: where do you think ‘culture’ can come in and cause problems unless one is very
careful.