Online survey research is a very powerful tool for conducting international research because of the global nature of the Internet.  As the Internet continues to become more accessible to all consumers worldwide, the viability of conducting international surveys on the web increases.  On the consumer side we still hesitate conducting online surveys in some countries because not everyone has access to the Internet yet and many who do are using slow dial-up connections.  While the consumer Internet penetration varies greatly depending on the country, when it comes to business-to-business projects we find that online has significant advantages over other methodologies.

•  It is easier to field and manage a study from a central location.
• There is more control on the consistency of the questionnaire.
• The study can cover a broader geographic sample.
• Most businesses have high-speed online connections.
• In doing executive interviews, it is sometimes possible to interview in English.
• Data collection is extremely fast compared to other methodologies.
• Business-to-business surveys target individuals that usually have a higher level of education and are more likely to complete self-administered written questionnaires.

The Internet penetration is changing very rapidly and we predict that most international consumer surveys will eventually be conducted online.  The style used to conduct the survey, however, needs to also change to take advantage of the multimedia capabilities.  We are already conducting quasi administered surveys online by using a programmed interviewer's voice or video.  This type of adaptation works very well with Latinos because they tend to prefer a less rigid communication style.  For more information see the "tip" box in our Qualitative Research section.