Critique this situation with respect to Barton’s job. What recommendations would you have for him? Should the company get involved with the research? Explain your answers.

Barton Boomer, director of marketing research for a large research firm, has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Michigan State University. He joined the firm nine years ago after a one-year stint as a research trainee at the corporate headquarters of a western packing corporation. Barton has a wife and two children. He earns $60,000 a year and owns a home in the suburbs. He is typical of a research analyst. He is asked to interview an executive with a local restaurant chain, Eats-R-Wee. Eats-R-Wee are expanding internationally. The logical two choices for expansion are either to expand first to other nations that have values similar to those in the market area of Eats-R-Wee or to expand to the nearest geographical neighbor. During the initial interviews, Mr. Big, Vice President of Operations for Eats-R-Wee, makes several points to Barton.