Elin was completing her post-graduate degree and had been considering options for her project for some time. She was particularly interested in researching more about issues in International Marketing as she had gained her best mark in a module on Global Marketing Management. Whilst she was sure of the discipline focus of her project she had struggled with thinking of any ideas as to how she could apply international marketing concepts, and to what, and using what research method? She talked through these issues with her Personal Tutor, who also happened to be a very well-known marketing scholar. Elin enthusiastically told about her love of skiing; in particular, about the time she spent working in a French ski resort as a 'chalet girl' during most of her gap year before coming to university. She was now hoping to work for one of the main ski tour operators on graduating. Her Tutor pointed out the obvious solution: why did Elin not combine her interests in skiing, and ski operators, with the topic of international marketing? Elin left the meeting very happy; she could envisage now spending her final year researching something that she was very interested in, had prior knowledge of and a topic that would be helpful in her career pursuits. Of course, she still had to find a suitable topic within the International Marketing area. On reading through her module notes and completed assignments she came across one of the main academic and practitioner debates in the area, that of whether to standardize or adapt international marketing practices. Levitt (1983) was the first main proponent of the expanded debate about standardized global marketing planning. His underlying message was that well-managed international companies should move their emphasis from customizing items to offering globally standardized products that are advanced, functional, reliable and low priced. Meanwhile, authors such as Wind (1986) argued the case for the adaptation of marketing in the realization that there are strong obstacles to standardization. The debate is still very much a contemporary one: on searching the online databases, Elin found up-to-date refereed academic journal articles about marketing standardization; however, with the exception of a few studies, there were very few on the international marketing experiences of service providers. Things were looking up; she had now found a gap in previous research which her project could potentially fill. In thinking back to her time as a chalet girl, she remembered that the tour operator she worked for not only offered skiing packages in a number of countries worldwide, but that they had operations in other European countries. She had met, for example, their customers from the UK, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Russia. These tour operators were obviously becoming major multinationals. Large numbers of people in a number of markets were buying and experiencing their products and services annually, and many businesses in ski destinations relied on them for their livelihood. In reviewing the literature in the tourism field, Elin could find little about the international marketing management activities of ski tour operators. Once again, she had established an identifiable gap in previous research. The aim of her project was: 'To investigate the international marketing management decisions of UK ski tour operators'. The issue was now to design and implement an appropriate research strategy, in consultation with her project tutor. Whilst she had first thought that she could research a sample of operators from the 'outside' using secondary data such as company information, industry reports, financial and marketing press, and marketing literature (such as brochures, advertising campaigns, etc.), she realized that she would need to go inside these organizations in order to really find out how and why decisions were made. Elin was excited by the prospect of going into these companies. Answer these questions. 1. Define a problem statement for Elin's project. Also, develop a theoretical framework incorporating Standardized Global Marketing Planning as dependent variable. (Must include an independent, moderating and mediating variables too). Also develop hypothesis for your given framework. 2. Elin has decided to use a qualitative research design. For this, which research strategy should she use for her research project? (Justify your choice with reasons also discuss the Mix Method research approach.) 3. How current research work will include hallmarks or characteristics of a scientific research (Explain each characteristic in context of above given case). 4. What if, Elin choose case study research strategy for her research project. How she should justify her choice of a case study research strategy to her project tutor