AboutRalph Salier Expertise Business Anthropologist. Business negotiations in multiple cultures and working with multiple cultures in the business arena. Broad understanding of business practices and business "ethics" in different parts of the world.
Experience 25+ years in international procurement and negotiations.
Question QUESTION: I recently worked 1 1/2 years for a market research company, but didn't gain a great deal of experience to continue, at some mid-level, with a new company. I did, however, realize that I like the field of market research and was thinking about an MBA. However, I keep reading that MBAs are becoming ubiquitous and therefore, less important or useful. Would a business anthropology degree be unique choice if I wish to pursue a career in market research? If so, what schools would you recommend.
ANSWER: Hi Joe,
This is a very hard question to answer. There are some people who are business anthropologists who work in the area of marketing or retail. But I'm not sure if they just fell into it or if they purposefully designed a program for them selves.
With your background in marketing, you should consider getting a degree in Anthropology with a focus on cultural anthro. so that you can learn how cultures react differently do different stimuli. This would be a good dissertation subject. I don't know where you live but if you would kindly tell me, I will direct you to a university that will have an open mind and work with you to design a program that would work for you. Wayne State University in Detroit is such a university that is open to allowing the development of a unique program.
Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania are as well but it takes a bit more work and you will need to be able to target specific courses to meet both their and your needs.
Finding work then will be the next challenge. Be sure to have and keep an open mind.
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QUESTION: Dear Mr. Salier,
Thank you for your reply. To answer your question, I live in Los Angeles, CA. My question really stems from reading "The Power of Persuasion", where they call it Consumer Anthropology, but I got the impression that this is a good alternative to an MBA (a marketing alternative), and a good tool to conducting field work in the market research industry, which was one of my responsibilities. However, I don't really know what to expect in an Anthropology program and what to expect once I graduate if what I want to pursue is a career in market research. Thank you once again for your help.
Answer Hi Joe,
LA, a hot bed of marketing and movies. UCLA, UCSanDiego, UCIrvine all have good anthro departments. However, they tend to be rather stiff about "creating" new majors. (Board of Regents need to approve them typically and they are not in the habit of doing so). There are some smaller private schools like those in Claremont (Scripts is a women's college but not all of them are). Pepperdine may be a good option. Loyla Marymount or Vanguard would be worth looking at as well. But as private universities, they are more expensive. I also don't know much about their anthro departments or if they even have anthro as a separate subject area.
Something that may be of interest is the fact that when US films are exported to other parts of the world, they are often misunderstood and misinterpreted which can cause problems for Americans when they travel over seas. One Idea that I had but never expressed it is the idea of making alternative scenes for foreign consumption that would fit into the cultural schemas of other peoples. This may change the character of the film to a degree but it could reduce the expectations of other cultures about us. Just a thought.
Market research from an anthropological perspective is done but it is not viewed that way. Most approach it from a sociological perspective.
