Using verbal qualifiers in international marketing research

Abstract

In this article we provide a suggestion on how rating scale values’ comparability can be ensured when consumer attitudes are measured across cultures or languages. We postulate that comparisons of data based on verbal qualifiers across languages must not be lexically or metrically equivalent. Thus problems with translation/back-translation techniques can be avoided. In order to illustrate our position we used response scaling for collecting data in seven countries (Belgium-Flanders region, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Tunisia, and the U.S.) and then applied the law of categorical judgment for developing numerical values for verbal qualifiers language-by-language which can be compared across languages.