Application of an Automatic Data Alignment & Structuring System for Intercultural Consumer Segmentation Analysis

This position paper introduces a conceptual framework of our ambitious international research project where the aim is extraction and alignment of heterogeneous consumer segment structures across a multiplicity of markets and cultures. We argue that an automatic data alignment and structuring system employing a non-parametric Bayesian relational modelling is an ideal approach that can address challenges in the conventional cross-cultural data analysis. The paper presents an example of our preliminary work that applies this approach to the analysis of opinion survey responses given by male populations in Sweden and Japan. The framework successfully extracts groups of males who express similar but also dissimilar response patterns from the two selected countries. Based on these preliminary studies, the paper discusses potential contributions and future challenges of the international consumer analysis project.