Why is so little marketing research on Latin America published in high quality journals and what can we do about it? : Lessons from a Delphi study of authors who have succeeded

Purpose – First, this paper aims to uncover how much marketing research based on data gathered in Latin America has been published in high quality business and marketing academic journals over the past decade. Second, it seeks to present recommendations on best practice in conducting and publishing such research derived from a Delphi study of authors who succeeded in doing so. Design/methodology/approach – The paper undertakes a systematic review of the literature to identify the relevant published papers coupled with a Delphi study of the authors of those papers. Findings – Over the last decade only 22 papers were published in high quality journals in the marketing area based on data gathered in Latin America. The reasons for this scarcity explored in the Delphi study derive both from the way in which high quality journals operate as well as from how authors conducting research in that area of the world design their studies and subsequently present them in manuscripts submitted to journals. Key recommendations include: focusing on novelty rather than replications, ensuring that studies have implications beyond Latin America, and positioning the research appropriately. Research limitations/implications – The main implication is that research conducted in Latin America is publishable in high quality journals if approached in the appropriate manner. Originality/value – This is, to the authors' knowledge, the first study to analyse the challenges involved in conducting and publishing marketing research based on data gathered in Latin America in high quality journals as well as the first to present solutions to those challenges.