HARKETING PATTERNS AND PROBLE~lS IN DOMESTIC tlARKETS OF COUNTRIES IN THE EARLY STAGES

The topic for this paper is extremely broad, unless one views the less developed countries as a homogeneous grouping, which I do not. In an effort to align my presentation with the seminar objectives and the other presentations, I have organized my remarks around three sub-topics. They are 1. the role of marketing in economic development; 2. marketing patterns and problems in selected countries; 3. some conclusions and suggestions for research. I have purposefully avoided discussing market structures for major export crops which was a topic for another paper being presented at this seminar. In describing actual marketing patterns and problems I have chosen to limit my comments largely to Nip;eria, India, Puerto Rico and Colombia since I consider it an impossible task to cover all countries in a paper of this length. This selection of countries gives geographic coverage in the three continents where most of the less developed countries are located.