Using an Intelligent Database in the Classroom

This article presents the use, in a classroom setting, of a computer program containing a database of international market information. This program, the Country Consultant, utilizes artificial intelligence techniques for evaluating potential international markets for various industries. The article discusses issues of market selection, concentrating on the information needs for this task. Then the Country Consultant is described, including its conceptual structure and inferencing capabilities. Finally, we discuss the ways inwhich Country Consultant has been used in university-level international marketing classes, and the benefits that can be gained from its us