Marketing Research Exam 1

T or F: Marketing research that examines the performance of a promotional program must consider the total program as each effort is independent and does not affect others in the promotional mix.

False

T or F: Measurement and scaling issues are relevant only in primary research.

False

T or F: Observational research can collect information about attitudes, intentions, motivations, and past behavior, which are usually invisible in the questioning approach.

False

T or F: Research should be conducted only when the expected value of the information to be obtained is less than the cost of the research.

False

T or F: Sampling error can be reduced by decreasing the sample size.

False

T or F: The budget is usually the sole determinant of the survey method.

False

T or F: While modeling causal relationships, variables or constructs in relationships can only be dependent variables.

False

T or F: The richness of qualitative data can often supplement the facts gathered through other primary data collection techniques.

True

The Code of Ethics for the American Marketing Association applies to all marketing functions including research

True

Which of the following helps generate insights that will help define the problem situation confronting the researcher? A. Exploratory research B. Descriptive research C. Causal research D. Demographic research E. Narrative research

A. Exploratory Research

Marilynn Castillo is a marketing manager with a major firm. She is debating whether to conduct a marketing research study before commercializing a product. She realizes that conducting the study will cost approximately $100,000. If she launches the product without conducting the study and the product fails, her firm could suffer a loss of $2 million. According to the above scenario, Marilynn is doing a(n) _____. A. time-availability assessment B. cost-benefit assessment C. research-design assessment D. information-availability assessment E. market-sensitivity assessment

B. cost-benefit assessment

The first task in the information research process is to _____. A. redefine the decision problems as research problems B. identify and clarify management's information needs C. determine the measurement issues and scales D. determine the sample plan and sample size E. determine the research design and data sources

B. identify and clarify management's information needs

The objective of descriptive research is to: A. test cause-and-effect relationships between specifically defined marketing variables. B. explicitly define the research question and variables. C. collect information that provides answers to research questions. D. choose the type of individuals who will best represent the target population of interest. E. ascertain how much detail of the behavior needs to be recorded.

C. collect information that provides answers to research questions

As compared to marketing researchers, management decision-makers _____. A. like to explore new phenomena B. like abstractions rather than concrete findings C. focus on information that allows certainty D. are scientific and analytical thinkers E. focus only on past information

C. focus on information that allows certainty

Which of the following is an advantage of person-administered survey methods? A. They eliminate the possibility of the interviewer-respondent error. B. They ensure that there are no recording errors. C. Overall cost of data collection using an interviewer is lower than other data collection methods. D. Interviewers can help ensure respondents are screened to represent the target population. E. In-home and in-office interviews are less time consuming.

D. Interviewers can help ensure respondents are screened to represent the target population.

Which of the following statements is true about internal secondary data? A. It is expensive to access the sources of internal secondary data. B. Internal secondary data are not usable for future business decisions. C. It can be easily obtained from scholarly and government sources. D. Internal data sources are used after getting useful information from external sources. E. Internal data are the cheapest and most readily available sources of secondary data.

E. Internal data are the cheapest and most readily available sources of secondary data.

3. Quantitative research methods are characterized by: A. small samples. B. unstructured questions. C. subjective analyses. D. preliminary insights. E. descriptive and casual designs.

E. descriptive and casual designs.

Services provided by standardized research firms that include data made or developed from a common data pool or database are called _____ services.

Sydnicated business

T or F: A construct is an unobservable and abstract concept.

True

T or F: A positive relationship is an association between two variables in which they increase or decrease together.

True

Frugging means A. claiming that a survey is for research purposes and then asking for a sale or donation. B. fully explaining to respondents any deception that was used during research. C. using the data collection personnel to fill out surveys for fake respondents. D. combining different publicly available information, usually unethically, to determine consumers' identities, especially on the Internet. E. conducting research below professional standards.

A. Claiming that a survey is for reason purposes and then asking for a sale or donation

9. Which of the following situations treats "deal proneness" as a dependent variable in a relationship? A. Deal proneness is predicted by a person's household income. B. Deal proneness results in greater price sensitivity. C. Deal proneness predicts the time spent by a person shopping. D. Deal proneness does not depend on a person's age. E. Deal proneness leads to greater brand loyalty.

A. Deal proneness is predicted by a person's household income.

Which of the following is true of external research suppliers? A. External suppliers chosen by companies on a study-by-study basis can help the company gain greater flexibility. B. They perform only selected aspects of marketing research. C. They provide general results following a standard format. D. They concentrate their activities in one specific area. E. Most companies do not use external research suppliers because the suppliers can be less objective and less subject to company politics and regulations than internal suppliers.

A. External suppliers chosen by companies on a study-by-study basis can help the company gain greater flexibility

Which of the following is true of marketing research? A. It draws heavily on the social sciences, both for methods and theory. B. It is typically conducted for branding of new products but not for existing products. C. It can be applied to a variety of problems including price, product and promotion, but excluding place. D. Theoretical research plays no role in marketing research. E. Marketing research investigations that focus on topics such as trade area analysis and store image/perception are categorized as promotional research methodologies.

A. It draws heavily on the social sciences both for methods and theory

John works for CompTech Solutions. He is a typical "marketing researcher." Which of the following statements is most likely to be true about John? A. John is a scientific thinker, and loves to explore new phenomena. B. John wants results about future market component behavior. C. John is an intuitive thinker, and wants information to confirm his decisions. D. John does not like surprises. E. John wants information that allows certainty.

A. John is a scientific thinker, and loves to explore new phenomena.

_____ is information collected specifically for a current research problem or opportunity. A. Primary data B. Alternate data C. Secondary data D. Warehouse data E. Backup data

A. Primary data

Which of the following is true of qualitative research methods? A. Qualitative data may be analyzed qualitatively or quantitatively. B. Qualitative researchers must be able to translate numerical data into meaningful narrative information. C. Qualitative researchers seek to fit their answers into predetermined categories rather than to understand research participants. D. Qualitative research is less superior for studying topics that involve complex psychological motivations. E. Qualitative researchers emphasize their samples are made up of representative rather than relevant consumers.

A. Qualitative data may be analyzed qualitatively or quantitatively

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the online survey method? A. The probability of the occurrence of the nonresponse bias is high. B. They prove to be more expensive per respondent than other survey methods. C. They cannot randomize the order of questions within a group. D. Coding is mandatory for online resources which complicates things. E. They are very time consuming due to which quick data collection is not possible.

A. The probability of the occurrence of the nonresponse bias is high.

Which of the following is true of independent variables? A. Their values are directly manipulated by the researcher. B. Their values remain constant throughout an experiment. C. They are also called criterion variables. D. The value of independent variables changes only with change in the value of dependent variables. E. They do not affect the outcome of an experiment.

A. Their values are directly manipulated by the researcher.

Which of the following is true about sampling errors? A. They are caused by the size of the sample. B. They can be reduced by decreasing the sample volume. C. They cannot be measured statistically. D. They cannot be measured directly. E. They occur when the findings based on the sample and the true values for a population overlap.

A. They are caused by the size of the sample.

Allen is an accomplished qualitative researcher. Which of the following would be Allen's primary goal? A. To uncover deep underlying motives behind people's buying behaviors B. To make accurate predictions about relationships between market forces and purchase behavior C. To validate the relationship between advertising expenses and sales volume D. To make generalizable observations about a target population's buying behavior E. To test a hypothesis linking coupon value to brand preference

A. To uncover deep underlying motives behind people's buying behaviors

Data generalizability is the: A. degree to which the data is an accurate portrait of the target population. B. degree to which a specific question or investigated issue leads the respondent to give a socially expected response. C. level of preparation required to create an appropriate environment for the respondent. D. degree to which respondents share certain similarities. E. percentage of the general population that is the subject of the market research.

A. degree to which the data is an accurate portrait of the target population.

External validity is the: A. extent to which a causal relationship found in a study can be expected to be true for the entire defined target population. B. degree to which a specific question leads the respondent to give a socially expected response. C. level of preparation required to create an appropriate environment for the respondent. D. degree to which respondents share certain similarities. E. percentage of the general population that is the subject of the market research.

A. extent to which a causal relationship found in a study can be expected to be true for the entire defined target population.

A(n) _____ is the variable or construct that predicts or explains the outcome variable of interest. A. independent variable B. dependent variable C. positive relationship D. negative relationship E. null hypothesis

A. independent variable

A _____ is an observable item that is used as a measure on a questionnaire. A. variable B. construct C. relationship D. hypothesis E. parameter

A. variable

Which of the following is a disadvantage associated with quantitative survey research designs? A. Concepts and relationships that are not directly measurable cannot be studied using quantitative survey designs. B. It is difficult to attain in-depth data with quantitative survey designs. C. They cannot identify small differences. D. Producing precise estimates can be a problem. E. They do not facilitate advanced statistical analysis.

B. It is difficult to attain in-depth data with quantitative survey designs.

Which of the following is true of quantitative methods? A. It enables researchers and clients to get closer to their customers and potential customers than does qualitative research. B. It uses formal questions and predetermined response options in questionnaires administered to large numbers of respondents. C. Quantitative analysis techniques cannot be applied to qualitative data. D. It can be superior for studying topics that involve complex psychological motivations. E. Quantitative researchers usually collect detailed data from relatively small samples which limit a researcher's ability to generalize quantitative data to the population.

B. It uses formal questions and predetermined response options in questionnaires administered to large numbers of respondents.

Test marketing ________ A. identifies two or more segments within the market for a particular company's products. B. provides information for decisions on product improvements and new-product introductions. C. includes choosing and evaluating locations, channels, and distribution partners. D. focuses on database development through optical scanning at the point of purchase. E. involves understanding how one's target consumers behave as shoppers, in different channels and formats, and leveraging this intelligence to the benefit of all stakeholders.

B. Provides information for decisions on product improvements and new-product introductions

Which of the following statements is true regarding mail panel surveys? A. They usually result in low response rates. B. They can be used for longitudinal surveys. C. The panel cannot be tested prior to the survey. D. They ensure that participants are representative of the target population at large. E. They are person-administered surveys.

B. They can be used for longitudinal surveys.

A _____ is an unobservable concept that is measured by a group of related variables. A. relationship B. construct C. variable parameter D. dependent E. hypothesis

B. construct

_____ data are collected by organizations other than the company conducting the research. A. Internal primary B. Internal secondary C. External secondary D. External primary E. Field research

C. External secondary

Which of the following is an advantage of using quantitative research over qualitative research? A. Relatively quick data collection in most cases B. Cost-effective data collection C. High reliability D. Richness of the data E. Accuracy of recording marketplace behaviors

C. High reliability

In the context of the drop-off survey, which of the following is true? A. It is a face-to-face personal interview that takes place in a shopping mall. B. It is a face-to-face structured question-and-answer exchange conducted in the respondent's home or at times in office environments. C. In this survey, a representative of the researcher hand-delivers a self-administered questionnaire to selected respondents. D. FCC regulations prevent the use of drop-off surveys. E. In this survey, the researchers arrange for a computer-assisted telephone interview with the respondents.

C. In this survey, a representative of the researcher hand-delivers a self-administered questionnaire to selected respondents.

Which of the following statements is true about the information research process? A. It narrows the applicability of the research process in solving organizational problems and creating opportunities. B. A more appropriate name for the information research process is now the traditional marketing research process. C. It is a systematic approach to collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and transforming data into decision-making information. D. It is especially useful when costs outweigh the value of the research. E. It serves as a written contract between the decision maker and the researcher.

C. It is a systematic approach to collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and transforming data into decision-making information.

According to the iceberg principle, which of the following statements is true? A. One can often get blindsided by problems that could otherwise have been easily anticipated by proactive marketing research. B. Problems become visible only when they become crises; marketing research can help identify problems in their early stages. C. Managers are aware of just a small portion of the true problem; this small portion is generally the visible symptom of a bigger underlying problem. D. 80 percent of marketing research budget is typically spent on solving 20 percent of all the problems facing a company. E. The importance of marketing research is often underestimated in organizations; what people see is a small part of a much bigger support apparatus.

C. Managers are aware of just a small portion of the true problem; this small portion is generally the visible symptom of a bigger underlying problem.

Which of the following illustrates an unethical activity of the client? A. Decision makers requesting detailed research proposals from research providers B. Not using the designated sample of respondents but rather anyone who is conveniently available to complete the survey C. Obtaining first drafts of questionnaires and using the information to perform the research project themselves D. Prohibiting market researchers from de-anonymizing data E. Not following up on the established callback procedures indicated in the research procedure

C. Obtaining first drafts of questionnaires and using the information to perform the research project themselves

Apex Corporation surveys its consumers to determine how they view the similarities and dissimilarities among relevant product attributes for a set of competing brands. This is an example of: A. pricing strategy research. B. distribution strategy research. C. positioning research. D. market segmentation research. E. retailing research.

C. Positioning research

_____ are associations between two or more variables. A. Hypotheses B. Constructs C. Relationships D. Dependent variables E. Null hypotheses

C. Relationships

_____ is a specific document that provides an overview of the proposed research and methodology, and serves as a written contract between the decision maker and the researcher. A. Methodology transcript B. Questionnaire design C. Research proposal D. Interview transcript E. Survey design

C. Research proposal

Major reasons for using government documents as secondary data sources is that they _____.A. are easily available in all marketing blogs B. include the number of previous citations C. are detailed, complete, and consistent D. provide information about past sales of the company E. can easily be tracked using web-based bookmarking tools

C. are detailed, complete, and consistent

Assume that respondents aged 70 or older are only one-third as likely to be in an Internet sample as their actual incidence in the population. Using the propensity scoring method, their responses would be: A. excluded from the sample to avoid any potential bias. B. included as is (only once) to keep the data truly representative. C. counted three times in the sample. D. included selectively (about one-third of the time) in the sample. E. included alternatively.

C. counted three times in the sample.

While designing a study, a researcher is wondering if she should ask respondents their age and gender. She is not sure if she would need that information later in the research process. She is trying to _____. A. determine the correct unit of analysis for her study B. conduct a situation assessment for her study C. determine the relevant variables for her study D. identify the symptoms and underlying problems for her study E. confirm the information value

C. determine the relevant variables for her study

While giving responses to a survey, a respondent discovered that the interviewer nodded her head whenever he expressed a favorable opinion about the issue being discussed. Sensing that the interviewer wanted to hear positive things, he started distorting his responses to please the interviewer. This major disadvantage of person-administered surveys is referred to as: A. nonresponse error. B. gender bias. C. interviewer-respondent interaction error. D. drop-off survey error. E. respondent desirability bias.

C. interviewer-respondent interaction error.

Researchers select sample members purposively or theoretically because: A. various target group members are included or many groups are compared. B. random samples of earlier interviews possess attributes important to understanding the research topic. C. it is usually not possible to recruit a random sample as small samples are inherently unrepresentative. D. it is not recommended to select random samples as they possess particular characteristics. E. random samples are relevant rather than representative.

C. it is usually not possible to recruit a random sample as small samples are inherently unrepresentative.

Neptune Inc., a cosmetics company, has come up with a new body wash. The marketing department of the company conducts a research to determine an appropriate price for the product. The representatives of the company are sent to various malls and are asked to sell the products at different rates. Subsequently, the sales volume is measured. This is an example of: A. laboratory experimentation. B. a drop-off survey. C. test marketing. D. a mail panel survey. E. a wireless phone survey.

C. test marketing.

Causal research is most useful in _____. A. generating insights that help in defining the problem situation B. understanding consumer motivations and behavior that are not easy to access using other research methods C. understanding which variables lead to the dependent variable D. using historical data that has been previously collected for some research situation other than the current situation E. collecting quantitative data to answer research questions such as who, what, when, where, and how

C. understanding which variables lead to the dependent variable

The practice of data collection personnel filing out surveys for fake responsdents is called

Curbstoning

Marketing research depicts the Saturn Motorcycle shopper as a middle-aged, college-educated individual with an average annual income of $75,000. This is an example of: A. market analysis. B. pricing strategy research. C. positioning research. D. market segmentation research. E. retailing research.

D. Marketing segmentation research

Which of the following is a technique that is used to picture the relative position of products on two or more product dimensions important to consumer purchase decisions? A. Retailing wheel B. Optical scanning C. Store image studies D. Perceptual mapping E. Behavioral targeting

D. Perceptual mapping

Which of the following statements is true of qualitative research methods? A. Most practitioners regard qualitative research as being more reliable than quantitative research. B. Qualitative data is collected in relatively long time periods. C. Qualitative researchers emphasize their samples are made up of representative rather than relevant consumers. D. Qualitative researchers usually collect detailed data from relatively small samples by asking questions. E. Qualitative research, particularly for focus groups and in-depth interviews, is time consuming.

D. Qualitative researchers usually collect detailed data from relatively small samples by asking questions.

_____ are sources of internal secondary data. A. U.S. census data B. Scholarly data C. Marketing blogs D. Sales invoices E. Newspaper websites

D. Sales invoices

A manager wants to do a market study before launching a new product. The research study will take three months to complete. Just two weeks before starting the study, she learns that one of her company's competitors is about to launch a product that will compete directly with her company's new product. Based on this new information, she decides to cancel the research study and launch the product immediately. Which of the following is most likely the reason for cancelling the study? A. The problem can be resolved using existing information. B. The problem is not of strategic or tactical importance. C. The information required to resolve the problem is already available in the company's internal records. D. The time constraints associated with the problem make it impossible to conduct the study. E. The cost of conducting the study outweighs the benefit of additional information.

D. The time constraints associated with the problem make it impossible to conduct the study.

Which of the following is true about quantitative survey research designs? A. They have high response rates. B. Concepts and relationships that are not directly measurable cannot be studied using quantitative research designs. C. It is easy to collect in-depth data using quantitative research designs. D. They facilitate advanced statistical analysis. E. They cannot produce precise estimates.

D. They facilitate advanced statistical analysis.

In which of the following scenarios would you most strongly recommend using quantitative research? A. When the objective is to identify new ideas and thoughts for a product B. When the main goal is to uncover unanticipated findings and reactions C. When the objective is to understand hidden underlying psychological processes D. When the objective is to validate and estimate the strength of a relationship E. When you have access to small samples

D. When the objective is to validate and estimate the strength of a relationship

Compared to lab experiments, field experiments: A. are less realistic. B. are more controllable. C. take lesser time to complete. D. more expensive to conduct. E. are more effective in maintaining secrecy.

D. more expensive to conduct.

A manager is interested in studying if there is a relationship between the gender of the order-taker and the amount of food ordered. The researcher conducts his experiment in a fast food store for two consecutive days, Monday and Tuesday, between 1.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. He calculates the number of orders placed on Monday when the order-taker is a female and the number of orders placed on Tuesday when the order-taker is a male. In this situation, the dependent variable is: A. the gender of the order-taker. B. the time period during which the orders were recorded. C. the store at which the experiment was done. D. the total dollar amount of orders taken on each day. E. the day of the week when the data was collected.

D. the total dollar amount of orders taken on each day.

Which of the following is true about nonsampling errors? A. They are not controllable. B. They can be directly measured. C. They can be minimized by increasing the sample size. D. They are the result of a difference between the findings based on the sample and the true values for a population. E. They cannot be statistically measured.

E. They cannot be statistically measured.

A _____ is an empirically testable though yet unproven statement developed in order to explain phenomena. A. construct B. negative relationship C. sample statistic D. positive relationship E. hypothesis

E. hypothesis

With regard to qualitative research, the lack of representativeness of the defined target population can: A. prevent researchers from collecting in-depth data about respondents' attitudes, beliefs, emotions, and perceptions. B. dilute the richness of the data. C. enhance the researcher's ability to generalize qualitative data to the population. D. constrain researchers to probe more deeply into areas such as subconscious consumer motivations. E. limit the use of qualitative information in selecting and implementing final action strategies.

E. limit the use of qualitative information in selecting and implementing final action strategies.

Conceptualization of a model means developing a: A. research concept before developing a literature review. B. conceptual model of the geographic area from which the sample would be drawn. C. text-based model to do statistical testing of hypothesized relationships. D. conceptual model of a new product before it is tested in a lab setting. E. model that shows variables and hypothesized relationships between variables.

E. model that shows variables and hypothesized relationships between variables.

A marketing firm launched a major advertising campaign to position its brand as superior to its competitors. After the campaign had run for six months, the marketing team wanted to use the marketing research to determine if it had achieved its objective. Which of the functions of marketing research is carried out by the firm?

Evaluation of marketing actions

T or F: Secondary data is information collected for a current research problem or opportunity.

Fale

A dependent variable predicts or explains the outcome variable of interest.

False

Many companies use internal research suppliers because the suppliers can be more objective and less subject to company politics and regulations than external suppliers.

False

T or F: A primary research must always be conducted along with secondary data to address a research problem.

False

T or F: According to a survey of marketing research executives, there has been a shift from executional to analytical skill requirements in the marketing research industry.

False

T or F: Data that are generalizable cannot be accurately projected to the target population.

False

T or F: Exploratory research collects quantitative data to answer research questions such as who, what, when, where, and how.

False

T or F: External validity refers to the extent to which the research design accurately identifies causal relationships.

False

T or F: Given the nonlinear nature of marketing research, it is not a very systematic process.

False

T or F: If a respondent does not want the researcher to find out the truth, it is ethical for the respondent to lie on a survey.

False

T or F: If it is hypothesized that customer satisfaction depends on service quality, then service quality is the dependent variable in this relationship.

False

T or F: If one is short of time, one should opt for quantitative research as it can generally be completed in a shorter time period compared to qualitative research.

False

T or F: In order to do a situation analysis, a marketing researcher must depend solely on the information provided by the client.

False

T or F: In-depth interviewing increases the likelihood of participants responding in a socially desirable manner.

False

T or F: A sample statistic is an estimate of the population parameter.

True

T or F: Causal research enables the decision maker to make "If-then" statements about the variables.

True

T or F: If the research objective is to determine whether differences exist between groups, it is advisable to use descriptive research designs.

True

T or F: In qualitative research studies, textual and/or visual information is examined, categorized, and even sometimes tabulated.

True

T or F: It is acceptable to collect information on consumer preferences using cookies, while at the same time maintaining consumer privacy with respect to identity.

True

T or F: Long time frames give researchers the luxury of selecting the method that will produce the highest quality data.

True

T or F: Marketers are interested in consumer subcultures, as products are often used to enact and support subculture participation.

True

T or F: Marketing blogs are a source of secondary data.

True

T or F: Marketing research methods are diverse, spanning a wide variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques and borrowing from disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology.

True

T or F: Marketing research plays a critical role in developing competitive intelligence.

True

T or F: Online surveys can eliminate the effects of question order on responses because of their ability to randomize the order of questions.

True

T or F: Quantitative analysis techniques may be applied to qualitative data.

True

T or F: Questions examining causal relationships between variables are framed with the focus being on the specific impact one variable causes on another variable.

True

T or F: Test marketing is the most common type of field experiment.

True

T or F: The benefits of internal marketing research providers include research method consistency, shared information across the company, lower research costs, and ability to produce actionable research results.

True

T or F: The end result of conceptualization is a visual display of hypothesized relationships.

True

T or F: The purpose of theory is to generalize relationships between concepts in a way that is applicable to a wide variety of business and often other settings.

True