marketing research chapter 4
All of the following are examples of an observation study EXCEPT _____. A. a mystery shopper pretending to be a customer in a McDonald's outlet B. a cable laid across the street that records the number of cars that pass a certain intersection C. determining how long employees spend taking breaks to smoke cigarettes D. a consumer responding to a questionnaire about advertising
D. a consumer responding to a questionnaire about advertising
Which of the following determines the appropriate analytical technique for data analysis? A. management's information requirements B. characteristics of the research design C. nature of the data gathered D. all of these choices
D. all of these choices
Which of the following is a method of data collection that is used in surveys? A. telephone B. mail C. the Internet D. all of these choices
D. all of these choices
Which of the following should a researcher do in order to infer causality? A. recognize the presence of alternative plausible explanations for the results B. establish a sequence of events C. measure the concomitant variation between the cause and the effect D. all of these choices
D. all of these choices
All of the following are examples of exploratory research techniques EXCEPT _____. A. previous research B. pilot studies C. case studies D. experimentation
D. experimentation
Correlation is sufficient evidence to determine causality in experiments.
FALSE
Direct association means any covariation between a cause and an effect is true and not simply due to some other variable.
FALSE
The purpose of exploratory research is to provide conclusive evidence for a particular business action.
FALSE
Uncertainty in decision making means that the nature of the problem itself is unclear and is the most difficult decision situation.
FALSE
_____ means that the researcher alters the level of the experimental variable in specific increments.
Manipulation
Which type of association is said to occur when any covariation between a cause and effect is indeed due to the cause and not simply due to some other variable?
Nonspurious association
A business opportunity is a situation that makes some potential competitive advantage possible.
TRUE
Absolute causality means the cause is necessary and sufficient to bring about the effect.
TRUE
Descriptive research often helps describe market segments.
TRUE
Descriptive studies are conducted with a considerable understanding of the situation being studied.
TRUE
Negative consumer attitudes is an example of a symptom.
TRUE
The three types of marketing research are exploratory, descriptive, and causal.
TRUE
When a researcher varies price levels and examines the impact on sales, he is conducting an experiment.
TRUE
•Nonspurious association—
an absence of alternative plausible explanations.
A conclusion that when one thing happens, another specific thing will follow is known as a _____.
casual inference
Which type of research allows decision makers to make causal inferences?
casual research
Which type of research is being conducted when a researcher conducts an experiment to answer the question, "Will shareholders respond favorably if we increase executive pay?"
casual research
The rules for interpreting, categorizing, recording, and transferring the data to the data storage media are called _____.
codes
Jackie has noticed that when the temperature rises, sales at her clothing boutique also rise. This is an example of _____.
concomitant variation
Which of the following is the weakest form of causality but is still a useful concept?
contributory casuality
Which of the following is the first stage of the business research process?
defining the research objectives
All of the following are stages in the research process EXCEPT _____. A. analyzing data B. formulating conclusions and preparing a report C. demonstrating causality D. planning a sample
demonstrating causality
What type of research is being conducted to answer the question: "What is the average age of our employees?"
descriptive research
Which type of business research addresses who, what, when, where, why, and how questions?
descriptive research
Which of the following seeks to diagnose reasons for business outcomes and focuses specifically on the beliefs and feelings respondents have about and toward specific issues?
diagnostic analysis
•Forward linkage—
earlier stages influence later stages.
A researcher has completed the fieldwork of collecting data, and now he is checking the data collection forms for omissions, legibility, and consistency in classification. What is this researcher doing?
editing the data
The Food and Drug Administration is targeting salt in processed foods as a health hazard, and some experts believe the agency will require food manufacturers to limit the amount of salt in processed foods. However, the reduction will occur in phases, with salt content being reduced in steps so that consumers will be weaned off of salt gradually. Carefully controlled research studies are underway in which the salt levels are varied and consumers' reactions to the taste are measured. This research is an example of a(n) _____.
experiment
Which of the following is a carefully controlled study in which the researcher manipulates a proposed cause and observes any corresponding change in the proposed effect?
experiment
Companies, such as Kraft and Procter & Gamble, conduct research to clarify ambiguous situations or discover ideas that may be potential business opportunities. What type of business research is this?
exploratory
What type of research is being conducted to answer the question: "Would this target market be interested in this type of new product?"
exploratory research
Carol was invited to participate in a research study along with ten other employees to discuss their experiences using the company intranet. The group was asked to discuss their experiences and were encouraged to feed on each other's comments. What is this type of study called?
focus group interview
The idea that the objectives of a research study will determine the composition of the sample to be used in the study is an example of _____.
forward linkage
•Backward linkage—
later stages influence earlier stages.
Before designing a research study on employees' susceptibility to interpersonal influence when faced with an ethical dilemma, Cindy is searching for other studies that have addressed similar issues. This search is called a(n) _____.
literature review
An employee who pretends to be a customer in order to observe the sales behavior of a clerk at a cosmetics counter in a department store is called a(n) _____.
mystery shopper
All of the following are degrees of causality EXCEPT _____.
non-spurious causality
The Small Business Development Center is conducting an email survey with 25 of its client small businesses to examine the use of mobile marketing applications. This is a precursor to a larger study in which the questionnaire will be sent nationwide toterm-54 more than 1,000 similar small businesses. This initial small-scale project is known as a _____.
pilot study
Which of the following refers to a small-scale study in which the results are only preliminary and intended only to assist in design of a subsequent study?
pretest
The _____ is a master plan that specifies the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information.
research design
The goals that researchers intend to achieve by conducting research as referred to as _____.
research objectives
When a researcher conducts numerous related studies that come together to address multiple, related research objectives, we refer to this as a research _____.
research program
When the researcher has only one or a small number of research objectives that can be addressed in a single study, that study is referred to as a _____.
research project
Which of the following is a research technique in which a sample is interviewed in some form or the behavior of respondents is observed and described in some way?
survey
The most common way to generate primary data in business research is by means of _____.
surveys
•Temporal sequence—
the appropriate causal order of events.
•Concomitant variation—
two phenomena vary together.
When drivers are unaware that a machine is recording how many cars pass a certain intersection that is being considered for a site for a new Wendy's franchise, this is an example of a(n) _____.
unobtrusive method
•Experiment:
•A carefully controlled study in which the researcher manipulates a proposed cause and observes any corresponding change in the proposed effect.
•Conditional Causality:
•A cause is necessary but not sufficient to bring about an effect.
•Contributory Causality:
•A cause need be neither necessary nor sufficient to bring about an effect. •Weakest form of causality.
•Research Design:
•A master plan that specifies the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information.
•Survey:
•A research technique in which a sample is interviewed in some form or the behavior of respondents is observed and described. ◗Telephone ◗Mail ◗Internet ◗In person
•Research project:
•A single study that addresses one or a small number of research objectives. ◗Uses specific techniques for solving one-dimensional problems, such as identifying customer segments, selecting the most desirable employee insurance plan, or determining an IPO stock price.
•Business opportunity:
•A situation that makes some potential competitive advantage possible.
•Business problem:
•A situation that makes some significant negative consequence more likely.
3 Degrees of Causality:
•Absolute Causality •Conditional Causality •Contributory Causality
•Test-market:
•An experiment that is conducted within actual market conditions.
Drawing Conclusions and Preparing a Report •Reporting requirements:
•Conclusions fulfill the deliverables promised in the research proposal •Consider the varying abilities of people to understand the research results •A clearly-written, understandable summary of the research findings
•Exploratory Research:
•Conducted to clarify ambiguous situations or discover ideas that may be potential business opportunities. •Initial research conducted to clarify and define the nature of a problem. ◗Does not provide conclusive evidence ◗Subsequent research expected
Descriptive Research:
•Describes characteristics of objects, people, groups, organizations, or environments. -Addresses who, what, when, where, why, and how questions. -Considerable understanding of the nature of the problem exists. -Does not provide direct evidence of causality.
3 Types of Business Research (IMPORTANT):
•Exploratory •Descriptive •Causal
Drawing Conclusions and Preparing a Report •Steps in communicating the research findings:
•Interpreting the research results •Describing the implications •Drawing the appropriate conclusions for managerial decisions
•Sampling:
•Involves any procedure that draws conclusions based on measurements of a portion of the population.
Editing:
•Involves checking the data collection forms for omissions, legibility, and consistency in classification.
Exploratory Research Techniques:
•Literature review •Pilot Studies •case studies
•Unobtrusive Methods:
•Methods in which research respondents do not have to be disturbed for data to be gathered.
•Research program:
•Numerous related studies that come together to address multiple, related research objectives. •Because research is a continuous process, management should view business research at a strategic planning level.
•Symptoms:
•Observable cues that serve as a signal of a problem because they are caused by that problem.
•Research's role in the decision making process:
•Recognizing the nature of the problem or opportunity. •Identifying how much information is currently available and how reliable it is. •Determining what information is needed to better deal with the situation.
•Experimental variable:
•Represents the proposed cause and is controlled by the researcher by manipulating it.
Causal Research:
•Research conducted to identify cause and effect relationships (inferences).
•Codes:
•Rules for interpreting, categorizing, recording, and transferring the data to the data storage media.
•Diagnostic analysis (a type of descriptive research):
•Seeks to diagnose reasons for market outcomes and focuses specifically on the beliefs and feelings consumers have about and toward competing products.
•Data analysis:
•The application of reasoning to understand the data that have been gathered.
•Absolute Causality:
•The cause is necessary and sufficient to bring about the effect.
•Deliverables:
•The consulting term used to describe research objectives to a research client.
•Certainty:
•The decision maker has all information needed to make an optimal decision.
•Research objectives:
•The goals to be achieved by conducting research.
•Uncertainty:
•The manager grasps the general nature of desired objectives, but the information about alternatives is incomplete.
•Ambiguity:
•The nature of the problem itself is unclear such that objectives are vague and decision alternatives are difficult to define.
•Decision making defined:
•The process of developing and deciding among alternative ways of resolving a problem or choosing from among alternative opportunities.
•Manipulation:
•The researcher alters the level of the variable in specific increments.
•Sampling decisions:
•Who to sample?—target population •What size should the sample be? •How to select the sampling units?
•Literature review:
◗A directed search of published works, including periodicals and books, that discusses theory and presents empirical results that are relevant to the topic at hand.
•Pilot Studies:
◗A small-scale research project that collects data from respondents similar to those to be used in the full study. -pretest -focus group
•Basic design techniques for descriptive and causal research:
◗Surveys ◗Experiments ◗Secondary data ◗Observation
◗Focus Group:
-A small group discussion about some research topic led by a moderator who guides discussion among the participants.
◗Pretest:
-A small-scale study in which the results are only preliminary and intended only to assist in design of a subsequent study.
•Evidence of causality (casual research):
-Temporal sequence -Concomitant variation -Nonspurious association
Processing and Analyzing Data:
-editing -codes -data analysis
Stages in the Research Process:
1.Defining the research objectives 2.Planning a research design 3.Planning a sample 4.Collecting the data 5.Analyzing the data 6.Formulating the conclusions and preparing the report
•Key ways in which researchers contribute to decision making:
1.Helping to better define the current situation 2.Defining the firm—determining how consumers, competitors, and employees view the firm 3.Providing ideas for enhancing current business practices 4.Identifying new strategic directions 5.Testing ideas that will assist in implementing business strategies for the firm 6.Examining how correct a certain business theory is in a given situation
In research conducted for a specific client, research objectives are often referred to as _____.
A. deliverables
Which of the following involves any procedure that draws conclusions based on measurements of a portion of the entire population?
A. sampling
