MKTG 461 - Ch. 1-4
This methodology involves researchers secretly acting as consumers in order to gather data on the customer experience.
Mystery Shopping
A focus group activity in which participants are asked to complete tasks involving a potential product or website while observers watch, listen, and takes notes.
Usability tests
Research plan
formal document detailing the research scope, methodology, and details regarding data collection and analysis
survey research
gathering primary data by asking people questions about their knowledge, attitudes, preferences, and buying behavior
objective of the focus group is to ________ to the prototypes
gauge reactions
Which of the following is not an advantage to hiring an external research consultancy versus conducting research in-house?
generally cheaper
Blind Study
study in which participants are not made aware of the study's sponsor
Contrived Observation
study in which researchers create artificial environments to observe behaviors under controlled conditions
Visible Observation
subjects are aware of the observer's presence
Word Clouds
text-based visuals that give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in a conversation
Artifacts refer to ______.
the clothes, accessories, and belongings of subjects
Unobtrusive Observation
the observer does not interact with or make himself or herself known to research subjects in order to capture subjects in authentic scenarios
Target Consumer/Target Market
the population of consumers that fit the profile of those who have a need or desire for a particular product or service
Business risk
the possibility a company will have lower than anticipated profits or experience a loss rather than profit
Each is a necessary component of a secondary research report, except ______.
the survey tool used
Mystery shop results are usually reported in two ways:
through individual and aggregate reports
Research methodologies
tools researchers can use to help address a research question
Secondary research is ______.
existing research
Demographic Data
statistics that describe attributes of a population or sample
Demographics are ______.
statistics that describe target consumers' attributes
Variable
data that has a quantity that can vary
Dual methodology studies
when multiple methodologies are employed to address one overarching research objective
visible observation
where subjects are aware of an observer
Descriptive research helps answer questions related to:
who, what, where, why, and how.
Geodemographic segmentation can be useful for each of the following, except ______.
when identifying weaknesses of a current product
True or False: Focus group participants should never be segmented by usage level of the product category which they are about to discuss.
False
True or False: If the cost of the research effort exceeds the estimated benefit of the decision, research is most likely warranted.
False
Recruiting is typically conducted via a combination of ______
email invitations and confirmation phone calls
Environmental Scanning
secondary research endeavor that entails information gathering and fact-finding designed to detect indications of environmental changes in their initial stages of development
Survey
set of standardized questions that can be administered to respondents in various ways, including in person or via mail, an online questionnaire, or a telephone interview
An individual mystery shop report will provide results of a _______ encounter
single
True or False: It is important to interject the researcher's opinions throughout the body of a secondary research report.
False
The three types of research are:
(1) exploratory (2) descriptive (3) causal
Toolbox of methodologies at their disposal when approaching a study
(1) the level of risk associated with the research decision, (2) cost of the research and (3) how soon the research is needed before a strategic decision is made are all factors that impact a methodological choice—or if research is conducted at all
Observational research can give insight into
- The consumer decision making process - How to enhance services, products, and processes - How to improve customer service interactions - Design/layout guidance in retail or service-oriented spaces (wayfinding)
You will notice in the sampling plan that 12 are to be recruited; it is expected that at least two participants recruited per group will not attend. With this in mind, the general rule of thumb is to recruit ________ participants to attend and to recruit 12 for 10 participants to attend
10 for 8
The ideal group size for an individual focus group is roughly ______ participants
8 to 10
Who conducts market research? An external research firm A mix of on-staff and external resources On-staff research experts
All of these
Conducted in authentic situations and locations where observers record what naturally occurs as it happens.
Direct observation
Disadvantages of Observational Research
Examines the HOW, not the WHY Observers Can Bias Results
True or False: Research plans are only used when a company hires a research consulting firm.
False
True or False: Researchers must obtain permission to observe subjects in all observational research studies.
False
This methodology is used for giving insight into the real consumer decision making process, how to improve customer service interactions, as well as retail design/layouts.
Observational Research
Experiments
Primary or Secondary method: Primary Qualitative or Quantitative method: Quantitative
Focus Groups
Primary or Secondary method: Primary Qualitative or Quantitative: Qualitative
Interviews
Primary or Secondary method: Primary Qualitative or Quantitative: Qualitative
Mystery Shopping
Primary or Secondary method: Primary Qualitative or Quantitative: Qualitative
Observation
Primary or Secondary method: Primary Qualitative or Quantitative: Qualitative
Surveys
Primary or Secondary method: Primary Qualitative or Quantitative: Quantitative
Secondary Research
Primary or Secondary method: Secondary Qualitative or Quantitative method: Either
A technique used by focus group moderators to dig for deeper and more meaningful responses.
Probing Questions
Each is part of the research plan, except ______.
Study Conclusion
________ is playing a role in observational studies
Technology
What makes environmental scanning different from other forms of secondary research?
There is no specific research objective
True or False: Mystery shop tools should follow the training and protocol guidelines provided by the company to customer service staff
True
True or False: Primary data can be either quantitative or qualitative.
True
True or False: Secondary data can be either qualitative or quantitative.
True
True or False: Secondary research can be exploratory.
True
True or False: Secondary research is typically conducted before primary research.
True
Focus Group
a guided discussion with a small group of participants for the purpose of gathering feedback, opinions, and brainstorming
Focus groups are ______.
a primary qualitative method
Environmental scanning
a secondary research endeavor that entails information gathering and fact-finding designed to detect indications of environmental changes in their initial stages of development.
Sample
a subset of a population; in market research, the population refers to the target consumer/target market
independent variable
a variable that can be tested to see if it causes an effect on other variables
Causal research ______.
aims to determine if changes in one variable impacts changes in another variable
Causal research
aims to determine if changes in one variable impacts changes in another variable (or other set of variables); because causal research examines relationships between variables, the research is often an experiment
All of the following are disadvantages to secondary research, except that ______. external secondary data may not be comparable to internal data the quality and accuracy must be scrutinized data could be outdated
all of these are disadvantages
Variable
anything that has a quantity that varies.
Research questions ______.
are detailed and tactical in nature and help flesh out the overarching research objective
The following are good uses of focus group methodology, except ______.
assuring the target population feels the same way as participants
Psychographic Data
attitudes and behaviors held by a population or sample
Psychographics are ______.
attitudes and behaviors of the target consumer
All of the following are reputable secondary sources, except ______.
blogs
Research objective
broad question or statement that declares the purpose of conducting the research
Artifacts
clothes, accessories and belongings of subjects
Aggregated reports ______ the results of mystery shop sessions over a period of time
combine
Direct Observation
conducted in authentic situations and locations; observers record what naturally occurs as it happens
Exploratory research
conducted to clarify an ambiguous topic; used to discover new ideas or brainstorm solutions
Identifying reliable sources is a:
crucial first step
Quantitative Data
data expressed numerically, such as percentages and mean scores
Qualitative Data
data that includes thoughts, opinions, and ideas that cannot be counted; the output is generally text-based or visual
The research objective ______.
declares the purpose of conducting the research
Researchers should strive for a balanced mix of a target market's __________
demographics and psychographics
Market segments help _______ various groups of consumers so that a company can develop products and modes of communication that cater to their needs and preferences
describe
Descriptive research
describes demographic characteristics, psychographic behaviors, as well as opinions held by a market; helps answer questions related to who, what, where, why, and how
Research questions
detailed and tactical in nature, questions that support and further flesh out the research objective
Experiments
examine cause and effect relationships between variables; associated with causal research
Each of the following is an advantage of observational research, except that it ______.
examines the "how" not the "why"
Sources of external secondary research include each of the following, except ______.
existing customer survey results
Internal secondary research involves ______.
existing research gathered within a researcher's own company
Interviews
in-depth structured question-and-answer sessions among an interviewer and one to three participants around a topic that is usually complex
External Secondary Research
information gathered outside of a researcher's company
Internal Secondary Research
information gathered within a researcher's own company
Observational research
involves collecting observations of consumers interacting with a product or service
Secondary Research
involves gathering existing data from past research studies, articles, databases, sales figures, etc.; collected data can be data sources internal to a company or external
Mystery shopping
involves researchers posing as consumers in order to gather data on the customer experience
Each of the following is an advantage to secondary research, except that it ______.
is generally more accurate than conducting primary research
Exploratory research ______.
is used to discover new ideas or brainstorm solutions
Qualitative methodologies typically do not include a _____ to attribute the results to an entire target market but can be used to probe deeper and get to the "why" behind a phenomena.
large enough sample
Secondary research is typically ______ and ______ compared to primary research.
less costly; quicker to obtain
Each of the following is part of the role of the moderator, except ______.
making sure to never deviate from the moderator's guide
Incentives
money, food, or other gifts to help entice participants to attend a focus group
exploratory research is often used in:
new product or service development when testing concepts or generating ideas
An unobtrusive observer is:
one who does not interact with or make themselves known to research subjects
Primary research is ______.
original research
Primary Research
original research conducted with the intent of addressing specific research questions or problems
Qualitative Primary Research
original research that collects thoughts, opinions and observations
Usability Test
participants are asked to complete tasks given by a moderator while observers watch, listen, and takes notes
Descriptive research is also used to help describe:
phenomena taking place in the marketplace itself, such as competitor behaviors and market trends.
Hawthorne Effect
phenomenon where subjects, knowing they are being observed, begin performing what they deem are more socially acceptable behaviors; these changes in behavior can bring bias to study results
Moderator's Guide
pre-designed discussion guide used by a moderator to help facilitate the activities and flow of a focus group session
Geodemographic Segmentation
predefined segmentation scheme that uses population characteristics within geographic regions; segments are assigned to geographic clusters
If the amount of data gathered is robust enough and proper sampling techniques are employed to assure a representative sample of the target population, then _____ results can be used to describe the target market overall.
quantitative
Probing Questions
questions that dig deeper for more meaningful responses; used when answers given are too simplistic to be of use
Open-ended Questions
questions that facilitate detailed responses or more conversation
Clarifying Questions
questions that look for more facts to help give greater understanding to an answer
Wayfinding
refers to studies that aim to determine the most advantageous design/layout of a space (retail or service) with which consumers interact
quantitative research
research in which results are measurable and can be counted. research methodologies strive for a large enough sample size so that results can be projected upon a larger population
if the cost of the research effort exceeds the estimated benefit of the decision, _______.
research is most likely not warranted
Research proposal
research plan used as a contract between clients and research firms
When research plans are used as contracts between clients and research firms they are called:
research proposals
If the decision is high stakes, ______.
research should be included as part of the decision making process.
dependent variables
variables that the independent variable may impact