Deck 4: Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights

Question 1

Although internal databases can be accessed more quickly and cheaply than other information sources, one of the challenges of internal databases is ________.

A) the inability to access
B) maintaining the current database
C) the lack of sophisticated equipment and technologies
D) decision making about data collection software
E) putting the customer at the center of all decisions

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following demonstrates the real value of a company's marketing research and information system?

A) the amount of data it generates
B) the variety of contact methods it uses
C) the tools it uses to gather information
D) the quality of customer insights it provides
E) the type of sampling plan it follows

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Secondary data consist of information collected for the specific purpose at hand.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Internal databases usually are more expensive to use than other market information sources.

Question 5

Describe the components of a marketing information system (MIS), and list its three main functions.

Question 6

Which of the following is true of competitive marketing intelligence?

A) It can predict a firm's future but not the pattern of forces in the market.
B) It cannot be collected from internal sources of a firm such as employees and the sales force.
C) It requires inside information from a competitors' internal database.
D) It can be obtained from information that is available in the public domain.
E) It can be obtained from online databases only through subscription and a fee.

Question 7

An effective MIS assesses information needs, develops needed information, and distributes the information to help managers with decision making.

Question 8

The initial function of a marketing information system is ________.

A) generating insights from market consumption patterns
B) analyzing the results of marketing research studies
C) evaluating information from internal and external sources
D) assessing the information needs of a company
E) hiring research firms to conduct market research

Question 9

When managers glean information from their company's accounting and sales records stored in the company computer system, they are using an internal database.

Question 10

The information collected for an internal database is typically complete and in the proper form.

Question 11

Susan Hart, the manager of a children's boutique, collects data from her monthly records of sales, costs, and cash flow. In this case, Susan is making use of ________ databases.

A) external
B) secondary
C) historical
D) internal
E) dialog

Question 12

Hammond Corp. operates in the highly aggressive electronics market. The firm aims to obtain early warnings of opportunities and threats caused by the actions of other firms that are doing well in the industry. Which of the following sources would best serve Hammond's purpose?

A) sales data from exclusive Hammond retailers
B) archival data on company performance
C) competitive marketing intelligence
D) research on demographics of its existing customers
E) internal survey on employee performance

Question 13

Marketers can obtain needed information from internal data, marketing intelligence, and marketing research. Describe some common sources of each.

Question 14

________ is often the most difficult but most critical step in the research process.

A) Developing the research plan
B) Collecting and analyzing the data
C) Defining the problem and research objectives
D) Interpreting the findings
E) Gathering secondary data

Question 15

Big data presents marketers with big opportunities.

Question 16

________ is the systematic design, collection, analysis, and reporting of data relevant to a specific marketing situation facing an organization.

A) Test marketing
B) Marketing research
C) Commercialization
D) Integrated marketing
E) Exclusive distribution

Question 17

Which of the following is not considered a source of competitive intelligence?

A) a company's sales force
B) suppliers and resellers
C) competitors' internal databases
D) key customers
E) online databases

Question 18

Which of the following is true of a good marketing information system?

A) It focuses solely on maximizing the amount of data generated irrespective of relevance.
B) It typically uses only external sources of data in marketing research.
C) It balances the information that a firm would like to have against what they really need.
D) It develops a way of offering information about future plans of action that might not be very feasible or cost-effective.
E) It eliminates the time-consuming task of assessing the information needs of a firm.

Question 19

Which of the following sources constitutes the internal database of a company?

A) commercial online databases
B) conversations on social media
C) the company's sales records
D) reports sold by market research firms
E) the Web

Question 20

Which of the following statements regarding marketing intelligence is true?

A) Marketing intelligence typically involves sensitive and confidential information kept out of the public domain.
B) The advantage of using competitive intelligence is negligible as it is based only on internal sources of data.
C) All marketing intelligence inputs are available at no cost to any potential users.
D) Marketing intelligence is the systematic collection, monitoring, and analysis of publicly available information.
E) Marketing intelligence efforts are more focused on gaining insights into a firm's consumers rather than its competitors.

Question 21

A major advantage of a mail survey is that it ________.

A) provides significant flexibility
B) offers strong sample control
C) generates high response rates
D) eliminates interviewer bias
E) can be completed quickly

Question 22

Which of the following is a quantitative approach to research?

A) observational research
B) online focus groups
C) ethnographic research
D) in-depth interviews
E) marketing surveys

Question 23

Ethnographic research is ________.

A) a standard analysis of publicly available information
B) conducted in settings where people live and work
C) an approach that provides only secondary data
D) most feasible when customers live in distant locations
E) used by marketers seeking quantitative data

Question 24

A company that sells personal care products sends a trained observer to watch potential buyers in their natural environments. This is an example of ________ research.

A) quantitative
B) online
C) ethnographic
D) experimental
E) archival

Question 25

The objective of ________ research is to gather preliminary information that will help define the problem and suggest hypotheses.

A) descriptive
B) exploratory
C) causal
D) corrective
E) experimental

Question 26

In most marketing research projects, what type of research is conducted first?

A) causal
B) descriptive
C) remedial
D) corrective
E) exploratory

Question 27

Brooke's Boutique plans to launch a new clothing line. For this purpose, the firm first conducts a survey to understand its target audience and identify the demographics of potential buyers. It then conducts experimental research to test whether customers associate discounted prices with lower product quality. Which types of research has the boutique employed in this case?

A) exploratory followed by causal
B) exploratory followed by descriptive
C) descriptive followed by exploratory
D) descriptive followed by causal
E) causal followed by descriptive

Question 28

________ is the final step in the marketing research process.

A) Developing the research plan
B) Determining a research approach
C) Interpreting and reporting the findings
D) Engaging in secondary research
E) Collecting and analyzing the data

Question 29

Which of the following is true of survey research?

A) It is the most widely used method for gathering primary data.
B) It is the most suitable method for establishing causal relationships.
C) It is the best method to use when people are unwilling to answer questions.
D) It is not suitable for collecting data for descriptive research.
E) It is inflexible and cannot be used in many different situations.

Question 30

Which of the following is an advantage of primary data?

A) They are less expensive to obtain than secondary data.
B) They can be obtained more quickly than secondary data.
C) They can be accessed from existing information.
D) They are more relevant than secondary data.
E) They are more reflective of past problems.

Question 31

Annie Carson, the owner of Annie's Dairy Bar, is considering opening a second location. She evaluates several potential sites by assessing traffic patterns, neighborhood conditions, and the locations of competitors. Annie is engaging in ________.

A) observational research
B) focus groups
C) personal interviews
D) Internet-based surveys
E) experimental research

Question 32

Coolers Inc. has decided to launch a new energy drink that will have the fewest calories among its competitors. To understand the market potential for the new drink and the demographics and attitudes of consumers who are likely to buy the product, Coolers should most likely use ________.

A) exploratory research
B) archival research
C) causal research
D) experimental research
E) descriptive research

Question 33

________ outlines sources of existing data as well as specific research approaches, sampling plans, and measurement instruments.

A) The research plan
B) The data collection plan
C) The main research objective
D) The problem definition
E) The research findings

Question 34

The marketing manager of Appeal Inc. has noticed a sharp decrease in sales over the last two months. The manager decides to conduct marketing research to identify potential causes for the drop in sales. Which of the following should the manager do first?

A) develop a research plan
B) determine a research approach
C) define the problem and objectives
D) select a research agency to collect data
E) conduct exploratory and descriptive research

Question 35

Causal research is used to ________.

A) test hypotheses about cause-and-effect relationships
B) gather preliminary data to define problems and their underlying causes
C) collect information on the demographics of customers
D) collect information on the attitudes of consumers
E) generate hypotheses about the causes of a marketing problem

Question 36

________ data consist of information collected for the specific purpose at hand.

A) Primary
B) Secondary
C) Derived
D) Archival
E) Historical

Question 37

Information collected from commercial online databases or through Internet search engines are examples of ________ data.

A) primary
B) secondary
C) first-hand
D) experimental
E) ethnographic

Question 38

A category of ethnographic research used to observe consumers in a natural context in virtual and mobile spaces is referred to as ________.

A) interethnography
B) netnography
C) microethnography
D) macroethnography
E) demography

Question 39

Vernon Inc. would like to set the best price for a new product. The firm conducts an experimental study by selling the new product at two different prices in two different locations keeping other factors constant to see if a lower price results in better sales. This is most likely an example of ________ research.

A) exploratory
B) descriptive
C) causal
D) focus group
E) ethnographic

Question 40

________ is a method of gathering primary data that involves asking people questions about their knowledge, attitudes, preferences, and buying behavior.

A) Observational research
B) Archival research
C) Survey research
D) Experimental research
E) Causal research

Question 41

Kathy Jenkins is planning to conduct research on consumers' personal care routines. Since the questions are likely to be personal and sensitive, Kathy wants to select a contact method that will encourage respondents to answer honestly. Which of the following contact methods is most likely to best serve Kathy's purpose?

A) mail questionnaires
B) telephone interviews
C) individual interviews
D) focus group interviews
E) online discussions

Question 42

Erica Jenson has a limited budget to conduct market research. Which of the following research approaches would provide Erica with the most cost-effective way to reach a large number of respondents in a short period?

A) telephone surveys
B) personal interviews
C) Internet-based surveys
D) mail surveys
E) focus group interviews

Question 43

Data collection, processing, and analysis are undertaken during which stage of the marketing research process?

A) selecting a sampling method
B) interpreting the findings
C) implementing the research plan
D) drawing conclusions from the findings
E) selecting a research approach

Question 44

Sample size and location have little impact on costs for ________.

A) focus group interviews
B) personal interviews
C) mail surveys
D) Internet-based surveys
E) telephone surveys

Question 45

________ is best suited for descriptive research.

A) An online discussion
B) Ethnographic research
C) Netnography research
D) A survey
E) A focus group

Question 46

A(n)________ is best suited for exploratory research.

A) mail survey
B) questionnaire
C) observation
D) online survey
E) focus group

Question 47

A market researcher wants to find the cause-and-effect relationship between using organic ingredients in food and the subsequent consumption by customers. He invites ten respondents to his research firm and asks them to taste two identical dishes. The dishes were prepared in a similar manner, but one has natural herbs for flavoring, and the other has artificial flavors. This is an example of ________.

A) descriptive research
B) ethnographic research
C) experimental research
D) online research
E) exploratory research

Question 48

________ are small groups of consumers who interact directly and informally with product designers without a moderator.

A) Cross-functional groups
B) Ethnographic groups
C) Observational groups
D) Immersion groups
E) Traditional focus groups

Question 49

A practice called ________ allows marketers to use online data to target ads and offers to specific customers.

A) online listening
B) behavioral targeting
C) social media tracking
D) data analytics
E) online targeting

Question 50

Which of the following is true of question formats in questionnaires?

A) Closed-ended questions allow respondents to answer in their own words.
B) A scale question is an example of an open-ended question.
C) Open-ended questions allow respondents to choose among the best answer options available.
D) Closed-ended questions are difficult to evaluate when compared to open-end questions.
E) Open-ended questions are useful in exploratory research to find out what people think.

Question 51

________ are flexible and allow for explanation of difficult questions as well as demonstrating products.

A) Mail questionnaires
B) Telephone interviews
C) Individual interviews
D) Online questionnaires
E) E-mail interviews

Question 52

Harmon, a nationwide department store, uses checkout scanners to record shoppers' purchases. Which term best describes Harmon's checkout scanners?

A) nonprobability sampling tool
B) mechanical instrument
C) neuromarketing tool
D) touch point device
E) CRM system

Question 53

Which of the following is true of focus group discussions?

A) They usually employ large samples.
B) Consumers' facial expressions are hidden.
C) Results can be easily generalized to an entire population.
D) The quantitative data can be evaluated quickly and economically.
E) Consumers are not always honest and open about their opinions.

Question 54

________ have enabled researchers to gain greater control over who participates in the online sample.

A) Social media tracking methods
B) Network respondent panels
C) Behavioral sampling methods
D) Online behavioral targeting
E) Online listening methods

Question 55

Experimental research is best suited for gathering ________ information.

A) exploratory
B) causal
C) ethnographic
D) interactive
E) descriptive

Question 56

The most common research instrument, whether administered in person, by phone, by e-mail, or online, is the ________.

A) mechanical device
B) personal interview
C) questionnaire
D) telephone interview
E) focus group

Question 57

Which of the following is a structured method of online research where marketers require direct responses from customers?

A) online behavioral targeting
B) social media tracking
C) online listening
D) online surveys
E) blog analysis

Question 58

Burger Town introduced a new hamburger and released it in two different cities at two different prices. Marketers of Burger Town then analyzed the sales records of their outlets at the two cities, determined the price that resulted in better profits, and used the information to set a nationwide price for their new offering. This is an example of ________.

A) exploratory research
B) survey research
C) netnography research
D) experimental research
E) descriptive research

Question 59

What are the two main types of research instruments used to collect primary data?

A) observation scales and personal interviews
B) questionnaires and mechanical devices
C) focus groups and mechanical devices
D) focus groups and questionnaires
E) personal interviews and online focus groups

Question 60

Mail surveys have many disadvantages so many marketers have switched to ________.

A) telephone surveys
B) Internet-based surveys
C) group interviews
D) personal surveys
E) individual interviews

Question 61

The major advantage of survey research is its flexibility.

Question 62

The primary objective of causal research is to describe things, such as the market potential for a product or the demographics and attitudes of consumers who buy the product.

Question 63

Once the research problems and objectives have been defined, researchers must determine the exact information needed.

Question 64

The response rate in mail surveys is often very low.

Question 65

Marketing researchers can conduct their own searches of secondary data sources by using commercial online databases.

Question 66

Exploratory research would be used to gather data about the market potential for a new product.

Question 67

Explain the steps involved in the marketing research process.

Question 68

The most important issue facing online researchers in the United States is the lack of a broad cross section of consumers who have access to the Internet.

Question 69

Neuromarketing techniques provide easy-to-interpret data that allow researchers to analyze consumer involvement with products.

Question 70

Each population member has a known chance of being included when a probability sampling procedure is used.

Question 71

In a convenience sample, a researcher selects the easiest population members from whom to obtain information.

Question 72

Primary data can usually be obtained more quickly and at a lower cost than secondary data.

Question 73

Observational research is the most widely used method of primary data collection.

Question 74

The wording and ordering of questions is not an important consideration in survey design.

Question 75

Differentiate between the three types of marketing research objectives: exploratory research, descriptive research, and causal research.

Question 76

The objective of descriptive research is to gather preliminary information that will help define the problem and form hypotheses.

Question 77

Marketing research is the systematic design, collection, analysis, and reporting of data directly relevant to a specific marketing situation facing an organization.

Question 78

Ideally, a sample should be representative so that a researcher can make accurate estimates of the thoughts and behaviors of the larger population.

Question 79

The questionnaire is the most common research instrument.

Question 80

Individual interviews cost three to four times as much as telephone interviews.