Deck 2: Defining the Marketing Research Problem and Developing an Approach

Question 1

According to the text, primary data are an economical and quick source of background information.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

While every step in a marketing research project is important, research design formulation is the most important step.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A statement of the management decision problem and a broad statement of the general problem and identification of the specific components of the marketing research problem is called problem definition.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

According to the text, buyer behavior is a central component of the environmental context of the problem.

Question 5

An unstructured, exploratory research methodology based on small samples intended to provide insight and understanding of the problem setting is called quantitative research.

Question 6

The alternative courses of action available to the DM is one of the issues discussed with the decision maker during the problem audit.

Question 7

Marketing and technological skills are considered elements of the environmental context.

Question 8

The problem confronting the decision maker is typically referred to as the marketing research problem.

Question 9

The political environment is a factor that comprises the environmental context of the problem.

Question 10

Buyer behavior is a body of knowledge that tries to understand and predict consumers' reactions based on an individual's specific characteristics.

Question 11

Secondary data are data of secondary importance.

Question 12

General economic conditions are considered elements of the legal environment.

Question 13

Pilot surveys contain fewer open-ended questions than large-scale surveys.

Question 14

Problem audit is a comprehensive examination of a marketing problem to understand its origin and nature.

Question 15

Problem audit is a comprehensive examination of a marketing department to identify fraud.

Question 16

Qualitative research is based on large samples and involves statistical analysis.

Question 17

Secondary data are data collected for some purpose other than the problem at hand.

Question 18

The management decision problem asks what information is needed and how it can best be obtained.

Question 19

The resume of the decision maker is one of the issues discussed with the decision maker during the problem audit.

Question 20

Data originated by the researcher specifically to address the research problem are called primary data.

Question 21

Each specific component of the marketing research problem should be further refined by developing one or more research questions and associated hypotheses.

Question 22

Focusing on the underlying causes of a problem is a characteristic of the marketing research problem.

Question 23

By focusing on each component of the problem, the research questions and hypotheses, the researcher can determine what information should be obtained.

Question 24

Hypotheses are statements about proposed relationships rather than merely questions to be answered.

Question 25

Determining the impact on sales and profits of various levels of price changes is an issue that would be addressed in a management decision problem.

Question 26

An unproven statement or proposition about a factor or phenomenon that is of interest to the researcher is called a theory.

Question 27

Many international marketing efforts fail because a problem audit is not conducted prior to entering the foreign market, and the relevant environmental factors are not taken into account.

Question 28

An unproven statement or proposition about a factor or phenomenon that is of interest to the researcher is called a hypothesis.

Question 29

Graphical models explicitly specify the strength and direction of relationships among variables, usually in equation form.

Question 30

A marketing research problem asks what information is needed and how it should be obtained.

Question 31

Research questions are refined statements of the specific components of the problem.

Question 32

Focusing on the underlying causes of a problem is a characteristic of a management decision problem.

Question 33

Unbiased evidence that is supported by empirical findings is called objective evidence.

Question 34

A theory is a conceptual scheme based on foundational statements, which are assumed to be true.

Question 35

In graphical models, the variables and their relationships are stated in prose form.

Question 36

Graphical models are particularly helpful in conceptualizing an approach to the problem.

Question 37

Specification of information needed is one of the components of the marketing research problem.

Question 38

According to the text, the marketing research problem is information-oriented.

Question 39

An analytical model consists of a set of variables related in a specified manner to represent all or a part of some real system or process.

Question 40

Specification of information needed is one of the components of the approach to the problem.

Question 41

According to the problem definition and approach development process as given in the text, the tasks involved in problem definition consist of all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)discussions with the decision makers
B)interviews with industry experts
C)analysis of project costs
D)analysis of secondary data

Question 42

A limitation of social media in understanding consumer behavior is that we cannot determine how consumers interact with each other over time.

Question 43

While every step in a marketing research project is important, ________ is the most important step.

A)problem definition
B)problem correction
C)research design formulation
D)report generation and presentation
E)project completion

Question 44

Analysis of blogs and Facebook postings revealed to Dell that many customers who purchased its computers were having issues with service support.

Question 45

The ________ provides a useful framework for interacting with the decision maker and identifying the underlying causes of the problem.

A)problem audit
B)management problem
C)problem definition
D)research presentation
E)none of the above

Question 46

According to the problem definition and approach development process as given in the text, the tasks involved in problem definition consist of ________.

A)secondary data analysis
B)experimentation
C)budgeting of the project
D)scheduling of the project
E)all of the above

Question 47

It is possible to identify industry experts, and an analysis of their social media sites can provide insights into their thinking as it relates to problems at hand.

Question 48

At times, ethical considerations may involve making the interest of the research firm subservient to the client.

Question 49

To identify the underlying causes of the problem, the researcher should ________.

A)conduct a problem audit
B)define the management decision problem
C)assess what past research was done for the firm
D)assess competitor success
E)all of the above

Question 50

Interviews with industry experts, those individuals who are knowledgeable about the firm and the industry, may help formulate the marketing research problem.Which of the following statements is true about interviews with industry experts?

A)These experts may be found both inside and outside the firm.
B)Typically, expert information is obtained by unstructured personal interviews without Administering a formal questionnaire.
C)It is helpful to prepare a list of topics to be covered during the interview.
D)All of the above are true.

Question 51

Michael Dell of Dell Computers wants his company to take market share from Hewlett-Packard and Apple in the category of printers.As his marketing research director, which of the following would NOT be part of the tasks involved in formulating the marketing research problem to support Dell's strategic initiative in selling printers?

A)qualitative research
B)interviews with experts
C)secondary data analysis
D)discussions with Michael Dell
E)composing the research design

Question 52

According to the problem definition and approach development process as given in the text, the tasks involved in problem definition consist of ________.

A)discussions with the decision makers
B)estimates of expected results
C)analysis of project costs
D)recommendations for decision makers
E)all of the above

Question 53

________ are data collected for some purpose other than the problem at hand.

A)Primary data
B)Secondary data
C)Virtual data
D)Observational data
E)Research data

Question 54

The researcher is ethically bound to define the problem so as to further the best interest of the research firm, rather than the interest of the client.

Question 55

The problem audit involves discussions with the decision maker on all of the following issues EXCEPT the ________.

A)history of the problem
B)criteria that will be used to evaluate the alternative courses of action
C)information that is needed to answer the decision maker's questions
D)alternative courses of action available to the decision maker
E)national culture as it's related to a country's trade barriers

Question 56

A statement of the management decision problem and a broad statement of marketing research problem and identification of the specific components is called ________.

A)problem correction
B)problem definition
C)hypotheses generation
D)problem audit
E)project conceptualization

Question 57

In defining the problem and developing an approach, the researcher must be sensitive to the underlying cultural factors that influence consumption and purchase behavior.

Question 58

According to the problem definition and approach development process as given in the text, the tasks involved in problem definition consist of all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)discussions with the decision makers
B)interviews with industry experts
C)analysis of project schedule
D)analysis of secondary data
E)qualitative research

Question 59

________ is a comprehensive examination of a marketing problem to understand its origin and nature.

A)Problem definition
B)Problem correction
C)Hypotheses generation
D)Research directive
E)Problem audit

Question 60

With the use of social media such as blogs, Facebook, or Twitter, researchers can update consumers on the research that has been ongoing and the actions that have been taken.

Question 61

Which of the following represents an example of a secondary data source?

A)the formula for Coca-Cola
B)population census data
C)the new models to be introduced by GM in the next three to five years
D)interviews
E)experiments

Question 62

The management decision problem is ________.

A)the shakeup of the management
B)the problem confronting the decision maker
C)how to boost the stock price
D)how to meet objectives
E)how to please stockholders

Question 63

According to the text, ________ is a central component of the environmental context of the problem.

A)economic theory
B)organizational behavior
C)ethical behavior
D)stock price of the publicly held company in question
E)buyer behavior

Question 64

Data originated by the researcher specifically to address the research problem are called ________.

A)primary data
B)secondary data
C)virtual data
D)census data
E)research data

Question 65

Of which two objectives must the researcher have a clear understanding?

A)market share and profitability
B)daily and weekly
C)financial and non-financial
D)return on investment and return on equity
E)of the organization and of the decision maker

Question 66

________ includes the underlying motives, perceptions, attitudes, buying habits, and demographic and psychographic profiles of buyers and potential buyers.

A)Buyer behavior
B)Economic behavior
C)Organizational behavior
D)Ethical behavior
E)Advertising creativity

Question 67

Which of the following is NOT an example of a source of secondary data?

A)trade organizations
B)Census Bureau
C)Internet
D)industry associations
E)survey data

Question 68

________ is a body of knowledge that tries to understand and predict consumers' reactions based on an individual's specific characteristics.

A)Economic behavior
B)Organizational behavior
C)Buyer behavior
D)Ethical behavior
E)Census data

Question 69

According to the text, the ________ is information oriented.

A)marketing research problem
B)management decision problem
C)theoretical decision problem
D)hypothetical decision problem
E)research context problem

Question 70

Which of the following is true about secondary data?

A)Collection time is long.
B)Quality of data is high.
C)Cost of collecting the data is low.
D)It is easy to access.
E)It is highly relevant to marketing research problems.

Question 71

All of the following represent factors that comprise the environmental context of the problem EXCEPT ________.

A)resources of the firm
B)objectives of the decision maker
C)accounting practices used by the firm twenty years ago
D)economic environment
E)constraints of the firm

Question 72

________ tend to be less structured and to have smaller samples than large-scale surveys.

A)Mail surveys
B)Pilot surveys
C)Online surveys
D)Census surveys
E)Telephone surveys

Question 73

An unstructured, exploratory research methodology based on small samples intended to provide insight and understanding of the problem setting is called ________.

A)quantitative research
B)qualitative research
C)descriptive research
D)causal research
E)secondary data

Question 74

According to the text, ________ are an economical and quick source of background information.

A)primary data
B)virtual data
C)secondary data
D)observational data
E)all of the above

Question 75

The marketing research problem asks the question, ________.

A)how can we increase market share
B)how can we increase sales and profits
C)what information is needed and how can it best be obtained
D)how can we save money
E)where do we go from here

Question 76

Which sources of secondary data would be helpful in defining the problem of Wendy's increasing its share of the fast food market?

A)a field research project to be conducted by Wendy's to answer the question of how to increase its share of the fast food market
B)a report from the Fast Food Retailers Association on changing preferences for consumer tastes
C)a US Census Bureau report on the changing demographic profile of the US consumer
D)all of the above
E)B and C only

Question 77

Which of following is NOT an element in the economic environment?

A)public policies
B)purchasing power
C)discretionary income
D)general economic conditions
E)disposable income

Question 78

The ________ asks what information is needed and how can it best be obtained.

A)management decision problem
B)theoretical decision problem
C)hypothetical decision problem
D)research context problem
E)marketing research problem

Question 79

Which of the following is NOT considered an element of the legal environment?

A)public policies
B)general economic conditions
C)laws
D)government agencies
E)pressure groups

Question 80

The problem confronting the decision maker is typically referred to as the ________.

A)management decision problem
B)theoretical decision problem
C)hypothetical decision problem
D)marketing research problem
E)research context problem