Deck 5: Problem Definition: Jump-Starting the Research Process

Question 1

A continuous variable is one that can take on a range of values that correspond to some quantitative amount.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Income is an example of a variable.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

One of the best ways to identify the symptoms of a problem is to interview key decision-makers in the organization.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A research proposal is a written expression of the key question(s)that a research user wishes to answer.

Question 5

When a sudden change in the business situation takes place,it can be easier to define the problem.

Question 6

A research user's decision statements need to be translated into the research objectives of the study.

Question 7

It is easier to define the problem in recurring business situations.

Question 8

Research hypotheses express the research objectives in terms of questions that can be addressed by research.

Question 9

When an interviewer asks: "Why do you feel that way?" during an in-depth interview,this is an example of a non-probing question.

Question 10

The problem definition stage of marketing research is the easiest stage of the research process.

Question 11

Multi-level analyses study variables measured at more than one unit of analysis.

Question 12

Managerial action standards specify a performance criterion upon which a decision can be based.

Question 13

When the definition of the problem is unclear,the first step is to perform a situation analysis in an attempt to clarify the problem.

Question 14

The term problem definition refers to the process of defining and developing a decision statement and the steps involved in translating it into more precise research terminology,including a set of research objectives.

Question 15

Probing is an interview technique that tries to draw deeper and more elaborate explanations from a discussion.

Question 16

The unit of analysis for a study indicates the level of significance that will be acceptable for acting on the results.

Question 17

The first step in the problem-definition process is to identify key problems(s)from symptoms.

Question 18

An independent variable is a variable that is predicted and/or explained by other variables.

Question 19

Interactive techniques simply involve asking multiple what,where,who,when,why,and how questions.

Question 20

A problem occurs when there is a difference between the current conditions and a more preferable set of conditions.

Question 21

An interview technique that tries to draw deeper and more elaborate explanations from the discussion is called:

A)probing
B)peeling
C)immersion
D)ethnography

Question 22

Basic marketing research refers to research usually performed by academic researchers and supported by some public or private institution.

Question 23

All of the following are steps in the problem-definition process EXCEPT:

A)identify key problem(s)from symptoms
B)determine the unit of analysis
C)develop dummy tables
D)determine relevant variables

Question 24

Which of the following is the LAST step of the problem definition process?

A)state the hypotheses and the research questions
B)determine the relevant variables
C)determine the unit of analysis
D)understand the background of the problem

Question 25

A written expression of the key question(s)that a researcher user wishes to answer is referred to as a:

A)problem definition
B)decision statement
C)research proposal
D)hypothesis

Question 26

Which of the following is a possible unit of analysis in a research study?

A)an individual consumer
B)a sales region
C)a zip code area
D)all of the above

Question 27

Which of the following is the most important question a researcher can ask when using a probing technique?

A)How does that make you feel?
B)Why do you think that is so?
C)What has changed?
D)What does _____ make you think of?

Question 28

Which of the following is the FIRST step of the problem definition process?

A)determine the unit of analysis
B)identify the problem
C)identify key symptoms in the situation
D)determine the relevant variables

Question 29

Which of the following make defining problems more difficult?

A)situation is recurring or routine
B)a dramatic change occurs
C)symptoms are scattered
D)symptoms are consistent

Question 30

The greater the number of research objectives,the better the research.

Question 31

A wise researcher will not agree to do a research job for which no written proposal exists.

Question 32

When a researcher determines what or who should provide the data and at what level of aggregation,he or she is determining the:

A)hypotheses
B)research questions
C)analysis technique
D)unit of analysis

Question 33

Julius is gathering background information to familiarize himself with his new client's decision-making environment.He is analyzing marketplace conditions and conducting interviews with employees of the company.Julius is conducting a:

A)gap analysis
B)pre-research analysis
C)basic analysis
D)situation analysis

Question 34

When a researcher defines and develops a decision statement and the steps involved in translating it into more precise research terminology,he or she is involved in what process?

A)hypotheses development
B)research planning
C)research process
D)problem definition

Question 35

Which of the following essentially answers the question,"What information is needed to address this situation?"

A)dependent variable
B)independent variable
C)research objectives
D)research design

Question 36

All of the following are gaps that represent problems EXCEPT:

A)actual business performance is less than possible business performance
B)actual business performance is greater than expected business performance
C)actual business performance is worse than expected business performance
D)expected business performance is greater than possible business performance

Question 37

Clint and his fellow researchers are asking managers and line workers multiple what,where,who,when,why,and how questions to get a better understanding of their client's business decision-making situation.Asking these types of questions is representative of which type of technique?

A)peeling techniques
B)iceberg technique
C)80/20 techniques
D)interrogative techniques

Question 38

All of the following are helpful hints that can be useful in the interview process when attempting to understand the situation EXCEPT:

A)develop hypotheses before conducting interviews
B)develop many alternative decisions and problems
C)think about possible solutions to the problem
D)be open-minded

Question 39

Tables placed in research proposals that are exact representations of the actual tables that will show results in the final report with the exception that the results are hypothetical (fictitious)are referred to as surrogate tables.

Question 40

A research proposal is a written statement of the research design.

Question 41

What type of variable is "dollar sales volume"?

A)continuous variable
B)independent variable
C)categorical variable
D)classificatory variable

Question 42

A written statement of the research design is called a:

A)research hypothesis
B)research proposal
C)research question
D)research summary

Question 43

A variable that can take on a range of values that correspond to some quantitative amount is called a:

A)categorical variable
B)continuous variable
C)classificatory variable
D)independent variable

Question 44

A preliminary study of background information that led up to the current situation is called a ____________________.

Question 45

Sharon is a marketing professor who received a grant from the National Marketing Association to study how employees make marketing decisions in cross-functional groups.Sharon's research is:

A)applied marketing research
B)dependent marketing research
C)funded marketing research
D)analytical marketing research

Question 46

In the statement: "Years of sales experience is an important predictor of dollar sales performance," what type of variable is "dollar sales performance"?

A)dependent variable
B)categorical variable
C)classificatory variable
D)independent variable

Question 47

"What is to be measured in this research study?" is a fundamental question to ask at the ____________________ stage of a research design.

Question 48

____________________ is an interview technique that tries to draw deeper and more elaborate explanations from a discussion with a decision maker.

Question 49

What type of variable is "gender"?

A)continuous variable
B)primary variable
C)dependent variable
D)categorical variable

Question 50

A ____________________ is a written expression of the key question(s)that a research user wishes to answer.

Question 51

All of the following are types of variables EXCEPT:

A)continuous
B)categorical
C)constant
D)dependent

Question 52

Lance is studying consumers to determine how they decide to use credit in purchase situations.In this case,consumers are the ____________________.

Question 53

Studying variables measured at more than one unit of analysis is called:

A)cross-functional analyses
B)hierarchical analyses
C)dependent analyses
D)multi-level analyses

Question 54

In the statement: "Years of sales experience is an important variable in predicting unit sales performance," what type of variable is "years of experience"?

A)dependent variable
B)independent variable
C)categorical variable.
D)classificatory variable

Question 55

Which of the following expresses the research objectives in terms of questions that can be addressed by research?

A)situation analysis
B)dependent variable
C)research question
D)independent variable

Question 56

Tables placed in a research proposal that are exact representations of the actual tables that will show results in the final report but contain hypothetical results are called:

A)dummy tables
B)surrogate tables
C)interim tables
D)placeholder tables

Question 57

A statement such as: "If our new soft drink reaches a local market share of one percent after nine months of test marketing the product in St.Louis,we will launch the product nationally," is an example of a:

A)hypothesis
B)situation analysis
C)managerial action standard
D)problem definition

Question 58

In research,anything that varies or changes from one instance to another is called a:

A)variable
B)constant
C)category
D)classification

Question 59

Something that does not change from one instance to another is called a:

A)hypothesis
B)constant
C)variable
D)category

Question 60

A statement such as: "If we increase price five percent,sales will likely drop eight percent or more," is an example of a:

A)hypothesis
B)dependent variable
C)problem definition
D)research objective

Question 61

What is a research proposal and how is it useful for both the researcher and the client?

Question 62

Discuss factors that make defining problems more difficult.

Question 63

Explain the difference between research questions and hypotheses.

Question 64

Research studying variables measured at more than one unit of analysis is called ____________________.

Question 65

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment to determine its effect on sales performance is known as the ____________________ variable.

Question 66

The research objectives of a study are translated into research ____________________ that can be answered by the research study.

Question 67

Anything that changes in value from one instance to another in a research study is called a(n)____________________.

Question 68

A performance criterion that expresses what a manager will do if a criterion is achieved in a research study is called a ____________________.

Question 69

Age is an example of a type of ____________________ variable.

Question 70

A written statement of the research design for a study is called the ____________________.

Question 71

The variable that is measured to determine the outcome of the marketing research process is called the ____________________ variable.

Question 72

List the steps in the problem-definition process.

Question 73

Compare and contrast continuous,categorical,dependent,and independent variables and give an example of each.

Question 74

Basic research usually performed by academic researchers and supported by some public or private institution is called ____________________ marketing research.

Question 75

Tables in a research proposal which contain fictitious,but realistic,data of the likely outcome of the research study are referred to as ____________________ tables.