Deck 4: Conducting Marketing Research

Question 1

Anne, a beautician by profession, owns a salon in the small town of Franklin, New Jersey. Every weekend, she makes it a point to visit the other salons in Franklin to find out about the beauty services they offer to customers. Anne is attempting to conduct market research by ________.

A) studying customer behavior
B) forming alliances with competing firms
C) using experimental research techniques
D) checking out rivals
E) tapping into marketing partner expertise

Answer 1

D

Question 2

List the challenges faced to conduct a good focus group discussion.

Answer 2

There are many challenges to conducting a good focus group. Some researchers believe consumers have been so bombarded with ads, they unconsciously parrot back what they've already heard instead of what they really think. There's always a concern that participants are just trying to maintain their self-image and public persona or have a need to identify with the other members of the group. Participants also may not be willing to acknowledge in public - or may not even recognize - their behavior patterns and motivations. And the "loudmouth or know-it-all" problem often crops up when one highly opinionated person drowns out the rest of the group.

Question 3

Custom marketing research firms sell field interviewing services to other firms.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

When companies engage students to design and carry out projects, the payoff to the students is experience and visibility; the payoff to the companies is a fresh sets of eyes to solve problems at a fraction of what consultants would charge.

Question 5

What are the six steps involved in the marketing research process?

Question 6

What are the relative advantages of online and in-person focus groups?

Question 7

The Nielsen Company and IRI are examples of ________, or firms that gather consumer and trade information which they sell for a fee.

A) customer marketing research firms
B) internal marketing insights departments
C) qualitative marketing intelligence agencies
D) syndicated-service research firms
E) specialty-line marketing research firms

Question 8

________ provide diagnostic information about how and why we observe certain effects in the marketplace, and what that means to marketers.

A) Marketing insights
B) Marketing metrics
C) Marketing channels
D) Marketing information systems
E) Marketing-mix models

Question 9

A good example of a syndicated-service research firm is Nielsen Media Research.

Question 10

Which of the following types of marketing research firms gathers consumer and trade information and then sells it for a fee (e.g., Nielsen Company)?

A) custom marketing research firms
B) syndicated-service research firms
C) specialty-line marketing research firms
D) generic marketing research firms
E) focused marketing research firms

Question 11

You are the marketing research director of a medium-sized manufacturing firm and you would like to engage an outside marketing research firm to conduct field interviews. Which of the following categories of marketing research firms should you use?

A) syndicated-service research firms
B) custom marketing research firms
C) global research management firms
D) specialty-line marketing research firms
E) brand management specialty research firms

Question 12

Give an example of experimental research.

Question 13

Good marketing insights often form the basis of successful marketing programs.

Question 14

AT&T, GE, Samsung, Shell Oil, and others have engaged in a(n) ________ exercise by sponsoring the Innovation Challenge, where top MBA students compete in teams to address company problems.

A) crowdcasting
B) syndication
C) net monitoring
D) product-preference
E) advertising evaluation

Question 15

Discuss the different ways that can be adopted by small manufacturing firms to conduct market research.

Question 16

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

A) Marketing communications
B) Internal marketing
C) Marketing research
D) Market segmentation
E) Marketing planning

Question 17

Explain qualitative research and why it might be useful to marketers. What are its major drawbacks?

Question 18

A(n) ________ is a gathering of 6 to 10 people carefully selected by researchers based on certain demographic, psychographic, or other considerations and brought together to discuss various topics of interest at length.

A) target group
B) pilot group
C) focus group
D) customer base
E) ethnographic group

Question 19

Amity Inc. is a firm which collects and processes household data and sells it to other firms which produce consumer durables. Amity is an example of a ________ research firm.

A) custom marketing
B) specialty-line marketing
C) syndicated-service
D) generic marketing
E) focused marketing

Question 20

A field-service firm is a ________ research firm.

A) custom marketing
B) syndicated-service
C) specialty-line marketing
D) consumer marketing
E) social marketing

Question 21

Ryan has been appointed by Target Internationals, a hardware manufacturing firm, as a marketing researcher and has been asked to conduct marketing research to produce new insights of consumer attitude on its vacuum tubes. Ryan begins the research process by defining the problem, the decision alternatives, and research objectives. Mention the next step that Ryan will follow to continue with the research.

Question 22

When American Airlines decided to review new ideas aimed at first-class passengers on very long flights, like an ultra high-speed Wi-Fi service and 124 channels of high-definition satellite cable TV, their first step in the marketing research process was to ________.

A) develop the research plan
B) define the problem and research objectives
C) collect the information
D) analyze the information
E) make the decision

Question 23

As a marketing manager of Kids Care, a manufacturer of baby soaps, Tim plans to analyze customer attitudes by using the focus group research approach. How will he conduct the research in this case?

Question 24

Axis Centre, a department store, has installed CCTV cameras to record consumer actions. Which research approach has been adopted by Axis and why?

Question 25

Give reasons to justify that online research is versatile.

Question 26

Greenfoods, a manufacturer of ready-to-eat foods, conducts over 60,000 customer surveys each month through its retail outlets. What risk is Greenfoods likely to face by putting out so many surveys each month?

Question 27

As a marketing researcher of a firm, you plan to conduct behavioral research to develop marketing insight. What procedure would you follow in this case?

Question 28

Aromas is a popular brand of cosmetic products. During the last quarter, the company suffered a drop in sales of some of its more popular offerings. In an attempt to find out the problem, Aromas designed an online questionnaire for its existing customers, who can fill out the questionnaire and also leave their comments and suggestions for improvement. What are the problems that Aromas is likely to face by using this method of contacting its customers?

Question 29

As a marketing researcher of Matrix Private Limited you have been asked to forecast the demand for your new range of body wash if a discount of 10 percent is offered on each unit sold. Identify the research category into which this market research falls.

Question 30

Mars Group is a market research firm that sells field interviewing services to a software development firm. Can Mars Group be categorized as a custom market research firm? Give reasons to support your answer.

Question 31

What is the chief advantage of using each of the following contact methods: mail questionnaire, telephone interview, and personal interview?

Question 32

Jane is a marketing researcher of a cellular service providing firm. She is conducting market research before the firm decides to launch its 4G services. After deciding on the research approach and instruments, what is the next step that Jane should follow? What are the three things that she is required to consider in this step?

Question 33

Copra, a manufacturer of cigarettes, conducts a survey before launching its new range of herbal cigarettes. What is the basic purpose of undertaking such a survey by Copra?

Question 34

The Bledsoe Marketing Research group has been hired to administer a series of questions to shoppers in a local mall. If questions on the survey questionnaire have only two possible responses (such as "yes/no"), what type of questions are these?

Question 35

Highspeed Motors is planning to introduce its new sports bike into the market. It collects data on prices, designs, features, and performance of sports bikes manufactured by other companies from their respective Web sites. What type of data is being used by Highspeed motors in this case?

Question 36

Give an example of the different technological devices that have been developed to provide insight into the consumers' behavior to the researchers.

Question 37

A marketing research firm has instructed its research associates to collect primary data by stopping people at a shopping mall or busy street corner and request an interview on the spot. Which contact method is being used by the researchers in this case? What probable risk may the researchers face while using this method?

Question 38

As a marketing researcher, if you plan to conduct your research using qualitative measures like brand personification, what are you likely to ask the respondents in order to elicit their impression on your brand?

Question 39

Suppose, as a marketing manager of a firm, you plan to conduct market research using qualitative measures. For the purpose of developing consumer insight you have distributed among the respondents a picture of a man and woman in a coffee shop, and have asked the respondents to make up a story about what is happening in the picture. Identify and define the type of question used in this case.

Question 40

A questionnaire used in a survey contains a question such as: "Retail-R-Us offers the best everyday prices" and the responses that the respondents can opt for are: "Strongly Disagree," "Disagree," "No opinion," "Agree," "Strongly Agree." Identify and define the type of closed-end question that has been exemplified in this case.

Question 41

Designing a research plan calls for decisions on all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) research objectives
B) data sources
C) research approaches
D) research instruments
E) sampling plans

Question 42

As the marketing manager of Cominform Pvt. Ltd., a manufacturer of health drinks, you have selected 10 individuals who match the profile of your target customer, to participate in a discussion on changing lifestyle trends related to health. You have also hired a skilled moderator to facilitate the discussion and ensure that everyone participates and stays focused on the topic. The moderator provides questions and probes based on the "script" prepared by you. The discussions are also recorded for further analysis. Which of the following methods of acquiring primary data is being used in this case?

A) observational research
B) surveys
C) behavioral data
D) experiments
E) focus groups

Question 43

Orville Redenbacher popcorn yielded deep consumer insights from its ________ research, which suggested that the essence of popcorn was that it was a "facilitator of interaction."

A) cognitive
B) inductive
C) archaeological
D) ethnographic
E) deductive

Question 44

________ data are data that were collected for another purpose and already exist.

A) Primary
B) Secondary
C) Primitive
D) Cross-sectional
E) Ordinate

Question 45

Which of the following is used to assess people's knowledge, beliefs, preferences, and satisfaction and to measure these magnitudes in the general population?

A) observational research
B) descriptive research
C) quantitative research
D) survey research
E) experimental research

Question 46

Before Sandra opened her florist shop she read all she could about the floral industry. She also consulted several published research reports to understand growth patterns in the local area with particular interest in the location of florists throughout the city. This ________ helped her to decide on the location of her store.

A) primary data
B) secondary data
C) primitive data
D) tertiary information
E) licensed information

Question 47

The marketing manager needs to know the cost of the research project before approving it. During which stage of the marketing research process would such a consideration most likely take place?

A) defining the problem
B) analyzing the information
C) drafting the report
D) developing the research plan
E) collecting information

Question 48

The goal of ethnographic research is to ________.

A) capture cause-and-effect relationships by eliminating competing explanations of the observed findings
B) understand consumers' behavior by observing a sample group discussing various topics of interest at length
C) study demographic variables such as age, gender, income, education, and so on, in relation to consumer buying patterns
D) analyze customers' purchasing behavior through catalog purchases and customer databases
E) immerse the researcher into consumers' lives to uncover unarticulated desires that might not surface in any other form of research

Question 49

Which of the following is considered to be the last step in the marketing research process?

A) presenting findings
B) analyzing information
C) controlling the environment
D) arriving at a decision
E) drafting the report

Question 50

The most scientifically valid research is ________ research.

A) observation
B) focus group
C) survey
D) behavioral
E) experimental

Question 51

The marketing research process begins by ________.

A) developing a research plan
B) defining the problem, the decision alternatives, and research objectives
C) analyzing the internal environment
D) reading marketing research journals
E) contacting a professional research consultant

Question 52

________ research approach uses concepts and tools from anthropology and other social science disciplines to provide deep cultural understanding of how people live and work.

A) Cognitive
B) Inductive
C) Archaeological
D) Ethnographic
E) Deductive

Question 53

Unistar Inc., is an FMCG company that produces a wide range of offerings such as grocery items and personal care products. If Unistar wants to estimate the demand for its new line of body moisturizers, which are all priced at $18, it should opt for ________ research.

A) descriptive
B) exploratory
C) prescriptive
D) causal
E) qualitative

Question 54

A company would like to study the impact of advertising expenditure on sales and sales revenue. This is an example of ________ research.

A) prescriptive
B) causal
C) secondary
D) exploratory
E) qualitative

Question 55

Researchers usually start their investigation by examining some of the rich variety of low-cost and readily available ________ data, then collect ________ data if the needed data don't existing or are dated, inaccurate, incomplete or unreliable.

A) primary; secondary
B) secondary; primary
C) primary; econometric
D) secondary; econometric
E) exploratory; econometric

Question 56

When American Airlines asked how many first-class passengers would purchase in-flight Internet service at $25, they were conducting ________ research.

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

Question 57

Primary data can be collected in several ways. Installing CCTV cameras in a retail store whereby consumers' actions can be recorded is an example of ________ research.

A) focus group
B) survey
C) observational
D) behavioral
E) experimental

Question 58

Why must researchers avoid generalizing from focus group participants to the whole market?

A) Participants' responses are not reliable.
B) Most of the participants are likely to be ignorant about the topic of discussion.
C) The size of the group is too small and the sample is not drawn randomly.
D) Most of the participants are likely to exhibit similar tastes and preferences.
E) The participants usually come from diverse backgrounds.

Question 59

If the goal of marketing research is to shed light on the real nature of a problem and to suggest possible solutions or new ideas, the research is said to be ________.

A) descriptive
B) quantitative
C) primary
D) secondary
E) exploratory

Question 60

When American Airlines asked "1) What types of first-class passengers would respond most to ultra high-speed Wi-Fi service and 2) How many are likely to use it at different price levels?", it was ________.

A) setting specific research objectives
B) conducting exploratory research
C) outlining decisions
D) defining the problem
E) designing a research plan

Question 61

The John Deere brand might make someone think of a rugged, Midwestern male who is hardworking and trustworthy, which the brand management folks would learn through ________ research.

A) brand personification
B) projective technique
C) visualization
D) laddering
E) Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique

Question 62

________ requires people to create a collage from magazine photos or drawings to depict their perceptions.

A) Brand personification
B) Projective technique
C) Visualization
D) Laddering
E) Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique

Question 63

A question that respondents can answer in an almost unlimited number of ways is called a ________ question.

A) structured
B) closed-end
C) completely unstructured
D) dichotomous
E) multiple choice

Question 64

The question "What is your opinion of the measures taken by the government to control inflation?" is an example of a ________ question.

A) semantic differential
B) word association
C) completely unstructured
D) story completion
E) dichotomous

Question 65

Which of the following rules must be kept in mind while framing a questionnaire?

A) Use broad and loosely defined words in the questions.
B) Avoid using response bands.
C) Ensure that fixed responses overlap.
D) Frame hypothetical questions.
E) Allow for the answer "other" in fixed-response questions.

Question 66

If a researcher asks a consumer why s/he wants to buy a Nokia cell phone, and learns, "They look well built" (attribute); then asks "Why is it important that the phone be well built?" and learns "It suggests Nokia is reliable" (a functional benefit); then asks "Why is reliability important?" and learns "Because my colleagues or family can be sure to reach me" (an emotional benefit), the researcher is using a technique called ________.

A) brand personification
B) projective technique
C) visualization
D) laddering
E) Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique

Question 67

Which of the seven main metaphors in the ZMET reflects a sense of mastery, vulnerability, and well-being?

A) Balance
B) Transformation
C) Journey
D) Container
E) Control

Question 68

In which of the following types of tests is a picture presented and respondents are asked to make up a story about what they think is happening or may happen in the picture?

A) semantic differential test
B) word association test
C) story completion test
D) thematic apperception test
E) picture test

Question 69

In which of the following qualitative methods are subjects asked to complete an incomplete stimulus?

A) word association
B) projective techniques
C) visualization
D) brand personification
E) laddering

Question 70

During his research about people's perceptions of Broadway musicals, Gerry asked people to create collages, on their own, out of magazine photos, which is a technique called ________.

A) brand personification
B) projective technique
C) visualization
D) laddering
E) transformation

Question 71

A scale that connects two bipolar words is called a ________.

A) dichotomous question
B) multiple-choice question
C) Likert scale
D) semantic differential
E) word association

Question 72

________ questions allow respondents to answer in their own words and often reveal more about how people think.

A) Open-end
B) Dichotomous
C) Likert scale
D) Multiple choice
E) Semantic differential

Question 73

"Truancy should be checked in schools: 1) Strongly disagree, 2) Disagree, 3) Neither agree nor disagree, 4) Agree, 5) Strongly agree." This is an example of a ________.

A) Likert scale
B) semantic differential
C) multiple choice question
D) Thematic Appreciation Test (TAT)
E) dichotomous question

Question 74

Which of the following is true of qualitative research?

A) It is a structured measurement approach that permits a range of possible responses.
B) It is indirect in nature, so consumers may be less guarded.
C) It requires large sample sizes.
D) Its results can be easily generalized to broader populations.
E) It generally results in similar results and conclusions across researchers.

Question 75

With respect to the sampling plan, three decisions must be made: 1) the sampling unit - who is to be surveyed; 2) sample size - how many people should be surveyed; and 3) ________.

A) sample cost - how much does sampling cost
B) surveyor skill - who should conduct the survey
C) sample security - how should the sample data be protected
D) sampling procedure - how should respondents be chosen
E) sample supervisor - who leads the sampling effort

Question 76

An item in a questionnaire states that "most politicians cannot be trusted." Respondents are required to provide their answers by choosing any one of the following options: 1) Strongly disagree, 2) Disagree, 3) Neither agree nor disagree, 4) Agree, 5) Strongly agree. This is an example of a ________.

A) semantic differential
B) word association question
C) Thematic Appreciation Test (TAT)
D) Likert scale
E) dichotomous question

Question 77

If a marketing researcher chooses to use word associations, the researcher is using ________ questions.

A) closed-end
B) Likert scale
C) open-end
D) rating scale
E) semantic differential

Question 78

________ research is designed to capture cause-and-effect relationships by eliminating competing explanations of the observed findings.

A) Experimental
B) Behavioral
C) Observational
D) Focus group
E) Descriptive

Question 79

Because of its flexibility, ________ are the most common technique of collecting primary data.

A) questionnaires
B) telephonic interviews
C) behavioral research studies
D) experimental designs
E) focus groups

Question 80

The primary purpose of ________ is to identify the range of possible brand associations in consumers' minds.

A) experimental research
B) dashboarding
C) laddering
D) semantic differentials
E) word associations