Question 1

During a "situation analysis," a marketing researcher should:
A) collect primary data.
B) talk with competitors facing similar problems.
C) begin to talk informally to as many customers as possible.
D) study what information is already available.
E) All of these are good choices.

Accepted Answer

During a situation analysis, the researcher should first study what information is already available to understand the current market conditions and identify gaps in knowledge before collecting new data.

Question 2

When a marketing manager scans a firm's MIS to try to obtain information about why the firm's product sales are down, this is an example of a(n):
A) intranet.
B) hypothesis testing.
C) experiment.
D) data warehouse.
E) situation analysis.

Accepted Answer

Scanning a firm's MIS to obtain information about why product sales are down is an example of conducting a situation analysis, which is a process of gathering data and analyzing the firm's internal and external environment to understand the current business situation. An intranet is a network within an organization that allows for communication and sharing of information between employees. Hypothesis testing and experiments involve conducting specific tests or trials to validate a hypothesis or idea. A data warehouse is a centralized repository for storing and analyzing data from various sources. None of these options accurately reflect the act of scanning an MIS for information on declining product sales.

Question 3

Regarding the marketing research process, defining the problem
A) means identifying the symptoms.
B) usually requires that problem specific data be collected and interpreted.
C) may have to wait until after a situation analysis has been completed.
D) All of these alternatives are true.

Accepted Answer

Defining the problem may have to wait until after a situation analysis has been completed to ensure a clear understanding of the context and issues involved.

Question 4

A situation analysis
A) usually involves formal talks with informed people.
B) can help define the problem.
C) should never involve a firm's customers.
D) is a step that can often be skipped.
E) provides a controlled test of an hypothesis.

Accepted Answer

A situation analysis is an important step in problem-solving and decision-making processes, and it involves gathering information and analyzing the current situation. It can help define the problem and identify potential solutions. Formal talks with informed people may be one way to gather information, but there are many other methods, such as surveys, research studies, and analysis of existing data. Involving a firm's customers may also be important in some situations, especially when trying to understand their needs and preferences. Skipping a situation analysis altogether can lead to poor decision-making and ineffective solutions. A situation analysis is not a controlled test of a hypothesis, although it may involve hypothesis-testing to some extent.

Question 5

Secondary data
A) may provide some background, but never provides the answer.
B) is information that has been collected already.
C) is rarely available and is expensive.
D) is specifically collected to solve a current problem.
E) can be in the form of online surveys or observations.

Accepted Answer

Secondary data refers to information that has already been collected by someone else, such as government agencies or market research firms. It can provide useful insights and background, but may not always provide the complete answer or solution to a problem. It can be much more cost-effective to use secondary data than to collect new data through primary research methods. Secondary data can come in many forms, including online surveys or observations, but is always data that has already been collected.

Question 6

Data that has been collected or published already is:
A) primary data.
B) free.
C) franchised data.
D) secondary data.
E) None of these are good choices.

Accepted Answer

Secondary data refers to data that has already been collected or published by someone else. This can include data gathered from government agencies, academic research, or market research companies. Examples of secondary data include census reports, academic articles, and market research reports.

Question 7

Which of the following statements about a situation analysis is False?
A) A situation analysis is mainly a study of new information that is not already available.
B) A situation analysis may involve informal discussions with knowledgeable people.
C) A situation analysis may help educate a researcher who is dealing with an unfamiliar subject.
D) A situation analysis should include finding relevant secondary data.
E) None of these statements about a situation analysis is False.

Accepted Answer

A situation analysis involves collecting and analyzing both new and existing information. It is not solely a study of new information that is not already available. The other statements are true.

Question 8

Which of the following statements concerning secondary data is correct?
A) Secondary data usually takes longer to obtain than primary data.
B) Secondary data is only available within the firm.
C) Secondary data was originally collected for some other purpose.
D) Secondary data may provide some background, but never provides the answer.
E) None of these statements is correct.

Accepted Answer

Secondary data is data that was originally collected for some other purpose. It can be obtained faster and at a lower cost than primary data. It may provide some background information, but may not always provide the answer needed for a specific research question. Secondary data may be collected by sources both within and outside of the firm.

Question 9

A company that sells equipment through independent wholesalers wants to find out why sales are down in one region. An analyst is asked to interview the wholesaler in that region. This seems to be
A) part of a situation analysis.
B) the beginning of a focus group interview.
C) gathering information that will be analyzed by a statistical package.
D) a bad practice, since the problem has not been defined yet.
E) None of these choices is correct.

Accepted Answer

This is part of a situation analysis, as the company is trying to identify the reason for decreased sales in one region.

Question 10

Data that has already been collected or published is:
A) useful data.
B) secondary data.
C) primary data.
D) free data.
E) rarely-if ever-useful for marketing decision making.

Accepted Answer

Secondary data refers to data that has already been collected or published, which can be used by marketers to supplement their own primary data collection efforts. While primary data is often preferred, secondary data can be useful in many circumstances, particularly for cost-effective and efficient research. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Question 11

A situation analysis is highly beneficial to marketers for all the following reasons except:
A) it is very informative.
B) it requires little time.
C) it is inexpensive compared to formal research efforts.
D) it requires only a phone or Internet access.
E) it yields relevant primary data.

Accepted Answer

Situation analysis typically involves gathering secondary data rather than primary data.

Question 12

Marketing research:
A) usually requires complex statistical techniques, so marketing managers should leave planning of the research to the research specialists.
B) is likely to be more effective when guided by the strategy planning framework.
C) should gather as much information as possible.
D) begins by analyzing the situation.
E) All of these alternatives about marketing research are correct.

Accepted Answer

Marketing research is likely to be more effective when guided by the strategy planning framework. This framework helps to ensure that the research is focused on the most important questions, uses appropriate research methods, and the research findings can be used to inform decision-making.

Question 13

_____ is an informal study of what information is already available in the problem area.
A) Qualitative research
B) Situation analysis
C) A focus group interview
D) Quantitative research
E) A marketing model

Accepted Answer

A situation analysis involves gathering and reviewing available information about the problem area or topic of interest. It is an informal way to understand the current situation and identify potential opportunities or challenges. Qualitative and quantitative research, focus group interviews, and marketing models are more formal ways to gather data and insights.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about doing a situation analysis is correct?
A) Libraries have good data on specific topics, but it is expensive to find.
B) It doesn't make sense to start a situation analysis until the problem has begun to surface.
C) Much good data are available from the government, but expensive.
D) A good situation analysis is usually more expensive than collecting primary data.
E) None of these statements about doing a situation analysis is true.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements about doing...

Question 15

When a marketing manager searches the Internet to find information about a research problem, this is an example of a(n):
A) intranet.
B) experiment.
C) hypothesis testing.
D) situation analysis.
E) data warehouse.

Accepted Answer

Searching the Internet for information about a research problem is part of conducting a situation analysis, which involves gathering and analyzing information about the market environment, competitors, and consumers. The other options (intranet, experiment, hypothesis testing, and data warehouse) do not accurately describe the process of searching the Internet for information.

Question 16

When a marketing manager has phone conversations with key wholesalers of the firm's products to try to obtain information about why the firm's product sales are down, this is an example of a(n):
A) hypothesis testing.
B) situation analysis.
C) data warehouse.
D) intranet.
E) experiment.

Accepted Answer

The marketing manager is conducting a situation analysis by gathering information about the current state of the product sales. Hypothesis testing involves testing a specific hypothesis, a data warehouse is a repository of large amounts of data, an intranet is a private network within a company, and an experiment involves testing a hypothesis through controlled variables.

Question 17

Regarding the marketing research process, defining the problem
A) is often confused with identifying the symptoms of the problem.
B) can be guided by the marketing strategy planning framework.
C) precisely may have to wait until after a situation analysis has been completed.
D) All of these alternatives are true.

Accepted Answer

A) Defining the problem is different from identifying symptoms and it is important to clearly understand the problem to develop an effective research plan.

B) The marketing strategy planning framework can guide the identification and definition of the problem by highlighting potential areas of concern and opportunities for growth in the market.

C) In some cases, a situational analysis might be required to understand the problem before defining it.

Therefore, all of the given statements are true.

Question 18

Which of the following is secondary data that is easily accessible to marketers and generated inside their own firms?
A) Focus group surveys
B) Library research
C) Marketing information system
D) U.S. government-published data
E) Internet research

Accepted Answer

Marketing information system is a database of all necessary data collected by the company over time. It is easy for marketers to access this data as it is available within the organization.

Question 19

The first thing a marketing manager should do if one of his firm's products drops in sales volume is:
A) conduct a survey to see what is wrong.
B) define the problem.
C) set research priorities.
D) do a situation analysis.
E) interview representative customers.

Accepted Answer

Defining the problem is the first step in the marketing research process and is crucial for understanding the underlying issues causing the drop in sales volume. This helps in determining the direction of subsequent research and analysis efforts.

Question 20

A marketing manager wants to know why her sales are down. She talks with several sales reps and finds that a competitor has introduced a successful new product. This "research" seems to be part of
A) the situation analysis.
B) the problem solution stage.
C) obtaining problem-specific data.
D) the data interpretation stage.
E) the problem definition stage of the research process.

Accepted Answer

The situation analysis involves examining the current market conditions, as well as the internal and external factors that may impact sales. By talking with sales reps and identifying a successful new product from a competitor, the marketing manager is gathering information for a situation analysis to understand why sales are down.

Quiz 7: Improving Decisions With Marketing Information

During a "situation analysis," a marketing researcher should:

When a marketing manager scans a firm's MIS to try to obtain information about why the firm's product sales are down, this is an example of a(n) :

Regarding the marketing research process, defining the problem

A situation analysis

Secondary data

Data that has been collected or published already is:

Which of the following statements about a situation analysis is False?

Which of the following statements concerning secondary data is correct?

A company that sells equipment through independent wholesalers wants to find out why sales are down in one region. An analyst is asked to interview the wholesaler in that region. This seems to be

Data that has already been collected or published is:

A situation analysis is highly beneficial to marketers for all the following reasons except:

Marketing research:

_____ is an informal study of what information is already available in the problem area.

Which of the following statements about doing a situation analysis is correct?

When a marketing manager searches the Internet to find information about a research problem, this is an example of a(n) :

When a marketing manager has phone conversations with key wholesalers of the firm's products to try to obtain information about why the firm's product sales are down, this is an example of a(n) :

Regarding the marketing research process, defining the problem

Which of the following is secondary data that is easily accessible to marketers and generated inside their own firms?

The first thing a marketing manager should do if one of his firm's products drops in sales volume is:

A marketing manager wants to know why her sales are down. She talks with several sales reps and finds that a competitor has introduced a successful new product. This "research" seems to be part of