Deck 8: Analyzing People and Markets

Question 1

Standardized research techniques are more useful in the collection of subjective data than of objective data.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Scenario analysis is used to look at different configurations of key variables in the international market.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The two major approaches to international research organization are the top-down approach and the bottom-up approach.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The value of the international marketing decision with the benefit of research should be greater than the value of the decision without research.

Question 5

A marketing plan is usually developed prior to doing any international research.

Question 6

The single most important cause for failure in the international marketplace is the inability to communicate in the host country language.

Question 7

When qualitative data are desired,surveys are appropriate research instruments.

Question 8

The less the corporation's research needs overlap with an agency's past research accomplishment,the more likely it is that the research task will be carried out satisfactorily.

Question 9

Clustering countries into similar groups for screening and evaluation is the first step of foreign-market opportunity analysis.

Question 10

It is not necessary to consider the compatibility and comparability of the data while using secondary data.

Question 11

The research done for international marketing activities is most often more rigorous,formal,and quantitative than for domestic marketing activities.

Question 12

Delphi studies are one means of obtaining factual data through quantitative methods.

Question 13

Focus groups can be most useful when specific answers are sought to very narrow questions.

Question 14

Firms appear to be less open about their international marketing activities than about their domestic ones.

Question 15

Centralizing all research activities with one service provider is more efficient than having experts working on a problem.

Question 16

When importing,firms shift their major focus from supplying to sourcing.

Question 17

The researcher should use creative inferences to arrive at knowledge useful to the firm.

Question 18

The EU law permits companies to collect personal data only if the individuals consent to the collection,know how the data will be used,and have access to databases to correct or erase their information.

Question 19

The American Marketing Association (AMA)defines marketing research as the function that links the consumer,customer,and public to the marketer through information.

Question 20

Unstructured questions increase the potential for interviewer bias.

Question 21

Which of the following is true about trade associations?

A) Trade associations provide valuable information about local markets.
B) The information provided by trade associations is often quite specific in nature.
C) Trade associations do not maintain files on international trade issues and trends affecting international marketers.
D) Trade associations provide general background information such as the name of the chief executive officer, the address and telephone number, and some information about a firm's products.

Question 22

Which of the following approaches uses an intermediary such as an outside research agency to bring headquarters and country operations together?

A) Coordinated research approach
B) Top-down approach
C) Decentralized approach
D) Centralized approach

Question 23

Which of the following entities has the greatest variety of secondary data?

A) International organizations
B) Governments
C) Trade associations
D) Service organizations

Question 24

Which of the following is the first step in foreign-market opportunity analysis?

A) Identifying the potential demand for a specific product
B) Indexing and ranking countries by their market appeal
C) Clustering countries into similar groups for screening and evaluation
D) Developing and planning of strategies of the country chosen

Question 25

Collecting secondary data at the micro level involves gathering:

A) tariff and nontariff information.
B) government trade policy information.
C) information obtained from the WTO.
D) data on local laws, regulations, standards, and specifications.

Question 26

Outside research is appropriate:

A) for small-scale international marketing research.
B) for small-scale domestic marketing research.
C) when generalized research skills are required.
D) when specialized research skills are required.

Question 27

_____ information includes population trends,general trade flows between countries,and world agricultural production.

A) Behavioral
B) Macro
C) Systemic
D) Structural

Question 28

Which of the following is true about primary research?

A) It is always conducted by the firm with a specific need.
B) It is very limited in scope as it typically does not go beyond the activities of secondary data collection.
C) It is conducted to fill specific information needs.
D) It is easier to conduct internationally.

Question 29

Which of the following is the aim of foreign-market opportunity analysis?

A) To utilize a broad-brush approach which is accomplished quickly at low cost
B) To conduct a detailed analysis of the world on a market-by-market basis
C) To obtain consistency in the firm's marketing efforts
D) To evaluate the natural resources present in the different markets

Question 30

Which of the following is a drawback associated with electronic information services?

A) The information provided is not cost-effective.
B) They are heavily biased toward the English language.
C) They do not provide information on technical standards and trade regulations on specific products.
D) The information provided is often quite general in nature.

Question 31

A major reason that firms are reluctant to engage in international marketing activities is the:

A) lack of investors in international markets.
B) lack of sensitivity to differences in consumer tastes and preferences.
C) absence of profitable opportunities.
D) lack of distributors in international markets.

Question 32

What are the two basic forms of research gathering methods?

A) Generic and specific
B) Presentation and demonstration
C) Primary and secondary
D) Limited and scope-oriented

Question 33

Which of the following questions will require the use of primary research?

A) What are the latest accords and negotiations in the WTO?
B) What is the ratio of Columbia's debt to gross domestic product?
C) What is the market potential for furniture in Indonesia?
D) What percentage of global steel production is accounted by the Chinese steel industry?

Question 34

The level of computerization of a society can estimate the future need for software.In this statement,the level of computerization of a society is a:

A) random variable.
B) proxy variable.
C) constant.
D) qualitative variable.

Question 35

The value of research in making a particular decision can be determined by applying the following equation: V(dr)- V(d)> C(r).In this equation,V(dr)represents the:

A) cost of research.
B) value of the decision with the benefit of research.
C) value of the decision without the benefit of research.
D) difference between the cost of research and the benefit of research.

Question 36

Which of the following is true of marketing research?

A) Marketing research can take place in a void.
B) Marketing research is the link between marketer and market without which marketing cannot function.
C) Marketing research highlights the roles of bias, emotions, and subjective judgment.
D) Marketing research can take place even without a business purpose.

Question 37

Firms are increasingly recognizing that ____ variables,such as lifestyles,attitudes,or personality,can play a major role in identifying similar consumer groups in different countries.

A) discrete
B) segmentation
C) purchase-related
D) economic

Question 38

Macro level secondary data usually involves:

A) data on local laws and regulations.
B) tariff and nontariff information.
C) information about individual companies.
D) data on local distribution systems and competitive activities.

Question 39

In the _____ approach,the headquarters establishes the broad thrust of research activities and delegates further design and implementation to the specific countries.The research is then carried out locally,and only a final report is provided to headquarters.

A) top-down
B) decentralized
C) coordinated
D) centralized

Question 40

Why is information provided by trade associations often quite general in nature?

A) Because the frequency of updates is very low
B) Because the basic intent of such information is to serve as an "appetizer"
C) Because summary information is what most international organizations look out for
D) Because of the wide variety of clients served

Question 41

In a developed country,a white-collar worker may be part of the middle class,whereas in a less-developed country,the same person would be part of the upper class.This example underscores the importance of _____ while deciding on survey question formats.

A) data equivalence
B) social desirability
C) question validity
D) overt questioning

Question 42

Write a note on analyzing and interpreting primary data.

Question 43

_____ can be helpful in providing information about perceptions,emotions,and other nonovert factors.

A) Focus groups
B) Scanner data
C) Structured questionnaires
D) Surveys

Question 44

Which of the following is true about unstructured questions?

A) Unstructured questions typically allow the respondents only limited choice options.
B) Unstructured questions decrease the potential for interviewer bias.
C) Unstructured questions permit the capture of in-depth information.
D) Unstructured questions prevent the respondents from setting their own frame of reference.

Question 45

Which of the following research instruments is used for gathering qualitative data in marketing research?

A) Data mining
B) Survey
C) Scanner data
D) Interviews

Question 46

What are the sources of secondary data in international marketing?

Question 47

When quantitative data are desired,_____ are appropriate research instruments.

A) interviews
B) focus groups
C) surveys
D) observations

Question 48

Delphi studies:

A) seek to obtain the responses of many people with only specific and limited knowledge.
B) aim at qualitative rather than quantitative measures by aggregating the information of a group of experts.
C) encourage interaction among the participants.
D) require only two steps for completion and hence information is obtained very quickly.

Question 49

In the _____,a researcher formulates the questions,has them translated into the language of the country under investigation,and subsequently has a second translator return the foreign text to the researcher's native language.

A) transliteration methodology
B) translation-retranslation approach
C) multilingual evaluation
D) reverse translation methodology

Question 50

Surveys are usually conducted _____.

A) via questionnaires
B) through observations
C) via experiments
D) through focus groups

Question 51

In some cultures,certain questions are asked directly to respondents while in others,the same questions are thought to be rude and insulting.This is because of:

A) data equivalence.
B) social desirability.
C) interviewer bias.
D) sampling error.

Question 52

Why are firms reluctant to engage in international marketing activities?

Question 53

Which of the following research techniques is most valuable for the researcher who is totally unfamiliar with a market or market situation,and can be quickly achieved through participation in a trade mission?

A) Surveys
B) Interviews
C) Focus groups
D) Observation

Question 54

Translation-retranslation approach is _____.

A) designed to reduce interviewer bias.
B) employed to ensure that categories used in questionnaires are comparatively structured.
C) necessary to ensure the capture of more in-depth information.
D) used to reduce problems in question wording.

Question 55

To enrich information obtained from factual data,corporations resort to the use of creative and highly qualitative data-gathering methods.Which of the following methods would allow this?

A) Surveys
B) Questionnaires
C) Scanner data
D) Delphi studies

Question 56

The intent of gathering qualitative data is to:

A) amass data.
B) search for statistical significance.
C) generalize.
D) obtain a better understanding of given situations and behavioral patterns.

Question 57

_____ requires categories used in questionnaires to be comparatively structured.

A) Translation-retranslation approach
B) Social desirability
C) Data equivalence
D) Content analysis

Question 58

Which of the following is true about structured questions?

A) Structured questions increase the potential for interviewer bias.
B) Structured questions typically permit the capture of more in-depth information than unstructured questions.
C) Structured questions are quite useful in cross-cultural surveys because they make allowance for the frame of reference of the respondents.
D) Structured questions typically allow the respondents only limited choice options.