Deck 4: Research Design Alternatives and Qualitative Research

Question 1

Which of the following is a type of exploratory research which refers to a review of available information about a former situation(s)that has some similarities to the present research problem?

A)secondary data analysis
B)experience surveys
C)case analysis
D)projective techniques
E)focus group research

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The process of searching for and interpreting existing information relevant to the research problem can be described as:

A)an experience survey
B)secondary data analysis
C)causal analysis
D)exploitive research
E)focus group research

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is most accurate?

A)The uniqueness of every problem situation precludes applying research designs.
B)Though every problem is unique there are enough similarities among problems and objectives to allow us to make some advance decisions about the best plan to use to resolve the problem.
C)Every problem is so unique there are not enough similarities among problems and objectives to allow us to make any advance decisions about the best plan to use to resolve the problem.
D)Since research standards are standard, actions determining the research design may be pre-planned.
E)none of the above are accurate

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The convenience store example discussed in your textbook illustrates that when we don't know what problem is,we should use:

A)problem definition websites
B)experiments
C)internal supplier firms
D)exploratory research
E)descriptive research

Question 5

The various types of research design include:

A)exploratory, exploitive, and competitive
B)deductive, descriptive, and exploitive
C)exploratory, causal, and competitive
D)exploratory, descriptive, and causal
E)action, standard, experiential

Question 6

Although focus groups should encourage open,free-wheeling information,who has the task of ensuring that the conversation stays focused?

A)focus group manager
B)focus group moderator
C)focus group gate keeper
D)quantitative research assistant (QRA)
E)none of the above

Question 7

Which of the following is the order in which research designs should be carried out?

A)exploratory-descriptive-causal
B)descriptive-exploratory-causal
C)causal-descriptive-exploratory
D)causal-exploratory-descriptive
E)There is no step-by-step fashion for which order to use research designs.

Question 8

What type of research is unstructured and informal?

A)deductive
B)exploratory
C)causal
D)exploitive
E)custom, non-standard

Question 9

When is it appropriate for marketing researchers to consider selecting a research design?

A)never; clients determine the research design
B)before collecting data but after data analysis
C)after thoroughly considering the problem and the research objectives
D)this should be one of the very first decisions researchers make even before the initial client meeting
E)after collecting data

Question 10

Which of the following would be a question that we would try to answer with descriptive research?

A)Who are our customers?
B)What brands do our customers buy?
C)When do our customers shop?
D)How did our customers find out about our products?
E)all of the above

Question 11

If you were gathering information from those thought to be knowledgeable on the issues relevant to the research problem,you would probably be using which method of exploratory research?

A)Secondary data analysis
B)Experience surveys
C)Case analysis
D)Longitudinal studies
E)Cross-sectional studies

Question 12

Appropriate methods for conducting exploratory research would include:

A)secondary data analysis
B)experience surveys
C)case analysis
D)only A and B
E)all of the above

Question 13

A(n)________ is a set of advance decisions that makes up the master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information.

A)research design
B)exploratory study
C)research plan
D)sample description
E)research action plan

Question 14

How many categories are research designs classified into?

A)4
B)2
C)3
D)6
E)There is no specific number of research design categories.

Question 15

Which of the following is not true of secondary data,or information?

A)They have been collected for a purpose.
B)They are almost always a part of a marketing research project.
C)They are widespread and readily available.
D)They are difficult to find because you must first petition the researcher to get the data.
E)You can conduct a search for secondary information on virtually any topic quickly and efficiently.

Question 16

Which type of panel asks members the same questions on each panel measurement?

A)Continuous panels
B)Discontinuous panels
C)Repeated panels
D)Repeated measures panels
E)Small group panels

Question 17

How should researchers determine if case analysis is an appropriate component of exploratory research?

A)They ask themselves questions to determine the relevance of prior cases.
B)They determine how similar phenomena in the past is with phenomena in the present.
C)it is not necessary to determine appropriateness, because case analysis should always be included in
D)Both A and B are correct.
E)None of the above are correct.

Question 18

Which of the following is true of longitudinal studies?

A)They measure units from a sample of the population at only one point in time.
B)They are often described as "snapshots" of the population.
C)They include "sample surveys."
D)They are prevalent in marketing research, outnumbering cross-sectional and causal studies.
E)They repeatedly measure the same sample units of a population over a period of time.

Question 19

Which of the following is most commonly unstructured,informal research that is undertaken to gain background information about the general nature of the research problem?

A)Casual research
B)Exploratory research
C)Causal research
D)Descriptive research
E)either A or D

Question 20

If the research objective helps to determine terms and concepts,it is likely that the most appropriate research design would be:

A)exploitive
B)exploratory
C)deductive
D)causal
E)standard

Question 21

Which of the following is NOT true of depth interviews?

A)They are especially useful when the researcher wants to understand decision making on the individual level.
B)A trained interviewer is used.
C)Interviews cannot be conducted in the participants' homes.
D)The respondent is not influenced by others, as in a focus group.
E)They are especially useful when the researcher wants to understand how products are used.

Question 22

Which of the following involves placing a person in a decision-making situation and asking him or her to verbalize everything he or she considers when making a decision?

A)Word-association test
B)Protocol analysis
C)Sentence-completion test
D)Balloon test
E)Role-playing activity

Question 23

A panel of respondents is often used in which type of study?

A)cross-sectional
B)longitudinal
C)sample survey
D)case analysis
E)population research

Question 24

Discontinuous panels are sometimes called ________ panels.

A)inquisitional
B)repeatability
C)population
D)sample
E)omnibus

Question 25

Which of the following is a good description of causality?

A)understanding a phenomenon in terms of conditional statements of the form "If x, then y."
B)a very casual understanding of a topic
C)understanding a phenomenon in terms of two phenomena occurring at the same time
D)understanding of two phenomena that never occur at the same time
E)none of the above

Question 26

What type of panel should be used in brand-switching studies?

A)repeatability panel
B)inquisitional panel
C)discontinuous panel
D)population panel
E)continuous panel

Question 27

What type of descriptive research study measures units from a sample of the population at only one point in time?

A)sample surveys
B)cross-sectional studies
C)longitudinal studies
D)population research
E)Both B and C are correct.

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT a projective technique?

A)Word-association test
B)Protocol analysis
C)Sentence-completion test
D)Balloon test
E)Role-playing activity

Question 29

What type of research design should a marketing researcher use to find out how many customers there are,what brands they buy and in what quantities,which advertisements they recall,what are their attitudes toward the company,and who is the competition?

A)exploratory research
B)causal research
C)explicit research
D)descriptive research
E)population research

Question 30

Which of the following would be considered to be qualitative research studies?

A)depth interviews
B)protocol analysis
C)projective techniques
D)ethnographic research
E)all of the above

Question 31

What is the general purpose of projective techniques?

A)to gain information through small groups of people brought together and guided by a moderator through an unstructured, spontaneous discussion
B)to explore hidden consumer motives for buying goods and services, by asking respondents to project themselves into a situation
C)to review available information about a former situation that has some similarities to the present research problem
D)to gather information from those thought to be knowledgeable on the issues relevant to the projective research problem
E)to project answers from focus group participants to a much larger population

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT true?

A)Focus group companies often use clubs or church group lists from which to recruit participants.
B)Focus group participants are NOT paid.
C)Focus groups constitute representative samples.
D)Focus groups generate fresh ideas.
E)Focus groups allow clients to observe their participants.

Question 33

What is the purpose of a market tracking study?

A)to measure some variable of interest, such as market share or unit sales over time
B)to determine if consumers switched brands from one time period to the next
C)to determine the relationship between several variables
D)to search for and interpret existing information relevant to the research problem
E)to track causality

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of a focus group?

A)generate fresh ideas
B)allow clients to observe their participants
C)allow easy access to special respondent groups such as lawyers and doctors
D)produce quantifiable results suitable for statistical testing
E)can provide information on a wide variety of issues

Question 35

Non-traditional focus groups differ from traditional focus groups in that:

A)they are not restricted to 6 to 12 persons meeting in a dedicated room with one-way mirrors for client viewing
B)they are not certifiable by the Qualitative Research Consultants association
C)they are run by clients for clients
D)they are run only by qualified QRC's
E)they are not quantifiable

Question 36

What are the two basic types of studies that are categorized as descriptive research?

A)focus groups and case analysis
B)longitudinal studies and case analysis
C)longitudinal studies and cross-sectional studies
D)focus groups and cross-sectional studies
E)population research and cross-sectional research

Question 37

What type of research design should a researcher use if he/she wishes to determine the effect of a change in price on the sales of a particular brand?

A)exploitive
B)longitudinal
C)exploratory
D)after-only
E)causal

Question 38

What type of panel would be used to determine how consumers feel about two different product concepts by varying panel questions from one panel measurement to the next?

A)inquisitional panel
B)discontinuous panel
C)population panel
D)continuous panel
E)repeatability panel

Question 39

Omnibus means:

A)including or covering many things or classes
B)syndicated data
C)developing an understanding of a phenomenon in terms of "if-then" conditional statements
D)searching for and interpreting existing information relevant to the research problem
E)taking long periods of time to complete

Question 40

Descriptive studies are conducted to:

A)specify the causality in the problem
B)describe previous findings in similar problems
C)answer who, what, when, where, and how questions
D)describe secondary data from previous studies
E)all of the above

Question 41

Which of the following describes a standard test market?

A)It is one in which the firm tests the product or marketing-mix variables through the company's normal distribution channels.
B)It is conducted by outside research firms that guarantee distribution of the product through prespecified types and numbers of distributors.
C)It includes a panel of consumers that has agreed to carry identification cards that each consumer presents when buying goods and services.
D)A limited amount of data on consumer response to a new product is fed into a model containing certain assumptions regarding planned marketing programs, which generates likely product sales volume.
E)none of the above

Question 42

Which of the following is a type of experiment mentioned in your textbook?

A)Laboratory
B)Field
C)Controlled
D)Standard
E)both A and B

Question 43

________ is concerned with the extent to which the change in the dependent variable was actually due to the independent variable.

A)Representativeness
B)External validity
C)Internal validity
D)Measurement
E)Validation

Question 44

What type of experimental validity is concerned with the extent that the relationship observed between the independent and dependent variable during the experiment IS generalizable to the real world?

A)internal validity
B)external validity
C)extraneous validity
D)causal validity
E)face validity

Question 45

Which of the following symbols represents the experimental effect?

A)O
B)X
C)C
D)E
E)none of the above

Question 46

What makes an experimental design a "true" experimental design?

A)There are no "false" variables.
B)It truly isolates the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable while controlling for effects of any extraneous variables.
C)It is performed by a certified marketing researcher.
D)both A and C
E)none of the above

Question 47

Which of the following designs represents the Before-After with Control Group design?

A)X - O - C
B)E = I X O
C)E = O X O
D)X=BXOOA
E)none of the above

Question 48

In an experiment,which type of variable does a researcher have control over and wish to manipulate?

A)dependent variables
B)independent variables
C)extraneous variables
D)exploitive variables
E)reliable variables

Question 49

A procedure for ensuring that the change in the dependent variable may be solely attributed to the change in the independent variable is called:

A)an experimental design
B)a variable design
C)a procedural design
D)a design procedure
E)a change procedure

Question 50

Which of the following describes an electronic test market?

A)It is one in which the firm tests the product or marketing-mix variables through the company's normal distribution channels.
B)It is conducted by outside research firms that guarantee distribution of the product through prespecified types and numbers of distributors.
C)It includes a panel of consumers that has agreed to carry identification cards that each consumer presents when buying goods and services.
D)A limited amount of data on consumer response to a new product is fed into a model containing certain assumptions regarding planned marketing programs, which generates likely product sales volume.
E)none of the above

Question 51

Which of the following symbols represents the measurement of the dependent variable?

A)O
B)X
C)C
D)M
E)none of the above

Question 52

Which of the following is a potential use of test marketing?

A)to test the sales potential for a new product
B)to test variations in the marketing mix for a product
C)to test the sales potential for a new service
D)all of the above
E)none of the above

Question 53

What type of experiment involves manipulating the independent variable and measuring the dependent variable in an artificial setting contrived to control extraneous variables?

A)laboratory experiment
B)field experiment
C)extraneous experiment
D)government experiment
E)art-con experiment

Question 54

How can it be determined if an experiment is valid?

A)The observed change in the dependent variable is in fact due to the independent variable.
B)The results of the experiment apply to the real world outside the experimental setting.
C)The results do not account for the effects of extraneous variables.
D)Both A and B are correct.
E)A, B, and C are correct.

Question 55

Which of the following describes a controlled test market?

A)It is one in which the firm tests the product or marketing-mix variables through the company's normal distribution channels.
B)It is conducted by outside research firms that guarantee distribution of the product through prespecified types and numbers of distributors.
C)It includes a panel of consumers that has agreed to carry identification cards that each consumer presents when buying goods and services.
D)A limited amount of data on consumer response to a new product is fed into a model containing certain assumptions regarding planned marketing programs, which generates likely product sales volume.
E)none of the above

Question 56

An experiment is defined as:

A)something men and/or women in white coats do
B)manipulating an independent variable to see how it affects a dependent variable, while also controlling for the effects of additional complex variables
C)manipulating an independent variable to see how it affects a dependent variable, while also controlling for the effects of additional extraneous variables
D)manipulating a dependent variable to see how it affects an independent variable, while also controlling for the effects of additional complex variables
E)controlling for the effects of reliable variables on dependent variables

Question 57

Which of the following symbols represents the change or manipulation of the independent variable?

A)O
B)X
C)C
D)I
E)M

Question 58

In experimental designs an R stands for:

A)restricted use of complex variables
B)random assignment of research subjects (e.g. stores)to groups (experimental and control)
C)random assignment of treatments to either the independent or the dependent variables
D)the reliable variable
E)There is no R in experimental design terminology.

Question 59

When a variable exerts influence on the dependent variable and is not an independent variable we refer to it as a(an):

A)influencing variable
B)unwanted variable
C)complex variable
D)extraneous variable
E)reliable variable

Question 60

What type of experiment involves manipulating the independent variable and measuring the dependent variable in a natural setting?

A)extraneous experiment
B)laboratory experiment
C)causal experiment
D)longitudinal experiment
E)field experiment

Question 61

Experience surveys differ from surveys conducted as part of descriptive research in that there is usually no formal attempt to ensure that the survey results are representative of any defined group of subjects.

Question 62

One method of conducting exploratory research is through secondary data analysis.

Question 63

Exploratory research is often carried out at the outset of research projects.

Question 64

Research design should be considered solely a step-by-step process.

Question 65

How many general ways for organizing observations are there?

A)2
B)3
C)4
D)5
E)6

Question 66

Which of the following best represents the criteria discussed by your authors to be used in selection of a test market city?

A)representativeness, isolation and cost
B)representativeness, existing company presence, control of promotion
C)representativeness, isolation and control of distribution and promotion
D)representativeness, cost and control of competitor's intelligence
E)representativeness, cost and ability to meet the federal codes regulating test markets

Question 67

Exploratory research can also be beneficial in the formulation of hypotheses.

Question 68

Causal research is best utilized to define terms.

Question 69

Exploratory research can be used to help define terms such as understanding exactly what bank image is.

Question 70

Which of the following describes a simulated test market?

A)It is one in which the firm tests the product or marketing-mix variables through the company's normal distribution channels.
B)It is conducted by outside research firms that guarantee distribution of the product through prespecified types and numbers of distributors.
C)It includes a panel of consumers that has agreed to carry identification cards that each consumer presents when buying goods and services.
D)A limited amount of data on consumer response to a new product is fed into a model containing certain assumptions regarding planned marketing programs, which generates likely product sales volume.
E)none of the above

Question 71

Knowledge of research design is helpful because certain designs can be matched with certain problems and this provides a blueprint for the researcher.

Question 72

Of the following,which is a potential disadvantage of using a simulated test market?

A)It is not as accurate as full scale test markets.
B)The distribution network may or may not properly represent the firm's actual distribution system.
C)It is often very time consuming and expensive.
D)They allow competitors to acquire knowledge of the test.
E)all of the above

Question 73

Descriptive research is best utilized when little is known about the problem.

Question 74

Usually,there are few research situations that have some similarities to past situations.

Question 75

Which of the following is true of quantitative research?

A)It is sometimes referred to as "survey research."
B)It often involves a sizable representative sample of the population.
C)Data format and sources are clear and well defined.
D)Its purpose is very specific.
E)all of the above

Question 76

With ________,the researcher observes the effects or results of the behavior rather than the behavior itself.

A)indirect observation
B)disguised observation
C)undisguised research
D)direct observation
E)guided observation

Question 77

Research designs should always be carried out,one after another,in the following order: exploratory,descriptive and longitudinal.

Question 78

Every research problem is unique.

Question 79

The four research designs are exploratory,exploitive,descriptive and longitudinal.

Question 80

Which of the following best represents the disadvantages of conducting test markets as discussed by your authors?

A)cost, competitor intervention, and government regulations of test markets
B)fallibility of results, cost, exposure of product/service to competition and ethical issues
C)cost, delay in getting to the market first, competitive awareness of the product/service
D)inability to test marketing mix variables
E)disadvantages were not discussed in your book