51) Even with big data, researchers first must be sure that the problem statement and research
objectives have been carefully defined.
52) Suggested applications for secondary data include forecasting economic trends analyzing the
competition, choosing international markets to enter, understanding consumer concerns during a
crisis situation, and many others.
53) Commercial firms, government agencies, or community service organizations conducting
surveys, recording transactions, or conducting business activities are creating a written records of
activities. This type of data represents primary data.
54) Certain projects may be based exclusively on secondary data.
55) Data captured from sales records, purchase requisitions, invoices, and complaints represent
external secondary data.
56) A database refers to a collection of data and information describing items of interest, and
consists of records and subcomponents of fields.
57) Data translation software helps managers make sense out of seemingly senseless masses of
information contained in databases.
58) Micromarketing employs a differentiated marketing mix for specific customer segments,
sometimes fine-tuned for the individual shopper.
59) There are three primary sources of internal data: (1) published sources, (2) official data, and
(3) data aggregators.
60) Information prepared for public distribution by trade associations, professional organizations,
companies, and other entities and can be found in libraries and online is an example of published
sources.
61) One of the advantages of secondary data is that for almost any application, some secondary
data are readily available.
62) Primary data may enhance secondary data by providing a current look at issues, trends,
yardsticks of performance, and so on that may affect the type of secondary that should be
collected.
63) Disadvantages and problems exist with secondary data because it has not been collected
specifically to address the problem at hand but have been collected for some other purpose.
64) Sometimes a marketing researcher will find information reported with the desired unit of
measurement and the proper classifications; however, the data may be outdated and no longer
reliable.
65) Companies use their external databases for purposes of direct marketing and to strengthen
relationships with customers, which is referred to as customer relationship marketing (CRM).
66) Trustworthy sources of secondary data will almost always have comprehensive details
related to the methods used to collect their data.
67) Because of their reputations and acknowledged expertise, competent firms usually do not
voluntarily provide written and detailed explanations of the procedures and methods used in
collecting the information cited in the report.
68) Studies may claim to provide information on a specific subject but, in fact, measure
something quite different.
69) If two or more independent organizations report the same data, researchers should have less
confidence in the validity and reliability of the data and should double-check the source.
70) It is rare that two organizations will report exactly the same results. In assessing differing
data, the magnitude of the differences is a good place to start.
71) The 2010 U.S. Census departed from tradition and only collected data using the short form,
which asks only for name, sex, age, date of birth, race, ethnicity, relationship, and housing
tenure.
72) Data from the prior U.S. Census long form are now collected through the American City and
County Survey
73) The American Community Survey is designed to help update Decennial Census data by
collecting information on a small percentage of the population in all counties, American Indian
Areas, Alaska Native Areas, and Hawaiian Home Lands on a rotating basis using a sample.
74) Unlike the U.S. Census, the American Community Survey does not benefit from “high
marks” of reliability.
75) In addition to providing new data each year, the ACS offers a measure of accuracy of the
yearly estimates by relying on a sampling plan that involves surveying about three million
Americans every year.
76) Packaged information is a special form of secondary data and consists of two broad classes,
which include syndicated data and packaged services.
77) Syndicated data are a form of external primary data that are supplied from a common
database to subscribers for a long-term service fee.
78) Firms supplying syndicated data follow standard research formats that enable them to collect
the same data over time.
79) With syndicated data, both the process of collecting and analyzing the data and the data
themselves can be varied for the client.
80) The term packaged services refers to a prepackaged marketing research process that is used
to generate information for a particular user.
81) When many client firms subscribe to information, the cost of the service is greatly reduced to
any one subscriber firm. This describes a key advantage of syndicated data,
82) A firm that offers a packaged service can use its experience to provide measures obtained
from previous research to allow direct comparisons and make sense of results.
83) A company providing a packaged service usually knows the idiosyncrasies of a particular
industry; therefore, there is less of a burden on the client to ensure that the packaged service fits
the intended situation.
84) Marketers are interested in consumers’ attitudes toward private brands versus national
brands, the quality of products made in America and elsewhere, and claims of health benefits.
Data purchased for this purpose would be an application of packaged information.
85) When considering the use of geodemographic information, researchers should be aware that
it is limited to only pre-defined geographical boundaries such as cities, counties, or state
definitions.
86) Syndicated data services provide client firms with sophisticated methods of identifying
members of their target market, locating these members, and provide information that will help
efficiently reach these target markets.
87) Tracking studies are longitudinal studies that monitor a variable such as sales or market share
over time.
88) Social media data, also termed user-generated content (UGC), are any information that is
created by users of online systems and intended to be shared with others.
89) The timing of social media monitoring usually does not vary. It is almost always focused on
one period to solve a particular problem.
90) Social media platforms provide one of the best means to trace trends and track big themes
including fears and aspirations that influence consumers.
91) The Internet of Things (IoT) is defined as the network of physical objects embedded with
software or sensors that allow them to gather and distribute data.
92) Many research professionals believe IoT is important as a data source because it has the
potential to transform the marketing research industry from relying heavily on primary data to
truly integrating passively collected secondary data.
93) Define the term big data. Describe the challenges as well as the opportunities for the use of
big data by marketing researchers.
94) Describe the difference between internal secondary data and data gathered externally
(primary data). What are some applications of secondary data? Give one example of the use of
each.
95) Explain the advantages and disadvantages of secondary data.
96) Explain why the American Community Survey (ACS) may represent the most significant
change in several decades in the availability of secondary data to be used for marketing research
purposes. Give one example of the use of data from the ACS.
97) Describe the two classes of packaged information and the advantages and disadvantages of
each.
98) Discuss the four major areas in which packaged information sources may be applied.
99) One of the fastest-growing areas of marketing research involves the organization and
analysis of social media data. Discuss the uses of social media data and their advantages and
disadvantages.
100) Discuss the impact of the Internet of Things (IoT), the data the objects gather, and how IoT
has the potential to transform the marketing research industry.