89) Christy, a marketing executive who was born in 1962, advocated that her company focus on
a print campaign for its new line of lipsticks rather than spending money on online ads. This
point of view may be attributed to the fact that she is a member of which generational cohort?
A) Baby Boomer
B) Gen X
C) Gen Y
D) Gen Z
E) Millennials
90) A listing on eBay featured a refurbished iMac desktop computer; interested buyers all ranged
in age from teenagers to adults with their own families. These interested buyers were likely from
which generational cohort?
A) Baby Boomer
B) Gen X
C) Gen Y
D) Gen Z
E) the Digital Natives
91) The poorest 10 percent of the U.S. population earned less than $412 per week in 2014. This
meant they had
A) average purchasing power.
B) median purchasing power.
C) high purchasing power.
D) no purchasing power.
E) the lowest purchasing power.
92) Which statement about the changing ethnicity in the United States is true?
A) Minorities now represent almost half of the population in the United States.
B) In spite of an increase in the Hispanic population, Hispanic buying power is expected to
maintain its current level.
C) Hispanics differ vastly from other groups in America in terms of consumer behavior.
D) African American U.S. households are more affluent than previous studies suggested.
E) Asian Americans are the slowest-growing minority population.
93) According to the text, 14 cable companies agreed to provide low-cost Internet access to
impoverished families for all of the following reasons except
A) calls for greater social responsibility.
B) increased income from a larger number of subscribers.
C) increased access to faster broadband capabilities.
D) the economic status of consumers.
E) pressures from the Federal Communications Commission.
94) The government has enacted laws that promote both fair trade and competition by
prohibiting the formation of monopolies or alliances that would damage a competitive
marketplace, fostering fair pricing practices for all suppliers and consumers. These actions are
part of the ________ environment of business.
A) communication
B) political/regulatory
C) constitutional
D) social
E) technological
95) Which of the following specifically prohibits monopolies?
A) Sherman Antitrust Act
B) Federal Trade Act
C) Robison-Patman Act
D) Financial Reform Law
E) Consumer Product Act
96) What is most likely to happen when inflation increases?
A) Consumers buy more discretionary merchandise.
B) Consumers buy fewer personal care and home entertainment products.
C) Off-price and discount retailers suffer from lower sales.
D) Consumers buy lower-priced foods.
E) Consumers buy less food.
97) ________ is the cost to the customers or the fee the bank charges those customers for
borrowing money.
A) Interest
B) A service charge
C) Tax
D) Tariff
E) A user fee
98) In the summer of 2002 the euro was valued at slightly less than US$1. By 2008, it had risen
to an all-time high of $1.60, but in early 2016, the euro and the dollar were nearly equivalent.
This change in value is called
A) interest destabilization.
B) inflation.
C) recession.
D) foreign currency fluctuations.
E) global financial impact.
99) When Diana went to college, tuition was $650 per semester. Now that same college charges
$6,500 per semester. This number reflects a persistent increase in price known as
A) currency fluctuation.
B) inflation.
C) recession.
D) interest.
E) deflation.
100) From a firm’s perspective, the biggest advantage of RFID is
A) it enables the firm to track an item from the moment it was manufactured.
B) it tells the firm who is buying the product and how it is being used.
C) it provides demographic information on the consumer for marketing use.
D) it is less expensive to use than other forms of marketing research.
E) it eliminates the need for communicating with the supply chain.
101) Which of the following is an example of greenwashing?
A) A company markets a product made from recycled glass bottles.
B) A company charges more for a hybrid car than for a similar gas model.
C) A company donates money to a school reading project so it can advertise itself as
environmentally friendly.
D) The Smiths installed energy-saving lightbulbs in their rental apartment buildings.
E) The corner Laundromat stocks only phosphate-free detergent in its vending machines.
102) Nearly 50 percent of U.S. adults now recycle their soda bottles and newspapers, compelling
marketers to practice
A) healthy marketing.
B) wellness marketing.
C) green marketing.
D) greenwashing.
E) economic marketing.
103) Which of the following is a social trend listed in the text?
A) thrift
B) health and wellness
C) environmental legislation
D) economic concerns
E) technological advances
104) Which ethnic group in the United States represents a marketing opportunity for firms
because it tends to earn more, have more schooling, and be more likely to be professionally
employed or own a business?
A) Northern European
B) Middle Eastern
C) Hispanic
D) Asian American
E) African American
105) Which ethnic group will marketers be paying more attention to because they are not only
more affluent and suburban than previously thought, but also younger, with 47 percent between
the ages of 18 and 49 years?
A) Caucasian
B) Pacific Islander
C) Hispanic
D) Asian
E) African American
106) A generational cohort is a group of people
A) who purchase only one brand of a product throughout their lifetime.
B) who grew up and went to school together.
C) with the same beliefs and values.
D) who are of the same generation.
E) who are not open to new things.
107) Discuss how privacy concerns have become a current social issue. What technological
invention has prompted the rise in concern over privacy?
108) Imagine that you have just been made the marketing manager for your university. Your first
task is to assess your university’s immediate environment. What questions will you likely ask?
109) Irvina is a general practice physician. Her office includes a number of nurses, clerical
assistants, and a physician’s assistant. She runs a well-organized practice, but she depends on a
variety of corporate partners to create value for her patients. Who are likely to be Irvina’s
corporate partners and how do they help or hinder her efforts to create value?
110) International marketers new to the United States often struggle to define American culture.
What would these international marketers need to study in order to define the term and what
would they be likely to learn?
111) The United States has often been called the “melting pot” society, integrating people from
many different cultures into the social fabric of the country. What challenges do marketers face
in assessing U.S. culture?
112) Baby Boomers represent a tremendous opportunity for today’s marketers. Who are the Baby
Boomers? Based on their age, what might be some products that they would be interested in?
113) “Income distribution in the United States has grown more polarized.” What does this mean
in general, and what does it mean especially to marketers in the United States?
114) At almost every major university, some group on campus pressures the university to
become “greener.” What does this mean? What does it usually involve? Why would a university
want to become greener?
115) How can marketers identify potential opportunities?
116) Gaetana is the new marketing director for a local theater. One of her major responsibilities
is to monitor and manage aspects of the theater’s immediate environment. What will Gaetana
monitor and manage?
117) Marketers in the United States are learning that Hispanic and other minority groups are not
alike. How do cultural differences affect purchase decisions?
118) Describe the buying power and characteristics of the Hispanic consumer.
119) Mary Grace is studying the demographics of the students attending the local elementary
school. What information will Mary Grace study?
120) Describe Digital Natives, and explain the impact of technological advances on this group.
121) As the marketing manager of the ABC company, how would you explain the significance of
the Millennial market, and how would you target the company’s advertising to this group?
122) In recent decades, how has income distribution changed in the United States?
123) Every year Pam reassesses the economic situation in the target markets her company serves.
What factors will Pam likely assess?
124) An Uncle Ben’s box of rice has a symbol stating that the packaging is made from 100
percent recycled material and encourages consumers to recycle. Identify the social trend being
addressed by Uncle Ben’s.
125) As demographic factors, why are marketers interested in the education level, occupation,
and income of consumers?
126) Identify three tactics that a mid-priced motel chain might employ to take advantage of the
social trends discussed in the text, in hopes of increasing its business. For each tactic, identify the
social trend it is based on.
127) Why are generational cohorts important to marketers?
128) As the marketing manager of the ABC company, you understand that gender roles are not
as clear as they were years ago. What factors do you consider in your promotion of the
company’s products to women?
129) Name the various social trends that impact marketing, and give one example that
demonstrates how each one influences marketing practices.
130) Discuss the political and regulatory environment of business as it relates to the protection of
consumers. Name and describe at least two laws that had a major impact on fair competition,
consumer protection, or industry-specific regulation.
131) How do the economic factors of inflation, foreign currency fluctuations, and interest rates
affect firms’ ability to market goods and services?
132) Name one technological advance that has impacted how consumers research and buy
products. Give an example from your own experience.
133) How is the balance of ethnicities in the U.S. population changing, and what implications
does this have for marketers?
134) You are the marketing manager of a fast-food business that wants to appeal to consumers
focused on improving their health. Citing an example from the text, what marketing initiatives
would you suggest the company take?