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d. a reliable guess.
e. managerial intuition.
128. You are the campaign manager for a candidate running for mayor of Hartford, Connecticut. You are running a series
of focus group sessions with residents of the city to get a better understanding of their needs and wants.
Your focus group sessions are an example of which of the following types of research?
a. Descriptive research
b. Conclusive research
c. Marketing research
d. Exploratory research
e. Experimental research
129. You are watching an episode of a new game show that tests contestants’ knowledge by giving them phrases they
must respond to with a question. The following phrase comes up:
“Its purpose is to inform an organization about customers’ needs and desires, marketing opportunities for products, and
changing attitudes and purchase patterns of customers”.
What should the response be?
a. What is a hypothesis?
b. What is experimental research?
c. What is descriptive research?
d. What is conclusive research?
e. What is marketing research?
130. Subway wants to collect data about employee satisfaction within its organization. It decides to survey a sample of
500 employees by having a computer program automatically pick which employees will be in the sample. If it uses the
payroll database as the list of names to chose from, which type of sampling method is Subway using?
a. random sampling.
b. sampling populations
c. stratified sampling.
d. nonprobability sampling.
e. quota sampling.
131. Which of the following survey methods has the potential to offer quick response at a lower cost than traditional mail
and telephone surveys?
a. Total population surveys
b. In-home (door-to-door) interviews
c. Focus-group interviews
d. Personal interview surveys
e. Online surveys
132. Palmetto Regional Hospital has designed an upcoming research project for determining the best methods for
improving patient care. The next step the organization must take in the marketing research process is
a. interpreting research findings.
b. collecting data.
c. developing a testable hypothesis.
d. sampling the population.
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e. reporting research findings.
133. A research method in which a number of people are exposed to an idea or concept and the interaction of the people is
observed is called a(n)
a. in-home interview.
b. mail survey.
c. focus-group interview.
d. shopping mall intercept interview.
e. chat room interview.
134. Participants in ____ frequently get to see pictures, products, advertising samples, and diagrams.
a. quota samples
b. personal interview surveys
c. mail surveys
d. telephone surveys
e. probability samples
135. Decreasing sales, increasing expenses, or decreasing profits
a. are to be expected during the marketing research process.
b. are examples of symptoms that point to larger problems.
c. usually have no effect on the marketing research process.
d. are important considerations in designing the research project.
e. should be carefully considered before collecting data.
136. American Express is an international financial services company that provides credit cards that are typically
associated with individuals who travel on business and utilize their cards for purchases at restaurants, travel services (e.g.,
transportation, hotel), or other purchases. American Express makes extensive use of purchase information to aid in
management and marketing decisions as well as in their marketing efforts to enhance the number of businesses that accept
payment by the American Express Card. American Express leverages their information about consumers by analyzing the
charging history of credit card members, website traffic and information gleaned through the use of “cookies” and
monitoring of social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. American Express believes data provides
significant insights for their company.” What type of information does American Express utilize?
a. big data
b. single-source data
c. marketing decision support system
d. experimental data
137. American Flooring sells all types of floor coverings to contractors and other businesses. It keeps a collection of
information about all of its clients that can be easily accessed on the company’s computer system. This collection of
information is called a
a. marketing information system.
b. database.
c. management information system.
d. single-source data.
e. marketing decision support system.
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138. Mika is the marketing research manager for a company that sells skis and other sporting equipment. His company
currently has a profitable brand and a good share of the traditional ski market, but would like to enter the “extreme”
category of winter sports. Mika needs to obtain information about consumer attitudes of the company’s current products
as well as attitudes of potential customers in the “extreme” consumer market. He does not have constraints on time, but he
does have a modest budget for research. Mika should probably use _____ to obtain the data about the company’s current
products, and _____ to obtain information about the extreme consumers’ attitudes.
a. Crowdsourcing; online surveys
b. Online surveys; focus groups
c. Telephone surveys; focus groups
d. Personal interview surveys; online surveys
e. Focus groups; mail surveys
139. When marketing researchers consider sampling techniques, they are preparing to collect ____ data.
a. census
b. statistical
c. internal secondary
d. external secondary
e. primary
140. To maintain the control needed to obtain accurate information, marketers approach marketing research as a process.
Which of the following steps of that process focuses on uncovering the nature and boundaries of the marketing situation to
be studied?
a. Locating and defining problems
b. Designing the project
c. Collecting data
d. Interpreting findings
e. Reporting findings
141. The use of marketing research is
a. limited strictly to large corporations.
b. limited to for-profit businesses of all sizes.
c. controlled by the federal government.
d. widespread throughout business and nonprofit organizations.
e. carefully monitored by each state’s trade agencies.
142. While shopping at the mall over the weekend, you noticed a group of young women asking shoppers if they could
spare five minutes to answer some questions about their shopping experience at the mall. Given your marketing
experience, you immediately recognize that these young women were conducting a marketing research project.
Which step in the five-step marketing research process were they in?
a. Step 1 – Locating and defining the problem
b. Step 2 – Designing the research project
c. Step 3 – Collecting data
d. Step 4 – Interpreting research findings
e. Step 5 – Reporting research findings
143. Which of the following is a probability sampling technique used to reduce errors within random sampling?
a. Quota
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b. Stratified
c. Nonprobability
d. Cluster
e. Snowball
144. Marketing research is a process designed to gather information
a. exclusively about a company’s customers.
b. from the company’s database.
c. not currently available to decision makers.
d. about the needs and desires of employees.
e. concerning the interpretation of the company’s sales goals.
145. In marketing research, a sample is best described as
a. a small group that is a part of a larger group.
b. all the elements, units, or individuals of interest to researchers for a specific study.
c. a limited number of units chosen to represent the characteristics of a total population.
d. a group that shares a common attribute within a population.
e. a small portion of a product offered to customers to try a new product.
146. Suppose that marketers at Sun Products are trying to determine whether the use of free samples of Snuggle fabric
softener was the reason for a sales increase in a particular store. The type of research conducted to answer this question is
a. exploratory.
b. descriptive.
c. experimental.
d. informal.
e. qualitative.
147. Corporate executives often prefer marketing research findings to be put into a report
a. full of statistical analysis with details on methods employed by the researchers.
b. examining the ethical implications of implementing results from the research report.
c. that exposes no deficiencies or limitations of the research process.
d. that is clear, short, and simply expressed.
e. expressing the views and beliefs of top management about the research problem.
148. In which of the following sampling designs do all members of a population have an equal chance of being selected?
a. Stratified
b. Nonprobability
c. Quota
d. Random
e. Judgement
149. Research that allows marketers to make causal inferences about relationships is called
a. variable research.
b. relationality.
c. exploratory research.
d. linkage research.
e. experimental research.
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150. Primary data are best described as the
a. first batch of data collected for a specific study.
b. data that are necessary for a correct decision.
c. data that are observed, recorded, or collected directly from subjects.
d. data that are compiled for some purpose other than the study in question.
e. data that are collected inside and outside the organization for some purpose other than the current investigation.
151. The two basic types of sampling that marketing researchers use are
a. random and nonrandom.
b. probability and nonprobability.
c. stratified and quota.
d. even and odd.
e. planned and spontaneous.
152. Nelson Marketing Research is concerned about using surveys to conduct a marketing research project because
a. fewer people are willing to participate.
b. primary data are so much cheaper and easier to gather.
c. survey data collection is highly inaccurate.
d. survey data do not provide in-depth responses.
e. the survey method has been replaced by the Internet.
Scenario 4.1
Use the following to answer the questions.
Because of the development of optical scanners and cable television, marketing researchers can now test the effectiveness
of advertising more precisely. Volunteers in a minimum of six cities are offered food discounts in return for allowing
marketing research firms to monitor grocery purchases and send trial commercials to their homes through cable television.
The research subjects shop only at stores equipped with UPC scanners, and their purchases are identified by a special
card. Respondents are also told that some of the commercials they see on cable television may differ from those seen by
their neighbors. Buying patterns are then compared. For example, Kashi cereals tested a Crunchy Wheat promotion using
this system. Half of the 5,000 participating homes in one city saw a commercial announcing the promotion; the other half
saw a commercial that did not mention the promotion. Kashi used scanner data to evaluate the promotion’s success and
offered the commercials nationwide.
153. Refer to Scenario 4.1. The 5,000 households that allowed their group purchases to be scanned are a
a. focus group.
b. quota.
c. sample.
d. target market.
e. population.
154. When marketing researchers try to manipulate an independent variable and measure the resulting changes in a
dependent variable, they are engaging in
a. surveys.
b. secondary data gathering.
c. interviews.
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d. observation.
e. xperimentation.
155. Simantel, a marketing communications and strategy consulting firm is assisting a client to understand the effects of
promotional offers on consumer purchases. They propose the company consider offering three different versions of a
coupon that would be mailed to purchasers. The value of the coupon would be manipulated and the company could track
the return of the coupon and how much money was spent by the purchaser. Simantel recommends that the coupon offers
vary between $1 and $5 and suggests three different versions: $1, $3, and $5. The client would select three groups of
consumers to receive the coupon offer and a random process would be utilized to determine which coupon offer a
consumer would receive. The research will provide important insights about consumer purchasing habits and which
coupon offer would lead to the highest level of sales and coupon redemption. This is an example of ______________
research.
a. experimental
b. focus group
c. observation
d. descriptive
156. In the process of conducting marketing research, marketers should allow for
a. periodic review of data during the collection period
b. continual evaluation of the data during the entire collection period.
c. no data review during collection; instead, they should wait for later interpretation of research findings.
d. descriptive research to solve general problems.
e. statistical analysis during the collection period.
157. Marketing research is best defined as
a. the systematic design, collection, interpretation, and reporting of information to help marketers solve specific
marketing problems or take advantage of market opportunities.
b. a framework for the day-to-day management and structuring of information gathered by marketers.
c. a continuous gathering of data for an organization, the systematic design, collection, to make marketing decisions
take advantage of market opportunities.
d. the collecting of data from secondary sources and internal documents.
e. an intuitive process for making decisions based on personal knowledge and experience to take advantage of
market opportunities.
158. What is the primary factor contributing to the increasing difficulty associated with gathering primary data through
surveys?
a. Most companies do not have any funding for survey research.
b. Fewer people are willing to participate in surveys.
c. Laws significantly limit firms’ ability to conduct surveys.
d. Unreliable methods of distributing surveys make them difficult to conduct.
e. Very little useful information is ever gathered from survey results.
Scenario 4.1
Use the following to answer the questions.
Because of the development of optical scanners and cable television, marketing researchers can now test the effectiveness
of advertising more precisely. Volunteers in a minimum of six cities are offered food discounts in return for allowing
marketing research firms to monitor grocery purchases and send trial commercials to their homes through cable television.
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The research subjects shop only at stores equipped with UPC scanners, and their purchases are identified by a special
card. Respondents are also told that some of the commercials they see on cable television may differ from those seen by
their neighbors. Buying patterns are then compared. For example, Kashi cereals tested a Crunchy Wheat promotion using
this system. Half of the 5,000 participating homes in one city saw a commercial announcing the promotion; the other half
saw a commercial that did not mention the promotion. Kashi used scanner data to evaluate the promotion’s success and
offered the commercials nationwide.
159. Refer to Scenario 4.1. Kashi’s testing of the Crunchy Wheat promotion is an example of
a. the collection of secondary data used in a descriptive study
b. information feedback used in an exploratory study.
c. the collection of secondary data used in an exploratory study.
d. the collection of primary data used in a descriptive study.
e. the defining and locating problems through an observational technique.
160. An online survey conducted before students could register for their fall semester classes asked, “Do you think online
professor evaluation forms would be better than paper and pencil forms administered during class?” This is an example of
a(n) ____ question.
a. close-ended
b. short answer
c. multiple-choice
d. open-ended
e. dichotomous
161. A firm has conducted market research and found that customer satisfaction with its product is quite high.
Nonetheless, repurchase behavior is very low. The research design evidently has a problem with
a. secondary data.
b. reliability.
c. validity.
d. reporting findings.
e. generalizability.
162. Apple is known for product innovation and the creation of products that meet needs consumers didn’t realize they
had, such as using an iPad to easily access the Internet, read books, and play games. In order to develop and deliver
products to consumers that are high in value and successful, the firm implements a variety of ________ activities in order
to stay abreast of consumer trends, preferences, and determine the potential for success of new products.
a. marketing research
b. competitive intelligence
c. econometric analysis
d. employee engagement
163. In reporting marketing research findings, the researcher should
a. provide explanations in language that those who use the report to make decisions can understand.
b. write the report in an extremely technical and statistical style.
c. fit the problem to a favored statistical technique.
d. not acknowledge any limitations associated with the study.
e. give management the answers it wants.
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164. The main focus of a marketing information system is on
a. the coordination of external information sources.
b. classifying data into the proper information categories.
c. data storage and retrieval.
d. the accurate maintenance of inventory levels.
e. gathering information on competitive activity.
165. Compared to a mail survey, telephone surveys have
a. lower response rates but higher validity
b. a slower response time, but less cost
c. faster response time, but less cost
d. fewer expenses overall
e. higher response rates, but higher costs
Scenario 4.2
Use the following to answer the questions.
Colin Jackson recently purchased Blue Waters Adventures, a kayak and canoeing rental business near the Chatsworth
River in Arizona. Blue Waters Adventures had been in operation for five years and was located in an ideal area. Even
though the winters in the area can be cold, kayaking and canoeing activities are generally popular year-round. After two
months of operation, it became clear why the previous owners had sold the business. While the business appeared to be
ideally located, sales were extremely disappointing.
166. Refer to Scenario 4.2. Colin decided to apply some of the things he had learned in his marketing research class to his
business. The first thing he should do is to ___________ which will help him ______
a. develop a questionnaire; collect the necessary data.
b. identify a sample frame; contact the appropriate respondents.
c. define the problem to be researched; determine his data needs.
d. conduct store exit interviews; give him an idea of the problem.
e. collect secondary data; contact the appropriate respondents.
167. Subscription services from firms such as ACNielsen provide marketing researchers with a good source of ____ data.
a. census
b. statistical
c. internal secondary
d. external secondary
e. primary
168. Quota sampling is most commonly used in
a. descriptive research.
b. population research.
c. surveys.
d. collecting primary data
e. exploratory studies.
169. Your company is seeking to hire a consultant to assist with completing a specialized marketing research project that
is focused on tech-savvy, young consumers. One of the firms describes its state-of-the-art marketing research system as
follows:
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“It’s a social intelligence system that provides insightful, actionable information about what people are saying about your
brand. It integrates information from millions of sources and empowers you to, among other things, help your
organization understand and even shape relevant conversations in the social media sphere”.
Based on the description, which of the following is the best reason for hiring this company?
a. This company is strong in the area of ethical marketing.
b. This company is likely run by recent college graduates who will understand our target market better than other
firms.
c. This company’s expertise and information systems are a good fit for the project.
d. This company is a socially responsible company.
e. The CEO of this company has a close personal relationship with our marketing director.
170. Steve Ribbon is the owner of Windows & More, a company specializing in replacement windows, remodeling
services, and siding. Steve is interested in determining the characteristics of individuals who would be most likely to need
replacement windows and interested in remodeling services, such as siding, awnings, and sunroom additions. He would
like to identify characteristics of potential consumers who would be most likely to spend the most and utilize their
services. This information will be quite helpful to Windows & More as they make design changes to the store, select
merchandise, create advertising messages, and determine what type of remodeling services to offer. Windows & More
would like to identify the customers based on factors, such as gender, age, marital status, age of home, and discretionary
income. What type of research would be most appropriate for Windows & More to utilize?
a. descriptive
b. focus group
c. experimental
d. exploratory
171. Designing research procedures that produce reliable marketing data means that
a. others using the same procedure will get almost identical data.
b. the procedure must give results that support the hypothesis.
c. the procedure must not give results that contradict other research studies.
d. the procedure may give results that contradict other research studies.
e. sampling must be done in a completely random manner.
172. Pointing out any deficiencies and the possible reasons for them should be done in the ____ step of the marketing
research process.
a. interpreting research findings
b. collecting data
c. defining the issue or problem
d. reporting research findings
e. designing the research project
173. An offshoot of mail surveys, ____ have shortcomings because the people who participate in them generally have
higher incomes and education levels than the general population.
a. purchase diaries
b. telephone surveys
c. online surveys
d. focus-group interviews
e. immediate feedback forms
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174. The real value of marketing research to the organization can best be measured by
a. its immediate impact on profits
b. the amount of time spent.
c. how much it costs.
d. improvements in the ability to make decisions.
e. the increase in sales volume or market share.
175. What role does marketing research play in the development of the SWOT analysis for a company?
a. Marketing research is unrelated to a company’s SWOT analysis.
b. Marketing research facilitates the process of assessing a company’s strengths and weaknesses.
c. Marketing research only facilitates the process of assessing a company’s threats.
d. Marketing research only facilitates the process of assessing a company’s opportunities.
e. Marketing research facilities the process of assessing a company’s regulatory compliance.
176. Because of a variety of cultural, geographic, regulatory and social issues, international marketing can pose unique
challenges for the marketer. Many of these challenges can be mitigated by an effective international-oriented marketing
research effort.
International marketing research can help a company____________________.
a. guarantee the success of their marketing strategies.
b. avoid product formulation errors.
c. improve a company’s labor relations in foreign markets.
d. develop the most effective logistics systems.
e. eliminate product manufacturing inefficiencies.
177. Having recording biases and collecting only descriptive information are two of the primary drawbacks to
a. statistical interpretation.
b. mail surveys.
c. observation
d. personal interviews.
e. experimentation.
178. Your company is in the final stages of deciding whether to launch a new product that you have been testing for the
last six months. While the CEO of your company is very optimistic about the potential for the product, he is a skeptic by
nature. He has asked you to conduct one last round of market research that will give him greater confidence in the
product’s prospects.
Which of the following types of marketing research should you conduct to satisfy the CEO’s concerns?
a. Descriptive research
b. Conclusive research
c. Focus group research
d. Exploratory research
e. Experimental research
179. If the University Bookstore wanted to understand the textbook and school supplies needs on the campus of the
University of Michigan, the population of study would be
a. the faculty and staff of the University of Michigan
b. all college-aged adults in the state of Michigan.
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c. all the people who live in Ann Arbor and surrounding areas.
d. undergraduate students at the University of Michigan
e. all students, faculty, supporters, and staff of the University of Michigan
180. Assume that Verizon Wireless is interested in studying the pricing expectations of its customers. If the study calls for
selecting at random 100 people from each of three age groupings, ____ sampling is being used.
a. random
b. stratified
c. quota
d. area
e. experimental
181. All of the following are steps in the marketing research process except
a. collecting data.
b. interpreting research findings.
c. designing the research project.
d. reporting research findings.
e. understanding your customer.
Scenario 4.2
Use the following to answer the questions.
Colin Jackson recently purchased Blue Waters Adventures, a kayak and canoeing rental business near the Chatsworth
River in Arizona. Blue Waters Adventures had been in operation for five years and was located in an ideal area. Even
though the winters in the area can be cold, kayaking and canoeing activities are generally popular year-round. After two
months of operation, it became clear why the previous owners had sold the business. While the business appeared to be
ideally located, sales were extremely disappointing.
182. Refer to Scenario 4.2. Colin went to the university library and collected everything he could find on the kayaking and
canoeing sports industries. He found a significant amount of information, but it didn’t seem to be in the format that he
could actually use in his analysis. Colin realized that he could just use this preliminary data as a resource to help him
design his plan for utilizing focus groups and possibly for designing a survey. The preliminary data is referred to as
_____, while the data from focus groups and surveys is ______.
a. primary data; secondary and observational
b. secondary data; primary
c. secondary data; observational
d. exploratory data; primary
e. primary data; descriptive
183. Data that are observed or collected directly from respondents are called
a. direct samples.
b. secondary data.
c. stratified data.
d. primary data.
e. firsthand information.
184. Which one of the following best characterizes a marketing information system (MIS)?
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a. An MIS is an orderly gathering of information that is not supplied through routine reporting systems such as sales
reports and accounting data.
b. An MIS provides a continuous flow of information about such things as distribution costs, prices, sales, and
advertising expenses.
c. An MIS is conducted on a special-project basis when needed.
d. An MIS requires adjustments to its techniques to adapt to environmental circumstances and is in reality part of the
accounting system.
e. An MIS involves internal information collection about employees and customers.
185. A survey question that requires a yes or no answer is called a
a. qualifier.
b. multiple-choice question.
c. 50–50 question.
d. dichotomous question.
e. bimodal question.
Scenario 4.1
Use the following to answer the questions.
Because of the development of optical scanners and cable television, marketing researchers can now test the effectiveness
of advertising more precisely. Volunteers in a minimum of six cities are offered food discounts in return for allowing
marketing research firms to monitor grocery purchases and send trial commercials to their homes through cable television.
The research subjects shop only at stores equipped with UPC scanners, and their purchases are identified by a special
card. Respondents are also told that some of the commercials they see on cable television may differ from those seen by
their neighbors. Buying patterns are then compared. For example, Kashi cereals tested a Crunchy Wheat promotion using
this system. Half of the 5,000 participating homes in one city saw a commercial announcing the promotion; the other half
saw a commercial that did not mention the promotion. Kashi used scanner data to evaluate the promotion’s success and
offered the commercials nationwide.
186. Refer to Scenario 4.1. When the researchers compared the average sales of Crunchy Wheat for the group that saw the
promotion with the average sales for the group that did not see the promotion, in which stage of the marketing research
process were they?
a. Defining and locating problems
b. Reporting research findings
c. Developing hypotheses
d. Collecting data
e. Interpreting research findings
187. Secondary data cannot be obtained from
a. trade journals.
b. the government.
c. international sources.
d. surveys
e. computerized literature retrieval databases.
188. Many companies have access to information about customers’ purchasing history as well as following their use of
social media applications, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. The companies utilize this information to
gain insights about the user and design products and services to best meet their needs. Some consumers are reluctant to