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b. one who understands the marketing process as well as the subtleties of
marketing problems and opportunities
c. one who is well trained in statistics and can design proper sampling
procedures
d. one who has a strong background in communications and advertising
34) What is the primary channel that will allow management to make timely decisions
in the marketing process?
a. Financing decisions
b. Marketing research
c. Making business decisions based on feel and what looks good
d. None of the above
True/False
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35) Customer satisfaction is an important element of the marketing concept.
36) Marketing research is seldom related to making a direct contribution to
managerial decision making.
37) Marketing research is used only when marketers face a serious problem.
38) It is more profitable for marketers to keep existing customers than to acquire new
ones.
39) Knowledge of the external marketing environment has more to do with
identifying new opportunities than it does with altering the present marketing mix.
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Ans: False
Difficulty: Hard
Response: See page 2-3
Ref: Nature of Marketing
Learning Objective 1.2: To comprehend the marketing environment within which
managers must make decisions.
40) Managers are typically more interested in basic research than in applied research.
41) Communication of the results generated by marketing research is rarely the
responsibility of marketing research.
42) Basic research is often conducted in universities.
43) Marketing research moved out of its embryonic stage in about 1970.
44) Marketing research should be conducted even if the managers will not be able to
afford implementing a study’s recommendations.
45) Recently, an article about changing consumer predispositions toward low
involvement purchases appeared in the Journal of Marketing. Chances are this article
would be classified as applied research.
46) Two of the more important determinants of the potential benefits from a
marketing research study are profit margins and market size.
47) Analyzing trends in Internet broadband access by a potential Internet advertiser
would be an example of descriptive research.
48) Applied research focuses on abstract theory to expand the frontiers of marketing
research.
49) The unique blend of product pricing, promotion, offerings, and distribution
designed to meet the needs of a specific group is the marketing mix.
50) Conducting online surveys is the only significant way that marketing research
companies utilize the Internet.
51) Marketing research can potentially address all four elements of the marketing
mix.
52) Companies that engage in marketing research can control elements of the external
environment.
53) The concept of market segmentation was introduced in the 1970s.
54) Internet surveys typically have higher response rates than telephone surveys.
55) The decision of how to communicate a research study’s results sometimes
involves an ethical dilemma.
56) Recent studies show that Internet marketing research leads clients to very
different business decisions than traditional marketing research.
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Ref: Development of Marketing Research
Learning Objective 1.6: To learn how the internet is changing marketing research.
57) The marketing concept is not solely focused on customer needs.
58) According to the concept of return on quality, product quality is completely
separate from a firm’s profitability.
59) In practice, a marketing research department’s goal can be grouped into three
major categories: Programmatic, Evaluative, and Selective.
60) Marketing research should be undertaken only when its results will reduce
uncertainty or confirm the wisdom of previous decisions.
61) To make the “right” decisions, management must have untimely decision-making
information.
62) According to William D. Neal, investments in marketing research have continued
to increase far above the rate of inflation.
Essay Questions
63) Traditionally, consumer goods firms were the primary clients of marketing
research firms. However, many nontraditional types of institutions, such as universities,
the United Way, hospitals, libraries, museums, etc., are now regular customers of
marketing research suppliers. Comment on this trend.
64) Describe a project that will help a firm assess who are its best customers. Be sure
to mention which marketing research functional role is operational in this project.
65) Define and illustrate the Predictive Function of Marketing Research.
66) As described in the first chapter, there are a number of advantages to conducting
research online. What would be some disadvantages of conducting a study solely online?
67) Explain how marketing research can help a company retain its customers and turn
them into brand loyal customers.
68) Relate how a systems orientation will facilitate the firm’s efforts to monitor its
external environment.
69) Explain why most marketing research done by commercial marketing research
suppliers would be best characterized as “applied research.”
70) Discuss at least 3 reasons with ethical implications when it is best not to conduct
marketing research.