978-0135078228 Chapter 2 Solution Manual Part 2

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CASE SOLUTIONS

Case 2.1 ABR Marketing Research

Case Objective: This case study deals with ethical issues in marketing research.

Answers to Case Questions

The following case solution is provided by Professor Harriet Bettis-Outland, who wrote

the case.

Case Questions:

1. After you have thoroughly read the case, write down what you believe are the

issues in the case.

2. For each issue in your list, rate its importance, from 7 (very important) to 1

(unimportant).

This original case scenario was developed by John R. Sparks and Shelby D. Hunt to

assist in a project designed to measure ethical sensitivity. Their work was reported in an

excellent journal article, John R. Sparks and Shelby D. Hunt (1998), “Marketing

Researcher Ethical Sensitivity: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Exploratory

Ethical sensitivity has been described as certain personal characteristics that enable one to

recognize the presence of an ethical issue. This is perhaps the most important part of

ethical decision-making—if no problem or ethical situation is perceived, then no ethical

evaluation process is activated. The purpose of this case is to help students become aware

An ethical issue exists when there is a decision situation that involves alternate courses of

action in which the situation and/or courses of action are inconsistent with guides such as

rules, codes, or norms. These guides can come from many sources; some are formal, such

society together, says that this type of behavior is not right, therefore unethical. But, as

This case attempts to measure students’ ethical sensitivity. They are asked to list issues

they see in the case. Some issues will not deal with ethics. The subtle purpose of this case

is two-fold. First, how many ethical issues will the students identify? Secondly, how

important are the issues rated? Even if an individual recognizes an ethical issue, there

may be wide divergence in the evaluation of the importance of the issue. In the eyes of

most everyone, we find agreement that all ethical issues are not of equal value; there are

How Many Ethical Issues Did Your Students Identify? What Level of Importance

Did Your Students Assign the Issue(s)?

The original Sparks and Hunt case as well as this updated version, were both developed

with a great deal of effort aimed at meeting seven criteria. First, rather than being an

“ethics case,” both ethical and nonethical issues are raised. Second, the ethical issues are

those commonly faced by marketing researchers. Third, the case is realistic. Fourth, the

There are five ethical issues identified in this version of the case—research integrity, fair

treatment of vendors, research confidentiality, incomplete reporting, and misleading

reporting. Each will be discussed. Additionally, for the first three ethical issues listed

Issue 1 (Research Integrity)—Barbara believes her boss wants her to produce a

statistical analysis consistent with those recommendations already made to Precision

Grooming Products.

Research Integrity Introductory Students

n = 142

Senior Students

n = 178

Research Practitioners

n = 188

Identified

What is truth? According to one old sage, “There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

The implication is that each researcher could tell his or her own story, depending upon

the slant they wanted to take. So where is the problem? First of all, why was ABR

Declaring the results before a study is performed or completed happens at times. By

introducing biased or leading questions, one can steer the results of research. In this

Issue 2 (Vendor Fairness)—Barbara’s assistant left out media habit questions from the

questionnaire when she gave it to the vendor. Michelle (Barbara’s boss) and Phillip (of

Vendor Fairness Introductory Students

n = 142

Senior Students

n = 178

Research Practitioners

n = 188

Some would say that Barbara didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, she didn’t do anything—

Sins of Commission vs. Sins of Omission—Barbara didn’t actually lie, but she let a lie

Barbara wanted this job. She was working furiously to meet the deadlines. We do not

know her personal situation. We do not know if she was behind in her house payments,

had high credit card bills or other debts—nothing, other than what was in the case.

Issue 3 (Confidentiality)—David Miller, who worked for the advertising agency,

previously handled the Village Toiletries’ account, which was Precision’s main

Confidentiality Introductory Students

n = 142

Senior Students

n = 178

Research Practitioners

n = 188

Like both Issues 1 and 2, this issue was identified as a problem with a much greater

percentage of practitioners as compared to students. We are back to the question of

professional ethics. How long do you have to be true to a past client? David didn’t lie,

cheat, or steal. He didn’t remain silent when he should have spoken out. Why then is this

Can research findings for one client be used for a competitor? Could past findings be

Though not included as part of the original data collection in the Sparks and Hunt study,

in addition to the three previous issues, the following ethical issues (4 and 5) are

identified in the ABR case:

Issue 4 (Incomplete Reporting)—Barbara’s assistant accidentally deleted all questions

pertaining to media habits that should have been included in the phone interviews of

almost 75 percent of all participants in the sample. Consequently, any suggestion that

Incomplete reporting enables an organization to skew results in their favor, for instance,

by neglecting to mention the composition of the sample, or the types of questions asked

incomplete reporting.

Issue 5 (Misleading Reporting)—closely related to incomplete reporting, the practice of

misleading reporting occurs when research results are presented in such a manner that the

intended audience draws conclusions that are not entirely justified. For instance, even

Furthermore, Barbara did not disclose that conclusions were drawn based on a much

smaller study than originally planned; Barbara had initially asked for 250 participants

from 15 different metropolitan areas. Due to time and financial constraints this was cut to

Case 2.2 Integrated Case: Advanced Automobile Concepts

Case Objective: Students are asked to think about: (1) using an internal versus an

external supplier of marketing research and (2) the concerns marketing

research clients have about the confidentiality of their projects,

namely, whether or not the marketing research company will be ethical

and not divulge information to the client’s competition.

Answers to Case Questions

1. Why should Nick Thomas use the internal supplier, his own parent

company’s marketing research department? Why should he not use

them?

Zen has its own formally organized marketing research department.

The major advantages of using such an internal supplier are: (1)

From the description of Zen Motors, it is clear that the company has

not done much innovative for many years. Nick needs marketing

research for radical new automobile technology and designs. If

2. Nick Thomas is concerned about using an external supplier of

marketing research services, CMG Research. Go to the MRA’s Code

of Ethics and read what they have to say about researchers sharing

con(dential information. (at www.mra-net.org, go to “Resources”

and then “Codes, Standards, Guidelines”; then go to “MRA

Expanded Code of Market Research, Section A”).

Section A has several ethical items that MRA members must agree

to by way of signature. Item 3. states: “Will protect and preserve the

con-dentiality of all research techniques and/or methodologies and

of information considered con-dential or proprietary.” Item 12,

If CMG Research belongs to the MRA (and yes, it does), Nick is