MKTG 632: Marketing Research, Fall 2003, Midterm Review Questions
NOTE: THESE QUESTIONS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE. IN ADDITION TO STUDYING YOUR LECTURES NOTES, YOU SHOULD
ALSO CONSULT THE RELEVANT CHAPTERS OF YOUR TEXT AND STUDY THE SHORT CASES WE HAVE COVERED IN
THE CLASS. THERE MAY BE SIMILAR SHORT CASES IN EXAM I. REVIEW THESE QUESTIONS AND FEEL FREE TO
DISCUSS WITH ME, SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
Part I: Multiple Choice Questions (20 points). Circle clearly the correct choice.
1.
When compared to MIS, decision support systems (DSS) have the following advantage:
a.
b.
c.
d.
2.
In the following diagram:
R:
R:
O1
a.
b.
c.
d.
3.
Secondary research service
Syndicated service
Customized service
Field service
Budget, action
Statistically, analytically
Action, information
Competitor, company
Attitude Æ belief Æ purchase
Preference Æ patronage Æ awareness
Evaluation Æ preference Æ patronage
Attitude Æ patronage Æ preference
If a market researcher does not have enough understanding to proceed with a formal research project, ___________
research is needed.
a.
b.
c.
d.
7.
O1 occurs before O3
Treatments are administered at the same time
Three different measurement instruments are used
Only a and b are correct.
Consider the verbal (written) model: “Evaluation of a store on the salient factors influences preferences for the store.
Preference, in turn, determines patronage.” An equivalent graphical model would be:
a.
b.
c.
d.
6.
O2
O3
The management decision problem is ___________ oriented while the marketing research problem is ____________
oriented.
a.
b.
c.
d.
5.
X
X
Your firm just ran an ad in Newsweek and wished to evaluate the effectiveness of this ad. Your boss has you obtain an
evaluation of this ad from an independent research agency. This is a:
a.
b.
c.
d.
4.
Their adaptability
The use of reports
Their rigid structure
Clarifying raw data
Conclusive
Exploratory
Descriptive
Causal
A primary disadvantage of panels is that:
a.
b.
c.
d.
8.
All of the following are researcher errors, EXCEPT:
a.
b.
c.
d.
9.
Sample size is always very small
The amount of collected data is low
They may not be representative
Data cannot be collected over time
Population definition error
Respondent selection error
Measurement error
Sampling frame error
Information on purchases by brand or prices based on checkout counter sales would be obtained from:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Surveys
Diary media panels
Audit services
Scanner volume tracking data
10. In a mail survey, it is often better to reduce sample size, which increases ______________ error and then allow followup mailing which reduces _____________ error.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Response, nonresponse
Random sampling, nonresponse
Interviewer, random sampling
Interpreter, interviewer
11. Problem identification research tends to focus on:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Product decisions
Pricing decisions
Promotion decisions
Environmental conditions
12. A technique in which respondents are asked to interpret others’ behavior is called:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Projective technique
Survey technique
Two-way focus group discussion
Depth interview
13. Factors used to evaluate secondary data should include:
a.
b.
c.
d.
the methodology used to collect data
the accuracy of the data
the dependability of the data
all of the above factors.
14. The starting point for any search for secondary data should be ______________ sources.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Survey
Internal
External
Government
15. Which of the following is a rationale for using projective technique?
a.
b.
People are fully willing to answer any direct questions.
People are unable to answer questions that tap their subconscious
MKTG 632, Fall 2003, Midterm Review Questions - Page 2
c.
d.
Fully structured methods are possible
All of the above are rationales for using projective technique
16. Which of the following is an important disadvantage of depth interview?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Lack of structure makes result depend heavily on interviewer’s influence
Skilled interviewers can be difficult to find
Data obtained may sometimes be difficult to analyze and/or interpret
All of these are disadvantages of depth interviews
17. Which of the following are steps the moderator must take in order to increase success rate of the focus group?
a.
b.
c.
d.
State the rules of the group interaction
Probe the respondents and provoke discuss in the relevant areas
Establish rapport with the group
All of the above are steps the moderator must take
18. _________________ research is unstructured and exploratory in nature.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Projective technique
Secondary
Quantitative
Qualitative
19. When extraneous effects on the dependent variable have been eliminated,
a.
b.
c.
d.
internal validity will be high
external validity will be high
response rates will be high
causality will be low
20. A test unit may include all of the following EXCEPT:
a.
b.
c.
d.
An individual
A dependent variable
An organization
A geographic area
Part II: True/False Questions (15 points). Circle clearly.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
T
/
F
In any (single or multiple) cross-sectional research design, information is gathered from a sample
members of the population only once.
T
/
F
Research questions should act as guides to a complete set of hypotheses.
T
/
F
The main testing effect compromises the internal validity of the experiment.
T
/
F
Primary data are data which are collected for purposes other than the study at hand.
T
/
F
A disadvantage of diary purchase panel data is response bias.
T
/
F
Segmentation research is an example of problem solving research.
T
/
F
Qualitative research is often used to draw conclusion.
T
/
F
In a depth interview, the subject’s responses should never influence the interviewer’s specific wording
of the question.
T
/
F
Interviewer supervision during telephone interviews is easier than during personal interviews.
T
/
F
Nonresponse bias tends to decrease as the response rate decreases.
T
/
F
The likelihood of committing an error in problem definition can be reduced by identifying specific
components rather than just giving a broad problem statement.
T
/
F
In multiple cross-sectional research design, data is collected from members of the sample on more
than one occasion.
T
/
F
In structured data collection, the interviewing process is indirect.
Consider the following experimental design and answer questions 14 and 15.
MKTG 632, Fall 2003, Midterm Review Questions - Page 3
EG: R O1
CG: R O3
X
O2
O4
14. T
/
F
The design in the above table uses a pretest-postetst control group design.
15. T
/
F
The design in the above table can control for interactive testing effect. [Definition: In the interactive
testing effect, a prior measurement affects the test units response to the independent variable.]
Part III: Short Case (5 points)
Suppose that you have been retained as a marketing research expert by Sandra Bullock, a local media mogul. She strongly
believes that merging her local TV station with a local newspaper will increase the diversity in news coverage. This belief
encouraged her to consider buying a newspaper company. And then she saw this news article on the San Francisco Chronicle.
“The government doesn’t still have any rules to prevent me from going ahead with my plan. But then a merger may be a bad
idea,” she wondered. Now she wants you to advise her on what to do. Analyze whatever little information is available from the
article given below and use it to answer two questions given below. Think before you write your answers. Only the answers
written inside the given boxes will be graded.
FCC Reports on Media Ownership by Edmund Sanders, Los Angeles Times
Published in San Francisco Chronicle, October 02, 2002
Media consolidation has not reduced the diversity of programs on television and radio, although
concentration of ownership may result in more TV commercials and similar slants in news coverage, according to
government studies released Tuesday.
The Federal Communications Commission mandated the 12 studies as part of its review of media-ownership
rules, which cap the growth of broadcasters and restrict TV stations from merging with newspapers and radio
stations in the same market.
During the past 18 months, the appellate judges in Washington have repeatedly overturned or remanded the
FCC’s media-ownership rules, saying that they lack adequate justification. As a result, FCC chairman Michael Powell
has said his agency will unveil a new set of media-ownership rules by next year.
“The FCC is going to use these studies to provide the justification for these future rules,” said Richard Wiley,
a former FCC chairman.
The studies prepared by the FCC and various universities, generally offered support to Powell …
1.
2.
Provide a list of issues/factors that you should consider in your analysis of this news. You don’t have to explain in
details. Write only within box given below.[3 points]
What is your recommendation to her? Mention just one recommendation. Also, explain your rationale behind your
recommendation. [2 points]
ANSWER KEY TO MCQ AND T/F
Part I (MCQ)
1
A
2
D
3
C
4
C
5
C
6
B
7
C
8
B
9
D
10
B
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
D
A
D
B
B
D
D
D
A
B
Part II (T/F)
1
T
2
T
3
T
4
F
5
T
6
T
7
F
8
F
9
T
10
F
11
12
13
14
15
T
F
F
T
F
MKTG 632, Fall 2003, Midterm Review Questions - Page 4