Exam 4: Defining the Problem and Determining Research Objectives

In your text, your authors provide some insights from marketing researcher, Lawrence D. Gibson. Which of the following best describes a key point made by Mr. Gibson relative to defining the problem?

There is always some cause(s)for a change that brings about a symptom.

Researchers should try to determine what assumptions have been made about consequences of decision alternatives.

Symptoms are changes in the level of some key monitor that measures the achievement of an objective.

When there is a gap between what was supposed to happen and what did happen, we have a problem.

Preference, awareness, and recall could be thought of as marketing constructs and the constructs to be measured should be defined in the research objectives.

The marketing researcher plays an important role in problem definition when management asks the researcher for help in defining the problem. Researchers do not play an important role in problem definition when management has already defined the problem.

Frank C. Church is a brand manager for Heinz. He hires a research firm. When he meets the research company representative he states: "Here's the information I want to know. Tell me the change in market shares every time my top three competitors change advertising strategies." The researcher should ask:

Which of the following best describes the role of the researcher in the problem definition stage of the marketing research process?

Researchers should assess the "information state" that deals with the quality and quantity of information a manager uses for his or her assumptions.

Managers assess their "information state" when:

Dexter Alvarez learns of a new breakthrough in solar panel technology by reading one of his online science magazines. Being a businessman, Dexter would like information regarding whether or not this breakthrough would make practical some solar panel applications that are presently not in use. Dexter considers hiring a marketing research firm. This would be an example of:

The problem is totally dependent on the research objective. Once we know the research objective we can accurately surmise the problem.

If a researcher decided to measure the construct of "attitude" by using a 5-point scale ranging from "Poor" to "Excellent," this would be an example of:

Although important, properly defining the problem is not as important as analyzing data in marketing research.

Probable causes create decisions that managers must make and decisions require that decision alternatives be stated.

Control systems that monitor performance against objectives are useful for recognizing problems.

Under what condition is it likely that the problem definition dialogue between manager and researcher may not take place?

"Information gaps," as discussed in the textbook, are areas of knowledge not possessed by the researcher due to a lack of education in that particular area.

Researchers should conduct a "situation analysis" when: