Exam 6: Problem Definition: the Foundation of Business Research

All of the following are types of variables EXCEPT _____.

A researcher has been hired by a business owner to help her understand why she is losing customers. List the steps the researcher should follow in defining the problem for this research study.

Categorical variables are also called _____ variables.

In the statement: "Years of sales experience is an important variable in predicting unit sales performance," what type of variable is "years of experience"?

It is easier to define the problem in business situations that are not cyclical.

All of the following are steps in the problem-definition process EXCEPT _____.

When a researcher defines and develops a decision statement and the steps involved in translating it into more precise research terminology, he or she is involved in what process?

Which of the following is the most important question a researcher can ask when using a probing technique?

Interrogative techniques simply involve asking multiple what, where, who, when, why, and how questions.

A researcher is asking managers and line workers questions such as what type of problems they experience, where they are most likely to experience them, who is responsible for them, and how the problems get resolved. Asking these what, where, who, when, why, and how questions to get a better understanding of his client's business decision-making situation is an example of using _____.

Which of the following is the FIRST step of the problem definition process?

Devise a study that contains continuous, categorical, dependent, and independent variables and the research objective(s) of your study. Be sure to label each variable accordingly and identify the unit of analysis in your study.

A wise researcher will not agree to do a research job for which no written proposal exists.

Which of the following is a possible unit of analysis in a research study?

A statement such as: "Increasing price five percent will cause sales to drop by eight percent or more," is an example of a _____.

A performance criterion that expresses what a manager will do if a criterion is achieved in a research study is called a(n) ______.

What type of variable is "gender"?

An absolute variable is one that can take on a range of values that correspond to some quantitative amount.

A statement such as: "If our new floor cleaner reaches a local market share of three percent after nine months of test marketing the product in Phoenix, we will launch the product nationally," is an example of a _____.

A problem occurs when there is a difference between the current conditions and a more preferable set of conditions.