Deck 8: Decision Support Systems and Marketing Research

Question 1

Marketing research provides decision makers with data on the effectiveness of the current marketing mix and also insights for necessary changes.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The quality of secondary data should never be questioned.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The three roles of marketing research are persuasive,reminder,and informative.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Metasearch engines have proven impractical for most marketing research projects.

Question 5

The only connection between database marketing and decision support systems is that they both operate on computers.

Question 6

A random sample is a carefully developed probability sample set up to ensure that every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected as part of the sample.

Question 7

The best experiments are those in which all factors are held constant except the ones deliberately manipulated.

Question 8

Stuart Marketing Research is gathering information on the way people wrap gifts specifically for a large manufacturer of gift wrap paper that is considering introducing reusable wrapping paper with Velcro fasteners.This information gathered would be an example of primary data.

Question 9

An example of a good open-ended question would be,"Do you prefer auburn or blonde highlights in your hair?"

Question 10

Measurement error occurs when the sample who was actually interviewed differs from the sample drawn and the target population.

Question 11

The most popular technique for gathering primary data is statistical analysis.

Question 12

To save money on marketing research,a marketing manager suggests the company use the results of a survey conducted last year because similar questions were asked then.The manager is suggesting use of secondary data.

Question 13

Once adequate amounts of data have been collected,the researcher should present the report.

Question 14

Ashanti Dover is considering mall intercept interview techniques for collecting some primary data.She can choose between computer-assisted personal interviewing and computer-assisted self-interviewing.

Question 15

Internal company information such as invoices,data from previous marketing research studies,and historical sales data are sources of secondary data.

Question 16

When the Witchduck Diner,serving Caribbean cuisine,first opened in Virginia Beach,it drew novelty seekers but few of the several hundred business people who worked within five miles of the restaurant..The owner's recognition that a problem exists is the first step in the marketing research process.

Question 17

A marketing decision support system is an interactive,flexible computerized data storage system that bypasses information-processing specialists and gives managers access to useful information from their own desks..

Question 18

Flora Padjan would be engaged in observation research if she asked people in a discount store to show her what they had purchased.

Question 19

Researcher Susan Brandon was interested in how the human resources department at her company might better address some of the issues facing its students.To collect data on this issue,she interviewed the employees in her department.Brandon has used a random sampling procedure.

Question 20

A decision support system (DSS)involves the planning,collection,and analysis of data relevant to marketing decision making,and the communication of the results of this analysis to management.

Question 21

Los Hermanos Cafe has successfully operated seven restaurants in the same community for twenty years.Management plans to introduce an egg and cheese breakfast burrito to three restaurants after having success with this product in its other four diners.Los Hermanos Cafe doesn't need to conduct research before introducing the new product to its remaining restaurants.

Question 22

Competitive intelligence allows managers to predict changes in business relationships,identify marketplace opportunities,and discover new or potential competitors.

Question 23

A manufacturer of an all-natural fruit and veggie bar targeted to people who want nutritious snacks has asked for marketing research to explain the reasons for the recent failure of its Apple-Broccoli bar.This type of research is described as:

A) descriptive
B) predictive
C) diagnostic
D) normative
E) historical

Question 24

Scanner-based research is a system of gathering information on respondents by continuously monitoring the promotions panel members are exposed to and their subsequent purchase behavior.

Question 25

A true marketing decision support system should be:

A) reactive
B) customer-oriented
C) interactive
D) rigorous
E) all of the above

Question 26

Government agencies,newspapers,and trade shows are good sources of competitive intelligence.

Question 27

Marketing managers would typically use marketing research to:

A) eliminate any guesswork in decision making
B) implement a sales promotion
C) handle an individual customer's complaint
D) determine why a new product failed
E) do all of these

Question 28

Marketing managers can use marketing research to:

A) improve the quality of their decision making
B) find out what a marketing plan failed
C) learn how to more efficiently retain customers
D) understand the ever-changing marketplace
E) do all of these

Question 29

Soon after the Harriet Tubman Museum expanded its hours and began charging a small fee to pay for the extra help needed to keep it open longer hours,attendance decreased.To determine why this decrease in attendance occurred,the museum staff could rely on:

A) a production audit
B) database marketing
C) marketing research
D) an internal marketing audit
E) secondary data

Question 30

The publisher of a Canadian business magazine wanted to make several major changes in the magazine's content and format.To determine what changes would be supported by its subscribers and what changes would not be welcomed,the publisher should engage in:

A) advertising
B) database marketing
C) marketing research
D) a data retrieval system
E) secondary data

Question 31

Among the advantages claimed for cyber focus groups are speed,cost effectiveness,broad geographic scope,accessibility,and honesty.

Question 32

A true marketing decision support systems (DSS)should be:

A) flexible
B) discovery-oriented
C) interactive
D) accessibility
E) all of the above

Question 33

The two major scanner data suppliers are Information Resources Incorporated (IRI)and the A.C.Nielsen Company; each has about half the market for single-source research.

Question 34

A bowling alley operator could use _____ to determine why customers do not seem to like his bowling alley's new location.

A) transactional marketing
B) public relations
C) an EDI system
D) market synergy
E) marketing research

Question 35

Through marketing research,the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO)learned it has an older market and is not attracting younger concertgoers.It next conducted marketing research to determine if an integrated advertising campaign targeted to the younger market would be successful.In its second use of research,BSO employed marketing research in its _____ role.

A) historical
B) descriptive
C) predictive
D) normative
E) objective

Question 36

To help understand why attendance at its games was so poor,the Atlanta Falcons used marketing research to gather factual information.It used in-game surveys and end-of-season surveys of ticket holders.The gathering of factual statements is an example of marketing research in its _____ role.

A) historical
B) descriptive
C) predictive
D) normative
E) objective

Question 37

Marketing research has three functional roles.These roles are:

A) normative,descriptive,and explanatory
B) predictive,normative,and persuasive
C) descriptive,diagnostic,and predictive
D) flexible,interactive,and discovery-oriented
E) descriptive,explanatory,and predictive

Question 38

A(n)_____ is an interactive,flexible information system that enables managers to obtain and manipulate information as they are making decisions.

A) expert system
B) marketing information system
C) artificial intelligence system
D) marketing decision support system
E) database marketing system

Question 39

The function of _____ is to address "what if" questions.It entails planning,collecting,and analyzing data relevant to marketing decision making,and the communication of the results of this analysis to management.

A) data collection
B) artificial intelligence
C) decision support
D) marketing research
E) single-source research

Question 40

_____ is the creation of a large computerized file of customers' and potential customers' names,profiles,and purchase patterns.

A) Electronic targeting
B) Sampling procedure specification
C) Database marketing
D) Competitive data mining
E) Consumer behavior marketing

Question 41

In addition to using search engines to locate secondary data,you can also use subject directories.The two types of directors are academic and professional directories and:

A) commercial portals
B) consumer profiles
C) federal records
D) compiled lists
E) business-to-business Web pages

Question 42

A search engine:

A) provides vending information about databases
B) answers specific,consultative marketing research questions
C) contains collections of links to documents
D) provides a limited amount of information in response to a general search request
E) requires a complete knowledge of Boolean logic and calculus

Question 43

The marketing research problem:

A) is information-oriented
B) involves determining what resources will be used in research efforts
C) is action-driven
D) does not rely on managerial experience
E) is accurately described by none of the above

Question 44

Using a computer and modem,a researcher can make use of a worldwide telecommunications network with access to data,pictures,sound,and files without regard to their physical location or the type of computer on which they reside.This process makes use of:

A) CLT facilities
B) the Internet
C) cross-tabulations
D) field service firms
E) computer-assisted interviewing

Question 45

In contrast to marketing research problems,management decision problems are:

A) action-oriented
B) pervasive
C) narrower in scope
D) synergistic
E) information-oriented

Question 46

What are metasearch engines?

A) companies designed to generate secondary data
B) a source of proprietary data
C) electronic scanners of consumer behavior patterns
D) search engines for search engines
E) a rapid way to map company portals

Question 47

Data previously collected for purposes other than the one at hand are an important source of information as the researcher defines the problem.These data are called _____ data.

A) single-source
B) secondary
C) primary
D) consensual
E) convenience

Question 48

Research done by Morgan Stanley revealed that 72 percent of the United States is willing to try flavored colas.The research also showed which flavors were most desired.Cola producers using this information provided to them by Morgan Stanley would be using _____ data.

A) primary
B) secondary
C) dichotomous
D) observation
E) convenience

Question 49

Market research firms,commercial publications,and government data can be used as sources of:

A) secondary data
B) consensual information
C) primary data
D) artificial intelligence
E) marketing audits

Question 50

When assessing the quality of secondary data,it is:

A) not necessary to know why the data were collected in the first place
B) important to be able to have easy access to the data
C) important to know the purpose for which the data were originally collected
D) not important to know when the data were collected
E) imperative to use the same methods and procedures when primary data are collected

Question 51

Managers must combine specific pieces of information needed to identify the marketing research problem.Their _____ is to provide insightful decision-making information.

A) company-correlated goal
B) autonomous task
C) dichotomous goal
D) marketing research objective
E) field service objective

Question 52

The first step in the marketing research process is to:

A) specify the sampling plan
B) collect the data
C) analyze the marketplace
D) plan the research design
E) define the marketing problem to be studied

Question 53

Research by Morgan Stanley revealed that 72 percent of the United States is willing to try flavored colas.Since the cola industry is stagnant in most areas of the country,this is important data.Marketing research on how best to use this information will begin with the:

A) collection of the data
B) specification of the sampling plan
C) implementation of employee empowerment
D) research design
E) recognition of the marketing opportunity

Question 54

_____ function much like bulletin boards and are established to focus on a particular topic.People visit the Web sites to read messages left by others and to respond to others' comments and questions.These messages take the form of threaded discussions.

A) Search engines
B) Commercial portals
C) Visitation portals
D) Group channels
E) Newsgroups

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT an example of secondary data?

A) a physical count of the number of cars passing through an intersection to determine the need for a traffic signal
B) a census report on the number of people who are native to a community
C) the creation of a customer database
D) a collection of trade journal articles about the future of a particular industry
E) a newspaper story describing the lifestyle of the average Internet user

Question 56

Post Properties is a company that manages apartments in various communities.It is concerned with a glut of apartments in Atlanta,Orlando,and Dallas Its market researcher begins by examining the rental markets in the Southeast,the history of apartment buildings,local economies,competitive rents,and ownership--all information that was on hand and did not require any new research to locate.The market researcher looked at:

A) a closed study
B) secondary data
C) primary data
D) a statistical analysis
E) priority databases

Question 57

A private academy for children with learning disabilities has noticed a steadily declining enrollment in spite of the addition of several scholarships.Before conducting any marketing research to explain the decline in enrollment,the school's staff will need to:

A) determine who will be most likely to respond to their survey
B) select a market sample from everyone in the population
C) define the problem to be researched
D) develop a survey to find out exactly what's wrong
E) enumerate the decision factors

Question 58

TNT cable channel began using the slogan,"TNT knows drama," in early 2002.It wants to determine how its viewership has changed since it has changed its programming focus.It has decided to use secondary data to determine if its viewers' demographics have changed.A potential disadvantage of this research plan is:

A) the difficulty of holding certain variables constant while varying one factor of interest
B) the high cost of collecting secondary data
C) the length of time it takes to collect secondary data
D) interviewer bias during the collection process
E) the information not fitting the needs of the research problem

Question 59

Avon Meadows Travel Agency has seen its number of customers decline by almost 15 percent in the last two years.The agency needs to understand the reason(s)for the decline before it can make plans to reverse the trend.The agency's manager has identified problem as a decreased number of vacationers willing to travel by airplane.What is its next step in the marketing research process?

A) collect the data
B) recognize the marketing problem
C) analyze the marketplace
D) plan the research design
E) specify the sampling plan

Question 60

_____ specifies the research questions to be answered,how and when the data will be gathered,and how the data will be analyzed.

A) Secondary data use plan
B) The research collaborative plan
C) An autonomous director
D) The research design
E) The sampling plan

Question 61

In-home personal interviews:

A) offer high-quality data at high cost
B) offer the ability to obtain high-quality data at low cost
C) are becoming increasingly more popular
D) are less expensive than mall intercepts
E) offer information of moderate quality,but at a low cost

Question 62

Your supervisor has instructed you to conduct a marketing research effort that will determine how your company's business customer demographics have changed.You have also been instructed to use primary data.You will:

A) gather data from Standard & Poor's General Information File
B) develop a mail survey to study your primary market
C) employ studies done by the Federal Trade Commission
D) make sure you locate Internet information by using a search engine
E) ask the National Industrial Conference Board for its latest study

Question 63

You need to collect information quickly using a complex questionnaire that probes for feelings behind why people purchase your products.You also want each interviewer to conduct the survey in the same manner.Fortunately,you have access to a computerized questioning system.Which of the following is your best option?

A) in-home personal interviews
B) mall intercept interviews
C) a mail panel survey
D) focus groups
E) central-location telephone (CLT)interviews

Question 64

A furniture manufacturer wants to test how consumers will respond to furniture upholstered in fabric made from recycled plastic.Which form of survey would allow it to do this?

A) telephone interview
B) mail questionnaire
C) mall intercept
D) observation study
E) laboratory test

Question 65

Stair Specialist,Inc.builds customized circular staircases for homes in southern California.Its sales have plateaued.Nothing it does seems to change its sales picture.Its owner has asked you to advise the company on what it should do to increase its sales.Which of the following is an example of primary data that could be used for examining this marketing research problem?

A) a study of new home start-ups data for southern California
B) an article in a construction trade journal predicting fewer housing starts during the next decade
C) industry predictions that the number of new homes built in the Southwest will increase by 15 percent
D) information from the Los Angeles Yellow Pages showing that the number of building contractors has declined over the past five years
E) none of the above

Question 66

Mel and Mimi is the name of an upscale boutique that has outgrown the building it has been located in for the last two decades.Its owners want to know how its customers will react to a move and if the addition of new product lines will make the new location more attractive to its loyal customers.The store's owners have surveyed several of their customers to gauge their reaction to various potential locations and changes in product lines.The survey results are an example of _____ data.

A) primary
B) secondary
C) dichotomous
D) observation
E) collaborative

Question 67

Which of the following statements about the mall intercept interview is true?

A) Mall intercept interviews cannot use open-ended questions.
B) Mall intercept interviews are the least expensive method to conduct surveys.
C) It is difficult to get a representative sample of the population with a mall intercept interview.
D) Mall intercept interviews must be brief.
E) The mall intercept interviews offers researchers the ability to collect large quantities of information through complex surveys.

Question 68

What is the chief advantage of primary data?

A) low cost compared to secondary data
B) relevance to the problem at hand
C) availability to any interested party for use
D) accessibility through computerized data bases
E) avoiding interviewer biases

Question 69

A major limitation of the mall intercept interview is:

A) the difficulty of measuring attitudes and opinions
B) the need to interview people standing up
C) its high cost relative to in-home interviews
D) the difficulty of demonstrating new products
E) the difficulty of obtaining a representative sample of the population of interest

Question 70

A _____ is a specially designed phone room used to conduct telephone interviewing.

A) controlled-feedback facility (CFF)
B) collaboratively-located communications (CLL)center
C) multi-interviewer location site
D) central-location telephone (CLT)facility
E) telephone outsourcing center

Question 71

To determine new product opportunities,British Colombia's Sun-Rype Products conducted focus groups in which it learned Canadians are having trouble getting their required servings of fruits and vegetables each day-especially the vegetables.It gathered _____ data.

A) heuristic
B) primary
C) consensual
D) random
E) collaborative

Question 72

Information that is collected for the first time for the purpose of solving a particular problem under investigation is called _____ data.

A) primary
B) secondary
C) dichotomous
D) observation
E) convenience

Question 73

Telephone interviews offer:

A) speed in gathering data
B) a potential for reaching all households
C) few nonresponses
D) the ability to collect complex and large amounts of data
E) the highest-cost method for obtaining data

Question 74

The research design specifies:

A) follow-up procedures for the research
B) the information that will be found
C) how the final report will be written
D) how the information gathered will be used to predict external environmental changes
E) the research questions to be answered using primary data

Question 75

The most popular method for gathering primary data is _____,in which a researcher interacts with people to obtain facts,opinions,and attitudes.

A) heuristic-oriented
B) survey research
C) experiments
D) observation research
E) single-source research

Question 76

As Key Energy Services,Inc.planned its first marketing research project,its marketing director recommended it use primary data because:

A) this is information that is available free to all interested parties
B) their value is unrelated to sample size
C) they will fit the information Key Energy Services's needs exactly since they will be collected specifically for this study
D) they can be collected quickly and at a low cost
E) they will provide a benchmark for new secondary information

Question 77

One day before the limited release of a multimillion dollar movie about the bombing of the World Trade Center,a group of relatives of people who lost their family members on that day appeared on the news to tell everyone how wrong it was for any company to try to profit from the tragedy.To find out whether these relatives had an impact on the number of people who wanted to see the movie,its production company hired a research company to obtain questionnaire data from theater goers in the cities where the movie was scheduled to open.Given the circumstances,the research company should use:

A) a telephone survey
B) focus group interviews
C) personal interview surveys
D) a mail survey
E) a passive people meter

Question 78

_____ collect data on two different projects using one questionnaire.

A) Piggyback studies
B) Single-source studies
C) Siamese twin projects
D) Dichotomous inquiries
E) Experiential data

Question 79

The Salvation Army is collecting data on ways to make it simpler to give cash donations and assess public opinion toward the uniforms worn by its members using one questionnaire.This is an example of:

A) dichotomous inquiries
B) single-source studies
C) Siamese twin projects
D) piggyback studies
E) dual experimentation

Question 80

Computer-assisted personal interviewing and computer-assisted self-interviewing are two computerized methods for conducting:

A) CLT interviews
B) mall intercept interviews
C) e-mail interviews
D) in-home interviews
E) focus groups