Essentials of Marketing Research International Edition 5th Edition by William G - Test Bank

Essentials of Marketing Research International Edition 5th Edition by William G – Test Bank

 

Instant Download – Complete Test Bank With Answers

 

 

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

 

Chapter 5—Qualitative Research

 

TRUE/FALSE

 

1. Qualitative research is subjective in the sense that the results are researcher-dependent.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 97

OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

2. Quantitative research is especially useful when it is difficult to develop specific and actionable decision statements or research objectives.

 

ANS:  F

This is a situation in which qualitative research is useful.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 98               OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

3. Quantitative research address research objectives through empirical assessments that involve numerical measurement and analytical approaches.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   p. 99

OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

4. Qualitative research is objective.

 

ANS:  F

Qualitative research is subjective.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 99               OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

5. Qualitative research is cheaper than quantitative research.

 

ANS:  F

Not necessarily so.  Although fewer respondents have to be interviewed, the greater researcher involvement in both the data collection and analysis can drive up the costs of qualitative research.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard              REF:   p. 100             OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

6. Most exploratory research designs produce qualitative data.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   p. 100

OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

7. Probing is an interview technique that tries to draw deeper and more elaborate explanations from the discussion.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 101

OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

8. Concept testing is a type of exploratory research.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 102

OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

9. Phenomenology represents a philosophical approach to studying human experiences based on the idea that human experience itself is inherently subjective and determined by the context in which people live.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 103

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

10. Studying cultures using methods that involve becoming highly active within that culture is called phenomenology.

 

ANS:  F

This is called ethnography.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 104             OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

11. Observation is a major way information is gathered in ethnography.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 105

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

12. Phenomenology represents an inductive investigation in which the researcher poses questions about information provided by respondents or taken from historical records.

 

ANS:  F

This is grounded theory.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 105             OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

13. Case studies involve documented history of a particular person, group, organization, or event.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 106

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

14. A primary advantage of the case study is that an entire organization or entity can be investigated in depth.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 106

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

15. A focus group typically involves a rigid question-and-answer session among participants.

 

ANS:  F

A focus group interview is an unstructured, free-flowing interview with a small group of people.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 108             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

16. Focus groups, while useful, take considerable time and effort to execute.

 

ANS:  F

Focus groups are relatively fast and easy to execute.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 108             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

17. Leapfrogging is a procedure in which one respondent stimulates thought among the others in a focus group.

 

ANS:  F

This is called piggybacking.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 108             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

18. The ideal size of a focus group is 20 to 25 people.

 

ANS:  F

The ideal size is 6 to 10 people.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 110             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

19. A focus group moderator needs to be a good talker and dominate the group discussion to keep it on track.

 

ANS:  F

A good moderator usually says less rather than more and directs verbal traffic capably without turning off productive participants.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 111             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

 

20. Laddering is an approach to probing, asking respondents to compare differences between brands at different levels that produces distinctions at different levels.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 112

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

21. Depth interviews are less expensive than focus group interviews, especially if several depth interviews are conducted.

 

ANS:  F

The costs are similar if only one to two interviews are conducted.  However, if a dozen or more interviews are conducted, the costs are higher than focus group interviews due to the increased interviewing and analysis time.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 113             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

22. The sentence completion method is a type of free-association technique.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 114

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

23. The thematic apperception test (TAT) presents subjects with an ambiguous picture in which consumers and products are the center of attention.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 115

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

24. A focus group discussion guide includes written introductory comments, informing the group about the focus group purpose and rules and then outlines topics or questions to be asked in the group session.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   p. 116

OBJ:   05-5

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

25. A focus blog is established for the purpose of collecting qualitative data from an informal, continuous focus group.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 119

OBJ:   05-6

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

26. In online focus group sessions, the moderator’s ability to probe is greater than it is in a face-to-face focus group session.

 

ANS:  F

The moderator’s ability to probe and ask additional questions on the spot is reduced in online focus groups.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 119             OBJ:   05-6

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

27. The application of ethnography to comments made in online communities is called behavioral tracking.

 

ANS:  F

It is called netnography.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 120             OBJ:   05-6

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

28. One advantage of qualitative research is that it is highly replicable.

 

ANS:  F

Replicable means another researchers’ interpretation would match the initial interpretation, which is not always the case.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard              REF:   p. 122             OBJ:   05-7

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

29. The term interpretive research is often used to mean qualitative research.

 

ANS:  T                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 122

OBJ:   05-7

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

30. The primary barriers to scientific decisions are time, money, and consensus.

 

ANS:  F

The barriers are time, money, and emotion.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard              REF:   p. 123             OBJ:   05-7

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

MULTIPLE CHOICE

 

1. Research that addresses marketing objectives through techniques allowing the researcher to provide elaborate interpretations of market phenomena without depending on numerical measurement is called _____.

a.	preliminary research
b.	primitive research
c.	qualitative research
d.	secondary research

 

 

ANS:  C                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 97

OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

2. Kodetra is interpreting consumers’ blog postings on the Internet.  Which of the following best describes the type of research Kodetra is conducting?

a.	independent marketing research
b.	dependent marketing research
c.	quantitative marketing research
d.	qualitative marketing research

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 97

OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

3. Qualitative research is considered to be _____ because the researcher must extract meaning from unstructured responses.

a.	researcher-dependent
b.	less valid
c.	less useful
d.	object-dependent

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 97

OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

4. All of the following are situations that often call for qualitative research EXCEPT _____.

a.	when it is difficult to develop specific and actionable decision statements or research objectives
b.	when conclusive evidence is desired
c.	when researchers want to learn how consumers use a product in natural settings
d.	when a fresh approach to studying some problem is needed

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 98

OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

5. Research that addresses research objectives through empirical assessments that involve numerical measurement and analysis approaches is called _____.

a.	quantitative marketing research
b.	qualitative marketing research
c.	extensive marketing research
d.	grounded marketing research

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 99

OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

6. Researcher-dependent results are _____.

a.	subjective
b.	objective
c.	primary
d.	secondary

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 99

OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

7. Which type of data are not characterized by numbers and instead are textual, visual, or oral?

a.	grounded data
b.	quantitative data
c.	subjective data
d.	qualitative data

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 100

OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

8. _____ is an interview technique that tries to draw deeper and more elaborate explanations from a respondent.

a.	Probing
b.	Interrogating
c.	Clarifying
d.	Testing

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 101

OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

9. Which of the following is used when probing?

a.	asking for clarification
b.	pausing
c.	asking a respondent “What has changed?”
d.	all of these choices

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   p. 101

OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

10. Asking the decision maker to explain exactly what certain phrases or terms mean is which dimension of probing?

a.	free form thinking
b.	clarification
c.	contrast
d.	difference

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 101

OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

11. _____ is used to screen new, revised, or repositioned ideas.

a.	Concept testing
b.	Phenomenology
c.	Laddering
d.	Piggybacking

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 102

OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

12. When consumers in a focus group session are presented with a written description of a possible new product and are asked what they would be willing to pay for such a product, this is an example of which of the following?

a.	causal research study
b.	descriptive research study
c.	concept test
d.	case study

 

 

ANS:  C                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 102

OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

13. All of the following are qualitative research orientations EXCEPT _____.

a.	phenomenology
b.	grounded theory
c.	case studies
d.	ANOVA

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 103

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

14. Which qualitative research orientation originated in philosophy and psychology?

a.	phenomenology
b.	grounded theory
c.	ethnography
d.	anthropology

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 103

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

15. Ethnography is a qualitative research orientation originating in _____.

a.	marketing
b.	psychology
c.	anthropology
d.	sociology

 

 

ANS:  C                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 103

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

16. Which qualitative research orientation originated in sociology?

a.	phenomenology
b.	grounded theory
c.	ethnography
d.	case studies

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 103

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

17. Owen is a researcher who studies human experiences based on the idea that it is inherently subjective and determined by the context in which people live.  He focuses on how a person’s behavior is shaped by the relationship he or she has with the physical environment, objects, people, and situation.  Which qualitative research orientation is Owen using?

a.	grounded theory
b.	phenomenology
c.	ethnography
d.	case study

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 103

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

18. Which of the following is an important approach used in phenomenology?

a.	netnography
b.	ethnography
c.	grounded theory
d.	hermeneutics

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 103

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

19. Which of the following is an approach to understanding phenomenology that relies on analysis of texts through which a person tells a story about him- or herself?

a.	hermeneutics
b.	ethnography
c.	psychographics
d.	psychodynamics

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 103

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

20. A text passage from a respondent’s story that is linked with a key theme from within this story or provided by the researcher is called  _____.

a.	trace element
b.	schemata
c.	hermeneutic unit
d.	case study

 

 

ANS:  C                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 103

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

21. _____ is a way of studying culture through methods that involve becoming highly active within that culture.

a.	Grounded theory
b.	Ethnography
c.	Phenomenology
d.	Case studies

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 104

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

22. Cindy is an ethnographer who is trying to better understand how mothers take care of toddlers.  Being a mother herself, she was able to join a mother’s group and spent considerable time immersed within that culture.  From this immersion, she is able to draw data from her observations.  Cindy is referred to as a(n) _____.

a.	interloper
b.	participant-observer
c.	moderator
d.	mystery shopper

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 104

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

23. Which qualitative research orientation extracts a theory from whatever emerges from an area of inquiry?

a.	phenomenology
b.	ethnography
c.	grounded theory
d.	case study

 

 

ANS:  C                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 105

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

24. What is the distinguishing characteristic of grounded theory?

a.	Culture is analyzed by participant-observation in which the researcher becomes “grounded” in the culture over a long period of time.
b.	It relies on analysis of texts in which a person tells a story about him- or herself.
c.	The interplay among respondents allows them to piggyback off of each other’s ideas.
d.	It does not begin with a theory but instead extracts one from whatever emerges from an area of inquiry.

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 105

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

25. _____ represent(s) the documented history of a particular person, group, organization, or event.

a.	Case studies
b.	Phenomenology
c.	netnography
d.	Attribution theory

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 106

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

26. When Schwinn studies its most successful retailer in depth in order to determine some better ideas for displaying bicycles in its retail stores, this is an example of _____.

a.	an experiment
b.	a test market
c.	a case study
d.	causal research

 

 

ANS:  C                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 106

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

27. In case studies, _____ are identified by the frequency with which the same term (or a synonym) arises in the narrative description.

a.	themes
b.	threats
c.	links
d.	ladders

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 106

OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

28. An unstructured, free-flowing interview with a small group of people led by a trained moderator is called a(n) _____.

a.	interaction group interview
b.	focus group interview
c.	depth interview
d.	ethnographic interview

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 108

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

29. Which of the following is the most common size of a focus group?

a.	1-2 participants
b.	3-5 participants
c.	6-10 participants
d.	12-20 participants

 

 

ANS:  C                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 108

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

30. Betsy and six other women are participating in a research study that is an unstructured, free-flowing interview.  The researcher asked the group their feelings about hair care products in general and asked them to discuss them freely.  Betsy is participating in a _____.

a.	case study
b.	grounded research study
c.	depth interview
d.	focus group interview

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 108

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

31. Which of the following is an advantage of focus group interviews?

a.	provide multiple perspectives
b.	low degree of scrutiny
c.	inexpensive
d.	easy to use for sensitive topics

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 108

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

32. In a focus group discussion, when the comments of one member triggers a stream of comments from the other participants, this is called _____.

a.	serendipity
b.	piggyback
c.	structure
d.	themes

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 108

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

33. The person who leads a focus group interview and ensures that everyone gets a chance to speak and facilitates discussion is called a(n) _____.

a.	moderator
b.	interviewer
c.	facilitator
d.	leader

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 111

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

34. Which of the following is a good characteristic for a focus group moderator to possess?

a.	good listener
b.	ability to make people feel comfortable so that they will talk in the group
c.	ability to control discussion without being overbearing
d.	all of these choices

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   p. 111

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

35. When a professional interviewer holds a 90-minute discussion with one member of the target market to find out why that respondent purchases a particular brand of clothing, this is an example of a _____.

a.	depth interview
b.	concept test
c.	focus interview
d.	hermeneutic analysis

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 112

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

 

36. Which of the following is a particular approach to probing that asks respondents to compare differences between brands at different levels?

a.	interrogating
b.	immersion
c.	linking
d.	laddering

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 112

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

37. Which type of qualitative tool is an informal and almost completely unstructured approach in which the researcher engages a respondent in a discussion of the relevant subject matter?

a.	depth interview
b.	conversation
c.	focus group
d.	free-association

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 113

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

38. Hank is a researcher who is discussing football fan behavior with a respondent.  His approach is almost completely unstructured, and he enters into a discussion with few expectations.  What he wants is for a respondent to tell him about his or her experience as a football fan.  Hank will then try to derive meaning from the resulting dialog.  Which qualitative research technique is Hank using?

a.	conversation
b.	focus group
c.	depth interview
d.	case study

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 113

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

39. All of the following are advantages of semi-structured interviews EXCEPT _____.

a.	ability to address more specific issues
b.	responses are usually easier to interpret than other qualitative approaches
c.	questions are administered without the presence of an interviewer
d.	high degree of scrutiny

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 114

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

40. Which qualitative tool simply records a respondent’s first cognitive reaction (top-of-mind) to some stimulus?

a.	phenomenology
b.	conversations
c.	probing
d.	free-association techniques

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 114

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

41. When the respondent is presented with:  “People who watch football on television are ________,” and asked to fill in the blank, this is an example of a _____.

a.	word association test
b.	concept test
c.	case study
d.	sentence completion test

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 114

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

42. _____ are the researcher’s descriptions of what actually happens in the field and are the text from which meaning is extracted.

a.	Hermeneutics
b.	Field notes
c.	Discussion guides
d.	Verbatims

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 115

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

43. Stephanie was asked to look at a picture of a woman sitting on a deserted beach and to describe what was happening in the picture.  She was then asked to tell what might happen next.  Stephanie was participating in a(n) _____.

a.	aptitude test
b.	focus interview
c.	thematic apperception test
d.	focus blog

 

 

ANS:  C                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard               REF:   p. 115

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

44. A version of the TAT that uses a cartoon drawing in which the respondent suggests a dialog in which the characters might engage is called _____.

a.	picture completion
b.	picture frustration
c.	scenario test
d.	projective picture

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 115

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

45. When a respondent is asked to project her feelings onto a third party (e.g. “your neighbor down the street”), this is called a(n) _____.

a.	case study
b.	experience survey
c.	word association test
d.	projective technique

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 115

OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

46. The written set of guidelines that describes an outline of topics to be covered by a focus group moderator is called a _____.

a.	discussion guide
b.	TAT test
c.	concept test
d.	case study

 

 

ANS:  A                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 116

OBJ:   05-5

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

47. Which of the following is a disadvantage of focus groups?

a.	requires objective, sensitive, and effective moderators
b.	may not be useful for discussing sensitive topics
c.	high cost
d.	all of these choices

 

 

ANS:  D                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   p. 117

OBJ:   05-5

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

48. A type of informal, “continuous” focus group established as an Internet blog for the purpose of collecting qualitative data from participants is referred to as a _____.

a.	net group
b.	market blog
c.	focus blog
d.	focus unit

 

 

ANS:  C                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 119

OBJ:   05-6

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

49. The application of ethnography to comments made in online communities is called _____.

a.	net-demographics
b.	netnography
c.	hermeneutics
d.	focus blog

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 120

OBJ:   05-6

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

50. Which of the following means the same conclusion would be reached based on another researcher’s interpretation of the research?

a.	validity
b.	replicable
c.	homogeneity
d.	scrutiny

 

 

ANS:  B                    PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate        REF:   p. 122

OBJ:   05-7

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

COMPLETION

 

1. Research that addresses marketing objectives through techniques that allow the researcher to provide elaborate interpretations of marketing phenomena without depending on numerical measurement is referred to as _____ marketing research.

 

ANS:  qualitative

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 97               OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

2. When research is conducted to clarify the nature of a problem, it is called ______ research.

 

ANS:  exploratory

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 100             OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

3. When focus group participants are shown a drawing of a new type of car and are asked for their reactions, this is called a(n) ______ .

 

ANS:  concept test

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard              REF:   p. 102             OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

4. The typical ethnographic approach requires the use of _____.

 

ANS:  participant-observation

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 104             OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

5. An in-depth study of a major competitor in order to determine how to improve your organization’s product line offerings is an example of a(n) _____.

 

ANS:  case study

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard              REF:   p. 106             OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

 

6. An unstructured, free-flowing discussion with a small group of consumers in a session that is conducted by a moderator is called a(n) ______.

 

ANS:  focus group

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 108             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

7. In a focus group, when the comments of one member stimulate another member to say what she is thinking, this is called ________.

 

ANS:  piggyback

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 108             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

8. The person who leads a focus group discussion is called a(n) ______.

 

ANS:  moderator

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 111             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

9. A one-on-one interview between a professional researcher and a research respondent about why she purchases a specific cosmetic brand is an example of a(n) ______.

 

ANS:  depth interview

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard              REF:   p. 112             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

10. When an interviewer reads a list of words and asks the respondent to “say the first thing that comes to mind after I say each word,” this is an example of a(n) _____ technique.

 

ANS:  free-association

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard              REF:   p. 114             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

11. An indirect method of questioning that allows a respondent to project his feelings onto a third-party is an example of a(n) ______ technique.

 

ANS:  projective

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 115             OBJ:   05-4

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

12. A written set of guidelines prepared by a moderator that outlines the topics to be discussed in a focus group session is called a(n) ______.

 

ANS:  discussion guide

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 116             OBJ:   05-5

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

13. A focus group session that is conducted over the Internet is called a(n) ______ focus group session.

 

ANS:  online

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 119             OBJ:   05-6

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

14. The term used to describe a researcher blending in as part of a virtual community to gain access to the myriad of comments consumers leave behind is _____.

 

ANS:  netnography

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 120             OBJ:   05-6

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

15. Research that is intersubjectively certifiable means that it is _____.

 

ANS:  replicable

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 122             OBJ:   05-7

NAT:  AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

ESSAY

 

1. Compare and contrast qualitative research and quantitative research and discuss situations in which qualitative research is useful.

 

ANS:

Qualitative marketing research is research that addresses marketing objectives through techniques that allow the researcher to provide elaborate interpretations of market phenomena without depending on numerical measurement.  Its focus is on discovering true inner meanings and new insights.  It is less structured than most quantitative approaches and does not rely on self-response questionnaires containing structured response formats.  Instead, it is more researcher-dependent in that the researcher must extract meaning from unstructured responses such as text from a recorded interview or a collage representing the meaning of some experience.  The researcher interprets the data to extract its meaning and converts it to information.  Qualitative research is useful when:

(1)	it is difficult to develop specific and actionable decision statements or research objectives;
(2)	the research objective is to develop an understanding of some phenomena in greater detail and in much depth;
(3)	the research objective is to learn how consumers use a product in its natural setting or to learn how to express some concept in colloquial terms;
(4)	some behavior the researcher is studying is particularly context-dependent; or
(5)	when the researcher needs a fresh approach.

 

Quantitative marketing research can be defined as marketing research that addresses research objectives through empirical assessments that involve numerical measurement and analysis approaches.  It is more apt to stand on its own in the sense that it requires less interpretation.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   pp. 97-99        OBJ:   05-1

NAT:  AACSB Communication| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

2. Explain the role of qualitative data and quantitative data in exploratory research designs.

 

ANS:

When researchers have limited experience or knowledge about an issue, exploratory research is useful.  Most exploratory research designs produce qualitative data, which are not characterized by numbers and instead are textual, visual, or oral.  Exploratory designs do not usually produce quantitative data, which represent phenomena by assigning numbers in an ordered and meaningful way.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 100             OBJ:   05-2

NAT:  AACSB Communication| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

3. Name and briefly describe the four qualitative research orientations.

 

ANS:

Major categories of qualitative research:

(1)	Phenomenology – originating in philosophy and psychology.  It represents a philosophical approach to studying human experiences based on the idea that human experience itself is inherently subjective and determined by the context in which they live.
(2)	Ethnography – originating in anthropology.  It represents ways of studying cultures through methods that involve becoming highly involved within that culture (e.g., participant-observer).
(3)	Grounded theory – originating in sociology. It represents an inductive investigation in which the researcher poses questions about information provided by respondents or taken from historical records.
(3)	Case studies – originating in psychology and in business research.  It refers to the documented history of a particular person, group, organization, or event, and cases are analyzed for important themes.

 

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 103             OBJ:   05-3

NAT:  AACSB Communication| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

 

4. Describe a focus group interview and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this technique.

 

ANS:

A focus group interview is an unstructured, free-flowing interview with a small group of people (i.e., 6-10).  Focus groups are led by a trained moderator who follows a flexible format encouraging dialogue among respondents.  A moderator begins by providing some opening statement to broadly steer discussion in the intended direction.  Ideally, discussion topics emerge at the group’s initiative, not the moderator’s.

 

Focus groups offer several advantages: (1) relatively fast, (2) easy to execute, (3) allow respondents to piggyback off each other’s ideas, (4) provides multiple perspectives, (5) flexibility to allow more detailed descriptions, and (6) high degree of scrutiny.

 

Disadvantages include: (1) requires objective, sensitive, and effective moderators, (2) group may not be representative of the entire target market, (3) may not be useful for discussing sensitive topics, and (4) expensive.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   p. 108| p. 117

OBJ:   05-4| 05-5

NAT:  AACSB Communication| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

5. Develop a discussion guide for a focus group on football fan behavior.

 

ANS:

Students’ answers will vary, but they should demonstrate knowledge and application of the elements of a discussion guide:

1.	Welcome and introductions should take place first.
2.	Begin the interview with a broad icebreaker that does not reveal too many specifics about the interview.
3.	Questions become increasingly more specific as the interview proceeds.
4.	If there is a very specific objective to be accomplished, that question should probably be saved for last.
5.	A debriefing statement should be provided providing respondents with the actual focus group objectives and answering any questions any may have.

 

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard              REF:   p. 116             OBJ:   05-5

NAT:  AACSB Communication| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

 

6. Explain how the Internet is useful in conducting qualitative research.

 

ANS:

Internet applications of qualitative exploratory research are growing rapidly and involve both formal and informal applications.  Formally, the term online focus group refers to a qualitative research effort where a group of individuals provides unstructured comments by entering their remarks into an electronic Internet display board of some type.  Several companies have established a form of informal, “continuous” focus group by establishing an Internet blog for that purpose, called a focus blog.  Netnography is the application of ethnography to comments made in online communities.  The researcher blends in as part of a virtual community and in doing so, he or she gains access to the myriad of comments consumers leave behind.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   pp. 119-120    OBJ:   05-6

NAT:  AACSB Communication| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

 

7. Do exploratory research approaches using qualitative research tools have a role in scientific inquiry?  Explain why a decision may be based solely on these results.

 

ANS:

Objectivity and replicability are two characteristics of scientific inquiry, and many would question whether exploratory research using qualitative research tools can satisfy these.  A focus group or a depth interview or a TAT alone does not best represent a complete scientific inquiry.  However, if the thoughts discovered through these techniques survive preliminary evaluations and are developed into research hypotheses, they can be further tested.  Thus, exploratory research approaches using qualitative research tools are very much a part of scientific inquiry.  In practice, many marketing decisions are based solely on the results of exploratory research as a scientific decision process is not always justified.  However, as the risk increases, the confidence that comes along with a rigorous research and decision process becomes well worth the investment.  The primary barriers to scientific decisions are (1) time, (2) money, and (3) emotion.

 

PTS:   1                    DIF:    Hard              REF:   p. 121             OBJ:   05-7

NAT:  AACSB Communication| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension