Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 25

Chapter 4

The Research Process: An Overview

True-False Questions

F 1. Since pilot studies involve informal data collection methods, they should not be used in
63 business research.

F 2. The most common method of generating secondary data is through surveys.

66

T 3. Inexperienced researchers often assume that a survey is the best research method,
69 because it is the technique with which they are most familiar.

F 4. The purpose of exploratory research is to provide conclusive evidence about a course

54 of action.

F 5. Descriptive research attempts to provide an explanation of the cause of the findings.

54

F 6. A written research report can be discarded after a study ends, because it has served its
73 purpose.

F 7. A diagnostic analysis provides evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship.

56

T 8. Generally when the researcher is totally unaware of the problem, he/she will conduct
62 exploratory research rather than descriptive or causal research.

T 9. The focus group interview is a type of pilot study.

63

F 10. The most common way to generate primary data is through personal interviews.
66

F 11. Because many business research problems are unique, there is usually a single,
69 standard, correct method of carrying out a piece of research.
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 26

F 12. In data collection, a pretest means that a small sample of data is collected in order to
72 test the statistical data analysis procedures being used in the research.

T 13. If a consumer behavior theorist wishes to establish that attitude change causes behavior
56 change, one criterion that must be established is that attitude change precedes behavior
change.

F 14. When discussing the stages in the research process, the term forward linkage would be
59 appropriate if we believe problem definition will be influenced by our knowledge that
the data will be analyzed by computers.

T 15. Researchers who seek to determine the answers to "who," "what," "when," "where,"
54 and "how" questions will be conducting descriptive research.

F 16. Because the main goal of causal research is to identify cause-and-effect relationships, it
56 usually precedes exploratory or descriptive studies.

T 17. The main goal of causal research is to identify cause-and-effect relationships between
56 variables.

F 18. Experiments have the least potential to establish cause-and-effect relationships.

66

F 19. The major purpose of descriptive research, as the name implies, is to clarify the nature
54 of problems.

T 20. Business research needs clear objectives and definite research designs in order to be
65 conducted efficiently.

T 21. Exploratory studies are conducted to clarify the nature of problems.

54

F 22. The usual purpose of exploratory research is to provide conclusive evidence to

54 determine a particular course of action.

F 23. Exploratory research studies provide conclusive evidence to determine a particular

54 course of action.

F 24. "A problem well defined is a problem half solved," is an old adage not generally true in
60 the age of computers.
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 27

F 25. The most important stage of the research process is processing and analyzing the data.
60

F 26. Classifying business research on the basis of the technique used to collect the data
65 would yield the following classifications: exploratory research, descriptive research,
and causal research.

F 27. The preliminary activities undertaken to define the problem into a researchable one
60 should always be formal and precise so that mistakes will not be made.

T 28. Having discussions on research with the members of the company's sales force may be
62 a valuable source of information for exploratory research.

F 29. Exploratory research is typically conducted near the later stages of the research
62 process.

F 30. Secondary data can seldom be gathered faster and at lower cost than primary data.
64

F 31. There is one standard design for exploratory research.

69

Multiple Choice Questions

B 1. A pilot study is:

64 A. an extremely rigorous research design involving formal methods for
collecting data.
B. a small-scale exploratory research technique that uses informal data collection
methods.
C. a good example of backward linkage.
D. always the best way to approach business research situations.

B 2. All of the following statements are true EXCEPT:

69 A. there is no one best research design for all situations.
B. observation studies are easy to administer and conduct.
C. one drawback of observation methods is that they cannot record respondents'
attitudes and opinions.
D. there are many different ways to collect data.
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 28

B 3. The most difficult business decisions are those which are:

53 A. certain.
B. ambiguous.
C. causal.
D. descriptive.

D 4. If a researcher is attempting to show the relationship between a sales training program

66 and the subsequent change in sales performance, this is an example of:
A. a focus group.
B. a telephone interview.
C. an observation study.
D. an experiment.

D 5. Which of the following factors would most likely decrease the importance of
53 managerial experience and judgment relative to the use of business research in a given
situation?
A. Budget available for research
B. Need for a quick decision
C. Decision outcomes with high degrees of uncertainty
D. Routine repetitive decision problem

C 6. Which of the following statements about survey research is NOT true?

66 A. Gathers information from people by use of a questionnaire
B. Gathers primary data
C. Holds the greatest potential for establishing causal relationships
D. May be conducted using mail, personal interviews, or telephone

C 7. The four research design techniques for descriptive and causal research are:
65 A. focus groups, surveys, pilot studies, and experiments.
B. focus groups, surveys, experiments, and observation.
C. secondary data studies, surveys, experiments, and observation.
D. secondary data, focus groups, surveys, and experiments.

A 8. The textbook states that every decision-making situation can be classified on a

53 continuum containing three categories. These categories are
A. uncertainty, certainty, ambiguity.
B. total confusion, partial confusion, complete clarity.
C. incomplete certainty, certainty, ambivalence.
D. difficult, moderately difficult, easy.
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 29

A 9. Relative to the decision-making process, at what point should business research enter
60 the process?
A. Problem discovery and definition
B. Alternative formulation
C. Evaluation of alternatives
D. Implementation

D 10. All of the following are stages in the research process, EXCEPT:
59 A. planning a sample.
B. defining the problem.
C. planning a research design.
D. conducting a telephone survey.

C 11. Which type of research study is attempting to answer the question: “Would members
62 of this target market be interested in purchasing this new type of product?”
A. Descriptive research
B. Causal research
C. Exploratory research
D. Definitive research

B 12. The main goal of causal research is:

56 A. to directly seek the solution to a particular, pragmatic problem.
B. to identify cause-and-effect relationships between variables.
C. to clarify the nature of problems.
D. to provide a conclusive statement about the characteristics of a particular
population or phenomenon.

B 13. Which of the following is not a stage in the research process?

59 A. Collecting the data
B. Solving the managerial problem
C. Defining the research problem
D. Formulating conclusions

B 14. Any procedure that uses a small number of items or people to make a conclusion
70 regarding a larger group known as the population is called:
A. statistics.
B. sampling.
C. surveying.
D. probability theory.
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 30

A 15. Which of the following statements concerning research design is true?

65 A. Research design provides a framework that guides data collection and data
analysis.
B. Ideal research design is exactly determined by the research objectives.
C. Research design characteristics are indirectly determined by the information
needs of the decision maker.
D. All of the statements are true.

B 16. Checking the data collection forms for omissions, legibility, and consistency in
72 classification is referred to as:
A. auditing.
B. editing.
C. accuracy analysis.
D. coding.

A 17. Which of the following questions will NOT be answered by the sampling plan?
70 A. Why is the sample being selected?
B. Who is to be sampled?
C. How big should the sample be?
D. How are the sampling units to be selected?

C 18. If the research problem were defined as: "Which of two prices produce the most
56 sales?”, the most appropriate type of research would be:
A. exploratory.
B. descriptive.
C. causal.
D. associative.

B 19. If we want to clarify the nature of problems, we would conduct research.

54 A. clarification
B. exploratory
C. descriptive
D. causal

C 20. Which type of research study is attempting to answer the question: “Which of two
56 sales training programs is more effective?”
A. Exloratory
B. Descriptive
C. Causal
D. Mall-intercept
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 31

C 21. If the research problem were defined as: "Will buyers purchase more of the product in
54 a red or blue colored package?", the most appropriate type of research would be:
A. exploratory.
B. descriptive.
C. causal.
D. associative.

B 22. To be most useful, how should research objectives be stated?

65 A. They should be stated as broadly as possible to permit flexibility in applying
the research.
B. They should be stated as precisely as possible to avoid misapplying the
research.
C. Usually it makes little difference whether they are broadly or precisely stated
as long as the objective is clear.
D. Most research does not need a stated objective because the nature of the
problem implies the objective.

C 23. A research design that merely records what occurs is a(n):

69 A. survey.
B. secondary data study.
C. observation study.
D. experiment.

C 24. What type of research study is being conducted when a researcher is attempting to
56 predict future sales on the basis of past sales trends?
A. Secondary data study
B. Exploratory
C. Causal
D. Descriptive

A 25. The appropriate research strategy to determine the demographic characteristics of

55 owners of Ford Explorer SUVs would be:
A. descriptive design.
B. exploratory design.
C. simulation.
D. field experiment.
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 32

C 26. Research designs may be categorized according to their fundamental objective. Which
54 of the following are research design categories?
A. scientific, exploratory, descriptive
B. descriptive, research, experimental
C. descriptive, causal, exploratory
D. experimental, experience, exploratory
D 27. An exploratory research design would be LEAST likely to be used to:
55 A. create a more precise formulation of a problem.
B. clarify a basic concept.
C. increase familiarization with a problem.
D. describe the characteristics of a certain group.

D 28. Which of the following is designed to develop ideas and insights in decision-making
55 situations, especially when only limited knowledge is currently available?
A. Secondary research
B. Experimental research
C. Survey research
D. Exploratory research

D 29. Which of the following is NOT a common exploratory research design?

62 A. pilot study
B. experience survey
C. secondary data study
D. observation study

D 30. Which of the following statements concerning research design is TRUE?

65 A. There is a single, correct plan for every problem.
B. There are two basic types of research design: surveys and experiments.
C. Research design is costly to plan and implement and is often unnecessary.
D. It is a plan for the collection and analysis of data.

C 31. Which of the following statements concerning secondary data is FALSE?

64 A. Secondary data sources should be considered before primary data are
collected.
B. Internal secondary data are usually preferred to external secondary data.
C. Data needed to complete a research project are usually attainable as secondary
data.
D. Secondary data are available from commercial sources.
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 33

D 32. Which of the following is an advantage of secondary data as compared with primary
64 data?
A. Obtainable from reliable suppliers
B. Usually less expensive
C. Usually available in less time
D. All of the above are advantages.

C 33. The number of automobiles that drive over a “counter cable” in the road near a
69 proposed site for a convenience store is an example of:
A. secondary data collection.
B. exploratory research.
C. an observation study.
D. an experiment.

Fill in the Blank

1. Every month the Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts a survey to obtain statistics on
55 unemployment and other labor issues. This is an example of research.

descriptive

2. After expanding a staff training program, a manager conducts a follow-up study to

56 compare the productivity of employees who have gone through the new program with
those who went through the old program. This is an example of research.

causal

3. The term implies that later stages of research will influence the design of earlier
59 stages.

backward linkage

4. A manager conducts a preliminary survey of employees to determine if they might be

55 interested in a company-sponsored child-care program. This is an example of
research.

exploratory

5. The term implies that earlier stages of research will influence the design of later
59 stages.

forward linkage
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 34

6. A(n) is a sample in which every member of the population has a known,

71 nonzero probability of selection.

probability sample

7. In data processing, the rules for interpreting and categorizing and recording data are
72 known as ________.

codes

8. Data gathered and assembled specifically for the project at hand are data.
63
primary

9. The most common method of generating primary data is through .

66
surveys

10. Recording by mechanical counter the number of automobiles that pass a proposed site
69 for a gasoline station is a(n) study.

observation

11. A sample is a(n) from a larger population.

70
subset

12. Data previously collected and assembled for some project other than the one at hand
63 are data.

secondary

13. When a firm conducts research by discussing the general nature of a new product with
62 some of its key retailers and wholesalers, it is conducting a(n) ___ study.

exploratory
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 35

14. The is a group dynamics session with six to ten people, loosely structured, and
62 based on the assumption that individuals are more willing to share their ideas as they
share in the ideas of others.

focus group

15. Every business problem can be classified on a continuum containing three categories:
53 _____ ______ ______ .

certainty, uncertainty, ambiguity

16. The use of “mystery shoppers” is an example of a(n) ________ type of research study.
69
observation

17. When management has discovered a general problem, but research is needed to gain a
54 better understanding of the dimensions of the problem, research is conducted.

exploratory

18. If we seek to determine the answers to "who," "what," "when," "where," and "how"
55 questions, we conduct research.

descriptive

19. The main goal of is to identify cause-and-effect relationships between

56 variables.

causal research

20. When managers are asked: “Why do you feel that way?”, this is a type of
56 organizational behavior study which is termed ________ ________.

diagnostic analysis

21. A(n) is a master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and
65 analyzing the needed information.

research design
Chapter 4 The Research Process: An Overview 36

22. Data processing generally begins with and of the data.

72
editing, coding

23. The application of logical reasoning to the understanding of data that have been
73 collected about a topic is called .

analysis

24. The design technique that holds the greatest potential for establishing cause-and-effect
66 relationships is .

experiments

25. The occurrence of two events that vary together is termed ________ variation.
57
concomitant