CPM Primary & Secondary Market Research 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of research design is BEST suited for establishing a cause-and-effect relationship between a marketing variable and consumer behavior?
- Descriptive research
- Exploratory research
- Causal (experimental) research (Correct answer)
- Ethnographic research
Correct answer: Causal (experimental) research
Causal research uses controlled experiments to isolate variables and establish cause-and-effect relationships.
Question 2: A brand manager conducts an A/B test by showing two different ad headlines to separate random audience segments and measuring click-through rates. This is an example of:
- Qualitative exploratory research
- Secondary data analysis
- Field experimentation (Correct answer)
- Ethnographic observation
Correct answer: Field experimentation
A/B testing is a form of field experimentation where one variable is manipulated to measure its effect on an outcome.
Question 3: The question 'On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with our product?' uses which type of scale?
- Nominal scale
- Ordinal scale
- Interval scale (Correct answer)
- Ratio scale
Correct answer: Interval scale
An interval scale has equal distances between points but no true zero, which is characteristic of numeric satisfaction rating scales.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'research bias'?
- The statistical margin of error in a large survey
- Systematic error that skews research results away from truth (Correct answer)
- The deliberate exclusion of outlier data points
- Variability caused by using a small sample size
Correct answer: Systematic error that skews research results away from truth
Research bias is a systematic distortion that consistently skews findings in one direction, compromising validity.
Question 5: A market research firm observes shoppers in a grocery store without interacting with them to record product-selection behavior. This method is called:
- Mystery shopping
- Ethnographic immersion
- Naturalistic observation (Correct answer)
- Covert survey administration
Correct answer: Naturalistic observation
Naturalistic observation involves watching subjects in their natural environment without researcher intervention.
Question 6: Secondary research is MOST limited by which concern?
- High cost of data collection
- The need for trained interviewers
- Data may be outdated or not match the specific research question (Correct answer)
- It cannot be used for quantitative analysis
Correct answer: Data may be outdated or not match the specific research question
Secondary data was collected for a different purpose and may not align perfectly with the current research question or may be stale.
Question 7: Which qualitative research technique asks a small group of target consumers to share perceptions about a product in a moderated discussion setting?
- Telephone survey
- Focus group (Correct answer)
- Longitudinal panel study
- Conjoint analysis
Correct answer: Focus group
A focus group brings together a small number of participants to discuss a topic under the guidance of a trained moderator.
CPM Primary & Secondary Market Research 3
Which type of research design is BEST suited for establishing a cause-and-effect relationship between a marketing variable and consumer behavior?