INSTRUCTOR'S RESOURCE MANUAL
MARKETING RESEARCH 10TH EDITION
CHAPTER NO. 01: INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING RESEARCH
ANSWERS TO END-OF-CHAPTER QUESTIONS
1-1. What is marketing? What is the relationship of marketing research to marketing?
Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating,
delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and
society at large.
The main role of marketing research is to provide the necessary information that enables
managers to market ideas, goods, and services properly.
1-2. Why is it important for decision makers to have philosophies? What is the marketing
concept and what is its relationship to marketing research?
A philosophy may be thought of as a system of values, or principles, by which you live.
There are many different philosophies that managers may use to guide them in their daily
decision making.
The marketing concept is a business philosophy that holds that the key to achieving
organizational goals consists of the company being more effective than competitors in
creating, delivering, and communicating customer value to its chosen target markets.
1-3. Define marketing research. What is the difference between marketing research and
market research?
The textbook definition: Marketing research is the process of designing, gathering,
analyzing, and reporting information that may be used to solve a specific marketing
problem.
The AMA definition: Marketing research is the function that links the consumer,
customer, and public to the marketer through information—information used to identify
and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate
marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve the understanding of
marketing as a process.
Market research refers to applying marketing research to a specific market area. One
definition of market research is: The systematic gathering, recording, and analyzing of
data with respect to a particular market, where market refers to a specific customer
group in a specific geographic area.
1-4. Find two outside examples of how companies created new product lines as a result of
identifying market opportunities or problems.
Responses will vary by students. Some examples might include “to-go” breakfast foods,
drink varieties at coffee shops, or wearable technology such as Fitbit, etc.
,1-5. Name four major uses of marketing research and provide one example of each.
The chapter describes four uses:
Identify and define marking opportunities and problems—how does the price of
gasoline affect the sales of electric vehicles?
Generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions—are consumers willing to pay more
for organic food?
Monitor marketing performance—tracking how many units of a product are sold, and
what type of distributor is selling the most product.
Improve understanding of marketing as a process—research conducted for an
industry instead of a company or product, such as the cellular phone service industry.
1-6. You are responsible for the launch of a new product by your electronics firm. Describe
questions that you will want answered through each of the following types of marketing
research: (a) product research, (b) pricing research, (c) promotion research, and (d)
distribution research.
Students can provide examples from the text or come up with their own examples.
1-7 List three product failures and explain the most important reason that they failed. Could
these failures have been avoided with better research information?
Responses will vary by student, but may include Life-Savers sodas, Colgate food entrees,
and Frito-Lay lemonade, as indicated in the text. The marketing concept states that the
key to business success lies in being more effective than competitors in creating,
delivering, and communicating value to the chosen target market. Companies who focus
on products and selling efforts tend to be less successful. New products require a plan to
provide value based on consumer wants and needs.
1-8. What example can you give of a company that is using crowdsourcing to create a product?
To develop advertising?
Crowdsourcing is the practice of obtaining services or ideas by asking for assistance from
large groups of people, generally inline communities. The firm Cell Zones wanted to
create soundproof booths for private cell phone use to create privacy in libraries,
restaurants, and so on. Research would have shown that people use smartphones to text,
not talk; therefore the need for privacy was less important for the consumer.
Chobani launched an advertising campaign that focused on online advertising instead of
traditional media such as TV. Based on the success of the online advertising, Chobani
extended and expanded the campaign. Lego is also a great example of a firm that used
crowdsourcing for product development.
1-9. Find three examples of articles that describe companies using marketing research in
business publications, such as the Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age, Business Week,
Fortune, and Forbes. Your local public library should be a good source of business
periodicals.
, Application question. This question requires students to find marketing research
examples.
This is an exercise for students to use library or online resources to find marketing
research examples. There is no “right” answer here.
1-10. Describe the difference between client-side and supply-side research. What other terms
are used to refer to companies that are involved in client-side research?
Research that is conducted within an organization is called client-side research. Client-
side research is also called end-client research or in-house research. Supply-side research
refers to research that is conducted by an outside firm to fulfill a company’s marketing
research needs.
1-11. What are some advantages and disadvantages of DIY research?
Do-it-yourself research, (DIY), is considered one of the most important emerging trends
for client-side marketing research departments. DIY research can provide the information
needed to solve the user’s problem in a cost-effective way. An increasing number of tools
powered by AI are being developed for organizations to conduct their own marketing
research. However, while DIY has its place, business owners and managers often do not
have the time or expertise to feel confident about using DIY for important issues and will
hire marketing research professionals to assist them with their information needs.
1-12. What are full-service supplier firms? What types of services do they provide?
Full-service supplier firms can conduct the entire marketing research project for buyer
firms. Full-service firms offer clients a broad range of services; they often define the
problem, specify the research design, collect and analyze the data, and prepare the final
written report. Typically, these are larger firms with the expertise and necessary facilities
to conduct a wide variety of research that may range from qualitative studies to large
international surveys to modeling the effects of a proposed marketing mix.
1-13. List and describe two different types of marketing research services. What firms offer
those services?
There are several different types of services offered by full-service supplier firms
including:
Syndicated data services—Analyze the trends and consumer behavior within an industry
and sell to many companies.
Digital data analytics—Provide client services associated with measuring online consumer
behavior and measurement or online data collection.
Customized services—Provide services customized or tailored to individual clients’ needs.
, Industry or market segment specialists—Specialize in a particular industry or market
segment.
Self-serve research platforms—Provide software platforms or tools for DIY research.
1-14. What are three challenges facing the marketing research industry? Why?
The three primary challenges facing the marketing research industry include the need to
incorporate new and evolving sources of data and methodologies, to improve the
communication of results, and to hire talented and skilled employees. These are all driven
by the rapid pace of technological change in the industry.
1-15. What is the National Do Not Call Registry? What type of communication is exempt from
it?
The National Do Not Call Registry was established in 2002. It allows U.S. residents to
register their telephone numbers to be protected from receiving unsolicited telemarketing
calls. Note, however, that unsolicited phone calls to conduct surveys are exempt from the
restrictions imposed by the Do Not Call Registry. In other words, researchers conducting
surveys can still legally call U.S. residents.
1-16. Define sugging and frugging. Give an example of each.
Sugging is the practice of “selling under the guise of research”—illegal. Telemarketers
used sugging for years to entice the public into taking what they thought was an opinion
survey but actually was a lead-in for a sales pitch. The industry also discourages the use
of enticing unknowing consumers into taking a survey when the real intent is to raise
funds. This practice is known as frugging, for “fundraising under the guise of research.”
Political parties have used this technique for years.
1-17. Is it ethical for the Republican and Democratic parties to engage in frugging (see MRI
1.3)? Explain.
Frugging has been practiced by both the U.S. Democratic and Republican parties for
many years. The marketing research industry condemns frugging. As the American
Association of Public Opinion Research states, “The practice undercuts the legitimacy of
our profession, no matter who employs it.” Furthermore, it can undermine Americans’
trust in political parties to respect their opinions.
MARKETING RESEARCH 10TH EDITION
CHAPTER NO. 01: INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING RESEARCH
ANSWERS TO END-OF-CHAPTER QUESTIONS
1-1. What is marketing? What is the relationship of marketing research to marketing?
Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating,
delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and
society at large.
The main role of marketing research is to provide the necessary information that enables
managers to market ideas, goods, and services properly.
1-2. Why is it important for decision makers to have philosophies? What is the marketing
concept and what is its relationship to marketing research?
A philosophy may be thought of as a system of values, or principles, by which you live.
There are many different philosophies that managers may use to guide them in their daily
decision making.
The marketing concept is a business philosophy that holds that the key to achieving
organizational goals consists of the company being more effective than competitors in
creating, delivering, and communicating customer value to its chosen target markets.
1-3. Define marketing research. What is the difference between marketing research and
market research?
The textbook definition: Marketing research is the process of designing, gathering,
analyzing, and reporting information that may be used to solve a specific marketing
problem.
The AMA definition: Marketing research is the function that links the consumer,
customer, and public to the marketer through information—information used to identify
and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate
marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve the understanding of
marketing as a process.
Market research refers to applying marketing research to a specific market area. One
definition of market research is: The systematic gathering, recording, and analyzing of
data with respect to a particular market, where market refers to a specific customer
group in a specific geographic area.
1-4. Find two outside examples of how companies created new product lines as a result of
identifying market opportunities or problems.
Responses will vary by students. Some examples might include “to-go” breakfast foods,
drink varieties at coffee shops, or wearable technology such as Fitbit, etc.
,1-5. Name four major uses of marketing research and provide one example of each.
The chapter describes four uses:
Identify and define marking opportunities and problems—how does the price of
gasoline affect the sales of electric vehicles?
Generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions—are consumers willing to pay more
for organic food?
Monitor marketing performance—tracking how many units of a product are sold, and
what type of distributor is selling the most product.
Improve understanding of marketing as a process—research conducted for an
industry instead of a company or product, such as the cellular phone service industry.
1-6. You are responsible for the launch of a new product by your electronics firm. Describe
questions that you will want answered through each of the following types of marketing
research: (a) product research, (b) pricing research, (c) promotion research, and (d)
distribution research.
Students can provide examples from the text or come up with their own examples.
1-7 List three product failures and explain the most important reason that they failed. Could
these failures have been avoided with better research information?
Responses will vary by student, but may include Life-Savers sodas, Colgate food entrees,
and Frito-Lay lemonade, as indicated in the text. The marketing concept states that the
key to business success lies in being more effective than competitors in creating,
delivering, and communicating value to the chosen target market. Companies who focus
on products and selling efforts tend to be less successful. New products require a plan to
provide value based on consumer wants and needs.
1-8. What example can you give of a company that is using crowdsourcing to create a product?
To develop advertising?
Crowdsourcing is the practice of obtaining services or ideas by asking for assistance from
large groups of people, generally inline communities. The firm Cell Zones wanted to
create soundproof booths for private cell phone use to create privacy in libraries,
restaurants, and so on. Research would have shown that people use smartphones to text,
not talk; therefore the need for privacy was less important for the consumer.
Chobani launched an advertising campaign that focused on online advertising instead of
traditional media such as TV. Based on the success of the online advertising, Chobani
extended and expanded the campaign. Lego is also a great example of a firm that used
crowdsourcing for product development.
1-9. Find three examples of articles that describe companies using marketing research in
business publications, such as the Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age, Business Week,
Fortune, and Forbes. Your local public library should be a good source of business
periodicals.
, Application question. This question requires students to find marketing research
examples.
This is an exercise for students to use library or online resources to find marketing
research examples. There is no “right” answer here.
1-10. Describe the difference between client-side and supply-side research. What other terms
are used to refer to companies that are involved in client-side research?
Research that is conducted within an organization is called client-side research. Client-
side research is also called end-client research or in-house research. Supply-side research
refers to research that is conducted by an outside firm to fulfill a company’s marketing
research needs.
1-11. What are some advantages and disadvantages of DIY research?
Do-it-yourself research, (DIY), is considered one of the most important emerging trends
for client-side marketing research departments. DIY research can provide the information
needed to solve the user’s problem in a cost-effective way. An increasing number of tools
powered by AI are being developed for organizations to conduct their own marketing
research. However, while DIY has its place, business owners and managers often do not
have the time or expertise to feel confident about using DIY for important issues and will
hire marketing research professionals to assist them with their information needs.
1-12. What are full-service supplier firms? What types of services do they provide?
Full-service supplier firms can conduct the entire marketing research project for buyer
firms. Full-service firms offer clients a broad range of services; they often define the
problem, specify the research design, collect and analyze the data, and prepare the final
written report. Typically, these are larger firms with the expertise and necessary facilities
to conduct a wide variety of research that may range from qualitative studies to large
international surveys to modeling the effects of a proposed marketing mix.
1-13. List and describe two different types of marketing research services. What firms offer
those services?
There are several different types of services offered by full-service supplier firms
including:
Syndicated data services—Analyze the trends and consumer behavior within an industry
and sell to many companies.
Digital data analytics—Provide client services associated with measuring online consumer
behavior and measurement or online data collection.
Customized services—Provide services customized or tailored to individual clients’ needs.
, Industry or market segment specialists—Specialize in a particular industry or market
segment.
Self-serve research platforms—Provide software platforms or tools for DIY research.
1-14. What are three challenges facing the marketing research industry? Why?
The three primary challenges facing the marketing research industry include the need to
incorporate new and evolving sources of data and methodologies, to improve the
communication of results, and to hire talented and skilled employees. These are all driven
by the rapid pace of technological change in the industry.
1-15. What is the National Do Not Call Registry? What type of communication is exempt from
it?
The National Do Not Call Registry was established in 2002. It allows U.S. residents to
register their telephone numbers to be protected from receiving unsolicited telemarketing
calls. Note, however, that unsolicited phone calls to conduct surveys are exempt from the
restrictions imposed by the Do Not Call Registry. In other words, researchers conducting
surveys can still legally call U.S. residents.
1-16. Define sugging and frugging. Give an example of each.
Sugging is the practice of “selling under the guise of research”—illegal. Telemarketers
used sugging for years to entice the public into taking what they thought was an opinion
survey but actually was a lead-in for a sales pitch. The industry also discourages the use
of enticing unknowing consumers into taking a survey when the real intent is to raise
funds. This practice is known as frugging, for “fundraising under the guise of research.”
Political parties have used this technique for years.
1-17. Is it ethical for the Republican and Democratic parties to engage in frugging (see MRI
1.3)? Explain.
Frugging has been practiced by both the U.S. Democratic and Republican parties for
many years. The marketing research industry condemns frugging. As the American
Association of Public Opinion Research states, “The practice undercuts the legitimacy of
our profession, no matter who employs it.” Furthermore, it can undermine Americans’
trust in political parties to respect their opinions.
