QUESTION BANK

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Basic research is research that:
A.
addresses simple issues that are basic and research is not really needed.
B.
attempts to expand the limits of knowledge for a discipline.
C.
is conducted to make a decision about a specific real life problem.
D.
all of the above
2. The primary function of business research is to:
A.
provide the solution to a business problem.
B.
attempt to predict future behavior.
C.
identify personal needs.
D.
provide information to assist managers in making decisions.
3. Which of the following is NOT a step involved in the application of the scientific
method?
A.
Statement of hypotheses
B.
Purchase of computer software to analyze data
C.
Assessment of relevant existing knowledge
D.
Analysis and evaluation of data
4. All of the following are stages in the research process, EXCEPT:
A.
planning a sample.
B.
defining the problem.
C.
planning a research design.
D.
conducting a telephone survey.
5. Which of the following statements concerning research design is true?
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.
6. If the research problem were defined as: "Will buyers purchase more of the product in
a red or blue colored package?", the most appropriate type of research would be:
A.
exploratory.
B.
descriptive.
C.
causal.
D.
associative.
7. Which of the following statements concerning research design is TRUE?
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.
8. A researcher uses a cartoon drawing to which the respondent suggests dialogue that the
cartoon characters might speak. This is an example of:
A.
a focus group.

B.
sentence completion.
C.
thematic apperception testing.
D.
word association.
9. Which of the following is FALSE?
A.
Secondary data were collected for a purpose other than the one at hand.
B.
High quality secondary data can usually be found to fit the problem if you are willing
to pay for it.
C.
Secondary data are found in both internal and external data sources.
D.
Secondary data may be gathered quickly
10. Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of the personal interview?
A.
High cost
B.
Potential for interviewer bias
C.
Interviewer cheating is possible
D.
Low cost per interview
11. When similar results are obtained over time and across situations, this is a measure of:
A.
validity.
B.
reliability.
C.
predictive accuracy.
D.
biasness.
12. When a supervisor is asked to rate each of his subordinates on a 5-point scale where 1
(one) means that the worker is unsatisfactory and 5 means that the worker is exceptional,
this is an example of which type of scale?
A.
Ratio scale
B.
Interval scale
C.
Ordinal scale
D.
Nominal scale
13. Open-ended response questions:
A.
require less interviewer skill.
B.
take less time to answer than fixed-alternative questions.
C.
ask the respondent to answer in his own words.
D.
all of the above.
14. Judgment sampling:
A.
assures each element in the population an equal chance of being included in
the sample.
B.
is a technique in which an experienced researcher selects the sample based upon
some appropriate characteristic of the sample members.
C.
draws subsamples from samples within different strata that are more or less equal
on some characteristic.
D.
is an economically efficient technique in which the primary sampling unit is not the
individual element in the population, but a large cluster of elements.
15. Multiple regression analysis allows for the simultaneous investigation of the effect of
_____ independent variable(s) on _____ dependent variable(s).
A.
two or more; one
B.
one; one
C.
two or more; two or more
D.
one; two or more

16. In the bivariate linear regression, the test for significance is the:
A.
two-group t-test.
B.
chi-square test.
C.
F-test.
D.
none of the above.
17. The appropriate bivariate analysis when the data are ratio scaled, the sample size for
each group is 24, and there are two groups is:
A.
t-test of means.
B.
chi-square test.
C.
analysis of variance.
D.
none of the above.
18. A typical use of
is facilitating market segmentation by identifying individuals who
have similar needs, life styles, or responses to marketing strategies.
A.
cluster analysis
B.
factor analysis
C.
discriminant analysis
D.
analysis of variance
19. In a research report, detailed calculations should be placed in the _____ of the report.
A.
summary.
B.
appendix.
C.
body.
D.
general tables.
20. The
is a discussion, within the body of a research report, of a project's research
design, data collection methods, sampling, fieldwork, and data analysis.
A.
table
B.
report format
C.
research methodology
D.
research follow-up
21. When the marketing department of an organization attempts to determine the amount
of time the managers in this department spend at their computers in their offices each week,
this is an example of which type of research?
A.
Pure research
B.
Basic research
C.
Applied research
D.
Causal research
22. Which of the following is a reason why business research information is a valuable
resource that contributes to effective decision making?
A.
It describes what is occurring in the marketplace.
B.
It may provide detailed information about specific mistakes or why failures
occurred.
C.
It provides information to help managers learn about changing environments.
D. All of the above are reasons
23. The idea that a theory is empirically testable means that it be verified by:
A.
a computer.
B.
observation and experiments.
C.
Zen.

D.

none of the above.

24. Which of the following statements about survey research is NOT true?
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
25. Which of the following is not a stage in the research process?
A.
Collecting the data
B.
Solving the managerial problem
C.
Defining the research problem
D.
Formulating conclusions
26. If we want to clarify the nature of problems, we would conduct
research.
A.
clarification
B.
exploratory
C.
descriptive
D.
causal
27. Qualitative research:
A.
is essentially the same as quantitative research.
B.
generally employs rigorous mathematical analysis.
C.
is subjective in nature.
D.
is objective in nature.
28. Which of the following is a good way to verify the accuracy of secondary data?
A.
Intuition
B.
Cross-checks from multiple sources
C.
The Internet
D.
None of the above
29. A personal interview conducted in a shopping mall is called a(n):
A.
callback survey.
B.
shopper satisfaction survey.
C.
probing strategy.
D.
mall intercept interview.
30. A company's Human Resources department distributes a survey which asks employees
to rate their current benefits as "excellent," "good," "fair," or "poor." This is an example of a(n):
A.
nominal scale.
B.
interval scale.
C.
ratio scale.
D.
ordinal scale.
31. Open-ended questions:
A.
make good introductory questions during an interview.
B.
limit the range of choices available to respondents.
C.
increase interviewer bias.
D. require little respondent effort
32. Systematic sampling:
A.
involves taking a stratified sample in which the number of sampling units

drawn from each stratum is in proportion to the relative population size of that
stratum.
B.
ensures that certain characteristics of a population sample will be represented to
the exact extent that the researcher desires.
C.
obtains units or people who are most conveniently available.
D.
selects an initial starting point by a random process, and then selects every nth
number on the list.
33. MANOVA stands for:
A.
multiple analysis of variance regression factor analysis.
B.
multivariate analysis of valuation factors.
C.
multiple determination valencies.
D.
multivariate analysis of variance.
34. The purpose of multiple discriminant analysis is:
A.
the prediction of a continuous variable.
B.
the investigation of the relationships among independent variables.
C.
the prediction of a categorical variable.
D.
the reduction of statistical data relationships to their simplest form.
35. A correlation coefficient of zero would indicate that:
A.
a math error has occurred.
B.
there is a perfect positive linear relationship between variables.
C.
the variables are independent.
D.
another sample should be drawn.
36. The appropriate bivariate analysis when the data are ratio scaled, the sample size for
each group is less than 30, and there are two groups is:
A.
F-test.
B.
chi-square test.
C.
analysis of variance.
D.
t-test of means.
37. A typical use of
is facilitating market segmentation by identifying individuals who
have similar needs, life styles, or responses to marketing strategies.
A.
cluster analysis
B.
factor analysis
C.
discriminant analysis
D.
analysis of variance
38. If a multivariate technique attempts to predict the dependent variables on the basis of
two or more independent variables, then we are trying to analyze .
A.
independence
B.
interdependence
C.
dependence
D.
significance
39. In a research report, detailed calculations should be placed in the _____ of the report.
A.
summary.
B.
appendix.
C.
body.
D.
general tables.
40. In a research report, conclusions are:

A.
opinions based on the results.
B.
suggestions for actions.
C.
both A and B.
D. none of the above
41. Which of the following should a manager ask before deciding whether or not to do business
research?
A.
Will the information obtained improve the quality of the decision enough to justify
the costs?
B.
Is this research project the best use of available funds?
C.
Will the payoff from the research be worth the dollars invested?
D.
All of the above
42. Business research is defined as the
and
process of generating information for
aid in business decision making.
A.
regular, routine
B.
systematic, objective
C.
systematic, routine
D.
systematic, statistical
43. A(n)

is a proposition that is empirically testable.

A.
ladder of abstraction
B.
variable
C.
concept
D.
hypothesis

44.

A pilot study is:

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

45. Any procedure that uses a small number of items or people to make a conclusion
regarding a larger group known as the population is called:
A.
statistics.
B.
sampling.
C.
surveying.
D.
probability theory.
46. If the research problem were defined as: "Which of two prices produce the most
sales?, the most appropriate type of research would be:
A.
exploratory.
B.
descriptive.
C.
causal.
D.
associative.
47. The appropriate research strategy to determine the demographic characteristics of
owners of Ford Explorer SUVs would be:

A.
B.
C.
D.

descriptive design.
exploratory design.
simulation.
field experiment.

48. There are several advantages to focus groups. Which of the following is NOT an
advantage?
A.
synergism
B.
snowballing
C.
spontaneity
D.
sentence completion
49. Which of the following is a common problem with secondary research data?
A.
Outdated information
B.
Different definition of terms
C.
Different units of measurement
D.
All of the above
50. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the personal interview?
A.
High participation rate
B.
Anonymity of respondents
C.
Good opportunity to probe
D.
Ability to use visual aids
51. When consumers are asked to rate each of several brands of toothpaste on a 5-point
scale from poor to excellent, this is an example of which type of scale?
A.
Nominal scale
B.
Ordinal scale
C.
Interval scale
D.
Ratio scale
52. When respondents are asked to rank-order their preferences for a new set of automobile tires in
terms of their three most likely brands to be selected, this is an example of which type of
scale?
A.
Nominal scale
B.
Ordinal scale
C.
Ratio scale
D.
Interval scale
53. Which of the following is an important question to answer in questionnaire design?
A.
How should the questionnaire be pretested?
B.
What should be asked?
C.
In what sequence should the questions be asked?
D.
All of the above.
54. Quota sampling:
A.
involves taking a stratified sample in which the number of sampling units
drawn from each stratum is in proportion to the relative population size of that
stratum.
B.
ensures that certain characteristics of a population sample will be represented to
the exact extent that the researcher desires.
C.
obtains units or people who are most conveniently available.

D.

selects an initial starting point by a random process, and then selects every nth
number on the list.
55. All of the following are examples of analysis of interdependence EXCEPT:
A.
factor analysis.
B.
multiple regression analysis.
C.
cluster analysis.
D.
multidimensional scaling.
56. The appropriate bivariate analysis when the data are nominal-scaled, the sample size
for each group is greater than 30, and there are two groups is:
A.
t-test.
B.
chi-square test.
C.
analysis of variance.
D.
none of the above.
57. A typical use of
is facilitating market segmentation by identifying individuals who
have similar needs, life styles, or responses to marketing strategies.
A.
cluster analysis
B.
factor analysis
C.
discriminant analysis
D.
analysis of variance
58. The
is a discussion, within the body of a research report, of a project's research
design, data collection methods, sampling, fieldwork, and data analysis.
A.
table
B.
report format
C.
research methodology
D.
research follow-up
59. In a research report, conclusions are:
A.
opinions based on the results.
B.
suggestions for actions.
C.
both A and B.
D. none of the above
60. A correlation coefficient of zero would indicate that:
A.
a math error has occurred.
B.
there is a perfect positive linear relationship between variables.
C.
the variables are independent.
D.
another sample should be drawn.

61. If a respondent wants to make a good impression on the interviewer, this could lead to:
A.
social desirability bias.
B.
semantic confusion.
C.
sample selection error.
D.
nonresponse error.
62.

63.

Most survey research represents which type of research?

A.
Descriptive research
B.
Predictive research
C.
Causal research
D.
Experimental research.
The total quality management process begins with a(n)
A.
commitment and exploration

stage.

B.
benchmarking
C.
customer satisfaction analysis
D.
initial quality improvement
64.
Surveys have the advantage that they are:
A.
quick.
B.
relatively inexpensive.
C.
accurate.
D.
all of the above.
65. The following formula represents the:

Y = a + 1 X 1 + 2 X 2 + 3 X 3 ...+ n X n
A.
equation for a useful interdependence method.
B.
multiple regression equation.
C.
multiple discriminant analysis equation.
D.
coefficient of multiple determination.

66. All of the following are examples of analysis of interdependence EXCEPT:

a. factor analysis.
b. multiple regression analysis.
c. cluster analysis.
d. multidimensional scaling.
67. MANOVA stands for:
a. multiple analysis of variance regression factor analysis.
b. B. multivariate analysis of valuation factors.
c. C. multiple determination valencies.
d. multivariate analysis of variance.
68. Multiple regression analysis allows for the simultaneous investigation of the effect of
a. _____ independent variable(s) on _____ dependent variable(s).
i. two or more; one
ii. one; one
iii. two or more; two or more
iv. one; two or more
69. To test the results of a multiple regression analysis for statistical significance, a
a. researcher should use the:
i. alpha test.
ii. F-test.
iii. Z-test.
iv. correlation coefficient.
70. The purpose of multiple discriminant analysis is:
i. the prediction of a continuous variable.
ii. the investigation of the relationships among independent variables.
iii. the prediction of a categorical variable.
iv. the reduction of statistical data relationships to their simplest form.
71. A "confusion matrix" is often associated with:
i. simple regression.
ii. multiple regression.

72.

73.

74.

75.

76.

77.

78.

iii. canonical correlation.

iv. discriminant analysis.
The goal of
multivariate methods is to give meaning to a set of variables.
i. independence
ii. interdependence
iii. dependence
iv. significance testing
In a multiple regression equation, the coefficient of each independent variable shows:
i. the effect on the dependent variable of a unit increase in the independent
ii. variable.
iii. the precision of the estimated value of Y.
iv. the amount of explained variation in Y.
v. none of the above.
When we have two dependent variables and multiple independent variables,
is an
a. appropriate statistical technique.
i. multiple regression analysis
ii. analysis of variance
iii. canonical correlation analysis
iv. factor analysis
If a researcher has a set of variables and suspects that these variables are interrelated in
a. a complex fashion, then
may be used to reduce the set of variables to as few
constructs as possible.
i. canonical correlation
ii. multiple regression
iii. factor analysis
iv. discriminant analysis
A typical use of
is facilitating market segmentation by identifying individuals who
a. have similar needs, life styles, or responses to marketing strategies.
i. cluster analysis
ii. factor analysis
iii. discriminant analysis
iv. analysis of variance
If a multivariate technique attempts to predict the dependent variables on the basis of
two or more independent variables, then we are trying to analyze .
i. independence
ii. interdependence
iii. dependence
iv. significance
Which of the following is NOT a technique used in the analysis of dependence?
i. multiple regression
ii. multiple discriminant analysis
iii. multivariate analysis of variance

80.

81.

82.

83.

84.

85.

86.

87.

iv. multidimensional scaling

The appropriate research strategy to determine the demographic characteristics of
owners of Ford Explorer SUVs would be:
i. descriptive design.
ii. exploratory design.
iii. simulation.
iv. field experiment.
Research designs may be categorized according to their fundamental objective. Which
a. of the following are research design categories?
i. scientific, exploratory, descriptive
ii. descriptive, research, experimental
iii. descriptive, causal, exploratory
iv. experimental, experience, exploratory
An exploratory research design would be LEAST likely to be used to:
i. create a more precise formulation of a problem.
ii. clarify a basic concept.
iii. increase familiarization with a problem.
iv. describe the characteristics of a certain group.
Which of the following is designed to develop ideas and insights in decision-making
situations, especially when only limited knowledge is currently available?
i. Secondary research
ii. Experimental research
iii. Survey research
iv. Exploratory research
Which of the following is NOT a common exploratory research design?
i. pilot study
ii. experience survey
iii. secondary data study
iv. observation study
Which of the following statements concerning research design is TRUE?
i. There is a single, correct plan for every problem.
ii. There are two basic types of research design: surveys and experiments.
iii. Research design is costly to plan and implement and is often unnecessary.
iv. It is a plan for the collection and analysis of data.
Which of the following statements concerning secondary data is FALSE?
i. Secondary data sources should be considered before primary data are
ii. collected.
iii. Internal secondary data are usually preferred to external secondary data.
iv. Data needed to complete a research project are usually attainable as secondary
data.
v. Secondary data are available from commercial sources.
Which of the following is an advantage of secondary data as compared with primary

a. data?
b. A.Obtainable from reliable suppliers
c. B. Usually less expensive
d. C. Usually available in less time
e. D.All of the above are advantages.
88. The number of automobiles that drive over a counter cable in the road near a
a. proposed site for a convenience store is an example of:
b. A.secondary data collection.
c. B. exploratory research.
d. C. an observation study.
e. D.an experiment.
89. All of the following are methods to estimate reliability EXCEPT:
i. equivalent-forms.
ii. split-half method.
iii. test-retest.
iv. criterion ranking.
90. Asking managers to rate each of a set of five career opportunities on a scale from poor
a. to excellent is an example of which type of scale?
i. Nominal scale.
ii. Ordinal scale
iii. Ratio scale
iv. Interval scale
91. Validity of a measure of an attitude can be best described by the statement:
i. The attitude scale is reliable.
ii. The attitude scale measures what it is supposed to measure.
iii. The attitude scale has an absolute zero point.
iv. The attitude scale is a logical and reasonable hypothetical construct.
92. When several experts say that a measure provides adequate coverage of the concept, a
a. measure has ___ validity.
i. concurrent
ii. content
iii. criterion
iv. apparent
93. Content validity occurs when:
i. the measure correlates with other measures of the same concept.
ii. there is subjective agreement among professionals that the measure logically
appears to be accurately reflecting what it purports to measure.
iii. the content of the measure confirms a network of related hypotheses
generated from a theory.
iv. the measure is internally consistent.

94. If the empirical evidence is consistent with the theoretical logic about the concepts, we
a. have
validity.
i. empirical
ii. criterion
iii. content
iv. construct
95. A concept such as "social class" which is based on a weighted combination of
a. residence, occupation, and education is an example of:
i. a concept involving a single attribute.
ii. discriminant validity.
iii. extreme sensitivity.
iv. an index measure.

96. All of the following could be examples of continuous variables EXCEPT:

A.
Profit
B.
Sales volume
C.
Market share
D.
Gender
97. A business researcher wants to study how married couples decide to buy a new car.
The unit of analysis in this study would be the:
A.
car.
B.
couple.
C.
salesperson who persuades them to make the purchase.
D.
automobile industry in the United States.
98.

Representations of actual tables that appear in a research proposal and will also appear
in the findings section of a final research report are called:
A.
hypotheses.
B.
categorical variables.
C.
pseudo-pilot studies.
D.
dummy tables.

99.

Turnover will be higher among employees who perceive themselves as underpaid, than
among employees who perceive themselves as paid fairly. This sentence is an example
of:
A.
a categorical relationship.
B.
a research objective.
C.
a research question.
D.
a hypothesis.
A researcher who must determine if the level of investigation will focus on the
collection of data about organizations, work groups, or individuals is making a
decision about:
A.
the unit of analysis.
B.
the independent variable.

100.

C.
D.

the hypothesis.
the dependent variable.