Chapter 6
USING SECONDARY DATA
AND ONLINE INFORMATION DATABASES
GENERAL CONCEPT MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1.
A marketing researcher, Robert D. Aaron, states that when researchers take on a new client, they
need to learn about the client's industry and the issues within the industry. Therefore, researchers
should use ________ at the beginning of the research project to gain an independent view of the
industry.
a. secondary data research
b. other marketing research agencies with a history of research in the client's industry
c. stock analyst reports on the client's industry
d. a survey of industry experts
e. an analysis of court cases in the industry
When it is determined that the research project will require primary data, secondary data should:
a. be discarded
b. not be collected as it will be a waste of resources
c. should be utilized only if it conforms to the findings contained in the primary data
d. be consulted anyway
e. be used only in cases where the primary data is not gathered using accepted industry standards
Which type of data refers to information that is developed or gathered by the researcher specifically
for the research project at hand?
a. basic data
b. primary data
c. complex data
d. secondary data
e. online data
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4.
Which type of data refers to data that have been gathered by someone other than the researcher
and/or for some other purpose than the research project at hand?
a. basic data
b. primary data
c. complex data
d. secondary data
e. online data
Which has done more to bring about fast and easy access to secondary data since the Gutenberg
Press?
a. the Information Access Act of 2003
b. Bill Gates
c. the Internet
d. the need for information
e. cable TV
Which marketing research company maintains a Web site, SecondaryData.com, that is devoted
totally to secondary information sources?
a. Secondary Resources, Inc.
b. Decision Analyst, Inc.
c. Second Hand Helper Corp.
d. LOOK-IT-UP. COM
e. Dewey, Cheatam & Howe
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8.
A great deal of secondary data are available to marketers to aid them in understanding the lifestyles
and purchasing habits of demographic groups such as:
a. Baby Boomers and Gen Ms
b. Boomers and Oklahomans
c. Baby Boomers and Gen Qs
d. Boomers and Sooners
e. Baby Boomers and Gen Yers
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12.
Which of the following secondary data sources represent an ethical issue in terms of customer
privacy issues?
a. published sources
b. fields
c. records
d. internal data bases
e. external data bases
If you wanted to know where to look in order to find different types of other reference sources on a
topic, you should use:
a. a reference guide
b. an index
c. a directory
d. a dictionary
e. a biographical source
If you wanted to locate periodicals on a subject you would find them in:
a. a browser
b. a library catalog
c. an index
d. an encyclopedia
e. a directory
Which of the following was NOT discussed as an advantage of using secondary data?
a. may be obtained quickly
b. may be obtained in any form desired by the researcher
c. it is relatively inexpensive
d. it is usually available
e. it may achieve the research objective
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17
Which of the following was NOT discussed as a disadvantage of using secondary data?
a. there is a mismatch of the units of measurement
b. differing classifications of the data in terms of what is available and what is needed
c. the data may be dated
d. data may be collected too quickly causing problems with the project schedule
e. reporting units are incompatible with research needs
A boat manufacturer wishes to use secondary data to locate cities that may offer good market
potential for their yachts. They need cities with average incomes exceeding $75,000. However, the
secondary information source they find has the income category of $50,000 and over. This
represents:
a. a mismatch of the units of measurement
b. differing class definitions of the data
c. dated data
d. data having high credibility
e. incompatible reporting units
Which of the following was NOT discussed as a method of evaluating secondary data?
a. What was the purpose of the study?
b. Who collected the information?
c. How readily available is the information to the public?
d. How consistent is the information with other information?
e. How was the information obtained?
In the textbook the authors discuss a book written by Cynthia Crossen entitled Tainted Truth: The
Manipulation of Fact in America. The thesis of the book is:
a. Research is used to clarify untruths.
b. Research is not always objective and truthful.
c. Research firms can provide truth.
d. Americans want research results.
e. The FTC protects the public from manipulations of fact.
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21.
When two or more secondary sources provide conflicting information, you should:
a. select the one source that has been in business the longest
b. evaluate the information from each source and select the source that best suits your needs for
reliable and valid information
c. probably abandon the project if there is conflicting information; you will never have objective
results upon which to base your decision
d. call the client/manager and ask which source is desired
e. report the discrepancies immediately to the two sources
Having all books, magazine articles, manuals, and journal articles organized by topic in an
electronic database may be found by finding the appropriate:
a. database called TOPICsearch Plus
b. Boolean logic
c. nesting formula
d. standard subject heading
e. secondary data research consultant
Which of the following best represents the hierarchy of organization for information databases?
a. databanks, databases, records, words, or fields
b. databases, databanks, records, fields, words, or numbers
c. records, databanks, databases, fields, words, or numbers
d. databanks, databases, records, fields, words, or numbers
e. fields, words or numbers, text in the fields, databanks, or databases
26.
Which of the following secondary information sources provides a baseline of data every 10 years?
a. baseline reports
b. NAICS (decade report)
c. census of the population
d. Survey of Buying Power
e. Decennial Marketing Research Handbook
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31.
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36.
Which information source overcomes some of the disadvantages of the Survey of Buying Power?
a. Survey of Buying Power II
b. Survey of Buying Power Plus
c. Demographics USA
d. Life Style Market Analyst
e. MetaSBP
If a person wanted to use a buying power index to help locate dealerships for a new luxury car,
he/she would use:
a. a customized BPI
b. the BPI Luxury Automobile Market survey
c. the Life Style Analyst BPI, Luxury Cars
d. DemosAutos
e. You cannot use a buying power index for automobiles.
Which one of the following secondary information sources would give you information on
demographics of bicyclists, other activities bikers indulge in, which markets have the heaviest
concentration of bikers, and which magazines bikers read?
a. NAICS
b. Lifestyle Market Analyst
c. Demographics, Bicycles USA
d. Cycling Today
e. the U.S. Census
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
40.
Marketing researchers may find secondary data on their own, or they may buy it from sources such
as MarketResearch.com.
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41.
Secondary data refers to information that is developed or gathered by the researcher specifically for
the research project at hand.
Access to secondary data that may be useful for marketing research purposes may be found at
www.secondarydata.com.
One application of secondary data is using it to study major demographic groups such as the Baby
Boomers and Gen Yers.
Internal secondary data refers to any information that is stored in the internal memory of a
computer.
A database refers to a collection of data and information describing items of interest and each unit
of information in a database is called a record.
CRM stands for Custom Reporting Methods and refers to a standardized process secondary data
firms report data.
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49.
Data mining is the name for software that is now available to help managers make sense out of
seemingly senseless masses of information contained in databases.
External secondary data was classified in the textbook into three sources: published, nonpublished,
and video.
Syndicated sources of secondary data cover a variety of general topics of interest to the public and
are widely available in libraries.
One of the advantages of using secondary data is that it may enhance primary data.
An example of a disadvantage of secondary data not being reported in measurement units that match
the researchers needs would be income being reported before tax, household income instead of per
capita, and after-tax income.
Procter & Gamble, owning the major market share for disposable diapers, published a research
report showing that cloth diapers were at least as harmful to the environment as disposable diapers.
This example illustrates why it is important to evaluate all secondary research in terms of really
understanding the true purpose of the research.
If two secondary sources of information report different information for what appears to be the same
entity, a researcher should avoid using either information source at all costs.
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57.
Information searching skills can be greatly improved by finding standard subject headings.
Use of the terms AND, OR, and NOT in an online search illustrate the use of "field searching."
Census of the population data serve as a baseline for much marketing information that is produced
during the "in-between" census years.
NAICS is not really a source of information in and of itself; rather, it is a coding system that may be
used to access information.
Within the Survey of Buying Power, EBI is defined as Elongated Billing Index.
The factors comprising the Buying Power Index are those that make up a market; that is, people
(measured by population), ability to buy (measured by EBI), and willingness to buy (past retail sales
is used as a surrogate measure of what people are willing to buy in the future).
One of the disadvantages of the Survey of Buying Power is that the Elongated Billing Index (EBI) is
actually calculated during a very short time period.
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66.
Demographics USA provides several market indexes including a Total Business BPI, Hi-Tech
Buying Power Index, Manufacturing BPI, and so on.
Although the Survey of Buying Power's BPI is for "general retail products," Demographics USA
publishes indexes for economy-priced, moderately-priced, and premium-priced products.
A secondary data source, Lifestyle Market Analyst, analyzes several dozen lifestyle categories such
as "Avid Book Readers," "Cat Owners," "Have Grandchildren," "Own Camcorder," and "Shop by
Catalog/Mail."
Hartsfield Software has developed a new program to help CPAs set up an automated billing system
for their clients. They are considering a direct mail campaign to contact and inform CPAs about the
merits of their new software program. They need a list of CPAs for every state in the United States.
What type of secondary data source should Hartsfield seek?
a. dictionaries
b. encyclopedias
c. indexes and abstracts
d. directories
e. legal sources
Judy Mancuso is interested in opening a health and fitness center. Being a fitness enthusiast for
many years she is knowledgeable of many of the programs designed to shape and trim one's figure.
However, she needs information on the business aspects of a health and fitness center. She goes to
the local library and uses their computerized search system. Using a keyword search, Judy tries
"health," "fitness," and finally "health and fitness." At first she is excited because her searches
generate so many "hits." But, she soon learns that more than 50,000 hits is not good. Although there
may be some good information available in the sources found, she soon learns that many of the
"hits" don't really have much to do with her topic. Which of the following should Judy try to find on
her subject?
a. a library consultant specializing in business aspects of health and fitness
b. a truncated search
c. a search limiting all records found to the last three years
d. she should add the keyword "business"
e. a standard subject heading
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71. Walt Lewis was interested in knowing how best to allocate territories in Texas to the new, 10
member sales force he had hired. While the sales force was undergoing training, Walt sought some
secondary data that would help him allocate sets of counties to the salespersons. He knew he had to
be equitable and felt strongly that each set of counties should have a market potential about equal to
all the other sets. He needed some quantifiable measure of the market for each county, and he didn't
want to use any Census2000 data because he felt like this was outdated. Which secondary data
source should Walt use?
a.
County Maps International, Market Potential Edition
b.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
c.
Information provided by each county's chamber of commerce
d.
Survey of Buying Power
e. World Market Potentials
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (Moderate) Page: 168
72.
In the textbook chapter on secondary data, your authors report that MTV has reported that Baby
Boomer parents have been influenced by their children and many are watching The Osbourne
Family, reality TV show, together. This example was used in the book to illustrate:
a.
how marketers focus on TV watching trends
b.
how marketers, using secondary data, monitor TV viewing habits
c.
how marketers, using secondary data, study the attitudes and behaviors of selected
demographic groups such as Baby Boomers and Gen Yers
d.
how firms such as MTV report unusual secondary data in order to get publicity
e.
why marketing research firms cannot stereotype demographic groups
Mary Morgan is the owner of a chain of auto parts stores specializing in high-end, expensive, third
market accessories and replacement parts for luxury cars. Her stores, for example, allow Lexus and
Mercedes owners a choice of exotic seat covers including alligator and a very expensive synthetic
product that resembles very soft suede leather and is impervious to stains or burns. She has been so
successful that she is thinking about expanding throughout the country. She knows that the success
of her expansion will depend largely on choosing the "right" markets. She knows that her target
market makes in excess of $150,000 annual income, is between 35 and 60 years of age, and, of
course, they own luxury cars. Which of the following methods would be appropriate for Mary to
consider as a source of information?
a.
Survey of Buying Power
b.
directory of Automotive Expenditures by county
c.
U.S. Statistical Abstract
d.
a customized BPI
e.
LifeStyle Market Analyst
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