Question

Which of the following is true of marketing research?

a) Research is one of the few perfect and absolute domains in marketing.
b) Getting honest answers from respondents is a challenge faced by marketing researchers.
c) Marketing research can rarely improve the quality of a marketing decision.
d) Research always provides the best solutions to problems that marketers commonly face.
e) Marketing research generally increases the risk of making important marketing decisions.

Answer 1

The correct statement about marketing research is that getting honest answers from respondents is a challenge. Marketing research is not perfect, but it aims to improve marketing decisions by providing data-driven insights through various research methods, each with their own pros and cons. The correct option is b.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the statements about marketing research, the true one is: (b) Getting honest answers from respondents is a challenge faced by marketing researchers. Marketing research involves complex procedures including designing questions, conducting surveys, assessment of results, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data.

Although respondents may provide insightful information, the process of obtaining these insights is subject to various factors such as question type, survey method, and the skill with which questions are asked. The aim of marketing research is to improve the quality of marketing decisions by providing evidence-based insights.

However, marketing research is not a perfect domain; there are challenges in getting honest responses (self-reported data), and while research can reduce risks in decision-making, it does not always provide absolute solutions.

Researchers use a variety of methods like survey research and archival research, which each have their strengths and weaknesses, especially when it comes to addressing correlational data and causation. The correct option is b.