Comprehensive Exam Sample Questions 2

8/3/2019 Comprehensive Exam Sample Questions 2

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PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

I just dont understand this philosophy of science stuff! As far as I can tell, all this [philosophy

of science] amounts to is a bunch of high brow intellectual snobs getting a bunch of journalpublications talking about stuff that nobody really cares about, especially marketing

practitioners. Twenty years ago, the marketing discipline did not have any philosophy of science

courses and the discipline got along just fine.

Demonstrate your knowledge and personal opinion of philosophy of science and its role in

marketing by reacting to the previous statement. (a) Take a position for or against the statementand (b) support your position using relevant literature.

MARKETING THOUGHT

Discuss the relationship between theory, research and science. What is the purpose of each?

Given your discussion, is marketing a science? Why or why not?

Early theories of marketing thought were marked by a controversy regarding the universality ofmarketing theory. On one hand, proponents of a universal theory argued that marketing is a

discipline comprising concepts, tools, theories, practices and procedures that are applicable in allcontexts. Opponents, on the other hand, argued that marketing thought is context bound. Explain

the basis of this controversy and your position on this issue.

All marketing professors take an ocean cruise on the S.S. Titanic II. While on the cruise, theship accidentally (we think) strikes a boat filled with accounting professors. Unfortunately, the

Titanic begins to sink rapidly (the boat with the accounting professors is totally unscathed).

There is only one good lifeboat on the Titanic II and it only seats 4 people.a. Who among the thousands of marketing professors on the Titanic should be

saved? Defend your choice by listing their specific contributions to the marketingliterature.b. Who would be the first four you would throw off the boat?

Many marketers believe that marketing is an applied discipline. Develop in detail the argumentin favor of marketing being considered an applied discipline. Others contend that marketing is

not an applied discipline. Please develop in detail this position. What are the implications of

both positions for marketing research, teaching and practice. What are your personal views

concerning this issue?

Several scholars/authors have stated that, Marketing is an Art, not a Science. Still others have

commented that, Marketing is a Professional Discipline, not an Academic Discipline.a. What is meant by the terms science, art, professional and academic?

b. Evaluate and distinguish between these positions.

c. What are the consequences, if any, for marketing teaching and research if thispositions are held?

d. What is the nature of the marketing discipline?


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During the last few years there has been an ongoing debate concerning the fundamental

philosophical orientation that marketing does (and should) have. Writers such as Peter, Olson,

Arndt and Anderson advocate what they call a Relativistic/Constructionist approach. Theycontrast this with the so called Positivistic/Empiricist approach, which supposedly

dominates the marketing discipline today. Other writers have suggested that Peter, Olson and

Anderson have misconstrued the fundamental tenets of current approaches to marketing science.a. What are the fundamental tenets of the approach to science sometimes

labeled modern or logical empiricism?

b. How do the fundamental tenets of modern empiricism differ from theRelativistic/Constructionist approach advocated by the above cited authors?

c. Which of the two approaches do you believe would be more useful as a

guide for progress in marketing science? Be sure to specify precisely why you

choose the alternative you do.d. At the present time, the Section Editor for the Measurement Section of the

Journal of Marketing Research is a relativist. Do you see any unique problems that

a relativist would have in attempting to fulfill the functions of a Marketing

Measurement Section Editor? If so, what are these problems?

There are many sayings such as history repeats itself, we learn form our mistakes, andsomeone has probably thought about that before. These sayings, while varied, point out the

importance of history. All disciplines have historical roots and development and marketing is no

exception. Bartels and others have stated that marketing has been impacted by events which

have occurred and the people involved in the practice of marketing. While the exact amountand type of impact can be debated, it is true that the present status of the marketing discipline has

been impacted in some way, by what has transpired in times past.

Differentiate between normative theory and positive theory. Must the development of positive

theory necessarily precede the development of normative theory? Do all normative theories rest

upon an essentially positive base?

Summarize the empiricism-rationalism debate. To what extent does the discovery/ justification

distinction help us understand the debate? To what extent does the fallible/infallible distinctionhelp us? In your judgment, which side of the debate had the better case?

Many theories and models in marketing consist primarily of a diagram with boxes, each having a

single concept or construct and various arrows connecting the boxes. Are these theories? If no,what additionally would be needed to construct a theory? If yes, discuss how they meet the

requirements of a theory.

Some analysts think segmentation is a concept that is in the declining stage of its life cycle.

1. What is the basis for this belief and do you agree?2. Discuss two other marketing concepts or constructs that have had historical significance

to marketing that have gone through the life cycle. Discuss the relevance to marketing

thought.


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The product life cycle (PLC) concept has been applied to a variety of phenomena in the

discipline of marketing. Use the PLC as a framework for discussing marketing research. In

doing so, identify streams of scholarly research that you believe to be in each stage of the PLC.Explain and critique each stream, citing examples of relevant research. Be sure to state the

criteria you use to assign each stream of research to a life cycle stage. What leads to rapid

growth of research in a particular stage? Use examples in your answer.

Compare and contrast the functional school of marketing thought and the managerial school.

GENERAL MARKETING KNOWLEDGE

Select one of the following major areas of marketing and identify the ten most significant events

and individuals which have had the most impact on its present state of development. Includemention of books, articles, monographs, etc. which have been published that reflect those

significant events and people. The major area you select must come from the following:

Marketing Theory Promotional mixConsumer Behavior New product development

Sales Management Marketing research

Make certain that when appropriate, you link the various events, people, publications, etc.

together to show the pattern of thought development in the area you have selected.

Discuss any five (5) of the following concepts, writing about 2 pages on each. Be sure to cite

any relevant research

Satisfaction Transaction Cost Analysis & Principal-agent theory

Store image Behavioral decision theory

Comparative advertising Reference pricing & its effect on choiceE-commerce Localized vs. Globalized Strategies

Competitive market structure Rationale for sales promotions

Memory representation Expectations and Perceived Service QualityBrand loyalty vs. spurious loyalty Experimental vs. quasi-experimental design

Localized vs. global strategies Regression vs. ANOVA

Affect vs. cognition Multidimensional techniques vs. factor analysis

Prisoners dilemma Stepwise regressionTheory of reasoned action Stochastic models

Heteroskedasticity Conjoint analysis

Perceived quality

MARKETING CONCEPT

The marketing concept is generally considered one of the most important foundations for the

practice of good marketing. As a consequence, the marketing concept is often taken for

granted as a sound philosophy by which to operate a business.


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a. What limitations, if any, do you see in the application and implementation of the

marketing concept? Be sure to describe and evaluate recent marketing literature that

has addressed both the appropriateness and the implementation issues associated withthe marketing concept.

b. Assume that you are a director for The Marketing Science Institute and you have

named research on the use and implementation of the marketing concept as an MSIpriority. Develop a general list of research questions that you believe would be

worthy of funding.

What is the marketing concept? Trace the origins of the concept and then relate your version of

the current from of the concept. Is the marketing concept a theory? Why or why not? How is a

market orientation related to the marketing concept? When you teach marketing, will you

include the marketing concept in the topics you cover; why or why not?

MARKET SEGMENTATION

If there is one concept that has continuously captured the fancy of marketing managers andscholars over the twenty years, it is market segmentation.

a. Explicitly discuss the meaning of market segmentation and the rationaleunderlying its use.

b. Identify and discuss the variables that have over the last 10 to 15 years received

considerable attention as basis for segmenting the market. (Rather that an arbitrary

ordering of these variables, place them, during your discussion, in a framework usefulfor categorical purposes.

c. If a marketing manager today (1990) asked you to tell him/her which of the above

variables is (are) the superior segmentation variable(s), what would you tell him/her?Why?

PRODUCT POSITIONING

Marketing modelers often claim that "optimal site selection for a new retail outlet in geographic

space is similar to optimal positioning of a new product in perceptual space." Briefly reviewmodeling approaches in these 2 areas and identify (or develop / propose) a model that can be

used (with few modifications) for retail site selection and optimal product positioning.

In July, J.C. Penney opened seven new stores in the area. In an unusually opportunistic move,the stores were purchased from a bankrupt retailer at auction. Penneys main competitor in all

locations is Hechts. Two of Penneys main objectives are: 1) to overcome its image as a plain

Jane retail chain and 2) to establish a secure niche in the middle of the market between upscalecompetitors and discount mass merchandisers. Over the next five years, the marketing research

division will be monitoring consumer perceptions to evaluate the companys progress in

repositioning itself. Plan a research program for J. C. Penney to use in evaluating its position inthe market, now and during the next five years. Proceed as you would in planning any study, by

doing the following:

a. Briefly summarize the relevant literature, and derive at least 2 testable hypotheses.

b. Draw a model showing the important concepts and how they are related.


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c. Present all stages in the methodology, including the statistics you will use to test your

hypotheses

d. Discuss the implications of your research for the companys marketing strategy

DIFFUSION OF INNOVATIONSome researchers have suggested that as marketers move into the 21 st century, better

understanding of the diffusion and adoption patterns of technology-based innovations will be a

critical piece of the complex puzzle of how to remain profitable in a high-tech informationworld. Discuss each of the following statements or questions:

What are the general theoretical underpinnings of diffusion on innovation theory?Identify and assess the measurement issues associated with the theory (i.e., reliability,validity, theory assumptions)?

What are the critical issues surrounding the employment of diffusion theory tounderstanding consumers adoption rates of advanced technology-based innovations?

Discuss the constructs of perceived risk and forced adoption and how they impact the

diffusion of innovation process? How might consumers innovativeness and adoption processes impact the marketing

opportunities and problems associated with the information superhighway?

What are the important assumptions (or limitations) of the Diffusion of Innovations Models inmarketing? Since the Bass diffusion model was proposed in 1969, what have been the major

research streams in the area? Briefly explain each of these streams with appropriate cites.

RESEARCH-QUALITATIVE

Suppose that you tell a fellow AMA doctoral consortium candidate that you have taken a coursethat examined methods of collecting and analyzing qualitative data. She responds: Why areyou bothering with that weird science? Those kind of people dont do real science. They dont

use scientific sampling; they collect unreliable, anecdotal data. Theres no rigor involved; its

too touchy-feely. You cant establish the validity of their claims. Besides anybody can do it.Formulate a response to the colleague grounded in the philosophy of science and methodological

principles to which you have been exposed.

Describe and discuss the philosophy and method of Existential-Phenomenology. Using

examples from recent consumer research, illustrate the advantages and potential limitations of

the phenomenological interview. Compare and contrast the existential-phenomenological

approach to consumer understanding with ethnography as an approach to consumerunderstanding.

There are numerous ways to classify the research methodologies used by researchers andpractitioners alike, to collect data for investigating todays marketplace behaviors, consumer

behavior issues, or to answer marketing managers questions. There is a growing acceptance to

classify research methods as being either qualitative or quantitative in nature. While mostresearchers believe that good solid research endeavors will incorporate both qualitative and


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quantitative methods into their practices, there are those researchers who believe that each

family methods while different, can provide similar results and information to researchers and

practitioners alike. Using your knowledge and understanding of both qualitative and quantitativeresearch methods, provide a supportive discussion to each of the following sub-questions. [Make

certain you support your answers by including appropriate literature cites where necessary]:

a. What are the general differences between qualitative and quantitative

research methods? Make sure your discussion includes the objectives/goals that

underline the two types of research methodologies, their strengths and weaknesses,and potential information applications for practitioners and researchers.

b. Select a particular research method that is truly a member of the family of

qualitative research methods and a method that is a member of the family of

quantitative research methods and briefly discuss how each method might be usedto investigate the following research question:

Do mature consumers (ages 65 and older) use significantly different evaluation

processes and constructs than do established consumers (ages 30 to 50) to

determine their level of materialism and satisfaction of products and/orservices in the disposition stage of a post-purchase consumption process?

c. Regardless of the research method used to investigate a marketingphenomenon, issues of reliability and validity are critical t any researcher.

Assessment techniques to address these critical issues are well established within

qualitative research methods, but are difficult to implement within qualitative

research methods. Discuss some of the techniques and criteria used by researchersto address the issues ofreliability and validity within qualitative research methods.

RESEARCH-MEASUREMENT

Today, many marketing researchers strive to investigate many marketing phenomena by asking

important questions to a variety of respondents. When investigating consumers attitudes andbehaviors towards products, services and marketplace behaviors, it is a very common practice to

design and use sets of predetermined scale measurements to aid in guiding the respondents

thinking and answers t the questions presented in a standardized questionnaire (surveyinstrument) format. In marketing research, all question/scale formats can be logically classified

as being eithernominal, ordinal, interval or ratio in nature. Given your in-depth

understanding of scale development issues, provide a detailed, supportive discussion of each of

the following sub-questions [Include examples where appropriate]:

a. What are the scaling assumptions (properties) activated with each of the above

four categorical types of scale measurements? Within your discussion, make sure youpoint out (or address) any similarities and differences.

b. For each of the four types of scale measurement formats, what are the hierarchical

implications regarding the appropriateness of measures of central tendencies andlevels of dispersion of the information being provided?

c. From an informational interpretation perspective, what are the differences in the

information provided to the research/practitioner by these four scale measurement

formats?


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d. What data analysis problems (if any) are created by researchers who abuse (or

misuse) the inherent scaling properties associated with these four scale measurement

formats? [Make certain you provide concrete examples to support your thoughts.

Survey methods and depth interviewing are widely used data-gathering techniques in both

commercial and academic marketing research. Discuss the strengths and limitations of thesetechniques form a philosophy perspective (i.e. paradigmatic presumptions, strengths,

weaknesses, blind spots, lacuna, etc.). Draw on literature that identifies the methodological

weaknesses and/or attempts to address them in formulating your answer. Identify appropriateuses and common misuses of these techniques in either applied or academic contexts. Relate this

literature to your own experiences where appropriate.

Constructs occupy a great deal of social scientists as well as marketing scholars researchattention. As a prospective Ph.D. in Marketing, you too will spend much of your research

attention directed at developing, measuring, and investigating constructs. Make certain that you

support your answers by including appropriate citations form the literature.

a. What is a construct?b. Reliability and validity are two characteristics of construct measurement. What

are each of these characteristics? Why are they given so much importance?c. How do marketing researchers assess these characteristics of construct

measurement? Compare and critique the techniques used in assessing these

characteristics of a construct.

d. What is the difference between a mediating construct and a moderatingconstruct? How does a researcher determine whether a construct is a mediator or a

moderator?

Explain how you would go about developing a measure of job satisfaction of industrial

salespeople. Include in your discussion the procedures) you would use to assess reliability and

validity of the proposed measure. If you are familiar with more than one approach to developingsuch a measure, make sure to include in your discussion the method you would use and why you

would use it.

Describe the procedure you would employ in developing a new measure by which the job

satisfaction of a retail sales representative could be assessed. Indicate the type of scale you would

use and why, and detail the specific steps you would undertake to assure the validity and

reliability of this measure.

Describe the procedure you would employ in developing a measure by which the job satisfaction

of a retail sales representative of a hardware chain could be assessed. Indicate the type of scaleyou would use and why, and detail the specific steps you would undertake to assure the validity

and reliability of this measure.

Reliability and validity are areas of concern to researchers. Briefly explain the two concepts and

discuss their importance in research (both positivistic and interpretive). What methods) would

you use to assess reliability and validity?


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RESEARCH-METHODS

You have a set of data from consumers comprised of the following:

Likert-type responses to questions concerning attitudes toward automobiles

Past purchase information concerning automobiles

Responses to life style questions Demographic information on gender, age, education, income, marital status, and family

size

Your overall research objective is to better understand how attitudes, lifestyles, and demographic

information might be related to automobile purchase. Describe how you would use the

following procedures to extract that information: (a) factor analysis; (b) multiple regressionanalysis; (c) discriminant analysis; and (d) analysis of variance (ANOVA and MANOVA). List

any necessary assumptions that you would have to make relevant to these analyses.

Many experimental design studies are subject to the following criticisms:

a. They use student subjects.

b. Alternative explanations are not considered in interpreting the results.c. The task involves manipulations that are extreme.

d. They are subject to demand artifacts.

e. Sample sizes tend to be very small.f. Pen and paper scenarios cannot approximate the real world activities they purport

to represent.

Discuss each of the criticisms, citing relevant literature and examples. Under what conditions iseach criticism valid and appropriate? How can researchers minimize such criticisms in their

research designs?

Conjoint Analysis and Multidimensional Scaling have been widely used in marketing to design

new products. What are the advantages and limitations of these two methods? Explain how youcan (or can not) use these two methods to design radically new products (new-to-the-world

products) when consumers do not even know what to expect in the new product.

Conjoint analysis and multidimensional scaling are two popular multivariate techniques used

in the consumer goods industry. Compare and contrast these two methods and list their strengths

and weaknesses. Explain situations in which one method is preferable over the other.

Structural equation modeling is an increasing popular statistical approach in marketing research,even though the methodology does have obvious weaknesses and shortcomings. Describe the

major limitations of structural equation modeling--what kinds of problems are not good

candidates for SEM analysis? For each kind of problem or each limitation that you identify,indicate what other statistical approaches are available which avoid or minimize that problem?


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You are conducting an empirical comparison of two competing theories using a structural

equation modeling analysis, based on a sample size of 160. Both theoretical models involve thesame latent constructs, and the same measures, and both are supported by theoretical argument.

In fact, the two models are identical except that Model B includes three additional paths in the

structural model. Here are the values for some overall fit indices:

chi2 (df1) CFI pCFI2 RMSEA

Model A 257.7 (117) .89 .74 .087

Model B 205.4 (114) .93 .76 .071

ldf = degrees of freedom 2parsimony adjusted CFI

Looking closely at the diagnostic information from these two analyses, you notice that the stem-

leaf plot of the standardized residuals for Model B is essentially bell-shaped, while the plot for

Model A includes a few extreme (outlier) values on the negative end. Looking at the

Modification Indices for Model A, you see some extremely large values associated withcovariances among the measurement error terms. You create a modified Model A--called Model

A'--by freeing two of these paths, and get these results:

Chi2; (df) CFI pCFI RMSEA

Model A' 197.1 (11 S) .94 .77 .067

You also note that the squared multiple correlation for the structural equation predicting the key

dependent construct is equal to 1.05 in Model A. This is a substantially higher value than youobtained for either Model A or Model B.

Sketch the "Interpretation" section of a paper reporting on this research. How well do thesemodels "fit?" If you had to favor one of these three models, which one would you prefer? Why?

What other key pieces of information might help you make this decision?

Karl Joreskog developed an overall chi-square test for assessing the fit of a structural equation

model (SEM). Today, however, researchers typically assess fit by evaluating a number ofindices, and often give little weight to the chi-square. What is the rationale for disregarding the

chi-square, or for treating this value as only approximate? Why might researchers conclude that

some alternate fit indices are more useful or more appropriate for assessing model fit? Under

what circumstances would researchers rely on the chi-square as an exact test of overall modelfit?

In a recent Journal of Marketing article, Brown, Cron and Slocum (1997) estimated a structuralequation model intended to explain links between salesperson emotions and behavior. Their

Figure 2, showing their final model, and their Table 2, are reproduced below.


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(a) Based on the evidence presented in the figure, and the footnote, evaluate the fit of the

model. Does it fit well, or poorly? What additional information would be important in

shaping your evaluation?(b) Their initial model did not include the direct path from "Goal-Directed Behavior" to

"Positive Outcome Emotion." In the original analysis, the modification index for that

path was 13.?_. Brown, Cron and Slocum report adding the path because of themodification index, and because the resulting parameter estimate was interpretable.

Comment on their decision. Identify both positive and negative aspects, if any.

In defining the term "causation," in connection with the methodology of structural equation

modeling, Hair, Anderson Tatham, and Black (1992, p.427) write: "[causation] requires thatthere be sufficient degree of association (correlation) between the two variables, that one variable

occur before the other (i.e., one variable is clearly the outcome of the other), and that there be no

other reasonable cause of the outcome. Although in its strictest terms causation is rarely found, in

practice strong theoretical support can make empirical estimation of causation possible." To what

extent do you agree with this statement, and to what extent do you disagree? Be sure to addressthe argument that we can sometimes estimate causation empirically, particularly in the context of

structural equation modeling methods. Be specific. If we can do this, then how do we do it? If

we can't do this, then why not.

An academic researcher desires to test a simple causal model of the form:

1 31

3 32

1

The two beta weights in this structural equation model are sample statistic estimators ofpopulation parameters. Assume that the research design was a one-shot cross-sectional mail

survey of the membership of a professional association, such as the National Association of

Purchasing Managers. An overall usable response rate of 18% was obtained.a. What are the major types of validity with which this researcher should be concerned?

b. For each type of validity named above, what are the major sources of error

threatening validity?

c. For each error source named above, what can or should be done to control for, test fora measure the error present?

Recent empirical work in relationship marketing suggest the action of suppressor mediatingvariables in the trust commitment causal path. Several of these variables have been linkedwith the moderating effect of length of relationship. It is suggested that due to the emergence of

these suppressors, trust has greater effect in shorter rather than longer relationships.a. Describe the action of a suppressor mediating variable and the pattern of causal

path coefficients one would observe if one is present.

b. Discuss the role of a moderator variable in triggering the action of a mediatingvariable. Provide a statement of a testable hypothesis that captures this effect.


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c. Describe a study capable of testing for the action of both moderators and mediators

in the same causal network.

d. What tests of, or coefficient patterns in, the results would permit disentangling theeffects of the moderators and mediators?

Explain the important problems associated with combining results from different studies usingMeta analysis. What research strategies can be used to overcome these problems?

The critical incident technique (CIT) has been used to study factors leading to satisfaction ordissatisfaction with service encounters. (1) Explain what the critical incident technique is. (2) To

which gap in the Gaps Model of Service Quality developed by Parasuraman et al. are the

findings of CIT research most relevant? (3) Design a CIT study of service encounters between

customers and a service-delivery technology (e.g., on-line purchasing, pay-at-the-pumpequipment at gas stations). Explain what questions you would ask to apply the CIT.

You have been invited by the Journal of Marketing editor to submit a manuscript for a special

issue on relationship marketing. The manuscript needs to be an applied piece using appropriatemethodologie(s). Outline the components of the manuscript focusing on the research

methodology issues. You would need to address and discuss appropriate methodologies youwould use, why you would use them, and what you can expect to find that would benefit

marketers.

You have submitted a paper to a leading marketing journal. In your research you used a linearregression model to study the effect of a key independent variable on a dependent variable, based

on time-series and cross-sectional data. You have just received the reviewers comments. Their

major concern is that the effect you have observed may be biased. Define what is meant by bias.Discuss the potential sources of bias, the consequences of bias in your analysis, and the

analytical techniques you might use to overcome such biases.

CHANNELS

The study of channels of distribution issues in marketing has a long and rich history. Many ofthe first marketing textbooks used in the inaugural marketing classes offered at colleges and

universities in the early part of this century, in fact, had a distribution focus. Recently, channels

issues have returned to the forefront of the marketing literature (recognizing full well that some

would argue they never left).

In recent years, marketing scholars have been particularly interested in studying the relationships

that exist among channel members (consumers included). Many topics have been studied,including the determinants of long-term orientation in buyer-seller relationships, the structure of

commitment in exchange, contracting issues, inter-organizational governance, supplier fairness,

the role of commitment and trust in relational exchanges, and the antecedents and consequencesof relationship marketing in consumer markets.

Please integrate the work in this area by responding to the following three questions:


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a. What relationship marketing (please provide multiple perspectives) and why has it

become such a high priority topic for study in channels settings?

b. Select one conceptual article and one empirical article that you believe made asignificant contribution to the literature that focuses on relational exchange issues.

Review the nature of the contribution that each article has made, being sure t support and

justify your positions.c. Identify two specific issues you believe merit future study in marketing channels

research. Explain why these are important topics to examine more closely.

There has been a movement toward relationship building in marketing over the past decade or

so. This seems to fly in the face of marketing as purely exchange between two parties. How

do other ideas of relationships and exchanges relate to one of the following?

a. Value chains and logisticsb. Electronic marketing

c. Sales forces of the future in business-to-business markets.

In your answer, be sure to use behavioral concepts like loyalty, perceptions, and risk.

Define supply chain management (SCM) and indicate how SCM relates to the followingbusiness functional areas: marketing, logistics, accounting/finance, information systems, and

general management. Specify the research design(s) you would utilize to accomplish the

following tasks (given your definition of SCM): (a) identify and measure outputs of a supply

chain; and (b) identify and describe the various components of a supply chain and how theymight be interrelated.

Traditionally, channel theorists have been concerned with the role of power andcommitment/trust among channel actors. More recently, theorists have developed various

perspectives on the dimensions and forms of interorganizational governance in marketing

channels. What role do power and commitment/trust play within the various types of channelgovernance structures? In your response, be sure to describe the major approaches to channel

governance and to explain in detail how power and commitment/trust operate within each

governance form.

How are the relationships between members of a channel of distribution governed? Using the

major theoretical and conceptual paradigms in distribution channels research, develop your own

model that can be used to study the governance of marketing channel relationships. As youexplain and justify the constructs and linkages in the model, as well as their motivating

paradigms, be sure to distinguish between the antecedents and outcomes of channel governance.

Be sure to define your terms.

Channels of distribution and business-to-business marketing share a good deal of conceptual

ground, yet they are treated as different phenomena in the literature. What are the areas ofoverlap? What would be the best way to describe the relationship between the two fields? Are

channels of distributions part of the business-to-business area, is business-to-business marketing

a subset of channels of distribution, or is there a third view? If so what is it?


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In 1980 Stern and Reve popularized the Political-Economy (P-E) framework and stated that it

"should be seen as an attempt to chart out and classify channels research" (p. 53). In the

intervening 15 years, much conceptual and empirical research regarding the "governance ofchannels" has occurred. How would you organize and classify the contemporary research

regarding channel governance and governance-related phenomena according to the P-E

paradigm? In your response, explain "why and how" each aspect of research you choose todiscuss: a) is "governance", and b) fits into a specific part of the P-E framework.

The political economy framework was revived in the early 1980's as a method of analyzing theactions and interactions of firms engaged in channel activities. More recently, theorists have

developed a number of unique perspectives on the dimensions and forms of interorganizational

governance in marketing channels. Do we need both a governance and a political economy

approach to understanding channel phenomena? Why or why not? In your response, be sure toconsider both the perspectives of channel theorists as well as of empirical researchers.

A number of theories have been developed to conceptualize the relationships that form between

organizations. Sometimes these relationships are between buyers and sellers, sometimes betweenmanufacturers and distributors. The theories include transaction cost analysis, power-

dependence, agency theory, and others. Is there some way to organize these theories into ameaningful structure that helps indicate when each theory may be more applicable than another?

The analysis of behavioral and economic phenomena that characterizes the interaction between

channel members has a long research tradition. However, recently a "channel governance"perspective has preoccupied channel theorists. What is the "common ground" between the most

prominent frameworks from the behavioral-economic school and the governance school?

Conversely, in what ways do these schools differ?

What is known about the role of "Trust" and "Commitment" in relationships between members

of a distribution channel? Using the major theoretical paradigms from distribution research, aswell as from specialized trust and commitment studies, explain in detail what these constructs are

and how they function within channel systems. In terms of theory development and empirical

findings, how would you evaluate the state of "Trust" and "Commitment" research in channelstoday?

Relationships in business and consumer settings are becoming increasingly important as firms

look to find and keep profitable customers. What is the role of the salesperson/selling functionin building and maintaining good customer relationships? What theoretical frameworks have

been used and/or can be used to guide research in this area? What issues related to this area

appear to be good future research topics? Why do you think those topics are important?

The topic of relationship marketing has received relatively extensive research attention in recent

years. While most of the research and attention has been directed toward business-to-businessmarkets, there has been some research, as well as business press books, addressing relationships

with individual customers (the final user). Specifically, is relationship marketing an important

topic in either or both of these markets? Does it differ for business versus consumer markets? If

so, tell how. If not, tell why not. What are the primary promotional tools that can be used to


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support relationship marketing in these different markets? Support your position regarding

similarities or differences in relationship marketing's validity for these two markets with citations

from relevant research and your own original thinking.

Relationship marketing is an integral part of the strategy of firms operating in both the business-

to-business and the business-to-consumer markets. Summarize the literature on relationshipmarketing, citing influential authors. In doing so, be sure to: 1) Define what is meant by

And why it is important to firms. 2) Identify two streams of research that have affected the

relationship marketing research, and identify the most important concepts they use. 3) What doesresearch show about how these concepts are related? Draw a model illustrating those

relationships. 4) Suggest two testable hypotheses from this literature, and design a study that

would allow you to empirically test those hypotheses.


issue on relationship marketing. The manuscript needs to be an applied piece using appropriate

methodologie(s). Outline the components of the manuscript focusing on the research


marketers.

In the channels literature, there has been an evolution. Research on power and conflict from a

unilateral perspective has given way to research on trust and commitment from a bilateral

perspective. What are the major reasons for this occurrence? In your answer, summarize state-of-the are literature in inter-organizational relationships. Note progress that has been made and

issues that remain unresolved.

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS/ORGANIZATIONAL BUYING BEHAVIOR

How is organizational buying behavior effected by national economic conditions? Is there asignificant difference in OBB in developed countries, transition economies, and developing

countries?

Channels of distribution and business-to-business marketing share a good deal of conceptual

ground, yet they are treated as different phenomena in the literature. What are the areas of

overlap? What would be the best way to describe the relationship between the two fields? Are

channels of distributions part of the business-to-business area, is business-to-business marketinga subset of channels of distribution, or is there a third view? If so what is it?

For 20 years the "buying center" has been the main conceptual underpinning for organizationalbuying behavior. The field now seems to be branching off into two directions:

communication/network analysis and strategic partnerships. Do these represent logical advances

of the buying center framework, or has the buying center perspective been abandoned? Justifyyour answer. What future directions do you see organizational buying behavior taking?

Discuss the strengths and weakness of a "network" approach to examining OBB. How do these

change as the unit of analysis used for the nodes (individual versus company) change?


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A primary distinction often made between organizational and consumer behavior is the

difference in the buyer's level of involvement in decision-making. Discuss, from a theoreticalperspective, how involvement is likely to affect decision-making in organizational and consumer

decision-making. Then indicate how level,of involvement can be ascertained, manipulated and

controlled to improve prediction of decision-making. Be sure to include how these processesmight be different given the context (organizational versus consumer).

TRUST & COMMITMENT

What is known about the role of "Trust" and "Commitment" in relationships between members

of a distribution channel? Using the major theoretical paradigms from distribution research, as

well as from specialized trust and commitment studies, explain in detail what these constructs areand how they function within channel systems. In terms of theory development and empirical

findings, how would you evaluate the state of "Trust" and "Commitment" research in channels

today?

PERSONAL SELLING/SALES FUNCTION

Relationships in business and consumer settings are becoming increasingly important as firms

look to find and keep profitable customers. What is the role of the salesperson/selling function

in building and maintaining good customer relationships? What theoretical frameworks have

been used and/or can be used to guide research in this area? What issues related to this areaappear to be good future research topics? Why do you think those topics are important?

SERVICES

Is there a difference between goods and services marketing? Justify your answer citing the

relevant literature. In answering the question, please consider both theory and application.

The services marketing paradigm received considerable attention and development by marketing

scholars between 1980 and 1990. A number of services marketing related articles appearing inissues of the Journal of Marketing from January of 1980 to January of 1990 are considered to be

major contributions to the development of theory in the services marketing area. Describe,

explain, and critique where appropriate the contributions to the development of services

marketing thought that appeared in the Journal of Marketing during this time period.

Define service quality using the conceptualizations of Parasuraman, et al. Assume that a service

organization uses SERVQUAL and finds that customers perceive its service quality to be low.Discuss ways of reducing this service quality gap, (1) using concepts and research results from

the services marketing literature, and (2) framing your answer using the Extended Model of

Service Quality developed in Zeithaml, Berry, and Parasuraman (1988).

Define the concept of service quality. How is this concept both different from and similar to

customer satisfaction with services? From the literature, select a model of service quality and a


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model of customer satisfaction and describe each of them. Finally, integrate these two models

into your own model of customer satisfaction with services.

The critical incident technique (CIT) has been used to study factors leading to satisfaction or

dissatisfaction with service encounters. (1) Explain what the critical incident technique is. (2) To

which gap in the Gaps Model of Service Quality developed by Parasuraman et al. are thefindings of CIT research most relevant? (3) Design a CIT study of service encounters between

customers and a service-delivery technology (e.g., on-line purchasing, pay-at-the-pump

equipment at gas stations). Explain what questions you would ask to apply the CIT.

SATISFACTION

How would you respond to the following comments by 2 bright MBA students. One, who worksfor Coca-Cola, asserts in class: "Customer satisfaction measurement is worthless. It hasn't lived

up to any of the promises that were made for it. Our data clearly show that satisfied fountain

customers will often defect to competing vendors." The other student who works for Microsoft

asserts: "We have several dissatisfied customers who will not switch to our competitor products."Develop a conceptual model explaining why customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction may or may

not lead to brand switching.

Most scholars and practitioners agree that postpurchase satisfaction is essential if the consumer is

to repeat-buy products and services. Unfortunately, the more research that is done in this area,

the more complicated the processing of attribute experiences into summary form reflectingsatisfaction appears to be. Considering this background, do the following:

a. Describe the consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction model that you believe is best

supported by the literature. In doing so, provide appropriate citations.b. Present a diagram of this model and explain how it might be tested using structural

equation analysis.

c. Discuss how you would measure the concepts in your model, including potentialmoderator variables, situational effects and involvement level.

The critical incident technique (CIT) has been used to study factors leading to satisfaction ordissatisfaction with service encounters. (1) Explain what the critical incident technique is. (2) To

which gap in the Gaps Model of Service Quality developed by Parasuraman et al. are the

findings of CIT research most relevant? (3) Design a CIT study of service encounters between

customers and a service-delivery technology (e.g., on-line purchasing, pay-at-the-pumpequipment at gas stations). Explain what questions you would ask to apply the CIT.

VALUE

Recently there has been a growth in interest in the term "value", not only in marketing but also in

business literature in general. Assume you were asked to design a new measure to assessconsumers' perceptions of value. How would you proceed? Explain clearly and in detail paying

particular attention to the following: How would you evaluate the psychometric soundness of

your measurement tool? What psychometric issues are important and how would you evaluate

your measure's performance on them?


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RELATIONSHIP MARKETING (CONSUMER)Relationships in business and consumer settings are becoming increasingly important as firms

look to find and keep profitable customers. What is the role of the salesperson/selling function

in building and maintaining good customer relationships? What theoretical frameworks havebeen used and/or can be used to guide research in this area? What issues related to this area

appear to be good future research topics? Why do you think those topics are important?

The topic of relationship marketing has received relatively extensive research attention in recent

years. While most of the research and attention has been directed toward business-to-business

markets, there has been some research, as well as business press books, addressing relationships

with individual customers (the final user). Specifically, is relationship marketing an importanttopic in either or both of these markets? Does it differ for business versus consumer markets? If

so, tell how. If not, tell why not. What are the primary promotional tools that can be used to

support relationship marketing in these different markets? Support your position regarding

similarities or differences in relationship marketing's validity for these two markets with citationsfrom relevant research and your own original thinking.


issue on relationship marketing. The manuscript needs to be an applied piece using appropriate

methodologie(s). Outline the components of the manuscript focusing on the research


marketers.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR-GENERAL

In consumer research, four terms are tossed around that are frequently defined in a similarmanner by researchers, namely attitude, affect, mood, and cognition. Carefully define these

terms, and comment on the similarities and differences among them (note: the similarities and

differences should encompass both antecedent influences and consequent effects). Then,describe how the concepts might be interrelated in a particular marketing context, such as

understanding ad effectiveness (include a box-and arrow diagram in your anser, and cite support

for the relationships you propose).

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR-ATTITUDES

The Elaboration Likelihood Model was offered by Petty, Cacioppo and colleagues as a way of

understanding attitude formation and change when the level of involvement differs. Researchershave traditionally decided what the level of involvement should be based on either what the

product was or what decision had to be made. Increasingly, researchers realize that such

approaches may be inappropriate because the choices represent the researcher's opinion not theconsumer's reality. Discuss how level of involvement in decisions can be determined from the

consumer's reaction to stimuli.


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CONSUMER BEHAVIOR-INVOLVEMENT

A primary distinction often made between organizational and consumer behavior is the


decision-making. Then indicate how level of involvement can be ascertained, manipulated and

controlled to improve prediction of decision-making. Be sure to include how these processesmight be different given the context (organizational versus consumer).

The Elaboration Likelihood Model was offered by Petty, Cacioppo and colleagues as a way ofunderstanding attitude formation and change when the level of involvement differs. Researchers

have traditionally decided what the level of involvement should be based on either what the

product was or what decision had to be made. Increasingly, researchers realize that such

approaches may be inappropriate because the choices represent the researcher's opinion not theconsumer's reality. Discuss how level of involvement in decisions can be determined from the

consumer's reaction to stimuli.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR-DECISION MAKINGA primary distinction often made between organizational and consumer behavior is the


decision-making. Then indicate how level of involvement can be ascertained, manipulated and

controlled to improve prediction of decision-making. Be sure to include how these processes

might be different given the context (organizational versus consumer).

In the marketing discipline, considerable research effort has been directed at decision making

and the decision making process.a. Organize the judgment and decision making literature by identifying and discussing

several dimensions/approaches for classifying the research. Use examples from the

literature as illustrations of the various approaches.b. Streams of research within the various categories have different strengths and

weaknesses. Discuss these strengths and weaknesses.

Based on your answer to part b, identify and discuss areas for future research

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR-ETHNICITY

Popular press tends to generalize ethnic consumer behavior. For example, one often seesstatements such as "Ethnic consumers (both Hispanic and African-American) are brand loyal and

will not use coupons." Academic researchers claim that this is not true and that it is a function of

the ethnic consumer's strength of ethnic identification. What is strength of ethnic identification?How can one measure strength of ethnic identification? Hypothesize what other ethnic consumer

behavior or attitudes are likely to be influenced by the ethnic consumer's strength of ethnic

identification? Cite and summarize relevant literature to support your hypotheses.

The impact of ethnic identity on various aspects of consumer behavior has been gaining

increasing managerial and research attention. Describe and discuss the particular research issues

being faced by those interested in studying the measurement of the ethnicity construct, then


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CONSUMER BEHAVIOR-VALUES

Some researchers believe values underlie all consumer behavior. Others disagree. Define and

discuss the term values. Present a model (box and arrow diagram) of how values affectconsumer choice. Based on this model, state two testable hypotheses. Then describe an

experiment to test those hypotheses. In doing so, be sure to test those hypotheses. In doing so,

be sure to discuss stimuli, manipulations, measures, procedure and statistical tests.

ADVERTISING

Using theoretical constructs from appropriate social sciences, answer the following charges

frequently leveled at advertising:

a. Advertising only works when people pay attention to the ad.

b. Television and radio are low involvement media thus advertising can have little effect on

those consumers' learning, attitudes or behavior.

c. A person would have to see/hear an ad at least 3 times before they would get anythingfrom it, so repetition is the name of the game.

Managerial practice and academic theory sometimes get out of synch in marketing. Consider theassessment of advertising effectiveness. Define briefly the current popular approaches to

assessing ad effectiveness. Then, describe what you consider to be the major ways practice

deviates from a theory-based view of ad effectiveness. Make sure you carefully identify thesource of the deviation, and then explain why you consider the difference to be important. Also,

take care to cite appropriate research to support your answer.

ADVERTISING/PUBLIC POLICY

Of all the areas in marketing that are criticized by social and economic commentators,

advertising is probably the single area most frequently and most vigorously attacked for its

undesirable social and economic consequences.a. Identify four of the most commonly made criticisms or lines of attack against

advertising in our society.

b. Discuss and evaluate the pros and cons of each of the four criticisms.

COMPETITION-ORDER OF ENTRY

Is pioneering advantage a myth or a reality? Do pioneering brands always perform better than the

followers? Using existing literature develop a contingency model of pioneering advantage.

Recently studies in marketing and strategic management have examined the advantages anddisadvantages of pioneering (i.e., first-entry) strategies. In the face of mixed findings and views,

some have argued in favor of a contingency approach to examine the effects of pioneering on

firm performance.

1. Summarize important aspects of the current state of the debate.

2. Develop a model providing the appropriate context within which effects of order of

entry (i.e., pioneering versus late entry) on performance can be best understood (a-la


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contingency perspective). Make sure to include the appropriate market strategy and

marketplace variables.

Much has been written and discussed in marketing strategy about the advantages and

disadvantages of being first to market with a product or technology, i.e., having a first-mover or

pioneering advantage. In addition, this issue has also been informed by research in other relatedliteratures, e.g., strategic management and economics. Summarize the contributions of the

strategic management and economics disciplines to marketings understanding of the pioneer/

first mover advantage. Be sure to discuss the different points of view addressed by scholars inthe two different points of view addressed by scholars in the two different disciplines to arrive at

a richer understanding of the phenomenon.

The Marketing Science Institute has invited proposals for a competition on Order/Timing ofEntry and Market Performance. You are interested in submitting a proposal. Provide an

overview of a proposal keeping in mind that your proposal needs to address the following issues.

a. The first part of the proposal should review the important developments in the

literature. Specifically, this review should reflect the current understanding of whatthe sources of advantage for the pioneer and the late mover are, and under what

conditions should firms considering pioneering or late entry.b. The second part of the proposal should reflect a gap in the current understanding of

the broad area of relationship between order/timing of entry and market performance

and identify a research problem that you are proposing to study.

c. The final part of the proposal should outline a set of testable hypotheses thatunderline the research problem you have identified and suggest a suitable

methodology. The proposal should clearly state your contributions from both

academic and practitioner standpoints.Numerous conceptual and empirical studies advance the notion that first movers achieve long-

term competitive advantages. Develop and discuss a conceptual framework identifying factors

behind the first-mover advantage and product-market contingencies that moderate the order ofentry/competitive advantage relationship. Outline a related set of research propositions that are

testable.

COMPETITION-COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

The concept of long-term sustainable competitive advantage is central to the marketing strategy

literature. Within this context:

A. Develop a simple model to show how firms pursue sustainable competitive advantage.What are the critical steps leading to long-term sustainable competitive advantage?

B. Integrate important research into your model in terms of (1) support for the model and (2)

ability to shed light on key aspects of the competitive advantage process.In your answer be sure to define what you mean by long-term sustainable competitive advantage.

COMPETITION-SPATIAL


space is similar to optimal positioning of a new product in perceptual space." Briefly review

modeling approaches in these 2 areas and identify (or develop / propose) a model that can be

used (with few modifications) for retail site selection and optimal product positioning.


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RETAILING-LOCATION THEORY


space is similar to optimal positioning of a new product in perceptual space." Briefly review

modeling approaches in these 2 areas and identify (or develop / propose) a model that can beused (with few modifications) for retail site selection and optimal product positioning.

E-COMMERCE

The Internet has revolutionized the way commerce is being conducted in the world. The impact

of the Internet on marketing has not yet been widely studied. There are two general approaches

that could be used to study the impact of the Internet on marketing:

a. Marketers could explore the impact of the Internet as a wholly new paradigm in

marketing, abandoning previous literature and embracing a new approach.

b. Marketers could explore its impact under the traditional rubric of the 4-Ps,product life cycle, diffusion of innovation, relationship marketing, logistics, and other

traditional marketing knowledge bases.

What do you believe would determine which approach would be better? What would be the

relevant issues that would determine which approach is better?

Electronic commerce has received a great deal of attention recently in the popular business press.

Consumer marketing applications of electronic commerce and business-to-business marketing

applications have received considerable attention. The rate of growth predicted forbusiness-to-business electronic commerce sales volume far outpaces predictions for consumer

e-commerce revenues. Many of the electronic commerce topics that are discussed are

marketing-related, including applications in supply chain management and the use of web-portalsfor purchasing. In your opinion, will electronic commerce fundamentally reshape academic

marketing, marketing theory, and marketing curriculae? Why or why not? In your estimation,

how profound will the changes be that electronic commerce brings to marketing practice,marketing education, and marketing theory?

NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

At the millennium, it is fashionable to take stock of the situation, and to speculate about the

future. Consider the new product development literature. What do you think have been the

major historical developments in that field? On the other hand, what do you see are the majorweak spots or omissions to this point in time? Expand on you answer, carefully defining a short

term research agenda covering the next three to five years, or so. In your agenda, clearly identify

the key research issues or questions you feel should be researched, taking care to providerelevant conceptual or managerial background to support your selection. If you have any

methodological concerns with a particular issue, briefly state them, and suggest their possible

resolution. Throughout your answer, be careful to cite relevant research that supports your

arguments.


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BRAND CHOICE/BRAND EQUITY/BRAND LOYALTY

Brand equity has been defined and researched primarily in the consumer behavior (CB)

literature. Conversely, brand choice has been defined and researched primarily in the modeling

literature.a. Explain what equity and brand choice mean, and how brand loyalty relates to each one.

b. Discuss the major CB concepts and modeling concepts that are germane to

understanding what brand equity and brand choice mean.c. Are the findings of the brand equity and brand choice literatures consistent in any way?

If so, how and if not, why not?

d. Considering both of these literatures, what are some promising areas for future research

in branding?

PRICING

Everyday low pricing (EDLP) is typical of discount retailers such as Wal-Mart that sell theirproducts at the same price all the time. High/low (Hi/Lo) pricing is typical of conventional

retailers, such as Hechts, that frequently run sales on many items. Develop and discuss aconceptual framework or frameworks showing how you think EDLP and Hi/Lo pricing affect

consumer buyer behavior. In doing so, consider the promotion, price-quality and reference price

literature. From your conceptual framework(s), develop testable hypotheses and describe how

you would test them.

An important way in which firms vary price is by promotions. Researchers often ask, Why use

promotions, rather than simple price changes? Many explanations have been developed, byborrowing concepts from different disciplines, including economics and psychology. Discuss

and integrate these research findings. What are the implications for marketing managers?

INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS

Many researchers now seek to extend findings of U.S. based studies to international contexts.For example, Shimp and Sharma developed a measure of consumer ethnocentrism based on U.S.

samples and assumptions. What difficulties, if any, (and other than direct translation) would a

researcher face in conducting a reliable and valid study which includes using measures such as

the ethnocentrism scale in other countries?

Most Marketing concepts and models have been developed in North America. However, given

the global nature of today's business, there may be a need to validate and modify these usingconsumers from different cultures. Pick a Marketing concept or model (e.g., brand equity, market

orientation, or consumer information search etc.), and explain how cross-cultural differences

may effect the current understanding of the phenomenon. Develop 2 or 3 hypotheses about thecross-cultural effects and explain how you would go about testing them.

Comprehensive Exam Sample Questions 2

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