112 câu trắc nghiệm Kinh tế lượng – Phần 2

8. Report preparation and presentation

KTL_003_C8_1: Marketing research report is the bridge between researcher and manager with regard to the research findings.
● True
○ False

KTL_003_C8_2: A project can still be called successful, even if the research results are not effectively communicated using the research report.
○ True
● False

KTL_003_C8_3: Many times managers judge the research by the quality of the report.
● True
○ False

KTL_003_C8_4: While writing the report, researcher should empathize with how the manager will be reading and interpreting the report?
● True
○ False

KTL_003_C8_5: Which of the following must be kept in mind when writing a marketing research report?
○ Empathizing skills
○ Structure and logical arguments
○ Objectivity
○ Professional presentation
● All of the above

KTL_003_C8_6: Many consider executive summary as the soul of the research report?
● True
○ False

KTL_003_C8_7: Executive summary should involve all of the following, except:
○ Why and how the research was carried out
● What was done to manage fieldworkers
○ What was found
○ What can be interpreted and acted upon by the manager

KTL_003_C8_8: Which of the following sections in report should provide background information to the research?
○ Research methodology
○ Results
○ Conclusion
● Introduction

KTL_003_C8_9: Pilot testing should be discussed in which of the following sections of the report.
○ Introduction
○ Research methodology
● Results
○ Conclusion

KTL_003_C8_10: Researcher should explain any jargons used in the report succinctly.
● True
○ False

KTL_003_C8_11: Discuss the importance of marketing research report in the overall marketing research process.

Marketing research report is the bridge between researcher and manager with regard to the research findings. Even if the research project is carried out with most meticulous design and methodology, if the research results are not effectively communicated using the research report to the manager, the research project may not be a success. This is because the research results will not help in achieving the major aim of any research project, which is to support the decision making process. Research report is a tangible output of the research project and not only helps in decision making but also provides documentary evidence and serves as a historical record of the project. Many a times, managers are only involved in looking at the research report (i.e. oral presentation and written report) and therefore most times the research project is judged by the quality of the research report. This has direct association with the relationship between the researcher and manager. All of the above reasons suggest the importance of marketing research report.

KTL_003_C8_12: What are the key issues to keep in mind when writing research reports?

Before communicating the results of the project to the manager, the researcher should keep several issues in mind for effective communication. The first and foremost rule for writing the report is to empathize. The researcher must keep in mind that the manager who is going to read and utilize the findings of the research project might not be as technically knowledgeable with statistical techniques or at times with the methodology. Furthermore, the manager will be more interested in knowing how results can be used for decision making rather than how they have been derived. Therefore, the jargons and technical terms should be kept at minimum. If the jargons cannot be avoided, then researcher should provide a brief explanation for the manager to understand it.

The second rule researcher should keep in mind is related to the structure of the report. The report should be logically structured and easy to follow. The manager should easily be able to grasp the inherent linkages and connections within the report. The write up should be succinct and to the point. A clear and uniform pattern should be employed. One of the best ways to check weather the structure of the report is sound or not, the report should be critically looked at by some of the research team members.

Furthermore, researcher must make sure that the scientific rigour and objectivity is not lost when presenting the research project findings. At times, because of the heavy involvement of researcher in the overall research process, it is possible that there is a loss of objectivity. Therefore, researcher should keep a tab on the aspects of objectivity of the overall report. Many times managers do not like to see the results which oppose their judgemental beliefs however the researcher must have the courage to present the findings without any slant to conform to the expectations and beliefs of the managers.

A professionally developed report is always well received as it makes the important first impression in manager’s mind. It is therefore very important for researcher to focus on the presentation of the report. The other important aspect is the use of figures, graphs and tables. There is an old saying that, ‘a picture is worth 1000 words’ and that is quite true when reporting the results of a research project. Use of figures, graphs and tables can help in interpretations as well as greatly enhance the look and feel of the report which in turn can augment the reader engagement.
If the report is prepared keeping in mind the above stated key issues, the overall credibility of the research report as well as of the researcher can be greatly enhanced.

KTL_003_C8_13: List the components of a generic marketing research report.

Following is the list of components for a generic marketing research report.
1. Title page
2. Table of contents
3. Executive summary
○ Research objectives
○ Brief discussion on methodology
○ Major findings
○ Conclusion
○ Recommendations
4. Introduction: Problem definition
5. Research design
○ Type of design used
○ Data collection
○ Scaling techniques
○ Questionnaire development and pilot testing
○ Sampling
○ Fieldwork
6. Data analysis and findings
○ Analysis techniques employed
○ Results
7. Conclusion and recommendation
8. Limitations and future directions
9. Appendices
○ Questionnaire and forms
○ Statistical output

KTL_003_C8_14: Write a brief note on report presentation.

The presentation has become an integral part of most marketing research projects. Most managers are finding it hard to read the entire report and so prefer the researcher to present the report in an oral presentation. Furthermore, the presentation provides an opportunity for the research and management team to interact the issues of concern and in that way it becomes an important exercise.

For any presentation, the most important aspect is preparation. Researcher should first develop an outline of the presentation keeping the audience in mind. Once the outline is developed, the researcher should focus on the content management and decide as to what is relevant and important and what is not. Use of various audio-visual aids as well as other materials such as chalkboards or flipcharts should be planned out in advance. While audio-visual presentation adds to the overall engagement, chalkboards and flipcharts provide flexibility in presentation.

The rules regarding what to do and what not to do when writing reports also apply to the presentation and researcher must keep in mind that the presentation is being done for the managers to grasp the results. Researcher must remember that the research was conducted for assistance in decision making and was not a statistical exercise. Therefore, the focus of the presentation should be on how the research can help managers in making a better informed decision.