OU 2260 OU 2260
Code No. 1081
FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT
MBA II Semester Examination, July August 2016
Subject: Research for Marketing Decisions
Course No. 2.4
Time: 3 Hours Max. Marks: 80
PART A (10x2 20 Marks)
[Short Answer Type]
Note: Answer all the questions.
1. Write short notes on the following.
Marketing research
Cohort analysis
Standard error
Target population
States of nature
Opportunity loss
Run
Assumptions in non-parametric tests
Discriminant function
Purpose of oral presentation
PART B (5x12 60 Marks)
[Essay Answer Type]
Note: Answer all the questions.
2 What are the advantages and disadvantages of exploratory research? Compare and
contrast between causal and exploratory research.
OR
Describe the management science models used in a Marketing Decision Support
System. Classify various research designs.
3 Explain:
Simulation and
ii) Panels method of gathering marketing information.
Discuss the reliability and validity of Thurstone's scale.
OR
Explain the statistical approach to sample size determination. Discuss the
approaches to assessing reliability and validity of a scale.
4 A manufacturing company is concerned with the possibility of a steel strike. It will
cost an extra Rs. 10,000 to acquire an adequate stock pile. If there is a strike and
the company has not stockpiled, management estimates an additional expense of
Rs. 50,000 in lost sales, late order charges, and so forth. Should the company
stockpile or not? Decide on the basis of:
Maximax
ii) Minimax criterion
iii) Minimax regret criterions and
iv) Equal likelihood criterion.
OU 2260 OU 2260
Code No. 1081

OR
National Dairy desires to determine how many kilograms of butter it produces daily
to meet the demand. Past records have shown the following demand pattern:
Quantity demanded 14 18 22 24 30 40 50
No. of days demand occurred 4 16 20 80 40 30 10
The stock levels are restricted to the range 14-50 Kgs and the butter left unsold at
the end of the day must be disposed of due to inadequate storing facilities. Butter
costs Rs. 30.00 per kg and is sold at Rs. 40.00 per kg
Construct a conditional profit table
ii) Determine the action alternative associated with the maximization of expected
profit
iii) Determine EVPI.
5 During one semester a student received, in various subjects, the marks shown
below. Use Kxuskal-Wallis Test to test whether there is a difference between the
marks in these subjects:
Mathematics 72 80 83 75
Science 81 74 77
English 88 82 90 87 80
Economics 90 71 77 70
OR
Use sign test to see if there is a difference between the number of days required to
collect an Accounts receivable before and after a new collection policy.
Before 33 36 41 32 39 47 34 29 32 34 40 42 33 36
After 35 29 38 34 37 47 36 32 30 34 541 38 37 35
6 Describe the relationship of discriminant analysis to regression. What are the steps
in conducting discriminant analysis? Discuss the basic requirements of report
preparation.
OR
How is Factor Analysis different from multiple regression? What guidelines are
available for interpreting the factors? Describe the steps in Conjoint Analysis.