Chapter 7 Finding and Evaluating Business Information

1) Which of the following is true of workplace research?

A) its starting point is a topic

B) the goal of most workplace research is for the researcher to learn

C) employers will expect you to have all the information you need at your fingertips

D) you will need to find appropriate sources

E) it requires skills completely different from those used in academic research

2) Which of the following is true of academic research?

A) the goal of most academic research is for the researcher to learn

B) its starting point is typically a specific question or problem

C) the aim of the research is to find, analyze, and organize information that will solve a problem

D) the skills required for it are not applicable to workplace research

E) it in no way prepares you for the research you will need to do in the workplace

3) All of the following assignments would require you to conduct research and share the results EXCEPT

A) investigating why product sales are stagnant

B) determining which new products would most appeal to customers

C) adding the results that you were just sent to your report

D) deciding which new business your company should acquire

E) comparing several insurance plans to see which your company should offer to its employees

4) Which of the following is true?

A) business research shouldn't follow a structured process

B) the biggest challenge in business research is starting with a general topic and developing a research question

C) understanding exactly what you are looking for and where to look for it will benefit you in business research

D) in business research, once you find data your work is done

E) in business research you can depend upon the credibility of all your sources

At your company, a number of routine office tasks are loosely shared among entry-level employees, who perform these duties in addition to their specific job descriptions. This often results in tasks being done late, poorly, or not at all. You suggest to your boss that outsourcing this work might be a good idea. He is interested and asks you to research and recommend a service provider.

5) Which of the following best articulates the research question you have been asked to explore?

A) Is it fair to make entry-level employees do this additional work?

B) How much will it cost to outsource the work we are currently doing in-house?

C) Which outsourcing service provider would be the best for us?

D) Is outsourcing the best solution to our problem?

E) Why aren't our entry-level employees responsible enough to get this work done themselves?

6) As you prepare to analyze the research question and topic, which of the following would be your best first move?

A) considering whether there are options other than outsourcing this work

B) asking entry-level employees how they feel about doing these tasks

C) calling a few outsourcing service providers to get quotes from them

D) finding out whether any of your competitors outsource this kind of work

E) comparing the specific terms of a few different outsourcing service providers

7) You decide to do some background research on the topic of outsourcing, to broaden your general understanding of the topic and help structure your research. Which of the following questions addresses the context and structure of outsourcing service providers?

A) When and why did outsourcing first develop?

B) How has outsourcing evolved over time?

C) What types of outsourcing service providers exist?

D) How does outsourcing fit into the larger system of our workplace and tasks?

E) How do typical outsourcing service providers compare and contrast?

8) Doing background research on your topic ________.

A) is not advised for business research

B) is only necessary for academic research

C) is vital, since you are required to include it in your final presentation

D) can help you structure your research

E) should not include information about your topic's history

9) When doing background research on your topic, asking, "What else exists that serves similar purposes?" is a question about the topic's ________.

A) categories

B) history

C) popularity

D) appeal

E) context and structure

10) Doing background research to broaden your understanding of your topic's history, context and structure, and categories is part of which aspect of determining what information you need?

A) analyzing the research question and topic

B) identifying audience concerns and needs

C) establishing scope of the research

D) defining research activities

E) developing a work plan