Nick Thomas, CEO of Auto Concepts, has hired CMG Research to perform a survey. Cory Rogers, vice president of CMG Research, now feels he has a good grasp of the research objectives needed to conduct the research study. Furthermore, he has taken some time to write operational definitions of the constructs, so he has done most of the preliminary work on the questionnaire. The next step is questionnaire design. Cory and Nick have decided that the most reasonable approach to the survey is to use an online panel.
This alternative, while somewhat expensive, will guarantee that the final sample is representative of the market. That is, companies that operate such panels assure buyers of their services that the sample will represent any general target market that a buyer may desire to have represented. In the case of Auto Concepts, the market of interest is “all automobile owners,” meaning that practically all adults qualify. Consequently, it is time to design a questionnaire suitable for administration to an online panel of adult consumers.
The survey objectives relevant to questionnaire design for this phase of the research project include the following:

1. What are automobile buyers’ attitudes toward

a. Gasoline use contribution to global warming

b. Global warming 

2. Do attitudes related to global warming vary by market segment? Market segments are defined by the following demographics:

a. Age

b. Income

c. Education

d. Gender

e. Family size

f. Hometown size 

g. Dwelling type 

3. What are consumer preferences and intentions for various types of fuel-efficient automobiles?

a. Super cycle, one-seat all electric

b. Runabout sport, two-seat all-electric

c. Runabout hatchback, two-seat gasoline hybrid

d. Economy hybrid, four-seat diesel hybrid

e. Economy standard, five-seat standard gasoline 

4. What are the media habits of those who prefer the new automobile types?

a. Reading the local newspaper (local news, state news, national, sports, etc.)

b. Watching TV (comedy, drama, sports, reality, documentary, etc.)

c. Listening to FM radio (easy listening, country, top 40, oldies, jazz, etc.)

d. Reading magazines (general interest, business, science, sports, cooking, parenting, etc.)

5. What are the social media usage profiles of these consumers concerning how often they engage in the following?

a. Online blogging

b. Content communities

c. Social network sites

d. Online games

e. Virtual worlds If necessary, go over the needed integrated case facts and information imparted to you in previous chapters, and design an online survey questionnaire for Auto Concepts. Aim for proper construct measurement, clear question wording, appropriate question flow, and all other principles of good questionnaire design.