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Discuss the type(s) of researches (exploratory research, descriptive research, causal research) that should be used for the following situations and how should it be used. (E.g. focus groups, price testing, packaging, etc.): 1 Kellogg's needs to find out how their new cereal aimed at mature adults (65+) is doing after a year on the shelves; 2 NYU wants to find out how the 2005 "enjoyed their "stay at the school for the past 4 years"; 3 Reebok wants to test the feasibility of bringing back a past footwear success -- Weeboks, a sneaker aimed at infants; 4 McDonalds needs to find out where to locate their 1000000th franchise.

In the case of Kellogg's, as Kellogg's needs to solicit an opinion from a specific market segment of potential consumers for a product that is not fully formulated in terms of its branding (as it is only a year old) descriptive research of how the elderly consumers find the product would be most appropriate, though the use of focus groups that have tried the cereal or surveys to those who have bought the cereal and did or did not like it over the course of the try-out period. Some exploratory research would be involved, as opinions could be solicited about possible improvements -- and the product could be taste-tested with an eye on further improvements from the selected sampling of the elderly. Causal research is also involved in terms of the why consumers did or did not like the product, and what motivated them to buy the product, if they did so spontaneously, and not as a result of a taste-test prompting.

NYU similarly could survey the class of 2005, distributing surveys and conducting a random selection of interviews from the outgoing class through the use of descriptive research. Reebok, however, since it has not yet created its newest version of the show product, would need to embark upon exploratory research to find out how the new audience of parents would view the baby shoe, with perhaps some causal research to discover why the 1980's version shoe declined in favor, from consumers who had purchased it long ago. Lastly, McDonald's would first need to conduct an exploratory study of the potential areas for the new franchises, followed with a descriptive study of why franchises had succeeded or failed in specific regions of the country, by surveying consumers in the area, and conducting causal research as to the internal causes of the failure in terms of budgeting and financing at such operations.