Part Three Questions 15-20. (18 points)
Read the following passage and choose the best statement (A, B, C or D) for each question.
Criticisms of Marketing
While marketing is viewed as offering significant benefits to organizations and to society, the fact that marketing is a business function operating in close contact with the public opens this functional area to extensive criticism. Among the issues cited by those who criticize marketing are:
Marketing Encourages People to Purchase What They Do Not Need
Possibly the criticism most frequently made about marketing is that marketers are only concerned with getting customers to buy whether they want the product or not. The root of this argument stems from the belief that marketers are only out to satisfy their own needs and really do not care about the needs of their customers.
As we will discuss, while many marketers are guilty of manipulating customers into making unwanted purchases, the vast majority understand that undertaking such tactics will not lead to loyal customers and, consequently, is unlikely to lead to longer term success.
Marketers Embellish Product Claims
Marketers are often criticized for exaggerating the benefits offered by their products. This is especially the case with the part of marketing that engages in customer communication, such as advertising and salespeople. The most serious problems arise when product claims are seen as misleading customers into believing a product can offer a certain level of value that, in fact, it cannot.
But sometimes there is a fine line between what a rational person should accept as a “reasonable exaggeration” and what is considered downright misleading. Fortunately, many countries offer customers some level of protection from misleading claims since such business practices may subject the marketer to legal action. Again, using such tactics is likely to lead to marketing failure as customers will not be satisfied and will likely not return.
Marketing Discriminates in Customer Selection
We will see that a key to marketing success is to engage in a deliberate process that identifies customers who offer marketers the best chance for satisfying organizational objectives. This method, called target marketing, often drives most marketing decisions, including product development and price setting. But some argue that target marketing leads marketers to focus their efforts primarily on customers who have the financial means to make more expensive purchases. They contend that doing so intentionally discriminates against others, especially lower income customers who cannot afford to purchase higher priced products. This group ends up being targeted with lower quality (and in some cases less safe) products or for some groups, no product options.
While this criticism is often valid, it is worth noting that while many “lower quality” products are inferior to current high-end products, comparison of their quality to similar products from just a few years ago shows there has been significant improvement. For instance, low cost electronic equipment, such as digital cameras, offer more features compared to low cost cameras of just a few years ago. Thus, while certain customer groups may not be the target market for certain new product offerings they may eventually benefit from higher-end products.
15. It is widely believed while doing marketing, __________.
A. marketers concern the needs of their customers most
B. marketers are only out to satisfy their own needs
C. marketers often encourage people to buy what they want
D. marketers have no discrimination against some people
16. The underlined word “Embellish” in the second subheading probably means __________.
A. manipulate
B. embed
C. exaggerate
D. misuse
17. The most serious problem about product claims is __________.
A. people are misled into believing a product can offer a certain level of value that, in fact, it cannot
B. products are reasonably exaggerated
C. some people are excluded from buying higher-end products
D. marketers making misleading claims would face legal action
18. Marketing decisions such as product development and price setting are often made based on __________.
A. the opinions of the marketers
B. a process called target marketing
C. the criticism from the public
D. the preference of the customers
19. The target customers of marketing are often those __________.
A. who have lower incomes
B. who benefit from higher-end products
C. who contend that target marketing intentionally discriminates against others
D. who have the financial means to make more expensive purchases
20. According to the writer, __________.
A. most marketers know the negative effect of manipulating customers into making unwanted purchases
B. exaggerating the benefits of products is unlikely to lead to marketing failure
C. low income customers can only afford low quality products
D. customers have no ways to protect themselves from misleading claims
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