Page 152 -

ChaPter 4 • InformatIon GatherInG: InteraCtIve methods 119

COnsUlting OppORtUnity 4.4

The Unbearable Questionnaire

“I’m going to go into a depression or at least a slump if someone “Rich Kleintz,” By and Sal call out in unison.
doesn’t figure this out soon,” say Penny Stox, office manager for “Well, as you can see, it’s not telling us anything!” Penny
Carbon, Carbon, & Rippy, a large brokerage firm. Penny is sitting exclaims.
across a conference table from you and two of her most productive Penny and her staff are dissatisfied with the responses
account executives, By Lowe and Sal Hy. You are all mulling over they have received on the unbearable questionnaire, and they
the responses to a questionnaire that has been distributed among feel that the responses are unrealistic reflections of the amount
the firm’s account executives, which is shown in Figure 4.C1. of information account executives want. In a paragraph, state
“We need a crystal ball to understand these,” By and Sal call why these problems are occurring. On a separate sheet, change
out together. the scaling of the questions to avoid these problems.
“Maybe it reflects some sort of optimistic cycle or something,”
Penny says as she reads more of the responses. “Who designed this
gem, anyway?”

Figure 4.C1
A questionnaire developed
for the brokerage firm
Carbon, Carbon, & Rippy by
1. Industry Reports
Circle the appropriate number for each source of information described.
Rich Kleintz.
Less About
1 the Same
2 3 More
4
2. Trend Analysis 5
Less About
1 2 the Same We need to
3 More change this
4 5 questionnaire.
3. Computer-Generated Graphs
Less About -Penny
1 2 the Same
3 More
4 5
4. Investment Advisory Services
Less About
1 2 the Same
3 More
4 5

5. Point and Figure Charts
Less About
1 the Same
2
3 More
4
5
6. Computerized Portfolio Analysis
Less About
1 the Same
2
3 More
7. Hot Tips 4
5
Less About
1 the Same
2
3 More
4
5