Download NEHRU ARTS AND SCIENCE COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF

NEHRU ARTS AND SCIENCE COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Question Bank
SUBJECT: MARKETING
SEMESTER:III
MANAGEMENT
CLASS: II BBA (IB)
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2016- 2017
UNIT - I
Definition of Marketing - Marketing Management- Marketing concept - meaning Importance
of marketing in developing countries - Functions of Marketing - Marketing environment:
various environmental factors affecting the marketing function.
UNIT - II
Buyer Behaviour - Buying motives. Market Segmentation - bases - Marketing strategy Market Structure - Definition and types of channel - Channel selection & problems.
UNIT - III
The Product - Types -consumer goods-industrial goods. Product Life Cycle (PLC) - Product
mix - modification & elimination - packing - Developing new Products- strategies.
UNIT - IV
Pricing: Meaning to Buyer & Seller - pricing policies – Objective factors influencing pricing
decisions - Competitors action to price changes – multi product pricing. Physical distribution
- Management of physical distribution - marketing risks.
UNIT - V
Branding Decisions: Brand-Brand Image, Brand Identity-Brand Personality -Positioning and
leveraging the brands-Brands Equity.
Reference Books:
1. Philip Kotler - Marketing Management
2. Rajan Nair - Marketing Management
3. Cundiff and Still - Fundamentals of modern marketing
UNIT - I
Definition of Marketing - Marketing Management- Marketing concept - meaning Importance
of marketing in developing countries - Functions of Marketing - Marketing environment:
various environmental factors affecting the marketing function.
UNIT-1
One words
1
Which of the following information forms available to the marketing manager can usually
be accessed more quickly and cheaply than other information sources___________
(1) Marketing intelligence (2) Marketing research (3) Internal databases
2
All of the following are considered to be drawbacks of local marketing
EXCEPT__________
(1) it can drive up manufacturing and marketing costs by reducing economies of
scale. (2) it can create logistical problems when the company tries to meet varied
requirements (3) it can attract unwanted competition
3
The biggest or greatest amount of involvement in a foreign market comes through which
of the following _________
(1) Exporting (2) Joint venturing (3) Direct investment
4
A ______________ is a good offered either free or at low cost as an incentive to buy a
product
(1) patronage reward (2) price pack (3) premium
5
Setting call objectives is done during which of the following stages of the selling process
___________
(1) Prospecting (2) Preapproach (3) Approach
6
The __________________ is a person within a reference group who, because of special
skills, knowledge, personality, or other characteristics, exerts influence on others.
(1) facilitator (2) referent actor (3) opinion leader
7
Concerns that the manufacturers of harmful products such as tobacco have influence on
lawmakers to the detriment of the public interest is used as evidence of which criticism of
marketing __________
(1) Too much advertising (2) Too few social goods (3) Too much political power
8
Sellers that handle their own exports are engaged in _______________
(1) Direct exporting (2) Indirect exporting (3) Licensing
9
More and more salespeople are being evaluated and compensated based on different
measures than in the past. All of the following are illustrations of those measures
EXCEPT:
(1) long-term customer satisfaction (2) competitive predatory pricing
performance (3) full customer service
The total number of items that the company carries within its product lines refers to the
10 ___________ of the product mix.
(1) Width (2) Depth (3) Length
Successful service companies focus their attention on both their customers and their
employees. They understand ___________________, which links service firm profits with
11
employee and customer satisfaction.
(1) Internal marketing (2) Service-profit claims (3)Interactive marketing
12
__________________ is quoted as saying that "everyone lives by selling something."
(1) Bill Gates (2) Robert Louis Stevenson (3) Henry Ford
Anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use, or consumption
13 that might satisfy a want or need is called a(n): ______________
(1) Idea (2) Demand (3) Product
The type of sales presentation approach that requires good listening and problem-solving
14 skills is the: _______________
(1) Canned approach (2) Formula approach (3) Need-satisfaction approach
Successful ________________ depends on how well a company blends its people,
organizational structure, decision and reward systems, and company culture into a
15
cohesive program that supports its strategies.
(1) Marketing strategy (2) Marketing control (3) Marketing implementation
______________ is the general term for a buying and selling process that is supported by
16 electronic means.
(1) Internet commerce (2) Web commerce (3) Electronic commerce
_________________ is a principle of enlightened marketing that requires that a company
17 seek real product and marketing improvements
(1) Innovative marketing (2) Consumer-oriented marketing(3) Value marketing
18
_______________ factors are the most popular bases for segmenting customer groups.
(1) Geographic (2) Demographic (3) Psychographic
When Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods use marketing to promote their careers and
19 improve their impact and incomes, they are using ____________
(1) cause-related marketing (2) Idea marketing (3) Person marketing
When an international seller sells a plant, equipment, or technology to another country and
20 agrees to take payment in the resulting products, it is called __________
(1) Barter (2) Buy-back (3) Counter purchase
21. Marketing refers to the __________
a) Sale of product b) Goods and services are exchanged to each other
c) All of these
22 .In the modern sense marketing is _______ oriented.
a) Consumer
b) Product
c) Sales
23. Marketing is essentially a __________ activity.
a) Management b) Selling c) Production
24. Marketing creates __________ for goods and services.
a) Customer b) Demand c) Product
25. Marketing provides maximum satisfaction of __________
a) Profits b) Human wants c) All of these
5 Mark Questions
1) Define marketing? What are the objectives of marketing?
2) Bring out the Functions of marketing management?
3) Define marketing concept? What are the benefits of modern concept of marketing?
4) Discuss marketing begins and ends with consumer
5) Explain the importance of marketing in developing countries.
8 Mark Questions
1) Explain briefly the Function of marketing?
2) Discuss clearly the modern concept of marketing?
3) Explain the various environmental factors affecting the marketing function?
UNIT - II
Buyer Behaviour - Buying motives. Market Segmentation - bases - Marketing strategy Market Structure - Definition and types of channel - Channel selection & problems.
UNIT-2
One words
1
Cognitive dissonance occurs in which stage of the buyer decision process
model_________
(1) Need recognition (2) Information search (3) Postpurchase behavior
2
That the company that overlooks new and better ways to do things will eventually lose
customers to another company that has found a better way of serving customer needs is a
major tenet of_________
(1) Innovative marketing (2) Consumer-oriented marketing(3) Value marketing
3
Pricing to cover variable costs and some fixed costs, as in the case of some automobile
distributorships that sell below total costs, is typical of which of the following pricing
objectives__________
(1) Current profit maximization (2) Product quality leadership (3)Survival
4
In determining salesforce size, when a company groups accounts into different size classes
and then determines the number of salespeople needed to call on them the desired number
of times, it is called the: _____________
(1) Key-size approach (2) Work-load approach (3) Product-need approach
5
____________________ are products bought by individuals and organizations for further
processing or for use in conducting a business
(1) Consumer products (2) Services (3) Industrial products
6
All of the following would be ways to segment within the category of psychographic
segmentation EXCEPT: _____________
(1) Social class (2) Occupation (3) Lifestyle
7
The Internet evolved from a network created by _________________ during the 1960s
(1) the Commerce department (2) the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (3) the
Defense department
8
In terms of execution styles, a family seated at the dinner table enjoying the advertised
product would be an example of which of the following types of advertising __________
(1) Slice of life (2) Life style (3) Mood or imagery
9
A child in the United States is normally exposed to all of the following values
EXCEPT:_______
(1) achievement and success (2) activity and involvement (3)Collectivism
10
The orange juice manufacturers know that orange juice is most often consumed in the
mornings. However, they would like to change this and make the drink acceptable during
other time periods during the day. Which form of segmentation would they need to work
with and establish strategy reflective of their desires ______________
(1) Gender segmentation (2) Benefit segmentation (3) Occasion segmentation
11
The typical method of retail operation used by supermarkets and catalog showrooms is
called __________
(1) Self-service retailing (2) Limited-service retailing (3) Full-service retailing
12
Using a successful brand name to introduce additional items in a given product category
under the same brand name (such as new flavors, forms, colors, added ingredients, or
package sizes) is called a(n): _________
(1) Line extension (2) Brand extension (3) Multibranding
13
When a company enters a new product category for which its current brand names are not
appropriate, it will likely follow which of the following brand strategies ___________
(1) Product extensions (2) Brand extensions (3) New brands
14
________________ consists of dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers on the
basis of needs, characteristics, or behavior who might require separate products or
marketing mixes
(1) Product differentiation (2) Market segmentation (3) Market targeting
15
_________________ are ads that appear while subscribers are surfing online services or
Web sites, including banners, pop-up windows, "tickers," and "roadblocks."
(1) Online infomercials (2) Online ads (3) Online broadcasts
16
In terms of special product life cycles, a _____________ is a basic and distinctive mode of
expression
(1) Genre (2) Style (3) Fashion
17
Many U.S. firms have sought relief from foreign competition by demanding protectionism
policies by the U.S. government. A better way for companies to compete is to expand into
foreign markets and: ___________
(1) Lower prices (2) continuously improve their products at home.(3) increase promotion
both at home and abroad
18
It is a fact that there are 24 million left-handed people in the United States, however, most
marketers do not attempt to appeal to or design products for this group because there is
little in the way of census data about this group. Therefore, this group fails in one of the
requirements for effective segmentation. Which of the following is most likely to apply in
this case ___________
(1) Actionable (2) Substantial (3) Measurable
19
The fact that services are sold, produced, and consumed at the same time refers to which
of the following service characteristics ___________
(1) Intangibility (2) Inseparability (3) Variability
A manufacturer has four sponsorship options. A _________________ is a brand created
20 and owned by a reseller of a product or service.
(1) Licensed brand (2) (3) Private brand
3M runs a Pollution Prevention Pays program that has led to a substantial reduction in
pollution and costs. This would be an example of responding to which of the following
21
__________
(1) (2) The "green movement (3) Government regulation
The stage is the product life cycle that focuses on expanding market and creating product
22 awareness and trial is the: __________
(1) Decline stage (2) Introduction stage (3) Growth stage
Regulations that arise to ensure that firms take responsibility for the social costs of their
products or production processes stem from which reason for government legislation of
23 business
(1) To protect companies from each other (2) To protect consumers from unfair business
practices. (3) To protect the interests of society.
24. Which concept of marketing is product oriented _________
a) Old concept of Marketing b) Modern concept of marketing
b) Entity concept of business
25. Product include __________
b) Ideas
b) Services
c) All of these
5 Mark Questions
1) Explain the importance of buying motives?
2) Define Channels of distribution? What are the basic channels of distribution?
3) Define marketing strategy? List out the factors affecting overall marketing strategy.
4) Write a short note on the market structure?
5) Describe the channel selection and problems
8 Mark Questions
1) Define market segmentation? Explain the various bases for market segmentation.
2) Briefly explain the Market structure
3) Explain briefly the types of channels distribution?
UNIT - III
The Product - Types -consumer goods-industrial goods. Product Life Cycle (PLC) - Product
mix - modification & elimination - packing - Developing new Products- strategies.
UNIT-3
1
Which of the following promotional budget methods wrongly views sales as the cause of
promotion rather than as the result ___________
(1) Affordable method (2) Percentage-of-sales method (3)Comparative-parity method
2
If the field salesforce has been supplied with new leads (via the telephone) that have been
qualified, they have probably been assisted by: ___________
(1) Master salespersons (2) Sales assistants (3) Telemarketers
3
Rolls Royce uses which of the following distribution formats ____________
(1) Intensive distribution (2) Exclusive distribution (3)Selective distribution
4
Drop shippers perform which of the following functions _________
(1) Assumes title and ships coal, lumber, or heavy equipment to a buyer (2) Stocks the
bread rack in a grocery store (3) Maintains, owns, and stocks a CD display in a grocery
store.
5
A set of interdependent organizations involved in the process of making a product or
service available for use or consumption by the consumer or business user is called a(n):
________
(1) Retailer (2) Wholesaler (3) Distribution channel
6
______________ beliefs and values are open to some degree of change.
(1) Crucial (2) Primary (3) Secondary
7
In evaluating messages for advertising, telling how the product is better than the
competing brands aims at making the ad: ___________
(1) Meaningful (2) Distinctive (3) Believable
8
When an importing country sets limits on the amount of goods it will accept in certain
product categories it is called a(n): ___________
(1) Quota (2) Barrier (3) Tariff
9
According to the price/quality strategy matrix, when a company overprices its product in
relation to its quality it is considered to be using which type of strategy __________
(1) Good-value strategy (2) Premium strategy (3) Over-charging strategy
___________________ is the practice of adopting policies and developing strategies that
10 both sustain the environment and produce profits for the company
(1) Environmentalism (2) Environmental sustainability (3)Consumerism
A ________________ is a promotion strategy that calls for using the sales force and trade
11 promotion to move the product through channels.
(1) Push strategy (2) Pull strategy (3) Blocking strategy
Consumer goods with unique characteristics or brand identification often requiring a
12 special purchase effort are called: ___________
(1) Custom products (2) Speciality products (3) Convenience products
Even though buying roles in the family change constantly, the ___________ has
13 traditionally been the main purchasing agent for the family.
(1) Wife (2) Husband (3) Teenage children
A(n) _______________________ is a retail store that carries a narrow product line with a
14 deep assortment within that line.
(1) Shopping goods store (2) Convenience store (3) Speciality store
Which of the following is NOT one of the five stages of the buyer decision process
15 _________
(1) need recognition (2) brand identification (3) information search
A _____________ is a need that is sufficiently pressing to direct the person to seek
16 satisfaction
(1) Motive (2) Want (3) Demand
If a firm were to bid to do a "turnkey" operation where they would choose a building site,
designing a cement factory to build the plant, hire construction crews, assemble materials
17 and equipment to run the new factory, and turn over the finished factory ready to operate
to the owners, the firm would be using which of the following ___________
(1) Core process products selling (2) Design products selling (3)System selling
According to the text, the most dramatic of the environments that affect marketing and
18 appears to be now shaping our world is the ________________ environment.
(1) Natural (2) Demographic (3) Technological
The "in" suppliers are most likely to get nervous and feel pressure to put their best foot
19 forward in which of the following types of buying situations _____________
(1) Modified rebuy (2) new task buying (3) Straight rebuy
_________________ is the step in the selling process in which the salesperson learns as
20 much as possible about a prospective customer before making a sales call
(1) Prospecting (2) Preapproach (3) Approach
21 The stages involved in new product development are _________
b) Idea screening
b) Generating new ideas
c) All of these
22 The product is a bundle of __________ that a customer buys.
b) Features b) Satisfaction c) Conveniences
23 Four P’s of marketing were given by __________
b) McCarthy b) H.Fayol c)
Peter Drucker
24 The product personality does not include __________
b) Price b) Product constituent c) Brand name
25 Product life cycle characteristics consists of _________
c) Customers b) Advertising c) All of these
5 Mark Questions
1) Define product mix? What are the factors that determine product mix?
2) What is packaging? Explain the types of package.
3) Explain the various methods of product modification.
4) Describe the elimination of the product.
5) Explain the strategies of the new products.
8 Mark Questions
1. Define product? Explain the consumer goods and industrial goods?
2. What is product life cycle? Describe the various stages in the product life cycle?
3. Define new product development? Explain briefly the process of new product
development?
UNIT - IV
Pricing: Meaning to Buyer & Seller - pricing policies – Objective factors influencing pricing
decisions - Competitors action to price changes – multi product pricing. Physical distribution
- Management of physical distribution - marketing risks.
UNIT-4
1
Traditionally, companies have defined their businesses in product terms or in
technological terms. However, mission statements should be all of the following EXCEPT:
__________
(1) Market oriented (2) A statement of religion (3) Motivating
2
A price reduction to buyers who buy in large volumes is called a(n): _________
(1) Quantity discount (2) Cash discount (3) Seasonal discount
3
R&D and engineering first produce the product concept into a physical product during
which of the following stages of the new product development process __________
(1) Marketing strategy (2) Business analysis (3) Product development
4
All of the following are criticisms leveled against marketing by critics EXCEPT:
________
(1) harming consumers through high prices (2) harming consumers through high-pressure
selling (3) harming consumers through too many product choices.
5
If Toyota describes one of its cars of the future as being "a moderately priced subcompact
designed as a second family car to be used around town; the car is ideal for running
errands and visiting friends," then the company has just stated a potential new product in
terms of a(n): ___________
(1) Product idea (2) Product image (3) Product concept
6
The primary reason that many companies work to become the "low-cost producers" in
their industry is because: ____________
(1) they can generate more advertising (2) they can please top management. (3) they can
set lower prices that result in greater sales and profits
7
Conflicts between different levels of the same channel of distribution are referred to as:
_________
(1) Horizontal conflicts (2) Vertical conflicts (3) Layer-basedconflicts
8
A company is practicing ________________ if it focuses on subsegments with distinctive
traits that may seek a special combination of benefits
(1) Micromarketing (2) Niche marketing (3) Mass marketing
9
If a consumer describes a car as being the "most economical car on the market," then this
descriptor is a: ___________
(1) Rule (2) Attitude (3) Belief
All of the following are commonly recognized promotion budget formats EXCEPT:
10 __________
(1) the affordable method (2) the LIFO method (3) the percentage-of-sales method
_______________ is a strategy of using a successful brand name to launch a new or
11 modified product in a new category.
(1) Duobranding (2) Line extension (3) Brand extension
The fact that services cannot be stored for later use or sale is evidence of their:
12 ___________
(1) Intangibility (2) Inseparability (3) Perishability
_________________ is the concept under which a company carefully integrates and
coordinates its many communications channels to deliver a clear, consistent, and
13 compelling message about the organization and its products.
(1) The promotion mix (2) Integrated international affairs (3)Integrated marketing
communications
Catalog marketing is big business in the United States. The average household receives
14 ______________ catalogs per year
(1) 25 (2) 50 (3) 75
A company faces several major decisions in international marketing. The first of these
decisions is often: ____________
15
(1) deciding whether to go international (2) looking at the global marketing
environment (3) deciding which markets to enter
16
A ____________________ is the way consumers perceive an actual or potential product
(1) Product idea (2) Product image (3) Product concept
The American Marketing Association suggests a list of code of ethics. All of the following
are ethics suggested in the area of distribution EXCEPT: _____________
17 (1) not manipulating the availability of a product for purpose of exploitation. (2) not using
coercion in the marketing channel. (3)using gray marketers whenever possible to save
the consumer money.
All of the following are methods by which a company can divide up its sales
responsibilities EXCEPT: ____________
18
(1) territorial sales force structure (2) psychographic trait sales force
structure (3) product sales force structure.
If your company were to make a product such as a suit of clothes and sold that product to a
19 retailer, your company would have sold to the ___________ market.
(1) Reseller (2) Business (3) Government
20
The most logical budget setting method is found in the list below. Which is it __________
(1) Affordable method (2) Percentage-of-Sales method (3)Objective-and-task method
The place in the business buying behavior model where interpersonal and individual
21 influences might interact is called the: __________
(1) Environment (2) Response (3) Buying center
22 The product is a bundle of ________ that a customer buys
(a) features(b) preferences
(c) satisfaction
23. Four P’s of marketing were given by ___________
(a) H.Fayol(b) Peter Drucker(c) McCarthy
24. Prices are kept very high in ________ pricing policies
(a) skimming(b) penetration (c) customary
25. Physical distribution _________
(a) is consent mainly with speed of delivery(b) is used only by manufacturers(c) involves the
movement of products from producers to end-users
5 Mark Questions
1. Explain the factors influencing pricing decisions.
2. What are the basic pricing policies? Explain them briefly.
3. Explain briefly the procedure for price determination
4. Write a note on penetration pricing strategy.
5. Discuss the various methods of pricing.
8 Mark Questions
1. What is pricing? Discuss the various kinds of pricing.
2. What do you mean by physical distribution? Explain the importance and elements of
physical distribution.
3. Explain the factors influencing price determination.
UNIT - V
Branding Decisions: Brand-Brand Image, Brand Identity-Brand Personality -Positioning and
leveraging the brands-Brands Equity.
UNIT-5
1. When producers, wholesalers, and retailers act as a unified system, they comprise a
_________
(1) Conventional marketing system (2) Power-based marketing system (3) Vertical marketing
system
2. One common misuse of marketing research findings in contemporary business is the tendency
for marketing research to ____________
(1) Market place (2) become a vehicle for discriminating in the marketplace(3) become a
means for raising prices.
3. ________________ has the advantage of being high in selectivity; low cost; immediacy; and
interactive capabilities
(1) Direct mail (2) Outdoor (3) Online
4. The choice between high markups and high volume is part of which of the following retailer
marketing decisions ______________
(1) Target market decisions (2) Product assortment and services decisions (3) Pricing decisions
5. If an advertiser wants flexibility, timeliness, good local market coverage, broad acceptability,
and high believability, the advertiser will probably choose which of the following mass media
types ______________
(1) Newspapers (2) Television (3) Direct mail
6. If your company were to make light bulbs to be used in photocopiers, you would most likely
be selling to a ________________ market
(1) Reseller (2) Business (3) Government
7. A(n) _______________ is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of these
that identifies the maker or seller of a product or service
(1) Product feature (2) Sponsorship (3) Brand
8. All of the following factors can affect the attractiveness of a market segment EXCEPT:
________
(1) the presence of many strong and aggressive competitors (2)the likelihood of government
monitoring (3) actual or potential substitute products
9. A _______________ is any activity or benefit offered for sale that is essentially intangible and
does not result in the ownership of anything
(1) Demand (2) Product (3) Service
10. If Mark Mars pays Hershey Foods Corporation for the right to use their name on his line of
T-shirts, then Mr. Mars is using which type of branding ___________
(1) Licensed brand (2) (3) Private brand
11. The _______________ holds that consumers will favor products that are available and highly
affordable (therefore, work on improving production and distribution efficiency).
(1) product concept (2) production concept (3) production cost expansion concept
12. A company is in the ______________ stage of the new product development process when
the company develops the product concept into a physical product in order to assure that the
product idea can be turned into a workable product
(1) Product development (2) Commercialization (3) Marketing strategy
13. Joining with foreign companies to produce or market products and services is called:
__________
(1) Direct exporting (2) Indirect exporting (3) Joint venturing
14. The major advantage of survey research is its: ___________
(1) Simplicity (2) Structure (3) Flexibility
15. The type of salesforce structure in which the salesforce sells along product lines is called a:
______________
(1) territorial salesforce (2) product salesforce (3) customer salesforce
16. A "three-day cooling off period" in which buyers can cancel a contract after re-thinking it is
to protect the consumer from: ___________
(1) creative selling (2) high pressure selling (3) detail selling
17. The practice of going after a large share of a smaller market or subsets of a few markets is
called: ___________
(1) undifferentiated marketing. (2) differentiated marketing (3)Concentrated marketing
18. When Coca-Cola and Nestle formed a joint venture to market a ready-to-drink coffee and tea
worldwide, the type of marketing system that was formed would best be described as being a(n):
_____________
(1) vertical marketing system (2) parallel marketing system (3)horizontal marketing system
19. If Honda uses its company name to cover such different products as its automobiles, lawn
mowers, and motorcycles, it is practicing which of the following strategies ____________
(1) new brand strategy (2) line extension strategy (3) brand extension strategy
20. The process that turns marketing strategies and plans into marketing actions in order to
accomplish strategic marketing objectives is called ____________
(1) Marketing strategy (2) Marketing control (3) Marketing implementation
21. One of the most promising developments in multivariable segmentation is called
_________________ where a host of demographic and socioeconomic factors are used.
(1) terragraphic segmentation (2) fermagraphic segmentation (3)geodemographic segmentation
22. Marketers are sometimes accused of deceptive practices that lead consumers to believe they
will get more value than they actually do. ______________ includes practices such as falsely
advertising "factory" or "wholesale" prices or a large price reduction from a phony high retail
price.
(1) Deceptive promotion (2) Deceptive packaging (3) Deceptive pricing
23. Sources of brand image ________
(a) Provider driven(b) Product driven
(c) all of the above
24. Brand personality is the __________ of brand in human terms
(a) visualization(b) Specification
(c) Perception
25. Consumer behavior consists of all human ________that go in making purchase decisions
(a) behavior(b) code of conduct
(c) character
5 Mark Questions
1. What is Brand? Explain the various kinds of brand.
2. What is meant by brand personality? Explain the types of brand personalities
3. What are the features of a good brand?
4. What are the advantages of branding from the point of view of procedures?
5. Briefly explain the various categories of brand’s assets.
8 Mark Questions
1. What is brand identity and why it is important for a brand? Explain by depicting
certain sources of brand identity.
2. Explain brand equity and its significance. What are the factors that derive brand equity.
3. Define Branding. Explain its merits and demerits.