Definition and scope of marketing MCQs With Answer

Introduction

Understanding the definition and scope of marketing is essential for B.Pharm students preparing for industry roles, drug promotion, and pharmacy management. This resource, ‘Definition and scope of marketing MCQs With Answer’, explains key marketing concepts—marketing definition, marketing mix (4Ps/7Ps), market research, segmentation, targeting, positioning, product life cycle, pricing, distribution, promotion, digital marketing, regulatory compliance and ethics—in a pharmaceutical context. Emphasis is on practical applications in pharma sales, supply chain, brand management and patient-focused communication. These MCQs reinforce theory with scenario-based questions, industry terms and regulatory considerations relevant to pharmacy practice. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. What is the most accurate definition of marketing in a pharmaceutical context?

• Only advertising drugs to doctors and patients
• The process of creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging value related to pharmaceutical products and services
• Regulatory approval activities for new drugs
• Manufacturing and quality control of medicines

Correct Answer: The process of creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging value related to pharmaceutical products and services

Q2. Which element is not part of the traditional marketing mix (4Ps)?

• Product
• Price
• Promotion
• Procurement

Correct Answer: Procurement

Q3. In pharmaceutical marketing, ‘segmentation’ primarily refers to:

• Dividing the market into distinct groups of patients or prescribers with similar needs
• Setting prices for different drugs
• Mass advertising to all healthcare professionals
• Manufacturing drugs in different batches

Correct Answer: Dividing the market into distinct groups of patients or prescribers with similar needs

Q4. Which basis of market segmentation is most commonly used for targeting physicians?

• Geographic segmentation only
• Behavioral segmentation such as prescribing behavior and specialty
• Psychographic segmentation only
• Random sampling of all professionals

Correct Answer: Behavioral segmentation such as prescribing behavior and specialty

Q5. ‘Positioning’ in marketing means:

• Setting the price of a new drug
• Managing distribution logistics
• Designing a distinctive place for a product in the mind of the target audience
• Registering a product with regulatory authorities

Correct Answer: Designing a distinctive place for a product in the mind of the target audience

Q6. Which stage of the product life cycle is characterized by rapidly increasing sales and expanding distribution?

• Introduction
• Growth
• Maturity
• Decline

Correct Answer: Growth

Q7. Market research in pharma is primarily used to:

• Only check manufacturing defects
• Identify unmet medical needs, evaluate market potential and guide marketing strategy
• Replace clinical trials
• Set government pricing

Correct Answer: Identify unmet medical needs, evaluate market potential and guide marketing strategy

Q8. Which pricing strategy involves setting a low initial price to penetrate the market quickly?

• Price skimming
• Penetration pricing
• Cost-plus pricing
• Psychological pricing

Correct Answer: Penetration pricing

Q9. Which distribution channel is most common for prescription medicines?

• Direct-to-patient home delivery only
• Wholesalers to pharmacies and hospitals
• Door-to-door sales by manufacturers
• Retail non-pharmacy kiosks

Correct Answer: Wholesalers to pharmacies and hospitals

Q10. Which promotional tool is strictly regulated in pharmaceutical marketing?

• Clinical trial design
• Prescription drug advertising and promotional claims
• Packaging color choice
• Sales training manuals

Correct Answer: Prescription drug advertising and promotional claims

Q11. Ethical marketing in pharmacy primarily requires:

• Maximizing sales at any cost
• Transparent, evidence-based promotion and patient safety prioritization
• Ignoring adverse event reporting
• Offering incentives for inappropriate prescribing

Correct Answer: Transparent, evidence-based promotion and patient safety prioritization

Q12. Which digital marketing tactic is most effective for physician engagement?

• Mass text messages to patients
• Email newsletters, webinars and medical portals with scientific content
• Irrelevant social media memes
• Cold calls with unverified claims

Correct Answer: Email newsletters, webinars and medical portals with scientific content

Q13. SWOT analysis in marketing evaluates:

• Supply chain logistics only
• Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of a product or company
• Only market share numbers
• Clinical efficacy data exclusively

Correct Answer: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of a product or company

Q14. A ‘target market’ is best described as:

• All people in a country
• The specific group of customers the company aims to serve
• Only hospital administrators
• Only uninsured patients

Correct Answer: The specific group of customers the company aims to serve

Q15. Which regulatory guideline commonly governs pharmaceutical promotion in many countries?

• International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
• Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
• Guidelines on ethical promotion and drug advertising (national codes and WHO/ICH recommendations)
• Building codes

Correct Answer: Guidelines on ethical promotion and drug advertising (national codes and WHO/ICH recommendations)

Q16. ‘Customer Relationship Management’ (CRM) in pharma focuses on:

• Only clinical data collection
• Managing interactions with healthcare professionals and patients to build long-term relationships
• Packing design optimization
• Laboratory quality assurance

Correct Answer: Managing interactions with healthcare professionals and patients to build long-term relationships

Q17. Which marketing metric measures how many new prescriptions a product obtains over time?

• Market penetration rate
• New prescription rate or Rx growth
• Average revenue per user (ARPU) only
• Adverse event rate

Correct Answer: New prescription rate or Rx growth

Q18. Product differentiation in pharmaceutical marketing usually relies on:

• Unique clinical benefits, dosing convenience, safety profile and support services
• Lowering quality standards
• Copying competitor promotional materials
• Ignoring regulatory approvals

Correct Answer: Unique clinical benefits, dosing convenience, safety profile and support services

Q19. Which external factor is included in a PESTLE analysis relevant to pharma marketing?

• Patient adherence only
• Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental influences
• Internal staffing policies
• Product formulation steps

Correct Answer: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental influences

Q20. Which is an example of pull marketing in pharmaceuticals?

• Detailing to physicians only
• Direct-to-consumer advertising that generates patient demand
• Offering discounts to wholesalers exclusively
• Regulatory submissions

Correct Answer: Direct-to-consumer advertising that generates patient demand

Q21. Which term refers to promoting rational drug use and accurate information to prescribers?

• Misleading promotion
• Medical education and scientific communication
• Unregulated marketing
• Guerilla marketing

Correct Answer: Medical education and scientific communication

Q22. ‘Pharmacoeconomics’ in marketing helps to:

• Ignore cost considerations
• Assess cost-effectiveness and value to support pricing and reimbursement decisions
• Replace clinical efficacy studies
• Design packaging aesthetics

Correct Answer: Assess cost-effectiveness and value to support pricing and reimbursement decisions

Q23. A ‘brand’ in pharmaceutical marketing is primarily:

• The chemical name only
• The identity including name, logo and reputation that differentiates a product
• Packaging weight only
• Only the manufacturer address

Correct Answer: The identity including name, logo and reputation that differentiates a product

Q24. Which practice is considered non-compliant in many countries for pharma promotion?

• Providing balanced scientific information
• Paying prescribers to write prescriptions without disclosure
• Sponsoring independent medical education transparently
• Reporting adverse events promptly

Correct Answer: Paying prescribers to write prescriptions without disclosure

Q25. Which tool helps forecast demand and plan inventory in pharmaceutical marketing?

• Random guessing
• Sales forecasting models and demand planning
• Ignoring seasonal variations
• Only relying on regulatory filings

Correct Answer: Sales forecasting models and demand planning

Q26. The primary objective of pharmaceutical promotion is to:

• Promote safe and effective use of medicines with accurate information
• Promote off-label uses indiscriminately
• Evade pharmacovigilance requirements
• Prioritize sales over safety

Correct Answer: Promote safe and effective use of medicines with accurate information

Q27. Which segmentation variable is important for OTC products?

• Doctor prescribing behavior only
• Demographic and lifestyle factors of consumers
• Pharmacy wholesaler contracts only
• Clinical trial endpoints only

Correct Answer: Demographic and lifestyle factors of consumers

Q28. In pharma marketing, ‘route to market’ refers to:

• The chemical synthesis pathway
• The channels and partners used to deliver products to end users (e.g., wholesalers, pharmacies, hospitals)
• Only the sales target list
• Clinical trial site selection

Correct Answer: The channels and partners used to deliver products to end users (e.g., wholesalers, pharmacies, hospitals)

Q29. Which KPI best indicates promotional effectiveness among physicians?

• Number of manufacturing batches
• Change in prescribing volume or market share after promotional activity
• Number of facility inspections
• Time to regulatory approval

Correct Answer: Change in prescribing volume or market share after promotional activity

Q30. When launching a new drug, which marketing activity should be prioritized early?

• Ignoring stakeholder education
• Stakeholder mapping, clinical value communication and compliance planning
• Mass discounting without evidence
• Immediate global advertising without local approval

Correct Answer: Stakeholder mapping, clinical value communication and compliance planning

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