Apex Jerseys, a manufacturer of sports apparel and sporting equipment, has experienced a sharp drop in sales over the last quarter. The marketing manager has asked the research department to investigate this alarming development. The first step taken by the researchers in their investigation should be to ___________.
A. Design a questionnaire to gather pertinent data
B. Decide which statistical procedure to use
C. Determine sources of internal secondary data
D. Identify the sample of customers to survey
E. Formulate a specific research problem
Answer: E. Formulate a specific research problem