This is another question from Chapter 20.

29.    General summaries and overall marketing cost data

    a)     should not be too detailed, since detailed analysis requires allocating costs that are actually fixed.
This answer seems to have been written by someone who confuses direct costs and fixed costs. For all of you accounting buffs, you certainly understood that.

    b)    are usually enough to reveal areas where changes are needed.
No, but they will give some idea on trends.

    c)    may hide problems rather than highlight them.
Indeed, averages and/or general summaries do not give an accurate picture of the situation.

    d)    are usually the key to identifying how to improve the marketing plan.
No, but they are a good starting point to determine where one should start looking further.

    e)    all of the above are true.
Of course not.