According to the Guide to Business Data Analytics, a study population is the subset of the population that meets the eligibility criteria for the research question. A study population should be representative of the population of interest and relevant to the business problem or opportunity. In this situation, the survey will establish a poor study population because the students from local colleges and universities within a 50km radius may not reflect the characteristics, preferences, and behaviours of the potential online customers for the fifty-year-old brick and mortar business. The students may have different demographics, income levels, shopping habits, and needs than the target market for the business. Therefore, the survey results may not be generalizable or applicable to the population of interest and may not provide valid and reliable insights for predicting future sales.
References: Guide to Business Data Analytics, page 48-49; CBDA Exam Blueprint, page 7; Population vs.
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