Course Name :Research Methodology

Module 5 :Data analysis, Report and

Decision making
Data analysis and interpretation

Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing,

transforming and modeling data with the goal of
discovering useful information, informing conclusions
and supporting decision-making.

Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches,

encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of
names, and is used in different business, science, and
social science domains.

In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in

making decisions more scientific and helping
businesses operate more effectively.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
Basic Objectives in Data Analysis

In data analysis we have three objectives:

• Getting a feel for the data : The feel for the data will give preliminary ideas of how good the scales
are, how well the coding and entering of data have been done, and so on. Suppose an item tapped on
a 7-point scale has been improperly coded and/or entered as 8; this will be highlighted by the
maximum values on the descriptive statistics and the error can be rectified.
• Testing the goodness of data: The second objective—testing the goodness of data—can be
accomplished by submitting the data for factor analysis, obtaining the Cronbach‘s alpha or the split-
half reliability of the measures, and so on
• The third objective—hypotheses testing—is achieved by choosing the appropriate menus of the
software programs, to test each of the hypotheses using the relevant statistical test. The results of
these tests will determine whether or not the hypotheses are substantiated

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Data analysis and interpretation of results may be most meaningfully explained by

referring to a business research project.

After a very brief description of the back- ground of the company in which the research
was carried out and the sample, we will discuss the analysis done to obtain a feel for the
data, establish reliability, and test each hypothesis.

We will also discuss how the results are interpreted

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
RESEARCH DONE IN EXCELSIOR ENTERPRISES

Excelsior Enterprises is a medium-sized company, manufacturing and selling instruments and

supplies needed by the health care industry, including blood pressure instruments, surgical
instruments, dental accessories, and so on.

The company, with a total of 360 employees working three shifts, is doing reasonably well but
could do far better if it did not experience employee turnover at almost all levels and in all the
departments.

The president of the company called in a research team to study the situation and to make
recommendations on the turnover problem.

Since access to those who had left the company would be difficult, the research team suggested
to the president that they would talk to the current employees, and based on their inputs and a
literature survey, try to get at the factors influencing employees ‘intentions to stay with, or leave,
the company

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
RESEARCH DONE IN EXCELSIOR ENTERPRISES

The team first conducted an unstructured interview with about 50 employees at various levels
and from different departments.

Their broad statement was: ―We are here to find out how you experience your work life.

Tell us whatever you consider is important for you in your job, as issues relate to your work, the
environment, the organization, supervision, and whatever else you think is relevant.

If we get a good handle on the issues involved, we may be able to make appropriate
recommendations to management to enhance the quality of your work life.

We would just like to talk to you now, and administer a questionnaire later. Each interview typically
lasted about 45 minutes, and notes on the responses were written down by the team members

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
 Some Preliminary Steps

It is useful to know that the SPSS Student Version 11.0 for Windows comes with an online
tutorial, which can be very helpful.

To have some idea of how the Main Menu in SPSS Version 11.0 is set up, the main bar lists
several items, two of which are used frequently during data analysis—the TRANSFORM and
the STATISTICS menus.

The Transform menu makes changes to selected variables and computes new variables.

Statistics menu is used to perform any selected statistical procedure.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
 Some Preliminary Steps

By clicking on Recode in the pull-down menu from Transform, new values can be
assigned to a variable, and

By clicking on Compute and doing what is indicated in the same menu, a new variable
can be computed.

Missing values can be assigned a number by clicking on Data in the menu bar, then
clicking on the Define variable dialog box, and thereafter on Missing Values, and following
through.

Once these preliminaries are taken care of, the reliability of measures can be checked.
.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
 Checking the Reliability of Measures: Cronbach’s Alpha

The interitem consistency reliability or the Cronbach ‘s alpha reliability coefficients of the five independent and
dependent variables were obtained. They were all above .80.

A sample of the result obtained for Cronbach ‘s alpha test for the dependent variable, Intention to Leave, together with
instructions on how it is obtained is, shown in Output 12.1.

The result indicates that the Cronbach ‘s alpha for the six-item Intention to Leave measure is .82. The closer the
reliability coefficient gets to 1.0, the better.

In general, reliabilities less than .60 are considered to be poor, those in the 70 range, acceptable, and those over .80
good.

Cronbach ‘s alpha for the other four independent variables ranged from 81 to 85.

Thus, the internal consistency relies- ability of the measures used in this study can be considered to be good. It is
important to note that all the negatively worded items in the questionnaire should first be reversed before the items are
submitted for reliability tests.

Unless all the items measuring a variable are in the same direction, the reliabilities obtained will be incorrect.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
 Software packages for Data Analysis

SPSS stated earlier r, SPSS has software programs that can create sur- (questionnaire design) through the SPSS Data
Entry Builder, collect data the Internet or Intranet through the SPSS Data Entry Enterprises Server, enter collected data
through the SPSS Data Entry Station, and SPSS 11.0 to analyze data collected

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
Report

It is important that the results of the study and the recommendations to solve the problem are effectively
communicated to the sponsor, so that the suggestions made are accepted and implemented.

Otherwise, all the effort hitherto expended on the investigation would be in vain.

Writing the report concisely, convincingly, and with clarity is perhaps as important, if not more, than
conducting a perfect research study.

Hence, a well-thought-out written report and oral presentation are critical.

The contents and organization of both modes of communication—the written report and the oral
presentation—depend on the purpose of the research study, and the audience to which it is targeted

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
Written Report

The written report enables the manager to weigh the facts and arguments presented therein, and
implement the acceptable recommendations, with a view to closing the gap between the existing state of
affairs and the desired state.

To achieve its goal, the written report has to focus on the issues discussed below.

Reports could aim at different purposes and hence the form of the written report would vary according to
the situation.

It is important to identify the purpose of the report, so that it can be tailored accordingly.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE REPORT

The Title Page

The title of the report should succinctly indicate what the study is all about. Examples of some good
report titles are:

1. A Study of Customer Satisfaction with the Pizza Hut at Sunshine City, Illinois
2. Factors Influencing the Burnout of Nurses in Monroe Hospital
3. Antecedents and Consequences of White-Collar Employees ‘Resistance to Mechanization in Service
Industries
4. Factors Affecting the Upward Mobility of Women in Accounting Firms
5. A Study of Portfolio Balancing and Risk Management in Investment Firms

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE REPORT

Table of Contents

The table of contents with page references usually lists the important headings and subheadings in the
report. A separate list of tables and figures should also be listed in the table of contents.

The Research Proposal and the Authorization Letter

A copy of the letter of authorization from the sponsor of the study approving the investigation and
detailing its scope will be attached at the beginning of the report along with the research proposal. The
authorization makes clear to the reader that the goals of the study have had the full blessings of the
organization.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE REPORT

The Executive Summary or Synopsis

The executive summary (or synopsis) is a brief account of the research study that provides an overview,
and highlights the following important information related to it: the problem statement, sampling design,
data collection methods used, results of data analysis, findings, and recommendations, with suggestions
for their implementation. The executive summary (or synopsis) will be brief—usually three pages or less
in length.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
ORAL PRESENTATION

Usually organizations (and instructors in classes) require about a 20-minute oral presentation of the
research project, followed by a question and answer session. The oral presentation calls for
considerable planning.

Imagine a study that spanned over several months having to be presented in 20 minutes to a live
audience! Those who have not read the report at all, or at best only superficially, have to be convinced
that the recommendations made therein would indeed prove to be beneficial to the organization.

All this will have to be effectively accomplished in the matter of a few minutes. The challenge exists to
present the important aspects of the study so as to hold the interest of the audience, while still providing
statistical and quantitative information, which may drive many in it to ennui.

To make all this possible, time and effort have to be expended in planning, organizing, and rehearsing the
presentation. Slides, overheads, charts, graphs, handouts—all in large, bold print, and preferably in
multicolor—help the presenter to sustain the interest of the audience.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
Deciding on the Content – Oral Presentation

Because a lot of material has to be covered in perhaps a 20-

minute presentation, it becomes necessary to decide on the
points to be focused on and the importance to be given to
each..

Obviously, the problem investigated, the results found, the

conclusions drawn, the recommendations made, and the
ways in which they can be implemented are of vital interest to
organizational members, and need to be emphasized during
the presentation

The design aspects of the study, details of the sample, data

collection methods, details of data analysis, and the like, can
be mentioned in passing to be picked up at the question and
answer session by the interested members

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
Visual Aids

Graphs, charts, and tables help to drive home the points one
wishes to make much faster and more effectively, true to the
adage that a picture is worth a thou- sand words.

Visual aids provide a captivating sensory stimulus that

sustains the attention of the audience. Modern PowerPoint
technology makes it possible for color graphics to be
produced on personal computers and projected onto the
screen.

Slides, transparencies, flip charts, the chalkboard, and

handout materials also help the audience to easily follow the
points of the speaker ‘s focus

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
The Presenter

An effective presentation is also a function of how ―unstressed the

presenter is.

The speaker should establish eye contact with the audience, speak
audibly and understandably, and be sensitive to the nonverbal
reactions of the Audience.

The display of extreme nervousness throughout the presentation,

stumbling for words, fumbling with the notes or audiovisuals,
speaking inaudibly and/or with distracting mannerisms, straying away
from the main focus of the study, and exceeding the time limit all
detract from effectiveness.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
The Presentation

The opening remarks set the stage for riveting the attention of
the audience.

Certain aspects such as the problem investigated, the findings,

the conclusions drawn, the recommendations made and their
implementation are, as previously mentioned, important
aspects of the presentation.

The speaker should drive home these points at least three

times—once in the beginning, again when each of these areas
is covered, and finally, while summarizing and bringing the
presentation to a conclusion.

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Data analysis, Report and Decision making
THANK YOU