Name the sampling techniques used at each of the three stages
Several sampling techniques were employed in the three stages. In the first stage of data collection, the selection of the division manager and six managers was based on convenience sampling as the sample was chosen based on ease. However, in the selection of employees who participated in data collection, both stratified and random sampling techniques were employed. First, the employees were stratified into cells before random sampling was applied to select one employee from each cell. In the second stage, stratified sampling was used to categorize employees by department and cell. In the final stage, the researcher made use of a stratified sampling technique because all employees other than those from the production department, and managers were interviewed separately.
List possible reasons for the choice of each of these techniques
Convenience sampling was used because the researcher wanted to have a background on the changes from all stakeholders involved. In the second stage, stratified sampling was used to categorize employees by department and cell. The final technique of stratified sampling was employed to test the impact change had on specific departments. This technique was used to seek clarification on issues that arose during questionnaire analysis and that affected the three categories.
Given the quoted response rate of 97.6%, what is the accuracy (margin of error) of the questionnaire results for the division likely to have been?
With a confidence level of 0.976 (97.6%), the critical value equals 1.90, given a sample size of 250 and a margin of error of = 1.9/ 2√250= 1.9/31.62= 0.06*100= 6%.
What issues will need to be taken into account when generalizing from the questionnaire results to:
All employees in each department of the Electrics division?
When generalizing to all employees in each department of the electric division, the researcher must consider several factors such as the population size, the sample size, and the response rate achieved.
All employees in the Electrics division?
When generalizing to all employees in the Electrics division, a comparison is done of the employees who responded early, those who responded late, and those who never responded at all. Finally, a comparison of the results achieved in the above cases should be undertaken before any generalization is undertaken.
Give reasons for your answers
By taking into account the above factors, the researcher ensures that sample outcomes are a true reflection of the population. Similarly, sample bias and the margin of error is significantly minimized.
Would it be possible to use the results from the three sample surveys outlined in this case to generalize about the management of change in the Hattersley pIc group?
Yes, it would be possible to generalize the outcome because of several reasons.
Give reasons for your answer
First, the sample used was representative of the entire population as it involved the division head, managers, and employees in the firm. Also, the views of all the departments and the cells within the departments were taken into consideration. Second, the response rate was significantly higher than 97.6 percent implying that what is true of the sample can be true of the population.
Case Study 2
Identify data sources used by Tony and Jim in this research
In their research, Tony and Jim made use of both secondary and tertiary data sources. Primary data source by definition is that data that a researcher collects directly from firsthand experience while secondary data refers to data that is either published or collected by other parties in the past.
Which of these are secondary data and which are primary data?
The Stock Exchange Regulatory News Service terminal that Tony and Jim had access to at a fee is a tertiary source of data. On the other hand, full annual reports for 148 companies that Tony and Jim gathered are secondary data. After analyzing the preliminary reports and full annual reports, Tony and Jim came up with a primary data source as they were in a position to conclude that approximately 56 percent of the preliminary reports were issued after the respective companies had completed their full audit reports.
Give reasons for your answers
The RNS is a tertiary source because it digests formats and condenses secondary data, especially company preliminary reports, and transforms them into a convenient and easy to read format. The company’s annual reports are secondary data sources because they interpret, describe, evaluate, and analyze the respective companys primary data sources. Finally, the conclusion arrived at by Tony and Jim after testing their hypothesis was based on the first hand computed figures from the various reports and preliminary reports consulted.
What other methods (if any) do you think Tony and Jim could have used to obtain the data they needed to test their hypothesis?
It would have been almost impossible for Tony and Jim to get preliminary reports data anywhere else. However, they could get full annual reports for the respective companies from various sources that include the respective companys websites and online business sites such as Bloomberg Business Week and Yahoo Finance.
Give reasons for your answer
The reason for this is that preliminary reports are only issued by the stock exchange to the financial markets although financial reports for public listed companies are published in the annual reports given to shareholders and several online databases that include the firms website.
What were the problems faced by Tony and Jim in using these secondary data?
In using secondary data, Tony and Jim encountered one major problem. Even though they had 178 preliminary reports, they could not get a similar figure for the companys annual reports. They only managed to get 148 annual reports and audited accounts. For this reason, they had to reduce their sample size by 30 people, an outcome that could influence the fulfillment of their hypothesis.
What lessons can you learn from Tony and Jim’s experience?
From Jim and Tonys experience, it is clear that the process of data collection is not always easy and a researcher must have the necessary logistics and practical experience to succeed. Similarly, when collecting information from secondary sources, it is important to note that not all information in the materials is accurate.
Case Study 3
For her to get the data she needs. People will have to make comments on Sarah’s film-tourism blog. How will Sarah ensure that people know about and find her blog so that they can keep posting comments and ensure that such comments will keep steadily coming?
To ensure a steady flow of comments to her blog, Sarah needs to take several steps to popularize her blog. She can do this through several measures that include posting the blog to her LinkedIn account, typing the blog URL on her email signature, sharing the blog address on Facebook and Twitter, posting content on the blog regularly, and sharing useful information. Others include submitting the blog to directories including the blog link in various online forums and posting as a guest on other blogs. All these steps will boost her blog traffic and ranking.
Sarah has begun to analyze the data that she is getting through her blog. How should she continue this process?
In analyzing the data, Sarah should consider several factors. First, she needs to consider comments that contain hyperlinks, audio files, texts, video clips, and even advertisements. She should focus on the textual aspect of the blogs first, and then treat any other material as secondary data to facilitate easy comparison among respondents.
Secondly, there is a possibility of Sarah getting a lot of information to manage the large volume of data. She needs to convert the blogs into text files after reading them and understanding their context. Each blog should be saved as a single text with the earliest blog coming first in chronological order. Given that blogs constantly change, Sarah should save them with the exact time and date when the comments were posted on the blog.
What methods should Sarah employ to take her initial blog research further, disaggregate comments more and delve into the topic in even greater depth?
To further her blog research, Sarah should analyze the individual comments from the respondents; break them down to get as much information as possible. For example, she can ask the particular scenes of the Japanese cities depicted in the movies to make them attractive compared to those in the respondents’ home country and what makes the Japanese beaches more attractive. Similarly, she can ask how modern culture and the urban scene depicted in the movies differ from those in respondents’ home countries and whether they consider them better than the ones in their home countries.