Collecting information for reports is simple compared to the more difficult task of interpreting data. To make data meaningful and useful, you must accurately sort, analyze, combine, and recombine the information, looking for meanings, relationships, and answers to the questions you posed in your work plan.
Consider the following scenario, and then use the table to help you answer the questions.
Joseph, the president of Hubbard Inc., decided to conduct a survey for a report on employee satisfaction. The information he collected follows.
Opinion Number Percent
Very satisfied 36 17.8
Satisfied 45 22.2
No opinion 25 12.4
Dissatisfied 56 27.6
Very dissatisfied 40 20.0
Total 202 100.0
1. How can Joseph simplify the data in the table?
Delete the total number of responses.
Combine categories.
Add another column.
2. How can Joseph make the data in the table more meaningful?
Cross-tabulate the data.
Design a more complex table.
Eliminate the percent column.
Read the following scenario, and then use the table to help you answer the question.
You are a human resources manager sorting through data for a report on employee satisfaction. Several employees you interviewed mentioned they were experiencing neck and back pain. They suggested the company look into having an ergonomics consultant visit the office and conduct an evaluation. You choose to use a survey to get measurable qualitative and quantitative feedback. You ask the employees to respond to the following statement: "Our company should have an ergonomic consultant conduct an evaluation of all office equipment." The following table reflects the survey results.
Total
Male
Female
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Strongly agree 235 33.5 100 39.3 135 30.3
Agree 282 40.3 42 16.6 240 53.8
No opinion 4 5.7 22 8.7 18 4.0
Disagree 109 15.5 64 25.2 45 10.1
Strongly disagree 34 4.9 26 10.2 8 1.8
Total 700 100.0 254 100.0 446 100.0
3. What percentage of men do not think an ergonomic consultant should evaluate their office equipment?
35.4 percent
10.2 percent
Consider the following scenario, and then use the table to help you answer the questions.
You work in HR and your supervisor has asked you to prepare a report on starting salaries within your company. You gather the information in the following table.
Position Salary
Software engineer $100,000
IT support representative $45,000
Executive manager $200,000
Marketing analyst $70,000
Sales manager $65,000
4. How do you calculate the mean for the starting salary data in the table?
Subtract the lowest salary from the highest, and divide by the total number of positions.
Add up all of the salaries, and divide by the total number of positions.
Add the highest and the lowest salary, and divide by the total number of positions.
5. What is a median?
The low point in a group of figures arranged from lowest to highest (or vice versa)
The high point in a group of figures arranged from lowest to highest (or vice versa)
The midpoint in a group of figures arranged from lowest to highest (or vice versa)
6. What can identifying a correlation do for your research?
Guide the design of grids or decision matrices.
Aid in the calculation of the mean and mode.
Present possible solutions to be explored.
Consider the scenario, and then use the matrix to help you answer the question.
You are interested in hiring an ergonomics consultant to evaluate your employees’ desks and chairs. You research four consultants and then decide to use a decision matrix to help you determine the best one.
Price per Hour Availability Recommendations from Previous Clients
Ergonomics consultant #1 $35 M–F, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. 80% positive feedback
Ergonomics consultant #2 $40 T–F, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 100% positive feedback
Ergonomics consultant #3 $100 W–F, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. 75% positive feedback
Ergonomics consultant #4 $30 T–F, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. 90% positive feedback
7. Which consultant has the highest prices and the lowest positive feedback rating?
#2
#1
#3