Data Collection for Effective Business Decision Making in SMEs

Identifying data requirements for effective business decision making

1.Identify data requirements and the appropriate data collection instruments required for effective business decision making

2.Conduct appropriate analysis and clearly communicate findings to a stated audience

What am I required to do in this assignment?

An SME employing around 100 people is experiencing problems with some staff who seem to be dissatisfied with the pay structure within the company.  

Although nothing has been officially reported to management, senior staff have heard that staff are unhappy about, amongst other things, the gender mix and age distribution in different roles, the pay scales, and the age distribution.  

The HR manager has decided to conduct a review of the company’s pay structure.  She is planning to put together a task force to gather data from current employees about their views on this particular aspect of the company’s operations.

You have been approached as a Business student to assist in the collection of data.   In particular, you are required to:

·Based on your knowledge, discuss the suitability of a questionnaire as a method of data collection for this project.

·Suggest, with justification, what data they need to collect.

·Design a questionnaire which can be used to collect the required data, with a justification for the types of questions you have asked and the specific questions you have included.

Notes:

This assignment does NOT require you to collect the data.

Your submission MUST include the questionnaire you have designed.

Your questionnaire must include questions you have WRITTEN YOURSELF

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

·Discuss the validity of an appropriate technique for the purpose collecting data for the given scenario

·Identify the type of data required to help make a decision

·Compile a template that can be used for the purpose of future data collection

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

We will be filling this section in together in class on  make sure you have downloaded/printed out the Assignment Brief and bring it to the session with you.

How does assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

In the first few weeks of the unit, we will spend time discussing data collection methods, critiquing questionnaires, and designing questionnaires.

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.

A limited discussion of the suitability of a questionnaire for this project.  Discussion of other approaches is very limited or not included at all.

Good but limited discussion of the suitability of a questionnaire for this project.  Discussion of the appropriateness of other approaches is limited.

Some understanding of what data needs to be collected but only basic aspects are included and the justification for the questions is poor.

Good understanding of what data needs to be collected.  Most aspects are included but the justification for the questions needs to be stronger.