Stage 4 data collection and preparation

The gathering of data may range form a simple observatio at one location to a grandiose survey of
multinatioanl corparation at sites in different parts of the world. But what are data ? one writer
devines data as the fact presented to the researchter from the study’s environment. Data are edited
to ensure consistency across respondens and to low cate omissions.

Stage 5 data analysis and interpretation

Managers need information, not raw data. Researches generate information by analyzing data after
its collection. A modes example involves a market research firm that polls 2000 people form its
target population for a new generation of mobile phones. Its responden will be asked four
questions :

1. “do you prefer the convinience of pocket-phone over existing mobile phones ?”
2. “are there transmision problems with pocket-phone ?”
3. “is pocket-phone better suited to worldwide transmition than your existing mobile phone ?”
4. “would cost alone persuade you to purchase pocket-phone?”

Stage 6 reporting the results

Finally, its necessary to prepare a report and transmit the findings and recomendations to the
manager for the intended purpose of decision making. The management decision maker ocasionally
shelves the research report without taking action. With this possibility in mind, a research specialist
should strive for :

1. Insightful adaptation of the information to the client’s needs

2. Careful choice of words in crafting interpretations, conclutions, and recommendations

Occasionally, organizational and envirenmental forces beyond the researcher’s control argue against
the implementation of results. Such was the case in a study conducted for the Association of
American Publishers, which needed an ad campaign to encorage people to read more books.

Research process issues

Although it is desirable for research to be through grounded in management decision preorities,

studies can wander of target or be less than they should be.

The favored-technique syndrome

Some researchers are method-bound. They recast the management question so that it is amenable
to the year favorite metodology—a survey, for example. The availability of technique is an important
factors in determining how research will be done or whether a given study can be done. Persons
knowledgeable about and skilled in osme techniques but not in others are too often blinded by their
special compentencies. Since the advent of total quality management (TQM), numerous,
standardized custmer satisfaction questionnaires have been developed.

Company database strip-mining

The existence of a pool of information or a database can distract a manager seemingly reducing the
need for other research each field in a database was originally created for a specific reason, a reason
that may or may not be campatible with the management question facing the organiation. Mining
management information databases is facionable, and all typse of organization increasingly value
the ability to extract meaningful information.
Unresearchable questions

Not all managemet questions are researchable, and not all research questions are unsureable. To be
reseachable, a question must be one for which observation or other data collection can provide the
answer. Questions of value and policy often must be weighed in management decisions. In the Metal
Works study, management maybe asking, “should we hold out for a liberaliation of the seniority
rules in our new labor negotiations ?” while in formatotion can be brought to bear on this question,
such aditional consideration as “fairness to the workes” or “management’s right to manage” maybe
important to the decision maybe important to the decision.