RESEARCH METHODS
FOR BUSINESS
Mr. PHON Sophath
April 2022
CHAPTER 10
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Flow Diagram of Data Analysis Process
Data analysis
DATA COLLECTION
Interpretation
of
result
Discussion
Feel for
data
Getting data ready for
analysis
Editing data
Handling blank responses
Coding data
Categorizing data
Creating data file
Programming
1.
2.
3.
4.
Mean
Standard
deviation
Correlations
Frequency
distribution,
etc.
Goodness
of data
Hypotheses
testing
Reliability
Validity
Appropriates
statistical
manipulations
Research
question
answered?
Getting Data Ready for
Analysis
◦ Editing data
◦ Handling blank responses
◦ Coding
◦ Categorization
◦ Keying data
Basic Objective in Data
Analysis
◦ Feet for the data
◦ Testing goodness of data
Validity
◦ Factorial
validity
can
be
established
by
submitting the data for factor analysis. The results
of factor analysis (a multivariate technique) will
confirm whether or not the theorized dimensions
emerge.
Reliability
◦ The reliability of a measure is established
by testing for both consistency and
stability. Consistency indicates how the
items measuring a concept hang well
together as a set.
Hypothesis Testing
◦ Once the data are cleaned up (i.e., out-of-
range/missing responses, etc., are taken care of)
and the goodness of the measures is established,
the researcher is ready to test the hypotheses
developed for the study.
Data Analysis and
Interpretation
◦ Data analysis and interpretation of results can be
most meaningfully explained by referring to a
business research. After a very brief description of
the background of the company in which the
research was carried out and the sample, we will
discuss the data analysis done for testing each
hypothesis and how the results were interpreted.
Summary
In this chapter we covered the procedure for analyzing
data after they have been collected. By means of an example,
we saw the steps necessary to get the data ready for analysisediting, coding, and categorizing. Through the example of the
research on KRIYA Enterprises, we saw various statistical analysis
and tests used to examine the different hypotheses to answer
the research question. We also saw how the computer results
are interpreted. We also described some microcomputer
programs and discussed the SPSS/PC+ Studentware in some
detail. Some expert systems for data analysis and managerial
decision making and problem solving were also mentioned.
In the next chapter we will learn how to write a research
report after the data have been analyzed and the results are
interpreted.