Business Research Methods, Part III Introduction In the Business Research Methods, Part II, team “C” decided to use the self-administered survey to address the problem regarding back injuries among certified nurse assistants (CNAs). A five-point rating scale was chosen for this survey using the multiple-choice and single-response scale using the nominal data. In the Business Research Methods, Part III, team “C” will attempt the following: • Explain the statistical examination of the statistics from the self-administered survey • Discuss questions to legitimacy and dependability of the study matter, statistics, and examination • Plan steps required to reduce disputes • Submit the statistics in the correct response type • Categorize our conclusion, and describe the plan of action • Draw conclusions based on the our analysis

Discuss the statistical analysis of your data from the Business Research Methods, Part II assignment. Cooper and Schindler (2008) stated, “Data preparation includes editing, coding, and data entry is the activity that ensures the accuracy of the data and their conversion from raw form to reduced and classified forms that are more appropriate for analysis” (p. 414). To understand and analyze the data collected from the self-administered survey on CNAs (certified nurse assistants), team “C” would have to prepare a descriptive statistical summary. Another added benefit in preparing a descriptive statistical summary is that data entry errors can be identified and corrected. For data analysis for our survey, team “C” will use the qualitative analysis. Qualitative analysis is often less influenced than quantitative analysis by the biases and theoretical assumption of researchers. Qualitative analysis presents the viewpoint of awareness that the respondents in the research as rounded persons in a communal perspective. To ensure that findings from the qualitative analysis are reliable, the researchers can ensure that the outcome from the qualitative analysis can be duplicated. Qualitative analysis may also help answer the question why so many back injuries occur among the certified nurse assistants.

Discuss potential challenges to validity and reliability of your research question, data, and analysis. Although there are a lot of positive reasons in using the qualitative analysis, there are also some potential challenges to the validity and reliability. Team C wants to research the cause of back injuries in CNA workers. If the data entry is used, it could create a problem in the reliability as the data entered can be falsified. Because the data can be manipulated, it would cause it to be invalid and not show an accurate result. For example, if the original data entered shows that the back injuries are caused primarily due to improper lifting and the data is later manipulated, the data collected is no longer valid. Another challenge would be making sure that the data collected was collected from the intended source. According to Sanye and Robinson, ethical issues can affect the quality of the results. This means that if there is no privacy and protection, the results will be invalid.

Outline steps needed to minimize these challenges.

Present your data in one of the appropriate general response types. Rating questions ask the participant to position each factor on a companion scale, either verbal, numeric, or graphic. Generally, rating-scales structures generate ordinal data; some carefully crafted scales generate interval data (Cooper & Schindler, 2008). Every single day in the United States, 9000 healthcare workers sustain a disabling injury while performing work-related tasks. Disabling back injury and back pain affect 38% of nursing staff (Brown, 2012). About 12% of nurses plan to leave the nursing profession because of the back pain.

Classify your findings in order of power. The orders of power are classified in four different scale types: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. The order of power for the method of the CNA surveys used would be interval, ordinal, nominal, and ratio. Interval scales have the power of nominal and ordinal data plus an additional strength: They incorporate the concept of equality of interval (the scaled distance between 1 and 2 equals the distance between 2 and 3) (Cooper & Schindler, 2008). Interval data measures the difference in amount. Some of the CNAs may be experiencing back pain and some may not, the analysis would analyze how many are experiencing pain and who may be at risk. Ordinal data provides measurements in an order. The ordinal data may be used to rank the amount or stage of the pain. Nominal data reflect the differences in kind. A CNA could have back pain but in different areas, such as lower back or mid-level back pain. The importance is identifying what type of back pain the CNA has. Ratio data gives the CNA a chance to rate his or her pain on a number scale. Ratio data are the highest form of data measurement and the form we are most familiar with. For ratio data both difference and ratios are interpretable. Ratio data have a natural zero (Hodgson, 2003

Describe your plan of action based on the analysis. Draw substantive conclusions from your statistical analysis and recommend actions based on those conclusions.

Conclusion Conducting a survey and making sure the data is correct is never an easy task. Team C researched the reasons behind the back injuries that have occurred in the CNA’s (Certified Nursing Assistants). The research was conducted by using a qualitative analysis by creating a descriptive statistical summary. Although there are positive results there were also some negative concerns that would cause the results of the research to be invalid. Team C also discussed the statistical analysis from the business research methods. The team recognized challenges with the research and came up with actions that would help minimize the challenges. The plan was organized according to power and a substantive conclusion was drawn from the statistical analysis and the team recommended actions based on the conclusion.

References:
Cooper, D.R., & Schindler, P.S. (2008). Business research methods (10th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin
Psychology Press Ltd. Research methods: Data analysis. (2004) retrieved from http://www.smartpsych.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/psych_methods1.pdf
Brown, D. X. (2012). Nurses and Preventable Back Injuries. Retrieved from http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/content/12/5/400.full
Hodgson, P. (2003). Levels of Measurement. Retrieved from http://www.blueprintusability.com/topics/articlelevels.html
Robinson, Rhonda & Savenye, Wilhemena. (2008). Qualitative Research Issues and Methods: An Introduction for Educational Technologists (2nd ed.). Albany, NY: Suny Press