Collecting and Analyzing Information

Adriana M. Isunza Díaz, EdD.

References: Cummins, T., Worley, C. (2009). Organizational Development and Change. Ohio:
Cengage Learning.
Gallos, J. (ed.) (2006). Organization Development. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Reader.
McLean, G. (2006). Organization Development. Principles, Processes, Performance. San
Francisco: Berret-Kohler
Robbins, S., Coulter M. (2011). Management (11th Ed). New Jersey: Prentice Hall
 Video
➢ Análisis de datos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv6yaVunVms
➢ Research on instruments and techniques to
collect and organize information.
➢ You will present in teams next class.

1
 Data Vs Information
➢ Data is a collection of facts, while
information puts those facts into
context.
➢ While data is raw and unorganized,
information is organized. Data points are
individual and sometimes unrelated.
➢ Data in their simplest form consist of
raw alphanumeric values.

2
 Data Vs Information

➢ Information is created when data

are processed, organized, or
structured to provide context and
meaning.
➢ Information is essentially
processed data.
➢ Knowledge is what we know.

3
The information handling cycle

4
Data Collection

5
 Observation
➢ Involves looking at something that actually
happens, and then measuring and recording
it.
➢ An example of observation is counting the
number of cars passing the gate of your
school every hour.
➢ The nature of the observation could be
accomplished either as a complete observer,
an observer as a participant, a participant as
an observer, or as a complete participant.
➢ This method is a key base for formulating a
hypothesis.
6
➢ Pros Observation
✓ Easy to administer.
✓ There subsists a greater accuracy with results.
✓ It is a universally accepted practice.
✓ It diffuses the situation of an unwillingness of respondents to
administer a report.
✓ It is appropriate for certain situations.
➢ Cons
✓ Some phenomena aren’t open to observation.
✓ It cannot be relied upon.
✓ Bias may arise.
✓ It is expensive to administer.
✓ Its validity cannot be predicted accurately.
➢ Checklists, allow users to gather information and make
judgments about what they should know in relation to the
outcomes.
➢ They offer systematic ways of collecting data about
specific behaviors, knowledge, and skills. 7
 Interview
➢ Usually takes place between two
people. One of the people is called the
interviewer and the other is the
interviewee or respondent.
➢ Face-to-face conversation between
two individuals with the sole purpose
of collecting relevant information to
satisfy a research purpose.
➢ Interviews are of different types
namely
8
 Interview

➢ Structured Interviews
✓ It is a verbally administered questionnaire.
✓ It is surface level and is usually completed within a short
period.
✓ For speed and efficiency, it is highly recommendable, but it
lacks depth.
➢ Semi-structured Interviews
✓ several key questions which cover the scope of the areas to be
explored.
✓ It allows a little more freedom for the researcher to explore
the subject matter.
➢ Unstructured Interviews -
✓ in-depth interview that allows the researcher to collect a wide
range of information with a purpose.
✓ gives a researcher to combine structure with flexibility even
though it is more time-consuming.
9
 Interview
➢ For collecting data through interviews, the basic
instrument is the questionnaire; some tools that
can be used include:
➢ Audio Recorder
✓ Audio information can meet the needs of a wide range of people,
as well as provide alternatives to print data collection tools.
➢ Digital Camera
✓ Can be used for transmitting those images to a monitor screen
when the need arises.
➢ Camcorder
✓ Provides a combination of both an audio recorder and a video
camera.
✓ The data provided is qualitative in nature and allows the
respondents to answer questions asked exhaustively. If you
need to collect sensitive information during an interview, a
camcorder might not work for you as you would need to maintain
your subject’s privacy.
10
 Interview

➢ Pros
✓ In-depth information
✓ Freedom of flexibility
✓ Accurate data.
➢ Cons
✓ Time-consuming
✓ Expensive to collect.

11
 Poll
➢ Questionnaire given to many people to
complete.
➢ It can be handed out and then collected later
and does not need an interviewer.
➢ Best method of collecting data when the
purpose is to ask a large group of people what
they think about a specific issue.
➢ The questionnaire should have a short
explanation of what the research is about and
include a set of questions that are directed
towards the topic
12
 Poll
➢ Pros
✓ Can be administered in large numbers and is cost-
effective.
✓ It can be used to compare, and contrast previous
research to measure change.
✓ Easy to visualize and analyze.
✓ Questionnaires offer actionable data.
✓ Respondent identity is protected.
✓ Questionnaires can cover all areas of a topic.
✓ Relatively inexpensive.
➢ Cons
✓ Answers may be dishonest, or the respondents lose
interest midway.
✓ Questionnaires can't produce qualitative data.
✓ Questions might be left unanswered.
✓ Respondents may have a hidden agenda.
✓ Not all questions can be analyzed easily.

13
 Database
➢ Organized collection of data that someone else
has already structured and presented.
➢ Databases can be stored on a computer or on
the internet, or presented in publications such
as books, newspapers and magazines.

14
 Focus groups
➢ Method based on the feelings and opinions of the
respondents.
➢ This research involves asking open-ended questions to a
group of individuals usually ranging from 6-10 people, to
provide feedback.
➢ The purpose of the meeting is to extract from the
participants' detailed responses to these questions. The
best tools for tackling Focus groups are:
➢ Two-Way
✓ One group watches another group answer the questions posed by the
moderator.
✓ After listening to what the other group has to offer, the group that
listens can facilitate more discussion and could potentially draw
different conclusions.
➢ Dueling-Moderator
✓ There are two moderators who play the devil’s advocate.
✓ facilitates new ideas by introducing new ways of thinking and varying
viewpoints. 15
 Focus Groups
➢ Pros
✓ Information obtained is usually very
detailed.
✓ Cost-effective when compared to
one-on-one interviews.
✓ It reflects speed and efficiency in
the supply of results.
➢ Cons
✓ Lacking depth in covering the essence
of a subject matter.
✓ Bias might still be evident.
✓ Requires interviewer training
✓ The researcher has very little control
over the outcome.
✓ A few vocal voices can drown out the
rest.
✓ Difficulty in assembling an all-
inclusive group. 16
 Document Review

➢ Newspapers, website articles,

historical records,
organizational manuals, previous
surveys results, research
journals.

17
18
 Presenting Information
➢ Bar graphs are used to display data that has
been collected and organized in categories. An
example of categories is the cars of different
colors that we looked at earlier in this chapter.
➢ A bar graph is a chart that uses either
horizontal or vertical bars to show how
categories compare with each other. The length
of each bar shows the value that the bar
represents.

19
 Presenting Information

➢ For example, every month for five

months, the manager of a new
shop keeps count of how many
customers visit the shop.
➢ The manager created this bar
graph to show the results.

20
 Organizing Information
➢ Organization of data means classification, tabulation,
graphical presentation and diagrammatic
presentation of information.
➢ Good data organization strategies are important
because the information contains the keys to managing
your company's most valuable assets. Getting insights
out of this information could help obtain better business
intelligence and play a major role in the company's
success.

21
 Tips
➢ Define the goal of your survey
✓ It will aid in deciding which questions are the top priority. e.g. "The goal of this
survey is to understand why Employees are leaving an establishment."
➢ Use close-ended clearly defined questions
✓ Avoid open-ended questions and ensure you're not suggesting the answer to the
respondent.
✓ If possible, offer a range of answers with choice options and ratings.
➢ Survey outlook should be attractive and Inviting
✓ Use colorful options to integrate into the survey design; . use
➢ Assure Respondents about the safety of their data
✓ Inform the respondents that the data they provide is confidential and only collected
for the purpose of research.
➢ Ensure your survey can be completed in record time
✓ Ideally, users should be able to respond in 100 seconds. The respondents, are doing a
favor. Don't stress them. Be brief and get straight to the point.
➢ Do a trial survey
✓ Preview your survey before sending out to the intended respondents.
22
23
 Summarizing
➢ Collecting, organizing and presenting
information forms part of the data handling
cycle.
➢ Data can be collected using observations,
interviews, questionnaires and existing
databases.
➢ The method chosen for collecting the data
depends on the type of research being done.
➢ Organizing data is bringing it together in a
systematic way that makes it easier to read.
➢ Then, it becomes information.
24
25
 Homework
➢ Remember that teamwork starts with individual analysis
that produce proposals.
➢ ¿Qué es y cómo se hace un análisis FODA?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6vz0-Hx9cE
➢ Research on the organizational diagnosis report
structure.

26
 Teamwork
➢ Based on the case analysis:
➢ Determine which instruments and techniques can be
used to collect data in the organization, and how you
would classify/order this information for further
analysis

27
28