When you reply to two classmates' posts, respectfully agree/disagree to the post and explain why, while offering an opinion with an example to support it and references. Be sure to do one or more of the following:

• Agree and explain why you agree.
• Respectfully disagree and explain why you disagree.
• Offer an opinion with an example to support it.
• Propose an idea or a suggestion.
• Tell a related personal story.
• Respond to the classmates' or the instructor's questions.
• Pose a question and be sure to include your own answer as an example.
• Explain how the discussion question connects to real-life experiences.

Classmate 1:

I cannot believe it went that fast, but this class has ended. However, throughout these eight weeks, I learned valuable information, which I hope to use to make crucial decisions in my everyday life and professional life.

The week we learned about sampling and surveys, I will put into play the top two things. "Sampling is the process of using a subset of a population to represent the whole population" (Webster, 2024). In other words, sampling is a group of individuals chosen to provide their opinions for the whole audience. Surveys, also known as "Statistical tests, can help you improve your knowledge of the market, create better experiences for your customers, give employees more of what they need to do their jobs and sell more of your products and services to the people that want them" (Anonymous, 2023). There is a test to help understand what the consumers want and what changes are needed to adapt. I already had basic knowledge about sampling and surveys.

However, this class helped me understand the importance of being neutral in the experiment and being as transparent as possible with our audience, as it can not only adjust your data but also hurt your reputation. Considering I have just started a baking business, I often post surveys online to see what my consumers want to see next. I also find myself trying to keep up with the latest dessert trends. Therefore, I must gather valid data because I will make important decisions about my baking based on the information I receive. It also provided guidelines for creating the survey for my consumers and things to look out for.

Also, I learned the importance of misunderstanding data and the negative outcome it can have as we depend on and make critical decisions based on data. I only understood and learned to take surveys seriously once I started this class. Often, I took surveys because they were mandatory for work or to get it out of the way. However, little did I know that how I answered things could significantly impact everyone on the team, even in the organization. It could cost someone their job.

Therefore, it is crucial to be as straightforward as possible and ask for clarification if information needs to be understood, as it can lead to misleading information that can lead to bad decisions.

Reference:

Anonymous . (2023, September 29). 5 key statistical analysis methods for your market research surveys. Qualtrics. https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/research/survey-analysis-types/

Webester, W. (2024, February 1). Your guide to sampling techniques and best practices. Qualtrics. https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/research/sampling-methods/

Classmate 2:

The first of two key things learned this semester was the importance of ethical decision making, especially as it relates to statistical analysis.The second key factor was the importance of ensuring the reliability of statistical data measures what it aims to achieve without bias, prior to utilizing that information for business purposes or presenting it to an audience.

1. The ASA Ethical Guidelines were covered in great detail this semester. These guidelines are important in business management, especially in statistical analysis, because they hold each individual responsible for integrity, transparency, and accountability (Economic Times, 2023). Statistical analysis plays a key role in decision-making processes, as it involves interpreting and analyzing data to draw meaningful conclusions and make informed business decisions (ASA, 2022).

First, the ASA guidelines emphasize the importance of maintaining integrity. This means individuals should be honest and unbiased in their work, ensuring that they conduct their analysis objectively without manipulating data or results to suit personal or organizational interests (ASA, 2022). This is essential to ensure that businesses make sound decisions based on accurate and reliable information.

Next, the guidelines promote transparency and openness. Individuals are encouraged to clearly document their methods and communicate potential impacts to enable others to interpret and validate their findings (ASA, 2022). Transparent analysis ensures that stakeholders, including members of management, employees, and customers, have access to reliable information, which promotes trusting relationships (Economic Times, 2023).

Last, the guidelines emphasize the importance of accountability. Individuals are encouraged to take responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of their analysis, ensuring that they adhere to professional standards and protect the rights and welfare of all individuals involved in data collection, analysis, and research findings (ASA, 2022).

When considering how the guidelines can be applied in my day-to-day work in Human Resources (HR), workplace investigations come to mind. HR can apply the ASA ethical guidelines by maintaining integrity throughout the investigatory process. Holding oneself accountable for the accuracy and fairness of the investigation is important to ensure that professional standards are upheld, and the rights of all individuals involved are protected. This means being honest and impartial when gathering and analyzing data, without manipulating or skewing results to favor one party over another (Sharpe, et al, 2014, p. 320).

Transparency is also an important component in conducting non-biased investigations. HR should clearly document their methods, including questions asked, all responses, then communicate findings and make recommendations in a clear and open manner (2014, p. 259). By being transparent and truthful, involved stakeholders can trust the investigation process and the resulting conclusions (ASA, 2022).

2. It is necessary for business managers to take the initiative to thoroughly examine statistical data in order to prevent any misinterpretation (Ibarrera, 2020). It is essential to ensure that the data is trustworthy and accurately represents what it intends to measure. Depending on inaccurate or unreliable data can have detrimental effects on decision-making and could result in expensive errors for an organization (2020).

By carefully reviewing data for reliability, business managers can have confidence in the information they are using to make good business decisions (2020). Therefore, it is essential to not only adopt statistical thinking but also develop a cynical mindset, scrutinizing the origin of information, and circumstances surrounding the data being presented (Stedman, 2022).

In Human Resources, many studies are conducted using employee focus groups. HR can examine statistical data derived from employee focus groups by first ensuring that the data collected is representative and reliable (Stedman, 2022). This can involve checking for any bias in the sampling process, ensuring the questions asked are clear and unbiased, and confirming that the data analysis methods are sound (2014, p. 291).

HR can also look for trends and patterns in the data to identify any areas in need of immediate attention. The results from different focus groups over various time periods can also be gathered and analyzed to see how opinions may have shifted so organizations can make adjustments in processes based on changing trends.

References:

Sharpe, DeVeaux, Velleman. (2014). Business statistics. 3rd edition. Pearson.

ASA. (2022). Ethical Guidelines for Statistical Practice. Ethical Guidelines for Statistical Practice (amstat.org)

Economic Times. (2023). Leadership Ethics: Building Trust and Integrity in the Workplace. Economic Times. Leadership Ethics: Building Trust and Integrity in the Workplace - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)Links to an external site.

Ibarrera. (2020). What is Data Accuracy, why It Matters and How Companies Can Ensure They Have Accurate Data. Data Ladder. What is Data Accuracy, Why it Matters and How Companies Can Ensure They Have Accurate Data. - Data LadderLinks to an external site.

Stedman, C. (2022). What is Data Quality and Why Does It Matter? Tech Target. What is Data Quality and Why is it Important? (techtarget.com)Links to an external site.