Benchmark- Data Collection

The purpose of this assignment is to conduct internal and external research to determine viable solutions that could be implemented to solve an identified problem.

For this assignment, you will create an Excel spreadsheet that summarizes the data collection you have completed. The spreadsheet should indicate the date on which particular data were collected, the source of the data collected, the type of data (qualitative or quantitative), and a one- or two-sentence summary of the data findings. Name the Excel spreadsheet as follows: lastname.firstname.datacollection.xlsx.

Qualitative Data – Research Methods Knowledge Base (conjointly.com)

7 Steps to Conducting Better Qualitative Research – MeasuringU

5 Concepts to Master When Conducting Quantitative Research – MeasuringU

Please note that as part of the research process, taking the initiative to speak with management and then requesting and reviewing business metrics and operations reports will allow you to find the data you need for the project while also showing your employer that you can be proactive and use critical thinking to solve problems within the organization.

Part 1:

The first step in data collection is to conduct research. You are looking for specific, measurable data (statistics and numbers) related to how the problem is affecting the organization. This information should be recorded in the form of a chart or graph that presents the data so key decision makers can see the “cost” of failing to address the problem. Use the study materials for assistance with creating Excel graphs and charts that can be used to illustrate your findings.  

Survey Research – Research Methods Knowledge Base (conjointly.com)

Video: Create a chart – Microsoft Support

Essential Business Research Methods (management.org)

Part 2:

Next, conduct additional research to learn what has already been done to address this problem within the organization. Ask questions and interview individuals who assisted with the implementation of previous solutions used to address the problem. Prior to meeting with individuals, develop a list of questions about previous solutions. Consider factors such as customer importance, efficiency, quality, employee satisfaction, and cost effectiveness. You will want to make sure you ask questions that allow you to gather measurable data and include information about how successful previous solution options were in addressing each of the problems. When you have completed your research, the findings should be summarized in an illustration using at least one chart or graph that represents the data you have collected. Use the study materials for assistance with creating Excel graphs and charts that can be used to illustrate your findings.  Survey Research – Research Methods Knowledge Base (conjointly.com)

Part 3:

The last step in determining potential solutions is to conduct external research. Using Internet and industry resources, research ways other companies have addressed this issue or one very similar to it. Look for specific information related to the customer response, efficiency, quality, employee satisfaction, and cost effectiveness of solutions others have implemented. Find at least five potential solutions you can consider for solving the problem you have identified. Your goal in conducting this research is to find practical examples and measurable data related to how other companies, and related industries, have resolved the same problem or one very similar to it. When you have completed your research, the findings should be summarized in an illustration using at least one chart or graph, representing the data you have collected. Use the study materials for assistance with creating Excel graphs and charts, as this will help illustrate your findings. Video: Create a chart – Microsoft Support

Submit the data collection Excel spreadsheet and the three data summary charts/graphs you have created from the research conducted to your instructor.

The three charts/graphs you create will be used again in your Business Proposal Presentation in Topic 7, as well as within the Final Business Proposal you will submit in Topic 8. Evidence of revision from instructor feedback will be assessed on the final business proposal.

Source of Date
Management
Management
Management
Stockholder
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Management
Management
Management
Management
Management
Management
Management
Description of Data
Date Data Collected
4/17/2024 Monthly Forecast
4/19/2024 Monthly Actuals
4/18/2024 varence showing reduce profits
4/18/2024 Customer inquiry
Reason for loss of revenue in
4/19/2024 March
Reason for loss of revenue in
4/19/2024 March
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
Reason for loss of revenue in
4/19/2024 March
Reason for loss of revenue in
4/19/2024 March
Reason for loss of revenue in
4/19/2024 March
4/18/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
4/19/2024 Solutions
Type of Data
quantitative
quantitative
quantitative
qualitative
qualitative
qualitative
qualitaive
qualitaive
qualitaive
qualitaive
qualitaive
qualitaive
qualitative
qualitative
qualitative
qualitative
qualitative
qualitaive
qualitaive
qualitaive
qualitaive
quantitative
Anticipated Hypothesis Test
Need for march profits. This metric measures the companies forecast income for the monthe of March.
This metric isshowing the actual money made in March from building electrical structures that have been shipped to
This metric shows the difference to be less than the forecast money made during the month of March. forcasted
The customer wants to know why their product is late.
Missing parts that cost a dollar are not irriving. the company is unable to ship the product to the customer until the pa
Missing parts that cost a dollar are not irriving. the company is unable to ship the product to the customer until the pa
Missing parts that cost a dollar are not irriving. the company is unable to ship the product to the customer until the pa
Missing parts that cost a dollar are not irriving. the company is unable to ship the product to the customer until the pa
Missing parts that cost a dollar are not irriving. the company is unable to ship the product to the customer until the pa
Missing parts that cost a dollar are not irriving. the company is unable to ship the product to the customer until the pa
Missing parts that cost a dollar are not irriving. the company is unable to ship the product to the customer until the pa
Missing parts that cost a dollar are not irriving. the company is unable to ship the product to the customer until the pa
Missing parts that cost a dollar are not irriving. the company is unable to ship the product to the customer until the pa
Low productivity because of the lack of parts is causing back ups in the manufacturing area. Down time is excessive,
Low moral is causing low work satisfaction due to the lack of satisfaction of work.
Get another suppier, we cannot wait on the current suppler. We should have several suppliers with consistantly good
Get another suppier, we cannot wait on the current suppler. We should have several suppliers with consistantly good
Flexible schedule allowing for half the shift to come in earlier and half the shift coming in later. to spread the workfo
Get another suppier, we cannot wait on the current suppler. We should have several suppliers with consistantly good
Get another suppier, we cannot wait on the current suppler. We should have several suppliers with consistantly good
Get another suppier, we cannot wait on the current suppler. We should have several suppliers with consistantly good
Key Performance Indicators such as: perfect order, cash to cash cycle time, customer order cycle time, fill rate and in
le time, fill rate and inventory days of supply are some examples.
Types of Stakeholders
Client
Management
Stockholder
Staff
Total
Number of Respondent
MARCH ACTUALS vs FORECAST
MIISSING $1 PARTS
Low ProductivitY
Low Morale
Reduced Profit
FINANCIAL LOSSES DUE TO
Declining Profits
Reduced Work Satisifaction
Lack of needed parts.
Total
Number of Respondent
Solution for not meeting forecasted income
Pay/Salary Increase need for overtime
Flexible Schedule
Key performance indicators.
get another supplier
Supply Chain Management
Total
Number of Respondents
6
1
1
2
3
13
Resources:
1
9
2
5
17
3
1
1
1
3
1
3
13
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Types of Stakeholder’s
Client
Management
Stockholder
Staff
Client
Management Stockholder
Staff
6000
5000
BACKLOG
4000
3000
2000
1000
Thousands
FORECAST
$250
$200
$150
$100
$50
0
Q1
2022
Q2
2022
Q3
2022
Q4
2022
Q1
2023
Q2
2023
Q3
2023
Q4
2023
Q1
2024
6500
6000
5500
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
EQUIVELENT STRUCTURES
HC
Q2
2024
Q3
2024
2000
Q4
2024
$MARCH ACTUALS
’BACKLOG’, ‘ROS%’ by ‘Field1′
35%
30%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
MARCH ACTUALS
MARCH FORECAST
Field1
BACKLOG
ROS%
VARIANCE
ROS%
25%
EQUIVENT STRUCTURESEQUIVELENTHCSTRUCTURES
6500 Q1 2022
3787
900
6000 Q2 2022
3715
900
5500 Q3 2022
3344
900
5000 Q4 2022
3556
899
4500 Q1 2023
4095
899
4000 Q2 2023
4859
899
3500 Q3 2023
4227
899
3000 Q4 2023
3912
899
2500 Q1 2024
4944
898
2000 Q2 2024
5367
Q3 2024
5165
Q4 2024
5400
MARCH FORECAST vs ACTUALS
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Q1
2022
Q2
2022
Q3
2022
Q4
2022
Q1
2023
Q2
2023
Q3
2023
6500
6000
5500
5000
4500
4000
3500
EQUIVELENT STRUCTURES
ORECAST vs ACTUALS
Q3
2023
Q4
2023
Q1
2024
3500
3000
2500
LENT STRUCTURES
HC
Q2
2024
Q3
2024
2000
Q4
2024
Thousands
MARCH ACTUALS
MARCH FORECAST VARIANCE
$
14,813 $
15,836 $
(1,023)
$
201,698 $
189,561 $
12,137
90.70%
100%
-9%
31%
25%
6%
$
(463) $
(430) $
(33)
$
2,097 $
1,210 $
887
BACKLOG
SALES
BACKLOG
FLEX PRODUCTIVITY
ROS%
MFGPREMIUM
PRICE
$250
$200
$150
$100
$50
$-
’BACKLOG’, ‘ROS%’ by ‘Field1′
35%
30%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
MARCH ACTUALS
MARCH FORECAST
Field1
BACKLOG
ROS%
VARIANCE
ROS%
25%
SOLUTIONS
Pay/Salary Increase need for overtime
Flexible Schedule
Use of Key performance indicators, (KPI).
get another supplier
Supply Chain Management
TOTAL
Having a complete view of how well the supply chain is performing will
be a crucial factor for this purpose, but it’s important to remember that
data visibility is just the beginning. Leaders must establish the
appropriate key performance indicators (KPIs), measure and analyze
the outcomes, so they can effectively manage the entire supply chain.
By implementing the right KPIs, organizations can become flexible
enough to identify and resolve bottlenecks, reduce manual errors,
assess risks, and predict outcomes, thus enhancing their ability to adapt
during uncertain times. Being aware of which vendors, product lines,
and routes are at risk empowers you to make confident decisions and
change direction whenever necessary, (Jenson S., 2022).
HOW DO OTHER COMPANIES MANAGE SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS?
Number of respondents
6
1
1
5
3
16
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Walmart uses KPI, inventory days of su
Measuring how long inventory will las
REFERENCES:
Jenson S.,( 2022). BlogsOracle.com, Analitic Advantage, Top nine KPIs to measure and mitigate supply chain disruption.
https://blogs.oracle.com/analytics/post/top-nine-kpis-to-measure-and-mitigate-supply-chain-disruption
https://finbox.com/NYSE:WMT/explorer/days_inventory_out/
Solutions
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Pay/Salary
Increase need
for overtime
Flexible
Schedule
Use of Key
performance
indicators,
(KPI).
get another
supplier
Number of respondents
Supply Chain
Management
TOTAL
Source of Date
Date Data Collected
Description of Data
Type of Data
Anticipated Hypothesis Test
1
Organizational Problem: Addressing Student Disengagement in the Classroom
Jakeshia Hand
Grand Canyon University
BUS 470 Applied Business Project
Instructor Michael Strauch
September 12, 2024
2
Organizational Problem: Addressing Student Disengagement in the Classroom
Introduction
Working as a teaching assistant at a middle private school, I have come across cases
when students lose interest in reading. Students with low participation, who are most likely to
turn in their work little or late and also display unsettling behaviors, are often categorized as
disengaged. This has implications not only for the said student’s learning process but for the
entire classroom dynamics as well. In an attempt to know more about this issue and come up
with possible root causes, I came up with an Affinity Diagram to come up with possible causes
and then a Five Whys Root Cause Analysis to find out more about the issues behind such
possibilities and possible solutions.
Step 1: Identify the Organizational Problem
The high-level organizational problem isolates learners’ disengagement in class. The
unmotivated students are less attentive, less energetic, and contribute less to coursework, which
in some cases affects academic achievements and poses problems for teachers in handling
discipline within the class (Lawson & Lawson, 2020). To tackle this issue, one has to identify
the causes of individuals’ disengagement.
Step 2: Brainstorm the Causes for the Problem
To begin, I brainstormed several potential causes of student disengagement. Using
sticky notes (or an online tool), I listed reasons that may contribute to the lack of engagement
from students. Each potential cause was written on a separate sticky note for clarity.
Some of the causes identified include:
•
Boring or unengaging lessons.
•
Teachers rely heavily on traditional, lecture-based teaching.
3
•
A lack of personalized attention.
•
An overwhelming amount of homework.
•
Inconsistent discipline and classroom management.
•
Learning difficulties not being addressed.
•
Lack of extracurricular activities or motivational incentives.
Step 3: Organize Ideas into Themes (Affinity Diagram)
After brainstorming, I grouped the causes into broader themes. These themes helped to organize
the causes into categories that revealed common patterns in the problem. Below is a description
of the themes and how they relate to student disengagement.
•
•
•
Teaching Methods:
o
Lessons are unengaging.
o
Teachers use traditional, non-interactive methods.
o
Lack of one-on-one attention.
Classroom Management:
o
Inconsistent discipline and classroom rules.
o
Poor communication of behavioral expectations.
Student Motivation and Needs:
o
Lack of extracurricular activities or motivational rewards.
o
Students with learning difficulties are not receiving sufficient support.
The following diagram illustrates how the causes of disengagement were categorized using the
affinity diagram method:
4
Step 4: Establish Connections
During discussions, connections were made between some of the themes. For instance,
Teaching Methods are linked to Classroom Management because a lack of engaging teaching
strategies can lead to poor student behavior, making classroom management more difficult
(Bundick et al., 2014). Similarly, Student Motivation and Needs are closely tied to Teaching
Methods — students who do not feel supported or motivated by the curriculum are more likely
to become disengaged.
Step 5: Perform the Five Whys Root Cause Analysis
5
To drill down into the underlying causes, I applied the Five Whys technique to the Teaching
Methods theme, which seemed to have a significant impact on student disengagement. Here is
the Five Whys analysis:
•
Problem: Students are disengaged in the classroom.
o
Why? They find lessons boring.
o
Why? Teachers are not using interactive, student-centered approaches.
o
Why? Teachers have not been trained in these methods.
o
Why? The school does not prioritize professional development in new teaching
strategies.
o
Why? There is a limited budget for teacher training and development.
The following diagram shows the results of the Five Whys analysis:
6
7
Step 6: Validate the Root Causes
To validate the identified root causes, I suggest collecting data through:
1. Surveys of both students and teachers to gather feedback on engagement and teaching
methods.
2. Observations of classroom behavior, focusing on student participation and interaction
with the lessons.
3. Review of current professional development programs offered to teachers and an
assessment of whether interactive teaching strategies are emphasized.
Conclusion
The affinity diagram and Five Whys analysis proved helpful in identifying the key
reasons behind students’ detachment in my school. Thus, being able to point at the absence of
training in an interactive approach as a cause, the school has an appropriate plan for the
problem and can work to improve it by permitting training. Eradicating these causes could
improve the climate in the classroom and increase student participation and achievement.
8
References
Bundick, M. J., Quaglia, R. J., Corso, M. J., & Haywood, D. E. (2014). Promoting student
engagement in the classroom. Teachers College Record, 116(4), 1-34.
Lawson, H. A., & Lawson, M. A. (2020). Student engagement and disengagement as a collective
action problem. Education Sciences, 10(8), 212.
Writing a Problem Statement Worksheet
Complete each section of the chart below. Refer to the guidelines in the template and the
completed sample worksheet above as needed.
When complete, delete the template and the sample table and submit only this completed
worksheet to your instructor.
Original problem or
•
focusing question
Student disengagement is prevalent in the classroom,
resulting in low participation, poor academic performance,
and behavioral issues.
Stakeholders who are
•
Students, teachers, school administrators, and parents are
most affected by the
most affected (Bundick et al., 2014). Resolving this issue
problem
would benefit students by improving academic outcomes,
teachers by enhancing classroom management, and the
school by fostering a better learning environment.
Impact to stakeholders
•
If student disengagement persists, it could result in longterm academic failure, increased stress and burnout for
teachers, and a decline in the school’s reputation. Parents
may also become dissatisfied with the school’s ability to
address their children’s needs.
Type of problem
•
The problem concerns teaching methods, classroom
management, and student motivation. It involves a lack of
interactive teaching strategies, inconsistent classroom rules,
© 2019. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
and insufficient support for students with learning
difficulties.
Suspected cause(s) of the
•
problem
The root cause is the lack of teacher training in interactive,
student-centered approaches due to budget constraints
(Lawson & Lawson, 2020). Other causes include
unengaging lessons and insufficient attention to students’
learning needs.
Goal for improvement
•
and long-term impact
The aim is to enhance student participation by implementing
continuous professional learning for teachers that target
constructivist pedagogy techniques. The long-term effects
would include better academic achievements, enhanced
teacher training, and student engagement.
Proposal for addressing
•
The proposal introduces professional development as a
the problem and
continuous process in which teachers are trained with
determining impact from
contemporary and innovative ways of passing knowledge
a Christian worldview
(Bundick et al., 2014). From a Christian perspective, there
perspective
is a provision of favorable conditions for growth that
enhance the student’s academic and personal development.
Teachers will be enabled to apply their skills and abilities to
the maximum in pursuit of their noble duty of educating and
nurturing learners.
2
Final problem statement
•
Lack of learner involvement during the learning and
with consideration for the
teaching
Christian worldview
achievements, learners’ classroom behavior, and learning
process
impacts
learning
and
teaching
experiences. The source of this problem is that there are no
interactive teaching approaches because teacher training is
inadequate. Through offering professional development and
training for teachers on strategies of interactions, the school
stands the chance of enhancing the active mode of learning.
Through this change, both teachers and students benefit and
develop in their Christian care, respect, and service to others.
Strengthening positive student relations and focusing on
other facets of this problem will guarantee better academic
performance for students and a healthier climate at the
learning institution.
Documentation of sources
Bundick, M. J., Quaglia, R. J., Corso, M. J., & Haywood, D. E.
(2014).
Promoting
student
engagement
in
the
classroom. Teachers College Record, 116(4), 1-34.
Lawson, H. A., & Lawson, M. A. (2020). Student engagement and
disengagement as a collective action problem. Education
Sciences, 10(8), 212.
3