MIS171Business Analytics
Assignment One
T2 2017
Marks: 20%
DueDate: 5 pm, Thursday 17August 2017(Thursday of the inter-trimester break Week)
Background
This is an individual assignment, which requires you to analyse a data set, interpret the results and then report your findings to a person with little or no know ledge of statistical data analysis.
The assignment uses the file “Assignment 1 and 2 DATASET – Cleveland.xlsx” which can be downloaded from the MIS171 section in Model (in the Deakin College Portal).
Scenario
Cleveland Corp. Is an American car parts manufacturer with a factory in Adelaidewhich employs2,000people.The company wishes to study its full‐time work force by developing an employee profile that measures factors such as salary , job satisfaction, and care retrogress .
You will be playing the role of John Smith , a Senior Analy stat the company . Senior management of Cleveland Corp has asked you to conduct a survey of their employees .You decide to take a randomise ample of450staffandconductthesurveyviacompanyinternalmail.The results are saved in the data set “Assignment 1 and 2 DATASET- Cleveland.xlsx”.
George Tim ,Human Resources Manager at C level and ,has written to your egarding the C level and employee survey . His letter to you is reproduced below.
For Attention: John Smith, Senior Analyst 9/8/2017
From: Tim George, Human Resources Manager
Regarding: Analysis of employee survey
Dear John,
Regarding the recently collected data from the C level and Corp’s employees urvey , please provide me with answerstothefollowingquestions.Yourresponseswillassistourdepartmentinconstructingthe employee profile required by senior management.
- Please provide an overall summary of employees’ salaries.
- Please provide an estimate of the proportion of employees who are “Moderately satisfied” or “Very satisfied ”with their job at Cleveland Corp.
- Senior management is also in terested in how salary is related to gender . Does there appear to be any relationship between an employee’s salary and their gender?
- Can you please provide an overall summary of how Cleveland Corp employees rated their relations with the management?
- Senior management sinter ested in which numerical variables, if any, see mtoinfluencean employee’s salary .Please provide a summary of these relationships if any.
Please present your written findings in a report(no more than two pages), with an appendix (no more than eight pages) containing the results of your analysis, by no later than 5.00pm on Thursday 17 August 2017.
Regards
Tim George
Part1: Data Analysis
To prepare a reply to the manager’s letter, you will need to use Excel to analyse the data set “Assignment 1 and 2 DATASET – Cleveland.xlsx”thoroughly.
You will need to apply techniques you have learned during lectures and tutorials in Weeks 1 to 4 such as:
- tables
- graphs, and
- summary measures.
You DO NOT need to perform any additional analysis other than what you have learned in weeks 1, 2,3 and 4!
Please use the worksheets ‘Q1’ through ‘Q5’ to work on each question. You may initially produce more Excel output than you need ,so you will only need to copy and paste the relevant output from these worksheets to the ‘Results’ worksheet. Keep in mind the page limit of 8printed pages for the analysis AND that the presentation of the results will be marked too!
GUIDELINES
The manager has asked for a numberof taskstobedone.Thefollowingguidelinesforeachquestionshouldbefollowed:
- Please provide an overall summary of employees’ salaries.
You will need to use numerical analysis methods to summarise over all salaries. In the report, you will also need to write aboutaverages, variability etc. as presented in the examples in the relevant lecture and tutorial.
- Please provide an estimate of the proportion of employees’ job satisfaction(that is,who are“Moderately satisfied” or “Very satisfied “with their job)at Cleveland.
You will need to use categorical variable analysis methods to provide this estimate. In the report, you will also need testate the estimate and discuss the limitations of this type of estimate.
- Senior management is also in retested in how salary is related to gender.Does there appear to be any relationship be twee Nan employee’s salary and their gender?
You will need to focus on whether there is a difference or not. If yes, make sure you describe them. If not, you should explain why you think there is no difference.
- Can you please provide an overall summary of how Cleveland Corp employees rated their relations with the management?
You will need to use categorical analysis methods to summarise the variable. In the report you also need to briefly describe your findings. Examples can be found in the relevant lecture and tutorial.
- Senior management is interested in which numerical variables seem to influence an employee’s salary. Please provide a summary of these relationships if any.
Once more you will need to use techniques for the analysis of two variables. You will need to analysesix (6) numerical relationships. In each case, the type of the relationship – if there is one – and its direction and strength are of interest. Make sure you comment on what you find in each case.
GENERAL GUIDELINES:
- Before doing any analysis ,classify all your variables as either numerical or categorical .The techniques you will use depend on the type of data you have.
- As mentioned above, than alysis section(Part 1) yousubmitshouldbenomorethan8pagesofcomputeroutput.Youmightproducemuchmorethanthisinitially,butyoushouldtrimit down to only show the most relevant results.
- When satisfied ,you should copy-and-paste your analysis output in to a Word document.
- Your analysis should be presented in the same sequenceas the manager’s questions, and everything should be clearly labelled and grouped around each question.
- Also, make sure, there are no table or graph “breaks” across two pages.
- Poorly presented or unorganised analysis or excessive output (more than 8 pages) will be penalised.
- Save your computer analysis frequently (every 10 to 15 minutes).
Part2: Report (that is, yourreply to the Manager’s letter)
Write a letter to the manager, explaining essentialin form ationand conclusions from your data analysis.Youareallowednomorethantwopagestoconveyyourwrittenfindings.
- Keep the Englishes impel and the explanation brief.
- Avoid the use of technical statistical terminology. Your reader will not necessarily understand even simples statistic cater ms, thus your task is to explainyour analysis using plain, understandable language.
General instructions:
- There portistobe written as a standalone document(that is, assume for the scenario that the manager will only read your report, andnotlookatyouranalysisoutput).Thus,youshouldnothaveanydirectreferencesto your an alysisin your report.
- When writing your reply ,make sure that you actually provide the information the manager requested in her letter to you. That is, answer the manager’s questions.
- Do not include e computer out put table sand chartsin your response report.
- Numberyouranswersinyourreport1,2a, …etc., to match these quence of the manager’s requests.
- Include anintroduction at the start of the report and a summary/ conclusionatt heend.
- Markswillbedeductedfortheuseoftechnicalterms,poorgrammar,awkwardsentencestructure,poorspelling andpunctuation,irrelevantmaterial,poorpresentation/organisationandlettersthatareovertwo (2) pageslong.
Assignment ChecklistBEFORE YOU FINISH:
Part 1 (Data Analysis)
- Have you applied the correct analysis techniques?
- Is the analysis in the same order as the manager’s requests?
- Is every table and every graph clearly labelled?
- Are there tables or graphs that are broken across 2 pages?
(If yes, make sure you change that!) - Is the analysis output no more than 8 pages long?
Part 2 (Report)
- Is your report written in simple English?
- Is it free of grammar and spelling mistakes?
- Is it free of technical language?
- Is it free of Excel output (tables, graphs)?
- Are the answers numbered and in the same order as the manager’s requests?
- Is thereport no more than 2 pages long?
Assignment submission:
Your submission will comprise two (2) parts:
- Part 1:Data Analysis (max. 8 pages)
- Part 2 : Report (max. 2 pages).
Both parts may be contained in a single file, but their content must be separated. That is, you will submit one MS-Word document only. This MS-Word document will have two parts. Failure to separate Part 1 and Part 2 will be penalised. Furthermore, marks will be deducted for each part where the page limit is exceeded.
The Assignment must be submitted both,
- electronically and
- in print format by the due date.
o 10% of available marks will be deducted if the assignment is only submitted in one format.
Electronic submission:
There will be a link in Moodle under Week 6 labelled “Assignment 1 Online Submission”.
Print copy submission:
1) Your print copy assignment submission must be identical to your electronic submission!
Differences will be penalised.
2) You must complete the Deakin College Assignment Cover Sheet (Deakin College Student Portal: Student -> Forms -> Forms).
3) The completed Assignment Cover Sheets must be stapled together with the print copy. Loose paper is not acceptable. Your lecturer assumes no responsibility for lost pages!
4) The print copy must be placed in your lecturer’s locker.
(For Burwood students: level 4, building LA. Assignments will not be accepted at Deakin College Reception).
Students must maintain backup copies of all their assignment work. Electronic loss of data is common but is NOT a satisfactory excuse for an extension of the submission date.
Checking before your SUBMISSION:
- Are the files identical with the printed assignment?
- Have you completed the Deakin College Assignment Cover Sheet (Deakin College Portal: Students -> Forms -> Forms -> Assignment Cover Sheet.pdf)?
- Is the entire assignment, with the completed cover sheet(s) on top, stapled together?
- Did you submit your files online in the Deakin College portal using the link “Assignment 1 Submission “under Week 6 and an identical print copy to your lecturer’s locker?
Late submission of assignments:
Extension for medical reasons
If your work is late due to medical reasons, you will not need to seek the prior approval from your lecturer. However, you must attach a Doctor’s certificate to your assignment with a note that the work is late for medical reasons.
Please note that, in these circumstances, the medical certificate must cover the entire period of the extension, from the time the assignment was due until the time it is submitted.
Penalties for late submissions
Assignments received late and without prior approval, will be penalised. A penalty of 5% of the available marks will be deducted for every day the assignment is late. Assignments received after one (1) calendar week and without an approved extension, will not be accepted, and therefore considered not submitted.