Chapter 6: Using Secondary data

Transcription

1 Business Research Methods Chapter 6: Using Secondary data Emmanuel Fragniere Neda Javanmardi September

2 Using Secondary data Slides are essentially based on the two following recommended textbooks for this course: 1. Research methods for business students (fifth edition) by: Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis, Adrian Thornhill 2. Essentials of business research by: Jonathan Wilson 2

3 Using Secondary data What is secondary data? Secondary data are data that have been gathered by other researchers. Secondary data includes everything from annual reports, promotional material, parent company documentation, published case descriptions, magazine, journal articles and newspaper reports as well as government printed sources. 3

4 Types of secondary data? Using Secondary data 1. Documentary Organizational records, communications and web sites; reports of committees; media accounts (newspaper articles); TV and video recordings; Internet sources 2. Multiple source (different data sets combined) Country or sector reports; industry statistics 3. Survey data Government surveys and censuses (continuous); surveys by international bodies Saunders, M, Lewis, Ph & Thornhill, A 1997, Research methods for business students, 5 th edn, Pearson education, 4

5 Overall suitability Using Secondary data Does the data set contain the information you require to answer your research question(s) and meet your objectives? Do the measures use match those you require? Is the data set a proxy for the data you really need? Does the data set cover the population that is the subject of your research? Can data about the population that is the subject of your research be separated from unwanted data? Are the data sufficiently up to date? Are data available for all the variables you require to answer your research question(s) and meet your objectives? 5 q=secondary%20data%20ppt&ei=tbo3ti75pmjiswbprm2scw&usg=afqjcngdegc5eub-yhmuuh6qaaq4r9kiiq&sig2=u9tqguv-pjpcrwfl33sfia&cad=rja

6 Using Secondary data Precise suitability How reliable is the data set you are thinking of using? How credible is the data source? Is the methodology clearly described? If sampling was used, what was the procedure and what were the associated sampling errors and response rates? Who were responsible for collecting or recording the data? (For surveys) is a copy of the questionnaire or interview checklist included? (For complied data) are you clear how the data were analysed and complied? Are the data likely to contain measurement bias? q=secondary%20data%20ppt&ei=tbo3ti75pmjiswbprm2scw&usg=afqjcngdegc5eub-yhmuuh6qaaq4r9kiiq&sig2=u9tqguv-pjpcrwfl33sfia&cad=rja 6

7 Using Secondary data What was the original purpose for which the data were collected? Who was the target audience and what was their relationship to the data collector or complier (were there any vested interests)? Have there been any documented changes in the way the data are measured or recorded including definition changes? How consistent are the data obtained from this source? How consistent are the data obtained from this source when compared with data from other sources? Are you happy that the data have been recorded accurately? q=secondary%20data%20ppt&ei=tbo3ti75pmjiswbprm2scw&usg=afqjcngdegc5eub-yhmuuh6qaaq4r9kiiq&sig2=u9tqguv-pjpcrwfl33sfia&cad=rja 7

8 Using Secondary data Advantages of secondary data Less source intensive Can allow for comparative analysis Ideal for longitudinal studies Easily accessible for other researchers Text from Jim Norton, 8

9 Drawbacks of secondary data Using Secondary data Access is difficult and costly for high quality and reliable secondary data May not match your research problem Difficult to verify reliability Not in manageable form Comparability 9

10 Evaluating secondary data Using Secondary data Availability- It has to be seen whether the kind of data you want is available or not. If it is not available then you have to go for primary data. Relevance- It should be meeting the requirements of the problem. For this we have two criteria:- Units of measurement should be the same. Concepts used must be same and currency of data should not be outdated. Text from 10

11 Evaluating secondary data Using Secondary data Accuracy- In order to find how accurate the data is, the following points must be considered: Specification and methodology used; Margin of error should be examined; The dependability of the source must be seen. Sufficiency- Adequate data should be available. Text from 11

12 Using Secondary data Description of Geneva s population Source : Office cantonal de la statistique / Statistique cantonale de la population Data calculated according the following table: T Population résidante selon l'origine et la nationalité 12

13 Description of Geneva s population The canton of Geneva has a Using Secondary data total population of inhabitants in There was Movement of the population living in 2009 a rate of of birth and a 6'000 rate of death '000 4'000 Geneva s Canton has the 3'000 highest rate of immigrate 2'000 people. In 2009 the Geneva has 1'000 a movement of arrivals immigrate and count 38.1% of 0 Alive Born death Total Death Natural (3) Mariages Divorces (4) foreigner within its population. Source : Office cantonal de la statistique / Statistique cantonale de la population Data calculated according the following table: T Mouvement naturel de la population résidante, depuis

14 Description of Geneva s population Using Secondary data The criminality in Geneva s canton has increased since The denunciation has still increased with 70'537 in 2008 and 80'342 in We don t know if there is a relationship between the increase of foreign people and the increase of the criminality in Geneva s canton. Source : Office cantonal de la statistique / Statistique cantonale de la population Data calculated according the following table: T Mouvement naturel de la population résidante, depuis

15 Using Secondary data Exercise Find statistical data about Geneva and analyze it. 15