Research Paper

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Table of Contents

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Executive Summary

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Introduction

Senior leadership at Sun Coast has identified several areas for concern that they believe could be solved using business research methods. The previous director was tasked with conducting research to help provide information to make decisions about these issues. Although data were collected, the project was never completed. Senior leadership is interested in seeing the project through to fruition. The following is the completion of that project, and includes statement of the problems, literature review, research objectives, research questions and hypotheses, research methodology, design, and methods, data analysis, findings, and recommendations.

Statement of Problems

Six business problems were identified:

Particulate Matter (PM)

There is a concern that job-site particle pollution is adversely impacting employee health. Although respirators are required in certain environments, particulate matter (PM) varies in size depending on the project and job site. PM between 10 and 2.5 microns can float in the air for minutes to hours (e.g. asbestos, mold spores, pollen, cement dust, fly ash), while PM less than 2.5 microns can float in the air for hours to weeks (e.g. bacteria, viruses, oil smoke, smog, soot). Due to the smaller size of PM less than 2.5 microns, it is potentially more harmful than PM between 10 and 2.5 since the conditions are more suitable for inhalation. PM less than 2.5 are also able to be inhaled into the deeper regions of the lungs, potentially causing more deleterious health effects. It would be helpful to understand if there is a relationship between PM size and employee health. PM air quality data have been collected from 103 job sites, which is recorded in microns. Data are also available for average annual sick days per employee per job-site.

Safety Training Effectiveness

Health and Safety training is conducted for each new contract that is awarded to Sun Coast. Data for training expenditures and lost-time hours were collected from 223 contracts. It would be valuable to know if training has been successful in reducing lost-time hours and, if so, how to predict lost-time hours from training expenditures.

Sound-Level Exposure

Sun Coast’s contracts generally involve work in noisy environments due to a variety of heavy equipment being used for both remediation and the clients’ ongoing operations on the job sites. Standard earplugs are adequate to protect employee hearing if the decibel levels are less than 120 decibels (dB). For environments with noise-levels exceeding 120 dB, more advanced and expensive hearing protection is required, such as earmuffs. Historical data have been collected from 1,503 contracts for several variables that are believed to contribute to excessive dB levels. It would be important if these data could be used to predict the dB levels of work environments before placing employees on-site for future contracts. This would help the safety department plan for procurement of appropriate ear protection for employees.

New Employee Training

All new Sun Coast employees participate in general health and safety training. The training program was revamped and implemented six months ago. Upon completion of the training programs the employees are tested on their knowledge. Test data are available for two Groups; a) Group A employees who participated in the prior training program, and b) Group B employees who participated in the revised training program. It is necessary to know if the revised training program is more effective than the prior training program.

Lead Exposure

Employees working on job sites to remediate lead must be monitored. Lead levels in blood are measured as micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (μg/dL). A base-line blood test is taken pre-exposure and post-exposure at the conclusion of the remediation. Data are available for 49 employees who recently concluded a two-year-long lead remediation project. It is necessary to determine if blood lead levels have increased.

Return-On-Investment

Sun Coast offers four lines-of-service to their customers, including air monitoring, soil remediation, water reclamation, and health and safety training. Sun Coast would like to know if each line of service offers the same return-on-investment. Return-on-investment data are available for air monitoring, soil remediation, water reclamation, and health and safety training projects. If return-on-investment is not the same for all lines of service, it would be helpful to know where differences exist.

Literature Review

Students should include the literature review information here. Use the following subheadings to include all required information. Delete instructions highlighted in yellow before submitting this assignment.

Particulate Matter Article

Safety Training Effectiveness Article

Sound-Level Exposure Article

New Employee Training Article

Lead Exposure Article

Return on Investment Article

Research Objectives, Research Questions, and Hypotheses

Students should include research objectives, research questions, and hypotheses here. Use the following subheadings to include all required information. Delete instructions highlighted in yellow before submitting this assignment.

RO1: Determine if there is a relationship between PM size and employee health.

RQ1: Is there a relationship between particulate matter size and employee sick days?

Ho1: There is no statistically significant connection between particulate matter size and employee health.

Ha1: The alternative hypothesis is the direct opposite of the null hypothesis.

RO2: Predict lost-time hours from training expenditures

RQ2: Is there a relationship between safety training expenditure and lost-time hours?

Ho2: There is no statistically significant relationship between safety training expenditure and lost-time hours.

Ha2: The alternative hypothesis is the direct opposite of the null hypothesis.

RO3: Predict the dB level of work environments.

RQ3: Is there a relationship between frequency ,angle in degrees, chord length, velocity, and displacement and decibel level?

Ho3: There is no statistically significant relationship between frequency, angle in degrees, chord length, velocity, and displacement and decibel level.

Ha3: The alternative hypothesis is the direct opposite of the null hypothesis.

RO4: Determine if the revised training program is more effective than the prior training program.

RQ4: Is the revised new employee training program more effective than the prior training program?

Ho4: There is no statistically significant difference in mean scores between prior training and revised training.

Ha4: There are statistically differences in the effectiveness of training for employees’ groups.

RO5: Determine if employee blood lead levels have increased.

RQ5: Have employee blood lead levels increased from their pre-exposure baseline measurements?

Ho5: There is no statistically significant difference in employee blood lead levels between pre-exposure and post exposure.

Ha5: The alternative hypothesis is the direct opposite of the null hypothesis.

RO6: Determine if the return on investment is the same for all Sun Coast lines of service.

RQ6: Are there differences in return on investment between air monitoring, soil remediation, water reclamation, and health and safety training?

Ho6: There are no statistically significant differences in ROI between air monitoring, soil remediation, water reclamation, and health and safety training.

Ha6: The alternative hypothesis is the direct opposite of the null hypothesis.

Research Methodology, Design, and Methods

Research Methodology

The selected research methodology is quantitative. Using this methodology, a researcher can use numbers and graphs to express the collected data when confirming the theories and assumptions about the research problem. Therefore, the procedure enables an in-depth understanding of the relationship between an independent and dependent variable in a population. In sum, the primary reasons for selecting quantitative over qualitative methods are that it is more scientific, objective, and control-sensitive.

Research Design

For this project, the research design should be descriptive (non experimental). This design will give the best results when testing the research hypothesis on the six identified problems. The design is helpful when you are describing a relationship between two or more variables, all without any interference from the researcher. For instance, in Sun Coast, the issue of employee safety has inadequate training as the causing factor for workplace injuries (effect). Therefore, this researcher will examine the relationship between training and injuries witnessed among the employees. These aspects will make the critical variables for establishing the connection.

Research Methods

The research methods that will be used for this project will be descriptive, correlational, and causal-comparative.

Descriptive research often involves collecting information through data review, surveys, interviews, or observation.

Correlational Research is used to test a null hypothesis stating no relationship exists between variables.

Causal-comparative research attempts to identify a cause-effect relationship between two or more groups.

Data Collection Methods

The data collection methods that will be used a survey in which contact can be made via telephone which can include a skype call or video conference, mail in which a questionnaire can be sent out, electronically where a survey can be sent through email ,observation in which a researcher can count the number of people attending a certain event and finally document analysis which uses public records to gather information.

Sampling Design

Sampling design is part of the research methodology, and it considers the total number of Sun Coast employees as the target finite population. Therefore, a sample will represent the whole workforce population in which the people to make the sample will be randomly selected. This random selection implies that the researcher will give each employee an equal probability of being chosen. Thus, a random sample becomes the sampling design for this study.

Data Analysis Procedures

P1- This problem will use a correlation analysis which will determine the existing association between the two variables by computing their relationship. A high correlation will imply a cause-effect relationship through this approach, while a low correlation will mean a weak connection between the variables (Tabuena & Hilario, 2021).

P2- This problem will use simple regression to determine critical factors and the ones not critical to ignore.

P3- This problem will use multiple regression to determine if additional research is needed or when multiple X variables are included in the analysis to make a prediction about a change in a single Y variable.

P4- This problem will use the independent sample t test a null hypothesis stating there is no statistically significant difference between two means.

P5- This problem will use the dependent sample t test determine whether the mean difference between two sets of observations is zero.

P6- This problem will use ANOVA test that is like the t test however it will determine if a null hypothesis that no statistically significant differences exist among means for three or more groups.

Data Analysis: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

Correlation: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

While looking at the data the histogram obtained is a bell-shaped histogram. This shows that the data is normally distributed with a mean of approximately 7. This implies that the assumption of the normality is met since the data is symmetric. However, the figure shows that more data in the datasets are skewed to the right than those to the left. When looking at both the skewness value as well as the Kurtosis value they are within that range. Also, it shows they are closely aligned which would suggest a normal distribution.

Simple Regression: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

From the data we find the histogram obtained is a bell-shaped histogram. This shows that the data is normally distributed with a mean of approximately 200. This implies that the assumption of the normality is met since the data is symmetric. However, the figure shows that more data in the datasets lies to the right than those to the left suggesting they are closely aligned and would be a normal distribution.

Multiple Regression: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

From the data the histogram obtained is not bell-shaped. This shows that the data is not normally distributed with a mean of approximately 130. This implies that the assumption of the normality is not met since the data is skewed to the left.

Independent Samples t Test: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

From the figure above, the histogram obtained is a bell-shaped histogram. This shows that the data is normally distributed with a mean of approximately 70. This implies that the assumption of the normality is met since the data is symmetric. However, the figure shows that more data in the datasets lies to the left than those to the right

Dependent Samples (Paired-Samples) t Test: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

From the figure above, the histogram obtained is skewed to the left. This figure therefore that the data is not normally distributed with a mean of approximately 34. This implies that the assumption of the normality is met since the data is not symmetric.

ANOVA: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

From the figure above, the histogram obtained is skewed to the left. This figure therefore that the data is not normally distributed with a mean of approximately 9. This implies that the assumption of the normality is not met since the data is not symmetric.

Data Analysis: Hypothesis Testing

Correlation: Hypothesis Testing

Histogram

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Frequency

Simple Regression: Hypothesis Testing

Histogram

Bin

Frequency

110

135

160

185

210

235

260

285

310

335

Multiple Regression: Hypothesis Testing

Histogram

Bin

Frequency

103.38

104.3697

105.3593

106.349

107.3386

108.3283

109.3179

110.3076

111.2973

112.2869

113.2766

114.2662

115.2559

116.2456

117.2352

118.2249

119.2145

120.2042

121.1938

122.1835

123.1732

124.1628

125.1525

126.1421

127.1318

128.1214

129.1111

105

130.1008

131.0904

132.0801

Independent Samples t Test: Hypothesis Testing

Histogram

Bin

Frequency

55.85714

61.71429

67.57143

73.42857

79.28571

85.14286

Dependent Samples (Paired Samples) t Test: Hypothesis Testing

Frequency

ANOVA: Hypothesis Testing

Histogram

Bin

Frequency

5.75

8.5

11.25

Bin

Frequency

7.75

9.5

11.25

Bin

Frequency

5.25

7.5

9.75

Bin

Frequency

4.25

5.5

6.75

Findings

Students should discuss the findings in the context of Sun Coast’s problems and the associated research objectives and questions. Restate each research objective and discuss them in the context of your hypothesis testing results. The following are some things to consider. What answers did the analysis provide to your research questions? What do those answers tell you? What are the implications of those answers? Use the following subheadings to include all required information. Delete instructions highlighted in yellow before submitting this assignment.

Example:

RO1: Determine if a person’s height is related to weight.

The results of the statistical testing showed that a person’s height is related to their weight. It is a relatively strong and positive relationship between height and weight. We would, therefore, expect to see in our population taller people having a greater weight relative to those of shorter people. This determination suggests restrictions on industrial equipment should be stated in maximum pounds allowed rather than maximum number of people allowed.

RO2:

RO3:

RO4:

RO5:

RO6:

Recommendations

Students should include recommendations here in paragraph form. This section should be your professional thoughts based upon the findings from the hypothesis testing. You are the researcher and Sun Coast's leadership team is relying on you to make evidence-based recommendations. Use the following subheadings to include all required information. Delete instructions highlighted in yellow before submitting this assignment.

Particulate Matter Recommendation

Safety Training Effectiveness Recommendation

Sound-Level Exposure Recommendation

New Employee Training Recommendation

Lead Exposure Recommendation

Return on Investment Recommendation

References

Include references here using hanging indentations, and delete these statements and example reference.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE.

Histogram

Frequency 103.38 104.3696579 105.3593158 106.3489737 107.3386316 108.3282895 109.3179474 110.3076053 111.2972632 112.2869211 113.2765789 114.2662368 115.2558947 116.2455526 117.2352105 118.2248684 119.2145263 120.2041842 121.1938421 122.1835 12 3.1731579 124.1628158 125.1524737 126.1421316 127.1317895 128.1214474 129.1111053 130.1007632 131.0904211 132.0800789 133.0697368 134.0593947 135.0490526 136.0387105 137.0283684 138.0180263 139.0076842 139.9973421 More 1 2 1 3 6 6 9 12 18 17 26 22 27 47 36 44 47 53 61 60 62 74 70 81 93 73 105 80 88 67 50 56 35 30 19 7 8 5 2

Bin