WEEK 5 APPLICATION 1 - Essay Example

Evaluating a Doctoral Study— Data Analysis Methods Data analysis refers to process of arranging and organizing collected data in a manner that will enable the derivation of relevant conclusions. It involves inspection, sieving, transmitting, and presenting data to draw conclusions and support decision-making. The distinct Data Analysis Methods relate to multivariate statistics and the choice depends on the data collected and objectivity of the research (Ilhami, 2012). Nevertheless, data analysis methods can fall into two categories that include quantitative and qualitative design methods.

In the selected doctoral study, the researcher sought to determine the success of the Project Management Professionals or more specifically to establish the relationship between e-leadership styles and the success of virtual project managers in carrying out virtual projects. To achieve this, the researcher took seventy-four surveys, Leadership Behavioral Analysis II-Self (LABII-Self) surveys on direct project staff that was a clear representation of the population. The LABII provides significant information on how leaders perceive their leadership style, or draws a comparison between their leadership style and those of their peers.

Indeed, this style derives an understanding on the perception of ones leadership style.The qualitative tradition applied in this research was ethnography. Most assuredly, the data analysis method used was appropriate for ethnography. Indeed, the method brings in a social and cultural connection as established in ethnography. More so, such a method is adaptive to field research situations like surveys, interviews, and participant-observations as proposed under ethnography. In addition, this data analysis method helps in the realization of more information than what is available at the time of data collection and can respond well to changes.

In addition, the analysis method accommodates the two stages in doing a research, observing and recording of data and production and analyzing the research problem a seen in ethnography.Indeed, all aspects of data analysis methods are justifiable. This is because from the surveys, we can establish the leadership style flexibility, chances of misuse, major and minor leadership styles, and the resultant efficiency from respective leadership styles. Furthermore, I think there is no other data analysis method that was sufficiently relevant to this study.

This method was able to derive all aspects of leadership as seen herein a fete I doubt any other method would achieve. Indeed, this method is not only specific to leadership but it is equally accurate in addressing leadership styles. Other data analysis methods would lack these attributes and hence miss the objectivity. In reaching to the above conclusions, I relied on the objectivity of the study, the level of effectiveness required, and the type of collected data. Since the collected data relate to leadership issues and related success, it was only convenient to use a data analysis method that relates to leadership.

As such, Leadership Behavioral Analysis befits the research objectivity and is appropriate to the research design applied in the study. Nevertheless, we should also consider possible ways of improving the data analysis method in application with an aim of reducing the demerits of such a method. Indeed, since the survey incorporated project managers, it was at risk of collecting biased information that would lead to inconsistent results. As such, the analysis method should have a mechanism to detect such demerits and establish a reasonable margin of error.

ReferencesIlhami Yücel. (2012). Examining the relationships among job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention: An empirical study. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(20), 44-58. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1170856604?accountid=45049Lee, M. (n.y.). E-leadership for project managers: a study of Situational leadership and virtual project success. Retrieved from: http://www.pmi.org/~/media/PDF/Surveys/MLee-Survey%20Results.ashx