Data Gathering Strategy at AeroTech, Inc - Case Study Example

The client seeks to establish the nature of spending on projects at Aero Tech in terms of time and cost. It has been realized that the organization spends a lot of unjustifiable time and money on its projects. Indeed, the challenge normally arises when much of the costs incurred in projects cannot be accounted for in the long run. Moreover, time is a very important function that determines the feasibility of any project. Too much time without any substantial output towards the projects is basically improper. Such is the case of Aero Tech where much money and time is taken on projects that would otherwise be spent to realize substantial output. Aero Tech, as a research and project firm, should be very cautious on its spending habits given the high costs involved in the process. The challenge arises out of the fact that getting such information is very difficult given that nobody might be willing to divulge any information that attaches liability or mistake to them. Therefore the process of extracting the information from the organization might prove quite a challenge in this respect. One of the most fundamental concerns for Aero Tech regards the need to ensure that all the allocation for research is economically used and effectively managed. In addition, it is imperative to ensure that each and every project is conducted within a proper timeframe so that accountability is enhanced. In this respect, the method of gathering data to be used in the search for information is very important in this regard. Several methods abound and this creates the need to evaluate all the possible avenues. In obtaining information regarding the inefficiency of Aero Techs projects, several methods of gathering data could be used in the process. In this regard, the use of surveys and questionnaires becomes very central in the process given that it presents a very original and elucidative approach to data collection. Surveys are normally used in gathering information from a group of people using the same strategies for every individual. In most cases, the method is used in the instances where information is to be obtained from so many people. In the case of Aero Tech, surveys can take so many forms to suite the specific information that the researcher seeks to obtain. Surveys are normally formal or informal in application. Formal surveys involve very elaborate procedures where the data obtained is usually subjected to validity and reliability to ensure its authenticity. On the other hand, informal surveys involve results that are merely anecdotal. The most important component in using surveys basically lies in their ability to provide opportunity to advance measures to improve the performance in situations where such improvements are necessary. In this regard, very few commercially available software are normally available in the process of using surveys are a tool for gathering data from the field. Aero tech is a very large corporation comprising of so many departments and units of operation. It is therefore almost impossible to obtain information from all the employees. This creates the need to select a sample of employees from each of these units which could hopefully act as the representative of the whole employee population. Similarly, all the other parties involved in the projects of the firm could be taken into account to give their version of the story regarding the nature of projects that the organization partakes. In the same way, questionnaires are very important tools that could be use in obtaining very pertinent information regarding the nature of the organization and whether the projects conducted are normally cost-effective and time-conscious. Questionnaires can always be open-ended where the respondent is given the opportunity to give their free views regarding the issue at hand. In the same way, close-ended questionnaires could be used in gathering the information. In this case, the respondents are given specific responses to chose from in answering the questions (Creswell 2009). The use of surveys and questionnaires would come in very handy in gathering a lot of useful information that would indeed help to determine whether the projects undertaken by Aero Tech meet the standards that define proper and viable projects. In the determination of whether Aero Tech spends a lot of time and money in its projects, several parameters could be used as the basis for this determination. Such parameters emanate from the information given by the employees of the organization and the other parties that interact with the organization. These include the clients, government, policy makers and even the general public. Several factors can confirm that Aero Tech indeed spends a lot of time and money on its projects. Such factors include the time taken for the organization to undertake a particular project vis-à-vis the time taken by competitor organizations. In the same way, the benefits realized from a particular research initiative could be compared with the amount of investment used in the particular project. A disparity in these two values translates into either a lot of money spent in the investment or not. The success of most projects is normally gauged by the eventual realization of the goal envisioned. It is therefore important to determine whether the projects initiated by Aero Tech eventually meet the demands speculated in the initial venture. In conclusion, it is realized that the use of surveys and questionnaires present a good strategy for obtaining a lot of valuable information on the subject matter presented in the case. Its success can be evidenced in the eventual information obtained by the researchers on the subject. References Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage. Read More