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Sun Coast Remediation Course Project Guidance

Background

To help make a connection between business research and its use in the real world, this course will use an iterative course project. Throughout the term, you will serve as the health and safety director for Sun Coast Remediation (Sun Coast).

Sun Coast provides remediation services to business and governmental organizations. Most of their contracts involve working within contamination sites where they remove toxic substances from soil and water. In addition to the toxicity of the air, water, and soil their employees come into contact with, the work environment is physically demanding and potentially contributory to injuries involving musculoskeletal systems, vision, and hearing. Sun Coast genuinely cares about the health, safety, and well-being of their 5,500 employees, but they are also concerned about worker compensation costs and potential long-term litigation from injuries and illness related to employment.

Health and Safety Director Task

Sun Coast hired you last month to replace the previous health and safety director, who left to pursue other opportunities. This is a critical position within the company because there are many health and safety-related issues due to the nature of the work. The former health and safety director was in the midst of analyzing these issues through the implementation of a research project when she left the organization.

Throughout the term, you will use your knowledge of research methods to bring the research project to fruition. You will conduct a literature review, develop research questions and hypotheses, create the research design, test data, interpret data, and present the findings. Each unit will accomplish one of these tasks. It has already been decided that the business problems will be best addressed using a quantitative research methodology. You will not collect any data for this project. The former health and safety director had already collected the data, which is provided for you in an Excel spreadsheet.

Statistical Tools

You will conduct the data analysis using Microsoft Excel Toolpak. View these links for information: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/load-the-analysis-toolpak-in-excel-6a63e598-cd6d-42e3-9317-6b40ba1a66b4 and https://www.excel-easy.com/data-analysis/analysis-toolpak.html

Sun Coast Remediation Course Project Sections

Since this is a quantitative research study, there are specific steps that should be followed. The following is a template that will help you develop your project. (It is also provided as a template in Unit VII.) Use this information to guide your completion of the course project.

Table of Contents

Include the table of contents here. There is a tool for creating a table of contents in the References tab of the Microsoft Word tool bar at the top of the screen. Remember to delete this text and the instructions from the previous page before you begin.

Executive Summary

The executive summary will go here. The paragraphs are not indented, and it should be formatted like an abstract. The executive summary should be composed after the project is complete. It will be the final step in the project. Delete this text before you begin.

Sun Coast Remediation Course Project

Introduction

Note: The following introduction should remain in the research project unchanged. Delete this note before you begin.

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 the statement of the problems, literature review, research objectives, research questions and hypotheses, research methodology, design, and methods, data analysis, findings, and recommendations.

Statement of the Problems

Note: The following statement of the problems should remain in the research project unchanged. Delete this note before you begin.

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, PM varies in size depending on the project and job site. PM that is 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 that is 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 that is less than 2.5 microns, it is potentially more harmful than PM that is between 10 and 2.5 since the conditions are more suitable for inhalation. PM that is less than 2.5 is 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 ear-plugs 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: Group A employees who participated in the prior training program and 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 baseline blood test is taken pre-exposure and postexposure at the conclusion of the remediation. Data are available for 49 employees who recently concluded a 2-year 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

After providing a brief introduction to this section, students should include the literature review information here. Important Note: Students should refer to the information presented in the Unit I Study Guide and the Unit I Syllabus instructions to complete this section of the project. Delete this before you begin.

Research Objectives

After providing a brief introduction to this section, students should include research objectives here. Students should compose short, direct statements about the objectives of the study. Research objectives should relate to the problems that have been identified above, and there should be one objective for each problem as shown in the example below. Important Note: Students should refer to the information presented in the Unit II Syllabus instructions to complete this section of the project. Delete this before you begin.

Example:

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

RO2:

RO3:

RO4:

RO5:

RO6:

Research Questions and Hypotheses

After providing a brief introduction to this section, students should state the research questions and hypotheses. Each research objective should have a corresponding research question and a null and alternative hypothesis as shown in the example below. In total, there should be six research questions and twelve hypotheses. Important Note: Students should refer to the information presented in the Unit II Study Guide and the Unit II Syllabus instructions to complete this section of the project. Delete this before you begin.

Example:

RQ1: Is there a relationship between height and weight?

H01: There is no statistically significant relationship between height and weight.

HA1: There is a statistically significant relationship between height and weight.

RQ2:

H02:

HA2:

RQ3:

H03:

HA3:

RQ4:

H04:

HA4:

RQ5:

H05:

HA5:

RQ6:

H06:

HA6:

Research Methodology, Design, and Methods

After providing a brief introduction to this section, students should detail the research design they have selected and why it is an appropriate research approach for addressing the business problems. Use the following subheadings to include all required information. Important Note: Students should refer to the information presented in the Unit III Study Guide and the Unit III Syllabus instructions to complete this section of the project. Delete this before you begin.

Research Methodology

Explain the research methodology chosen for this research project and provide rationale for why it is appropriate given the problems.

Research Design

Students should explain whether the research design is exploratory, causal, or descriptive. Provide rationale for the choice.

Research Methods

Students should describe the research methods used for this research study based on the research methodology, research design, and research questions, and provide a rationale as to why they were chosen. They might include a combination of experimentation, descriptive statistics, correlation, and causal-comparative methods.

Data Collection Methods

Students should specify how the data were most likely collected to test the hypotheses. Data collection methods include, but are not limited to, survey, observation, and records analysis.

Sampling Design

Students should briefly describe the type of sampling design that was most likely used for the data that were collected. Choices include, but are not limited to, random sample, convenience sample, etc. Explain your rationale for your sampling design selection(s).

Data Analysis Procedures

Students should specify the statistical procedures used to test each set of hypotheses from among correlation, regression, t test, and ANOVA. They should explain why each procedure was the most appropriate choice.

Example:

Correlation is the preferred procedure to use to test the RQ1 hypotheses since the interest is whether a relationship exists between an independent variable (IV) and dependent variable (DV). Correlation will indicate if there is a relationship between height (IV) and weight (DV), the strength of the relationship, and the direction of the relationship.

Data Analysis: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

After providing a brief introduction to this section, students should provide the Excel Toolpak results of their descriptive analyses. Frequency tables, histograms, and descriptive statistics tables should be cut and pasted from Excel directly into the final project document. Important Note: Students should refer to the information presented in the Unit IV Study Guide and the Unit IV Syllabus instructions to complete this section of the project. Delete this before you begin.

Correlation: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

Students should include this information here. Include frequency table, histogram, and descriptive statistics table. Evaluate and discuss the descriptive statistics and make an explicit statement about whether the assumptions for parametric statistical testing were met or not met. Delete these statements before you begin.

Simple Regression: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

Students should include this information here. Include frequency table, histogram, and descriptive statistics table. Evaluate and discuss the descriptive statistics, and make an explicit statement about whether the assumptions for parametric statistical testing were met or not met. Delete these statements before you begin.

Multiple Regression: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

Students should include this information here. Include frequency table, histogram, and descriptive statistics table. Evaluate and discuss the descriptive statistics and make an explicit statement about whether the assumptions for parametric statistical testing were met or not met. Delete these statements before you begin.

Independent Samples t Test: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

Students should include this information here. Include frequency table, histogram, and descriptive statistics table. Evaluate and discuss the descriptive statistics, and make an explicit statement about whether the assumptions for parametric statistical testing were met or not met. Delete these statements before you begin.

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

Students should include this information here. Include frequency table, histogram, and descriptive statistics table. Evaluate and discuss the descriptive statistics, and make an explicit statement about whether the assumptions for parametric statistical testing were met or not met. Delete these statements before you begin.

ANOVA: Descriptive Statistics and Assumption Testing

Students should include this information here. Include frequency table, histogram, and descriptive statistics table. Evaluate and discuss the descriptive statistics, and make an explicit statement about whether the assumptions for parametric statistical testing were met or not met. Delete these statements before you begin

Data Analysis: Hypothesis Testing

After providing a brief introduction to this section, students should provide the Excel Toolpak results of their hypothesis testing. The statistical output tables should be cut and pasted from Excel directly into the final project document. For the regression hypotheses, the students should display and discuss the predictive regression equations. Important Note: Students should refer to the information presented in the Units V and VI Study Guides and the Units V and VI Syllabus instructions to complete this section of the project. Delete this before you begin.

Correlation: Hypothesis Testing

Students should include this information here. Restate the null and alternative hypotheses, cut and paste the statistical output from Excel Toolpak, discuss the p-value in relation to alpha and explicitly accept or reject the null and alternative hypotheses. Delete these statements before you begin.

Simple Regression: Hypothesis Testing

Students should include this information here. Restate the null and alternative hypotheses, cut and paste the statistical output from Excel Toolpak, and interpret and explain the simple regression analysis results below the Excel output. Your explanation should include: multiple R, R square, alpha level, ANOVA F value, accept or reject the null and alternative hypotheses for the model, statistical significance of the x variable coefficient, and the regression model as an equation with explanation. Delete these statements before you begin.

Multiple Regression: Hypothesis Testing

Students should include this information here. Restate the null and alternative hypotheses, cut and paste the statistical output from Excel Toolpak, and interpret and explain the simple regression analysis results below the Excel output. Your explanation should include: multiple R, R square, alpha level, ANOVA F value, accept or reject the null and alternative hypotheses for the model, statistical significance of the x variable coefficients, and the regression model as an equation with explanation.

Independent Samples t Test: Hypothesis Testing

Students should include this information here. Restate the null and alternative hypotheses, cut and paste the statistical output from Excel Toolpak, discuss the p-value in relation to alpha and explicitly accept or reject the null and alternative hypotheses. Delete these statements before you begin.

Dependent Samples (Paired Samples) t Test: Hypothesis Testing

Students should include this information here. Restate the null and alternative hypotheses, cut and paste the statistical output from Excel Toolpak, discuss the p-value in relation to alpha and explicitly accept or reject the null and alternative hypotheses. Delete these statements before you begin.

ANOVA: Hypothesis Testing

Students should include this information here. Restate the null and alternative hypotheses, cut and paste the statistical output from Excel Toolpak, discuss the p-value in relation to alpha and explicitly accept or reject the null and alternative hypotheses. Delete these statements before you begin.

Findings

After providing a brief introduction to this section, students should discuss the findings in the context of Sun Coast’s problems and the associated research objectives and research questions. Important Note: Students should refer to the information presented in the Unit VII Study Guide and the Unit VII Syllabus instructions to complete this section of the project. 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? Delete these statements before you begin.

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

After providing a brief introduction to this section, students should include recommendations here in paragraph form. This section should be your professional thoughts based upon the results of the hypothesis testing. You are the researcher, and Sun Coast’s leadership team is relying on you to make evidence-based recommendations. Delete these statements before you begin.

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.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.