Bicol University

GRADUATE SCHOOL
Legazpi City

FINAL EXAMINATION
PAPER
MAELM 210: Essentials of Management

Prepared by:
MIGUEL DOMINIQUE A. MARTINEZ
MAELM I

Submitted to:
DR. EDUARDO B. ARDALES
Professor

How do data affect information? What steps would you take to ensure that
available data meet the major criteria for useful information (high quality,
timeliness, relevance and comprehensiveness)?
Data are plain facts. When data are processed, organized, structured or
presented in a given context so as to make them useful, they are called information. It is
not enough to have data (such as statistics on research). Data in themselves are fairly
useless but when these data are interpreted and processed to determine its true
meaning, they become useful and can be called information. According to
www.diffen.com, data is the computer's language while information is our translation of
this language.
For example, a student who conducts research survey might ask a member of
the public to complete questionnaires about his specific topic. These completed
questionnaires are data; they are processed and analyze in order to prepare a report on
the survey. This resulting report is information.
The website infoengineering.net cites that data is always correct but
information can be wrong. Information captures data at a single point. The data changes
over time. The mistake people make is thinking that the information they are looking at
is always an accurate reflection of the data. By understanding the differences between
them, we can better understand how to make better decisions based on the accurate
facts.
The first step to ensure that available data meet the major criteria for useful
information (high quality, timeliness, relevance and comprehensiveness) is to clearly
define the goals and objectives of data collection. A good data collection plan should

include: a brief description of the project, the specific data that is needed, the rationale
for collecting the data and what will be done with the data once it has been collected.
Ensure all personnel are knowledgeable, certified, and trained for their assigned tasks.
The next step is to consider if the process was well documented and
communicated. Ensure all requirements are available. For example computer hardware,
software, network, etc. Also, provide documentation for data providers and data
processors.
Then, clearly define what data is to be collected and how. We should decide what
is to be evaluated and determine how a numerical value will be assigned, so as to
facilitate measurement. The factors to consider are: What time interval should be part of
the study; whether past, present, and future data will be collected and the
methodologies that will be employed to record all the data. Careful attention should be
paid to how reliable the data and its source has been, and whether it is advisable to
continue using such data. Data that proves to be suspect should be discarded. Comply
with professional standards for data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Once the data collection process has been planned and defined, it is best to
follow through with the process from start to finish, ensuring that the plan is being
executed consistently and accurately. Data control is about achieving data accuracy and
ensuring the right users have access to the right information, which also means blocking
access, as needed. To control your data, you first need to clean it by removing
duplicates and errors, and then set up processes and use technologies to keep it clean.
We should check to see if the process was well implemented. We should check to see
that the results (data and measurements) are reasonable and that they meet the
criteria. If the results are not meeting the criteria, then we should determine what to do
with any data and or measurements that are suspect. Reviewing the operational

definitions and methodology with the participants will help us to clear up any
misunderstanding or misinterpretations that may have caused the breakdowns. Finally,
determine whether data were appropriately analyzed and reported.