Chapter 5

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

5.1INTRODUCTION
The reason of the data analysis and interpretation phase is to transmute the
data collected into reliable evidence. In this research the data was collected
from the research and development department of automotive companies,
both component manufacturer and the Automobile manufacturer. Data
analysis can be qualitative as well as quantitative but in this research effort
has been made to use only the quantitative data.
Automobile Manufacturers
Segment
PLM users
5.2 RESPONDENT PROFILE
Two
5
There are currently
30wheelers
automotive component manufacturers
using PLM
Three wheelers
2
and 14 automobile manufacturers using PLM in India. the details of the
Four wheelers
4
PLM users is given
in
the
table
below.
Commercial vehicles
1
Tractor Manufacturer
2
Automotive component manufacturer
Segment
PLM Users
Body & Structural
3
Braking & Suspension
4
Electrical & Electronics
4
Engine & Exhaust
8
Interiors
2
Transmission & Steering
6
Tyre
3

5.3 QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

t Test
Objective 1: To measure the impact of conversions of RPF on business
performance in terms of generating new business opportunities.

Group Statistics
I have been able to get
product faster into
product because of PLM

Mean

Std. Deviation

Std. Error
Mean

Conv_RFP

Yes

39

3.6410

.51233

.08204

No

3.1000

1.14018

.50990

For conversion of RPF the respondents who could bringer product faster into
the market was higher (M=3.64, SD=0.5123)
Independent Samples Test
Levene's

t-test for Equality of Means

Test for
Equality
of
Variances
F

Sig

df

Sig.

Mean

Std.

95%

(2-

Differen

Error

Confidence

taile

ce

Differen

Interval of

ce

the

d)

Difference
Low

Upper

er
Equal
varianc
es
assum

10.1
96

.
00

1.8
95

42 .065

.54103

.28552

.54103

.51646

-.035

1.117

18

23

-.865

1.947

19

24

Conv_R ed
FP

Equal
varianc
es not

1.0

4.2

48

09

assum

.351

ed

Levenes test indicate show that p =0.003 which is less than the assumed level
of significance of 0.005 therefore we go with the equal variances not assumed
for Request for Proposal impact.
An independent sample t test revealed that conversions of RPF does not have an
effect on generating new business opportunities (t(4.208) = 1.048, p = 0.351).
We can be 95% confident that the true difference between these means is CI = [0.8651, 1.947]
Objective 2: To measure the impact of Business Cycle time on business
performance in terms of generating new business opportunities

Group Statistics
I have been able to get

Mean

Std. Deviation

Std. Error

product faster into product

Mean

because of PLM
Buss_CT

Yes

39

3.7179

.45588

.07300

No

3.1000

.54772

.24495

For Business Cycle time the respondents who could bringer product faster into
the market was higher (M=3.71, SD=0.455)
Independent Samples Test
Levene's

t-test for Equality of Means

Test for
Equality
of
Variance
s
F

Sig.

df

Sig.

Mean

Std.

95%

(2-

Differenc

Error

Confidence

tailed

Differenc

Interval of the

Difference

Lower Upper
Equal
variance
s
assume

. 2.79

077 783

.
42

.008

.61795

.22108

1718
0

1.0641
0

Buss_C d
T

Equal
variance
s not
assume

2.41 4.73
8

.063

.61795

.25560

-.050 1.2860
15

Levenes test indicate show that p =0.783 which is greater than the assumed level of
significance of 0.05 therefore we go with the equal variances assumed for Business
Cycle time impact.
An independent sample t test revealed that Business Cycle time has an effect on
generating new business opportunities (t(42) = 2.795, p = 0.008). We can be
95% confident that the true difference between these means is CI = [-0.171,
1.064]

Objective 3: To measure the impact of growth on business performance in

terms of generating new business opportunities
Group Statistics
I have been able to get

Mean

Std. Deviation

product faster into

Std. Error
Mean

product because of PLM

Growth

Yes

39

3.6154

.36530

.05849

No

3.4400

.45607

.20396

For Growth the respondents who could bringer product faster into the market
was higher (M=3.61, SD=0.365)
Independent Samples Test
Levene's

t-test for Equality of Means

Test for
Equality of
Variances
F

Sig.

df

Sig.

Mean

Std. Error

95% Confidence

(2-

Difference

Difference

Interval of the

tailed)

Difference
Lower

Upper

Equal
variances

.698

.408 .985

42

.330

.17538

.17808 -.18399

.53476

.827 4.682

.449

.17538

.21218 -.38139

.73216

assumed
Growth Equal
variances
not
assumed

Levenes test indicate show that p =0.408 which is greater than the assumed
level of significance of 0.05 therefore we go with the equal variances assumed
for Growth impact.
An independent sample t test revealed that Growth does not have an effect on
generating new business opportunities (t(42) = 0.985, p = 0.33). We can be 95%
confident that the true difference between these means is CI = [-0.183, 0.534]

Objective 4: To measure the impact of price on business performance in

terms of generating new business opportunities
Group Statistics
I have been able to get

Mean

Std. Deviation

product faster into product

Std. Error
Mean

because of PLM
Pricing

Yes

39

3.5897

.64758

.10370

No

3.0000

.70711

.31623

For Price the respondents who could bringer product faster into the market was
higher (M=3.58, SD=0.647)
Independent Samples Test
Levene's

t-test for Equality of Means

Test for
Equality of
Variances
F

Sig.

df

Sig.
(2-

Mean

Std. Error

Difference Difference

tailed)

95% Confidence
Interval of the
Difference
Lower

Equal
variances

.595 .445 1.900

42

.064

.58974

.31042

1.772 4.901

.138

.58974

.33280

assumed

-.0367
0

Upper

1.21619

Pricing Equal
variances
not

-.2709
8

1.45047

assumed

Levenes test indicate show that p =0.445 which is greater than the assumed
level of significance of 0.05 therefore we go with the equal variances assumed
for Price impact
An independent sample t test revealed that Growth does not have an effect on
generating new business opportunities (t(42) = 1.9, p = 0.06). We can be 95%
confident that the true difference between these means is CI = [-0.036, 1.216]

Regression

Model Summaryb
Model

R Square

Adjusted R Square

Std. Error of the

Estimate

.438

.192

.109

.30308

a. Predictors: (Constant), Pricing, Conv_RFP, Buss_CT, Growth

b. Dependent Variable: I have been able to get product faster into product because of PLM

Interpretation: R Square value = .192 indicates that a 19.2% variation in

Business Performance is caused by the 4 dimensions of PLM which are Pricing,
Conversion of RFP, Business Cycle Time, and Growth.

ANOVAa
Model

Sum of

df

Mean Square

Sig.

Squares
Regression
1

.849

.212

Residual

3.582

39

.092

Total

4.432

43

2.312

.075b

a. Dependent Variable: I have been able to get product faster into product because of
PLM
b. Predictors: (Constant), Pricing, Conv_RFP, Buss_CT, Growth

Coefficientsa
Model

Unstandardized Coefficients

Standardized

Sig.

Coefficients
B

Std. Error

(Constant)

1.867

.497

Conv_RFP

-.088

.105

.162

Growth
Pricing

Buss_CT

Beta
3.757

.001

-.169

-.837

.408

.183

.189

.889

.379

-.193

.112

-.300

-1.725

.092

-.091

.089

-.191

-1.018

.315

a. Dependent Variable: I have been able to get product faster into product because of
PLM

The standardized coefficient value indicates the level of impact on business

performance and the factors have been identified with high values. (Business
Cycle Time ( = 0.189, t=0.889, P=0.075)). Thus Business Cycle Time is the
factors which impact the Business Performance of PLM users.

The histogram of the regression analysis indicates that the Mean = 0.00 with a
SD=0.952 and falls well within the range of 3 Sigma deviation.
Hence the derived regression equation for the dependent variable brand loyalty
is as follows;

Y = 1.867a + 0.162X1 - 0.088X2 - 0.193X3 - 0.091X4 + e

Where:Y= Business Performance,

a=constant,
X1=Business Cycle Time,
X2=Conversion of RFP,
X3=Growth,
X4=Pricing,
e=Error

Chapter 6 Findings and Conclusion

6.1.

FINDINGS
Business Cycle time has an effect on generating new
business opportunities
RPF does not have an effect on generating new business
opportunities

 Growth does not have an effect on generating new business

opportunities
Conversion of Request for Proposal does not have an effect
on generating new business opportunities
There is an increased focus on improving product
development capabilities both by the Auto component
suppliers and the Automobile Manufacturers.
The study shows that the five stages of the business cycle
that is the growth (expansion), peak, recession (contraction),
trough and recovery is the most important factor for
implementing the PLM in an organization.
Product Lifecycle Management has evolved from various
predecessors like Engineering Data Management (EDM) and
Product Data Management (PDM) over the last twenty years.
The implementation of PLM is a major investment for most.
Therefore the ROI is always a critical factor for senior
management to investigate.
Therefore the major ROI that the companies are looking for
is on the basis of better business cycle time.
The probability is therefore very high that understanding the
implementation of PLM has a positive impact on the
automobile industry. The hypothesis, underlying the
questionnaire, that PLM has a significant impact on
automobile industry can therefore be confirmed.
PLM requires intense collaboration especially in the early
design phase, inside and outside the company and across
geographic regions. Companies must therefore implement
processes and structures for collaboratively sharing product
related information.

6.2.

Conclusion and Suggestions

Since Business Cycle is a major factor in implementation of
PLM the senior management has to take a holistic approach
towards implementation of PLM is their organization
PLM is not a tool but should be considered as a process and
therefore the legacy systems should be made compatible with
the PLM process and not the other way around.
There is no definite metric to measure the impact of PLM on
the business generation and therefore in future a clear and a
definite diagnostic tool needs to develop so that PLM can be
measured quantitatively and qualitatively.

 Also the research is confined only to the Plan and design

phase and in this phase specifically on the business
performance benefits. Therefore there is huge scope in doing
further research in the other target areas such as organization
benefits, user befits, product and service benefits and process
benefits.
Also the research can be conducted on the other phases of
the product life cycle that is build, support and dispose