Using Numeracy and ICT Skills in Research

This report discusses the meaning and nature of research, principles of organizing research, and applying numerical techniques to analyze secondary data. It also includes a literature review on the impact of an effective work environment on improving employee productivity: The Sainsbury's Study. Learn how to use numeracy and ICT skills in research with Desklib's online library for study material with solved assignments, essays, dissertation etc.

Using numeracy and
ICT skills in research

Table of Contents
PART 1............................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1. Discussion of meaning and nature of research along with the principles of organising
research .................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
PART 2............................................................................................................................................7
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................7
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................7
Search subject secondary data using ICT technology............................................................7
Applying Numerical Techniques to Analyze Secondary Data...............................................8
Interpreting and recommending the outcomes of the information.......................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
RECOMMENDATION.................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

PART 1
INTRODUCTION
Numeracy is the quality to understand and to evaluate basic numerical concepts. It is useful to
analyse numerical patterns and resolve errors in a originative manner (Chen and et.al., 2021).
ICT is utilized to convey on a global scale via the Internet. This report includes a description of
the research and its nature. Research principles are also explained in this given report.
MAIN BODY
1. Discussion of meaning and nature of research along with the principles of organising research
It consists of the words re and search. Re-meaning again, searching means discovering
new facts and ideas. It is a procedure of querying, study and synthesizing data to find answers to
unresolved questions. It adds fresh understandings to existing thought and opinions. Research is
defined as careful consideration of study regarding a particular concern or problem using
scientific methods. Research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control the
observed phenomenon. It involves inductive and deductive methods. Inductive research methods
analyse observed events while deductive methods validate observed events. Inductive methods
are associated with qualitative research while deductive methods are more often associated with
quantitative analysis. Finding solutions in a structured way is a scientific process (Flannery.,
2021). During the course of conducting the research, certain characteristics of the research can be
observed as described below -
 Systematic: Research is carried out in a systematic procedure that is divided into
multiple steps. Start with distinguishing the problem, followed by a literature review.
Through the frame study design, all step-by-step research activities are pre-planned. It is
done sequentially, that helps to increase transparency and reduce ambiguity of a
particular procedure.
 Controlled: In scientific research, every independent variables are examined in a
controlled manner to understand their effect on the dependent variable. Manipulate
independent variables in artificial settings, try to eliminate irrelevant variables, and gain
reliability when conducting research. However, in some cases, external factors are
difficult to control, but the influence of the independent variable on the dependent
variable can be examined by minimizing the influence

 Empirical: It is a procedure of finding evidence from the researcher's real-life experience
or observation. Data backed by observations brings the accuracy of the research
outcomes and can achieve validity in the course of the research.
 Objectivity: It mention to the procedure of discovering solutions without considering
researcher biases. This is a feature of positivism, which means that research should
follow a scientific process that removes the subjectiveness of the researcher. A
researcher's values, thoughts, ideas and beliefs should not be part of the solution to a
particular problem. By handling the objectivity of the research, the researcher can obtain
the accuracy of the outcomes (Gray., 2021).
 Validity and Reliability: Validity means accuracy and reliability guarantee repeatability.
Reliability can be obtained through validity and vice versa, because accuracy guarantees
its repeatability, but repetition of events does not assure its validity. However, both are
necessary to conduct research, but most significantly, researchers cannot ignore validity.
 Action oriented: Many types of studies are applied depending on different variables and
situations. Every study is conducted to find a solution to an identified problem and
requires practical application. Take action to resolve the problem defined in the
statement. Therefore, the purpose of the study is a pragmatic approach to be followed by
the researcher.
 Enquiring mind: This is a creative procedure, including the discovery procedure and the
method of finding problems. It requires great planning and organizational skills needed to
carry out the research steps (Lerner and et.al., 2021). As such, it contains a wide variety
of ideas and out-of-the-box ways of thinking to find answers to specific questions.
Principles of Organising research
There are few ethical values to abide by when preparing research reports, as follows:
 Reduce the risk of harm - Research reporting should not compromise participant
confidentiality, psychological and physical comfort, privacy and anonymity. The data
needs to be filled out by the contestant, but there are several ethical principles that need
to be enforced. Risk or harm can be minimized by obtaining consent from participants
and maintaining confidentiality of participants and their data. In preparing research
designs, deceptive measures to gain public interest should be avoided.

 Obtaining Informed Consent - Participants should be able to choose whether they want
to be part of the research sample. Participants should be provided with detailed
information about the risks, benefits, objectives, and research alternatives. Another
important criterion of this principle is that the consent obtained must be free. It refers to
consent obtained without coercion and threats.
 Right to Withdraw - Provisions to escape the process should be provided in every
research process. Participants can opt out when they want to. There should be no pressure
on the minds of the participants to continue giving their answers. They can withdraw at
any stage of the research process (Zhang and et.al., 2021).
 Avoid deceptive tactics - these include practices that are detrimental to participants.
Deception is actually often observed in covert research. It signifies a type of research in
which the researcher's intentions and identity are unknown to its investigators. Basically
to avoid enumerator bias. But sometimes it can be included in deceptive practices.
 Independent Review - Before research reporting begins, an independent review panel
should be established to review the methods, risks, and ethical merits involved. It helps to
frame research in an ethical manner that protects the interests of participants.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be analysed that research is a structured approach to ask solutions to
the questions defined in the research design. It aids in analysing conclusions about research
samples by keeping in mind the various ethical activities to be utilized during the conduct of
research functions.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Chen, Y.Y and et.al., 2021. Pillararene-based AIEgens: research progress and appealing
applications. Chemical Communications. 57(3), pp.284-301.
Flannery, K.V., 2021. The research problem. In Guilá Naquitz (pp. 3-18). Routledge.
Gray, D.E., 2021. Doing research in the real world. sage.
Lerner, R.M and et.al., 2021. Positive youth development in 2020: Theory, research, programs,
and the promotion of social justice. Journal of Research on Adolescence. 31(4),
pp.1114-1134.
Zhang, L and et.al., 2021. COVID-19 and energy: Influence mechanisms and research
methodologies. Sustainable Production and Consumption. 27, pp.2134-2152.

PART 2
INTRODUCTION
Information and communication technology enables the processing, storage and exchange
of data by means of technology. The main role of ICT is to process data. Data comes in two
forms, primary data and secondary data (Adogbeji and et.al., 2022). This report includes a
literature review on the impact of an effective work environment on improving employee
productivity: The Sainsbury's Study. It also includes applying relevant numerical techniques to
analyse secondary research to find solutions to research problems. Numerical techniques used to
evaluate results are measures of central tendency, such as mean, median, mode, and standard
deviation. It also includes interpreting results by providing recommendations and solutions to
research questions.
MAIN BODY
Search subject secondary data using ICT technology.
Pamella Carrasquel believes that a positive workplace plays a vital role in increasing the
productivity levels of an organization. A healthy environment helps boost employee confidence
and ultimately increases employee retention. For any organization, the greatest asset is its people
because production is possible with the help of people. Employees feel motivated when their
opinions are considered in the decision-making process. In an organization, the level of
democratic decision-making at which the ideas of all employees are taken into account. Senior
managers and higher-level supervisory agencies should focus on improving the level of
communication and express gratitude and respect for the hard work of employees (Aigerim, Aida
and Tulebike., 2022). There are several positive reinforcements, such as providing positive
feedback on their performance, involving employees in decision-making, and providing
employees with compensatory benefits.
According to Courtney Morrison, an organization's work environment includes its
employees, employees, and management. In order to create a healthy environment in an
organization, it is necessary to provide training and development courses. Training courses for
employees aid their career development and provide a path to set higher goals for future
performance. The work environment has several components, namely physical layout and
psychological characteristics. The physical layout of an organization includes blueprints for

offices and organizational structure, which define reporting relationships between employees and
senior management. A flexible, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing physical environment
motivates employees to perform better. Psychological characteristics, on the other hand, include
employee motivation levels, employee retention rates, and compensatory benefits to employees.
Effective communication channels in an organization help to clearly define the tasks performed,
thereby reducing the waste of time, effort and materials required to produce a specific
commodity. In every business, achieving economies of scale is critical. This is a condition for
enterprises to reduce unit production costs. When a company begins to enjoy economies of scale,
it continues to mass-produce because it is able to gain a lot of profitability. Another factor that
affects productivity levels is noise, which reduces the quality of communication between
employers and employees (Gu and Xu., 2022).
According to Chika Ebenezer Duru and Dominic Shimawua, employee productivity is
directly affected by several factors that directly or indirectly affect an organization's profitability.
In modern times, employees are aware of dynamic needs and not just monetary needs.
Employees need to be assessed on the monetary and non-monetary aspects of the organization.
Applying Numerical Techniques to Analyze Secondary Data
In statistics, there are a variety of numerical techniques that can be used to evaluate the
results of a research question. The description of the quantification tool can be explained as
follows:
1. Mean – A measure of central tendency, using a single value to represent the entire
population. It is an average that can be calculated using the formula for the sum of all
observations and the number of observations. It is used for further algebraic processing
and is also affected by extreme values (Ibrahim and et.al., 2021).
2. Median - represents the median of the complete data. In the case of odd observations, the
median will be the median, in the case of even observations there are different ways of
calculating it. By using the formula n+1/2, the median can be calculated.
3. Mode – the most frequently occurring value in the data. It is affected by extreme values
of the data. It is one of the three measures of central tendency, apart from mean and
median. That means, mode or modal value is the value or number in a data set, which has
a high frequency or appears more frequently. (Manatunga and Silva., 2021).

4. Standard Deviation – It is a measure of the standard deviation and is used to understand
the dispersion of values from the actual mean. The standard deviation is calculated as the
square root of variance by determining each data point's deviation relative to the mean.
The effect of an effective work environment on improving employee productivity: a study on
Sainsbury's.
Questionnaire
1. How do you feel about the work culture of your organization?
A. Very suitable
B. Suitable
C. Improper
D. Extremely improper
2. Do you feel that your subordinates and team members respect you?
A. Yes
B. Do not
3. Does the current work environment in the organization help increase your motivation?
A. Yes
B. Do not
C. Neutral
4. To what extent does the work environment affect productivity? Answer on a scale of 1 to 3,
with 1 being the lowest and 3 being the highest
A. one
B. two
C. three
5. How often do your colleagues communicate effectively with you?
A. Frequent

B. Often
C. Rare
D. Very rare
6. The extent to which your productivity has declined due to the negative impact of your work
environment. Answer on a scale of 1 to 3, with 1 being the lowest and 3 being the highest.
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
Interpreting and recommending the outcomes of the information.
How do you find the working culture of the organization
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
Extremely appropriate 5 26.3 26.3 26.3
Appropriate 7 36.8 36.8 63.2
Inappropriate 4 21.1 21.1 84.2
Extremely Inappropriate 3 15.8 15.8 100.0
Total 19 100.0 100
Interpretation: From the above table it is analysed that, out of 19 respondent 7 respondent said
that working culture of the firm is appropriate that contributes 38.8% of the overall population.
The result of mode of above data is 7 because it is the highest frequency where people select
their opinion of appropriate.
Do you feel respected by your subordinates and team members?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
YES 8 42.1 42.1 42.1
NO 11 57.9 57.9 100.0
Total 19 100.0 100.0
Interpretation: The table above shows Sainsbury's data on employee satisfaction with respect. It
can be seen from the above data that most people are not satisfied with the level of respect given

by Sainsbury's employers. Of the 19 respondents, 11 chose the negative option. Therefore, it can
be concluded that organizations should aim to increase the level of respect for their subordinates.
Do the current workplace environment in the organisation helps in increasing
your motivation factor?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
YES 5 26.3 26.3 26.3
NO 7 36.8 36.8 63.2
NEUTRAL 7 36.8 36.8 100.0
Total 19 100.0 100.0
Interpretation: The table above shows the role of the work environment in increasing motivators.
Here, there are multiple peaks, which indicates that there are two modes in the series. The same
number of people chose the no and neutral options, which means most people don't believe
Sainsbury's current work environment helps increase the motivating factor.
How often your colleagues have an effective communication with you?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
VERY OFTEN 4 21.1 21.1 21.1
OFTEN 9 47.4 47.4 68.4
RARELY 2 10.5 10.5 78.9
VERY RARELY 4 21.1 21.1 100.0
Total 19 100.0 100.0
Interpretation: The table above shows information on the level of communication between top
management and subordinates in an organization. The table shows responses from 19 candidates,
most of whom chose the frequent option. As a result, the organization did not consider the
suggestions of the employees because they did not interact on a regular basis.
Level of decrease in your productivity due to negative aspects of working
environment. Answer on a scale of 1 to 3, where one being the lowest and
three being the highest.

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
1.00 5 26.3 26.3 26.3
2.00 8 42.1 42.1 68.4
3.00 6 31.6 31.6 100.0
Total 19 100.0 100.0
Interpretation: The table above shows the magnitude of the drop in employee productivity. The
scale ranges from 1 to 3, with most employees marking 2 as their answer. 42.1% of the total
population. Therefore, the modes of output are two.
Statistics
. How do you
find the
working culture
of the
organisation
Do you feel
respected by
your
subordinates
and team
members?
Do the current
workplace
environment in
the
organisation
helps in
increasing your
motivation
factor?
. The level of
impact that
workplace
environment
has on deriving
productivity in
your work?
Answer on a
scale of 1 to 3,
where one
being the
lowest and
three being the
highest
How often your
colleagues
have an
effective
communication
with you?
Level of
decrease in your
productivity due
to negative
aspects of
working
environment.
Answer on a
scale of 1 to 3,
where one being
the lowest and
three being the
highest.
N Valid 19 19 19 0 19 19
Missing 0 0 0 19 0 0
Mean 2.26 1.5789 2.1053 2.3158 2.0526
Median 2.00 2.0000 2.0000 2.0000 2.0000
Mode 2 2.00 2.00a 2.00 2.00
Std. Deviation 1.046 .50726 .80930 1.05686 .77986
a. Multiple modes exist. The smallest value is shown
Interpretation: The above shows the mean, median, mode and standard deviation for the above
problem. In the context of Sainsbury's, most respondents chose the "appropriate" option, which is

the average for a given value. Another aspect of respecting subordinates shows that the majority
answer is "no." The median for all of the above questions is 2.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be states that primary research plays important role in
discovering the solutions of the research problem or questions. There are different numerical
methods such as mode, median, mean and standard deviations which will helpful in discovering
averages and central values of given outcomes of the various participants. Sainsbury is a
multinational company and the 2nd biggest chain of supermarket that operational in electrical and
household appliances. The recommendation of the report is consider the firm to enhance the
level of production in the firm.
RECOMMENDATION
To increase productivity levels at Sainsbury's, organisations must focus on a variety of
non-financial factors, which are integrated with the organisation's work environment. Top
management should improve the organization's work culture by developing liberal policies,
andThe above shows the mean, median, mode and standard deviation for the above problem. In
the context of Sainsbury's, most respondents chose the "appropriate" option, which is the average
for a given value. Another aspect of respecting subordinates shows that the majority answer is
"no." The median for all of the above questions is 2. businesses should consider the
organization's decision-making. This way, employees feel motivated and morale improves. There
should be open communication between employers and employees of the organization. It will
help achieve economies of scale. Reprogramming should include enhanced policies such as
positive feedback for employees and compensatory benefits.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Adogbeji, B.O and et.al., 2022. Library staff ICT skills as influencing factors in the digitization
of information resources in federal university libraries in Nigeria. Information
Technologist (The). 19(1), pp.159-177.
Aigerim, B., Aida, S. and Tulebike, K., 2022. Investigating of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) skills and professionally-based competencies of translator
candidates. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and
Technology. pp.894-917.
Gu, X. and Xu, H., 2022. Engaging teachers in a DBIR community to develop ICT-enabled
problem-solving skills. In Teacher Learning in Changing Contexts (pp. 196-214).
Routledge.
Ibrahim, R and et.al., 2021. Development of information and communication technology (ICT)
skills among students with learning disabilities (SLD) in malaysia and
ukraine. International Journal of Educational Best Practices. 5(2), pp.121-131.
Manatunga, P.K.S. and Silva, A., 2021. ICT skills of Library & Information Science (LIS)
professionals for the adoption of Blended Learning: a case study of University of
Colombo.
Olanrewaju, M.K and et.al., 2022. Assessment of ICT Skills Among Upper Basic Islamic Studies
Teachers in Kwara State. Journal of Mathematical Sciences & Computational
Mathematics. 3(3), pp.367-376.
Öngören, S., 2022. Teachers’ use of ICT in the preschool period: A mixed research
method. Education and Information Technologies. pp.1-22.
Oyovwe-Tinuoye, G.O., Omeluzor, S.U. and Patrick, I.O., 2021. Influence of ICT skills on job
performance of librarians in university libraries of South-South, Nigeria. Information
Development. 37(3), pp.345-358.
Salleh, A and et.al., 2021, November. Teacher's ICT Skills and Readiness of Integrating
Augmented Reality in Education. In 2021 5th International Conference on Informatics
and Computational Sciences (ICICoS) (pp. 205-209). IEEE.
Utami, I.S., Budi, S. and Widyastuti, R., 2021. STUDENTS’RESPONSES TO E-LEARNING
SYSTEM: DOES ICT SKILL LEVEL AFFECT?. Jurnal Ipteks Terapan (Research Of
Applied Science And Education). 15(3), pp.360-367.
Vonkova, H and et.al., 2021. Developing a framework for the examination of anchoring vignette
assumptions using cognitive interviews: A demonstration in the ICT skills
domain. Field Methods. 33(4), pp.355-371.