QMTH104 Quantitative Methods: Sydney Laptop Market Research Report

This report investigates the key features that influence laptop purchases in Sydney. Data was collected using questionnaires from a sample of 20 respondents, and analyzed using Excel to determine frequency and descriptive statistics. The study found that Dell was the most preferred laptop brand, with customers favoring 500GB HDD capacity and 15.6-inch screen sizes. The report concludes that Dell laptops should be supplied in larger quantities, along with other brands, with the recommended specifications to meet customer demand. The analysis includes data on preferred laptop types, softpad usage, processor types, warranty considerations, and price ranges. The report also provides interval estimations and margin of error calculations for screen size, processor speed, and HDD capacity. Desklib offers a variety of study tools and resources for students.

Purchase of laptops in Sydney
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Executive summary
The main purpose of this report was to determine some of the features customers consider when
purchasing laptops from dealers in Sydney. Methods of data collection that were used in this
study was the use of questionnaires where the questionnaires were presented to randomly
selected individuals under the administration of the researcher. The target population consisted
of over five thousand people where a sample size of 20 respondents was used. Excel software
was used in carrying out frequency and descriptive analysis of data. From the results, the most
preferred laptop make was Dell with 500GB HDD capacity and 15.6 inches screen size. It was
then concluded and recommended that the largest number of laptop makes that should be
supplied in Sydney city was Dell alongside other laptops. The laptops should be having 500GB
HDD with the screen size of 15.6 inches.
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Contents
Executive summary...................................................................................................................................ii
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................1
Target population..................................................................................................................................2
Data collection techniques.....................................................................................................................2
Data analysis..........................................................................................................................................2
Summary of the data set...........................................................................................................................4
Descriptive data analysis...........................................................................................................................8
Interval estimation....................................................................................................................................9
Margin of errors....................................................................................................................................9
Confidence intervals..............................................................................................................................9
Conclusion and recommendations..........................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................................11
Appendices...............................................................................................................................................12
Appendix A: Questionnaire................................................................................................................12
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Introduction
Since the emergence of computers and their incorporation in various daily activities have made
computers to be on high demand in the market. Various sectors ranging from education, banking,
agriculture and business sectors as a whole depend on computers to ease their activities (Eid, and
El-Gohary, 2013). In each environment, computers are acquired and made in use to serve
different purposes (Bolton et al., 2013). Computers are available in different types and brands
from different computer manufacturers. Some of the commonly used computers types are the
desktop computers, laptops and the notebooks. Desktops are not easy to move around with and
depends on the plug and use power hence is difficult to move around with and thus only installed
in specific place (such as offices) for use (Melenka, Schofield, Dawson, and Carey, 2015).
Laptops on the other hand have their power storage batteries and thus capable of being in use
even when it is not plugged in the power source. Consequently, laptops are easier to carry around
due to their light weights and do not require large spaces when moved around (Jiménez-Parra,
Rubio and Vicente-Molina, 2014). In that regard, they are preferred by different people such as
the students, researchers, motivational speakers etc. Students and the researchers engage their
laptops particularly for the learning and research activities to hone their skills and knowledge
depending on their areas of study and research all over the world (Gaudreau, Miranda and
Gareau, 2014).
Australia forming part of the world and having population of people engaging in different
activities, it also requires computers just like any other country with computers in use. Computer
era have transformed how things are done from tradition or manual ways to digital way (i.e.
information storage are not nowadays in files in the cabinet but in the computers). Among other
cities in Australia and Sydney being one of the cities, it recorded one of the highest sales of
laptops in the country. This is due to large population in the city of about over 5 million people
since population is directly related to higher number of customers thus higher sales (Roberts,
Stark, Harkness, and Ellis, 2013). Some of the factors that could lead to high sales of laptops in
the city could be availability of many higher learning institutions of over 20 within and around
the city which translates to large number of prospective buyers. Prices also make part of the
factors but it seems relatively the same across other cities in Australia. The main purpose of this
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report is to determine some of the features the customers consider while purchasing laptops from
dealers in Sydney city.
Methods of data collection
This section will consist of the target population, data collection techniques and data analysis.
Target population
This is the entire objects of interest in the study where in this case it is over five million people in
Sydney city. Due to the cost and time involved in reaching that population, a sample was chosen.
A sample is a fraction or proportion of a population of interest in the study (Malterud, Siersma
and Guassora, 2016; Schönbrodt and Perugini, 2013). In relation to the same, sample size is the
specific number of objects involved in the study from the targeted population. In order to have a
clear picture of the purchase of laptops in Sydney, a sample size of 20 individuals was engaged
in the study. The sample size was small but was preferred due to its cost effectiveness and time
involved other than when a large sample size was used. The data sample is assumed to have fully
represented the population and therefore the sample statistic will best estimate the population
parameter.
Data collection techniques
These are the methods that are used by researchers to obtain data from the participants in relation
to the subject under study (Fabijan, Olsson and Bosch, 2015). Some of the data collection
techniques that a researcher can choose from include; interviews, surveys, questionnaires,
observations etc. This study made use of the questionnaire interviews where questions were
structured including both open ended and closed ended questions. The aim for using different
types of the questions in the questionnaire was with the aim of achieving both qualitative and
quantitative data. Questionnaires were taken to the randomly selected 20 participants for their
responses under administration of the researcher. Respondents are in most cases able to have
time to critically think with the questions and provide the appropriate answers as per the
questions when the questionnaires are used. That formed one of the reasons why questionnaire
was preferred for use in this study.
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Data analysis
Frequency and descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of data to bring easy understanding
of the data and better representation of data. Microsoft excel was the statistical software that was
used in the analysis of data for easy interpretations. Ten variables were achieved in the data set
from the ten questions in the questionnaire. Categorical variables were; gender, laptop-make,
soft-pad, processor and warranty. Numerical variables were; price, screen-size, processor-speed,
HDD-capacity and RAM-capacity. The sample data was as presented in the below table;
Table 1: Data Set Sample
Gende
r
Laptop
-type
Softpa
d
Process
or
Pric
e
Screen
-size
Warrant
y
Processo
r-speed
HDD-
capacit
y
RAM-
capacit
y
M 2.0 1.0 2.0 456.0 15.6 1.0 3.0 500.0 1.0
M 2.0 1.0 2.0 342.0 16.0 1.0 3.23 500.0 2.0
M 1.0 1.0 2.0 451.0 14.8 1.0 3.23 250.0 2.0
F 1.0 2.0 2.0 460.0 15.6 1.0 2.8 150.0 2.0
F 1.0 1.0 1.0 320.0 18.0 1.0 2.0 250.0 4.0
M 4.0 2.0 2.0 540.0 18.0 1.0 2.23 300.0 2.0
F 5.0 1.0 1.0 290.0 15.6 1.0 2.23 500.0 4.0
F 4.0 2.0 1.0 493.0 15.6 1.0 2.23 1000.0 4.0
F 3.0 2.0 1.0 341.0 14.8 1.0 1.6 250.0 4.0
F 2.0 2.0 1.0 334.0 18.0 2.0 1.6 300.0 2.0
M 6.0 1.0 1.0 367.0 16.4 1.0 1.8 150.0 2.0
M 6.0 1.0 1.0 332.0 15.6 1.0 1.63 250.0 4.0
M 1.0 1.0 2.0 456.0 15.6 2.0 2.0 500.0 4.0
F 3.0 2.0 2.0 435.0 18.0 1.0 2.23 500.0 1.0
F 3.0 1.0 1.0 297.0 16.4 1.0 2.0 1000.0 1.0
M 2.0 1.0 2.0 422.0 16.4 2.0 4.0 150.0 4.0
M 2.0 2.0 1.0 325.0 14.8 1.0 2.23 300.0 2.0
F 5.0 1.0 2.0 312.0 15.6 1.0 3.46 500.0 2.0
F 4.0 1.0 1.0 300.0 15.6 1.0 1.83 500.0 2.0
M 2.0 1.0 1.0 334.0 15.6 1.0 1.6 500.0 2.0
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Summary of the data set
Figure 1
HP Dell Acer Lenovo Asus Others
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Histogram for make of laptops
Laptop types
Frequency
For the question of the preferred type of computer, 20% preferred HP, 30% Dell, 15% Acer, 15%
Lenovo, 10% Asus and another 10% for other makes of laptops. From the results, dell was the
most preferred laptop by the respondents.
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Figure 2
yes No
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Histogram for softpad
Softpad
Frequency
Among other factors that the laptop users considered when buying the laptops was whether the
laptop was using the soft-pad or the trackpads. In that regard, most of the respondents agreed to
be considering that when purchasing laptops represented by 65% against 35% who never
considered that.
5

Figure 3
Intel Icore
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Histogram for processor type
Processor type
Frequency
Processor was also another one feature that most of the laptop buyers considered. Consequently,
Intel processor was greatly preferred over Icore processors as represented by 55% and 45%
respectively.
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Figure 4
Yes No
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Histogram for warranty
Warranty
Frequency
Some of the services that were offered by the laptop dealers attract customers to buying from
them. One of such is warranty offered to the laptops. 85% of the respondents responded that they
considered buying laptops with warranty against only 15% who never considered warranty.
Table 2: Price summary
Summary price($)
Mean 380.35
Standard Error 16.89414
Mode 456
Standard 75.55289
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Deviation
Skewness 0.60776
Range 250
Minimum 290
Maximum 540
The mean price of the laptops preferred by the respondents was $380.35 with the standard
deviation of $75.55. The most expensive laptop preferred by the participants costed $540 and the
cheapest preferred costed $290. The data collected was positively skewed having most of the
data to the right hand side of the mean value.
Descriptive data analysis
Descriptive statistics Descriptive statistics Descriptive statistics
screen size(inch) processor speed(GHz) HDD capacity(GB)
Mean 16.1 Mean 2.3465 Mean 417.5
Standard Error
0.24083
2 Standard Error
0.15683
1 Standard Error
53.8363
7
Median 15.6 Median 2.23 Median 400
Mode 15.6 Mode 2.23 Mode 500
Standard
Deviation
1.07703
3
Standard
Deviation
0.70136
9
Standard
Deviation
240.763
6
Sample
Variance 1.16
Sample
Variance
0.49191
9
Sample
Variance
57967.1
1
Kurtosis
-
0.24917 Kurtosis -3.3E-05 Kurtosis
1.82919
7
Skewness
0.92679
2 Skewness
0.94977
5 Skewness
1.33538
8
Range 3.2 Range 2.4 Range 850
Minimum 14.8 Minimum 1.6 Minimum 150
Maximum 18 Maximum 4 Maximum 1000
Sum 322 Sum 46.93 Sum 8350
Count 20 Count 20 Count 20
The mean value of screen sizes preferred by the respondents was 16.1 inches. The sizes were
deviated from the mean by 1.07703 with the variance of 1.16. The largest screen size ever
preferred by the respondents was 18 inches with the smallest being 14.8 inches. The data for
screen size were positively skewed.
The mean speed of processor from the data provided by the respondents was 2.3465GHz with the
speed values spread from mean by 0.70136GHz and the variance of 0.491919. The maximum
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processor speed preferred by the respondents was 4GHz and the lowest speed being 1.6GHz.
Further, the values from this variable were positively skewed.
Hard disk capacity preferred by the respondents in the sample had the mean of 417.5GB. The
HDD capacities were deviated from the mean by 240.7636GB and a sample variance of
57967.11GB. The largest HDD capacity preferred by the participants was 1000GB and the
lowest of 150GB. The data in the variable were as well positively skewed to mean that there
were so many HDD capacities to the right hand side of the mean HDD capacity.
Interval estimation
Margin of errors
Screen size(inch) Processor speed(GHz) HDD capacity (GB)
Z (95%) = 1.96 Z (95%) = 1.96 Z (95%) = 1.96
Standard
Error = 0.240832
Standard
Error = 0.156831
Standard
Error = 53.83637
Margin of
Error = 0.472031
Margin of
Error = 0.307389
Margin of
Error = 105.5193
Marginal errors for screen size, processor speed and the HDD capacity was calculated at 0.05
level of significance. From the results, screen size had the marginal error of 0.472031 inches for
which the population parameter would be above or below the calculated sample screen mean.
The speed of processor had marginal error of 0.307389GHz. As a result, the actual processor
speed would above or below the statistic mean that marginal error. The hard disk capacity from
the sample had the marginal error of 105.5193GB. This means that the actual hard disk capacity
would be above or below the calculated mean by that margin of error.
Confidence intervals
Upper
limit
16.5720
3
Upper
limit
2.65388
9
Upper
limit
523.019
3
Lower
limit
15.6279
7
Lower
limit
2.03911
1
Lower
limit
311.980
7
Further, the confidence interval was calculated for screen size, processor speed and the HDD
capacity at 95% confidence interval. The confidence interval for screen size was (15.62797 –
16.57203) Inches, meaning that we are 95% confident that the actual screen size mean would lie
in that range. Also, we were as well confident that the accrual mean speed of processor would lie
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