This document outlines a sampling and data collection plan to test whether implementing a Total Quality Management (TQM) system will increase product quality at PhoenixSolar. The target population includes production workers, managers, engineers, technicians, and customers who will provide insights through focus groups and surveys. A sample size of 385 is needed for a 95% confidence level. Internal employees will participate in exploratory focus groups, while external groups like technicians and customers will complete paper, email, and installation surveys. Validity, reliability, and privacy protocols are defined. The plan is to analyze responses over six months to determine if TQM increases quality and customer satisfaction at PhoenixSolar.

1. Descriptive Statistics and Interpretation Grading Guide
QNT/561 Version 7
1
Individual Assignment: Descriptive Statistics and Interpretation
Purpose of Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to guide students on how to
describe large amounts of data in a way that is understandable,
useful, and, if need be, convincing, using descriptive statistics
summaries of central tendency and variability.
Resources Required
· Ch. 15, 16, & 19 of Business Research Methods
· Individual Methodology Findings Template
· Descriptive Statistics and Interpretation Example
Grading Guide
Content
70 Percent
Met
Partially
Met
Not Met
Comments:
Creation of a Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet with the two
variables from your learning team’s dataset.

2. Analysis of the data with MegaStat®, StatCrunch®, Microsoft®
Excel® or other statistical tool(s), and includes the following:
(a) Descriptive stats for each numeric variable
(b) Histogram for each numeric variable
(c) Bar chart for each attribute (non numeric) variable
(d) Scatter plot if the data contains two numeric variables
Use of the Individual Methodology Findings Template to
complete the descriptive statistics.
Determination of the appropriate descriptive statistics which
included one of the following:
(a) For normally distributed data use the mean and standard
deviation.
(b) For significantly skewed data use the median and
interquartile range.

3. Use of the Descriptive Statistics and Interpretation Example to
develop an interpretation of the descriptive statistics.
Both the spreadsheet and the completed Individual Methodology
Findings Template were submitted.
Total
Available
Total
Earned
3.5
#/3.5
Writing Guidelines
30 Percent
Met

4. Partially
Met
Not Met
Comments:
The paper—including tables and graphs, headings, title page,
and reference page—is consistent with APA formatting
guidelines and meets course-level requirements.
Intellectual property is recognized with in-text citations and a
reference page.
Paragraph and sentence transitions are present, logical, and
maintain the flow throughout the synopsis.
Sentences are complete, clear, and concise.
Rules of grammar and usage are followed including spelling and

5. punctuation.
Total
Available
Total
Earned
1.5
#/1.5
Assignment Total
#
5
#/5
Additional comments:
Copyright © 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008 by University of
Phoenix. All rights reserved.

6. Sampling and Data Collection Plan
SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION PLAN
1
SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION PLAN
11
QNT 561 Business Research & Statistics
Sampling and Data Collection Plan
Introduction
This paper outlines the sampling and data collection procedure.
The sampling will be used to test the null hypothesis against the
alternate hypothesis:
H0: Implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) will not
increase product quality.
HA: Implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) will
increase product quality.
A good qualitative study can help us “understand a situation
that would otherwise be enigmatic or confusing” (Eisner, 1991,
p. 58).
Research Question
Quality can be achieved many ways and to any company worth
their grain in salt will strive to continually improve on quality.
PhoenixSolar is no exception to that rule. Recent reports have
shown that production is slipping in terms of quality resulting
in defects in the solar panels. The defective panels that are
installed for customers are causing a flurry of complaints. In an
effort to reduce defects and customer complaints, PhoenixSolar
will implement a Total Quality Management system to resolve
this issue. The basis of our study is to determine whether or not
implementing a Total Quality Management (TQM) system will

7. not only result in an increase in the quality of PhoenixSolar’s
products, but also decrease defects and raise customer
satisfaction levels.
Target Population and Reasoning
In order to gather the information needed to either reject or
accept our hypothesis, we need to identify a target population to
pull from. For this study, the target population will be from
those with the most hands-on experience and knowledge of the
defects. This would include front line production workers, floor
managers, production engineers, safety technicians, packaging
agents, installation technicians as well as the actual customers.
Each group would have some level of insight to possible defects
of the solar panels and their feedback will be critical in
identifying possible solutions to our problem. This information
will be collected of a period of six months to ensure an ample
amount of data is collected.
Sample Size
If we want the best selection of data, we will use two
measurements to ensure the accurateness of the data; confidence
intervals also known as margins of errors as well as the
confidence level. The margin of error will determine the
deviation between the opinions of our respondents and the
entire targeted population. The confidence level at 95 percent
ensures our results fall within the boundaries of our margins of
error, at 5 percent.
At the very minimum we will select a sample size of
confidence level 95 percent to ensure the actual mean falls
within our confidence interval. To achieve a 95 percent
confidence level, we need to collect 385 samples. The process
we will use to collect the samples will be simple random
sampling because each element has an equal probability of
being selected from a list of all population units. See Appendix
A.
Data Collection
Since we are targeting a number of respondents both inside
and outside of the manufacturing factory, we will select a

8. mixed-method data collection approach to obtain the most
useful information to answer critical questions about the defects
in the solar panels. For the internal respondents (front line
production workers, floor managers, production engineers,
safety technicians, etc.) we elected to use exploratory focus
groups. For the external respondents including installation
technicians and customers, we will use surveys that will be
distributed via postal mail as well as email. In addition, a
survey will be given to each customer during installation of the
solar panels. Sample surveys for both groups is located in
Appendix B and Appendix C.
To ensure maximum participation, the company IVR (interactive
voice response) system will automatically dial customers that
have not completed the survey. The IVR will record customer’s
responses via their phone’s keypad. There will also be an opt-
out feature for those customers that are not interested in
participating in the survey and this will remove their phone
number from the survey directory. This data is stored on the
company’s database and archived on the company’s secured
cloud.
Validity and Reliability
To have valid information ensures the means of measurement
are accurate and whether they are actually measuring what they
are intended to measure. To ensure all information distributed
and collected is valid, we will use a third-party vendor to
examine the questions posed in the exploratory focus groups for
internal respondents as well as the questions listed on the paper,
electronic and virtual surveys will elicit relevant responses to
ultimately lead to determining if implementing a TQM system
will increase product quality. A high degree of stability
indicates a high degree of reliability, which means the results
are repeatable, Joppe, (2000).
We can conclude that our study is accurate when the responses
received are reliable because they are closely related to each
other and valid when the responses reflect the concept of
quality and display a dimension of interest. Best practices state

9. that surveys should clearly define the issues you wish to address
as this will help to limit the collection of information to that
which is necessary to address the issues at hand.
Privacy
Clearly defining the purposes of the survey will help limit the
collection of unnecessary personal information to only what is
pertinent. Since we are looking to elicit information regarding
the quality (or there lack of) of the solar panels, age, sex or race
will not need to be collected. The elimination of these three
attributes may lead to a level of anonymity for the respondents
and they may feel more inclined to respond more truthfully to
the questions. While names may not be needed, addresses may
be required to pin point geographic areas were quality is more
substantial than other areas.
Conclusion
Wrapping up the study will require a minimum of 385 samples
to determine if implementing a TQM system will in fact
contribute to increase product quality, reduced defects and
increased customer satisfaction. The responses collected will be
analyzed to test the hypothesis.
Appendix A – Calculations
We want to achieve a 95 percent confidence level with a 5%
margin of error with a standard deviation of 0.5.
Givens: table: the value of 95% confidence level is 1.96.
Minimum sample size for percentage change of defective
product rate,
=
(1.96 * 1.96) x 0.5 (1 - .05)
(0.05 * 0.05)

10. =
(3.8416 * 0.25)
0.0025
=
0.9604
0.0025
=
384.16
=
384
Base on the sample size calculation the minimum sample size
the research team wants to collect is 385. 385 is the least
recommended size for the survey.
Appendix B
Exploratory Focus Group Questions – Internal Respondents
(sample set)

11. 1 Let’s begin with introductions to poll the different
departments represented in this focus group. Please announce
your name, department and job function.
2. How long have you been in your position?
3. Have you received any departmental cross-training?
4. Have you received any ongoing training or been recertified in
your position?
5. How familiar are you with the product (solar panels)?
(no knowledge, some knowledge, intimate knowledge)
6. Overall, how would you rate your level of satisfaction of the
solar panels?
(not satisfied, somewhat satisfied, very satisfied)
7. What is your impression of the product?
(Scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the
highest)
8. What features of the product disappointed you?
9. If you were a consumer, how likely are you to purchase this
product?
(not likely, likely, very likely)
Please rate on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is extremely
dissatisfied and 10 is extremely satisfied the following features:
Speed
Reliability
Visual Appeal
Ease of Use
Specific Features (as named by you)
Do you have any suggestions on how we could improve the
product to make it more appealing?
Appendix C

12. Survey Questions – External Respondents (sample set)
1. Did you recently have solar panels installed? If yes, proceed.
If no, skip to the end, #13 to complete.
2. Please provide your city and state.
3. Please select your roof style/shape:
a. Mansard
b. Gambrel
c. Saltbox
d. Pyramid
e. Hip
f. Bonnet
g. Flat
h. Cross Gabled
i. Arched
j. Skillion
k. I don’t know
4. How would you rate the quality of the solar panels?
(sub-par, par, above par)
5. How would you rate the length of the installation (based on
number of panels installed)?
(unreasonable, reasonable, very reasonable)
6. How did your solar panels arrive?
7. Have you experienced any issues with the solar panels? If so,
please explain below:
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
8. If there was a defect, was the installation technician able to
repair?
9.
References
Eisner, E. W. (1991). The enlightened eye: Qualitative inquiry
and the enhancement of

13. educational practice. New York, NY: Macmillan Publishing
Company.
Joppe, M. (2000). The Research Process. Retrieved February 25,
1998, from
http://www.ryerson.ca/~mjoppe/rp.htm