Business Studies: Data Analysis (Research Paper Sample)

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In most hazardous health investigations, it is important to ascertain the quality of data used in making organizational decisions. Data generating process begins in the planning stages of establishing data quality objectives (DQOs). The process continues during collection of samples and laboratory analysis (Bhagwat, Patterson, & Holden, 2009). After this, data used in analytical processes gets validated to ensure that data available is credible. The last process involves assessment of data quality to ensure that data available is of required standards. Validation of data requires use of proper quality control and quality assurance procedures. Moreover, all the data used for a certain investigation should be documented whether obtained from the laboratory or field. Data validation also requires professionals who are trained in that field to review such kind of information and ensure that both quality control and assurance are met. These professional are also responsible for preparation of a data validation report (Hampson, Collins, Beck, & Boxall, 2014).
There are a number of methods that can be adopted while validating laboratory data. The method adopted depends on a number of factors including period of research and resources available to a researcher amongst many others. The first method used in data validation in the laboratory is standardized methods. Standard methods refer to methods published by global, regional or nationwide standards-writing bodies. Standard methods are also those methods adopted by reliable technical organizations. Thus, standard methods refer to those procedures used by reputable organizations or well-known procedures in a particular area(Walton, 2001). Examples of standard methods in the USA include FDA compliance programs such as Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM), Macro analytical Procedures Manual (MPM) amongst many other schemes. Standard methods are normally preferred for use, thus, verified for laboratory analysis. It is important to note that standard methods can be supplemented with other laboratory procedures to ensure that these methods are ever consistent (Hampson, Collins, Beck, & Boxall, 2014). Standard method is the most adopted procedure in analysis of laboratory data because they are always available.
The second procedure used in validation of laboratory data is laboratory developed methods. As the name suggests, these are methods developed by a particular laboratory for use in data validation. This method involves planning of activities as well as identification of qualified personnel and resources required. In this method, plans are constantly revised as part of method development. This method also requires effective communication amongst personnel developing the method. Another type of method used in validation of laboratory data is using non-standard methods (Bhagwat, Patterson, & Holden, 2009). These are methods obtained from weak and unauthorized sources. This means that non-standard methods lack validation, thus, not verified for use. Nonstandard methods are only applicable when standard methods cannot be used in a particular study (Walton, 2001). This means that non-standard methods are the least reliable o...