| Course | MHRM 6801 Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership |
|---|---|
| Week | Week 4 |
| Paper type | Evidence memo |
| Length | About 560 words, 4 pages |
| Format | Memo, APA 7 citations |
| School | Walden University |
| Program | MS in Human Resource Management |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for MHRM 6801 Week 4
Memorandum
To: Owners, Bellamy Moving & Storage
From: HR Analyst
Date: March 16, 2026
Re: What the January crew pulse survey can and cannot tell us
Bottom Line
The January crew pulse survey reports that 71 percent of crew members are satisfied with their training and that 38 percent agree that "dispatch assigns jobs fairly and gives enough notice." Both figures are already being quoted. Neither can carry the weight being put on it. The response rate varies too widely across depots, one group of crew members was effectively never asked and two of the survey's twelve items ask about two things at once. The survey can suggest where to look; it cannot yet tell Bellamy what crews think. Harrison (2005) advises diagnosticians to judge any data source by who supplied it and who did not before drawing conclusions, and this memo applies that test to each part of the survey.
Who Answered
The overall response rate of 44 percent hides a large difference. The three older depots answered at 55 to 70 percent; the two newer depots, where claims are highest, answered at 22 and 12 percent. Nine responses from the newer depots cannot represent 52 crew members. Groves (2006) showed that response rates alone predict bias poorly; the danger arises when whatever keeps people from answering is tied to the very thing being asked about. Crew members who feel the job is unfair may be less inclined to answer a company survey, and the newer depots are where fairness complaints are loudest.
Table 1
Survey Response by Depot
| Depot | Crew members | Responses | Response rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 38 | 21 | 55 percent | |
| Colorado Springs | 30 | 17 | 57 percent | |
| Pueblo | 20 | 14 | 70 percent | |
| Aurora | 27 | 6 | 22 percent | |
| Fort Collins | 25 | 3 | 12 percent | |
| Total | 140 | 61 | 44 percent | |
Composite organization.
Who Was Never Asked
The survey was offered only in English, through a link sent by text. About thirty crew members, most of them at Aurora and Fort Collins, grew up speaking Spanish, and several told me they did not open the link because they could not read it comfortably. Those crew members were not given a chance to respond. Their views are absent, not low.
Questions That Ask Two Things
Two items bundle separate ideas. "Dispatch assigns jobs fairly and gives enough notice" combines fairness of assignment with notice, so a crew member who thinks assignments are fair but notice is too short has no accurate answer. "My crew chief is supportive and well trained" combines two judgments about different things. Krosnick (1999) noted that such double-barreled questions produce answers that cannot be interpreted, because respondents must choose which half to answer. The 38 percent figure cannot be read as a measure of fairness.
What the Survey Can Still Say
Within the older depots, where response was adequate, single-idea items are usable as rough indicators. For example, 64 percent there agree they have the equipment they need. Those figures describe the older depots only.
Recommendations
Do not quote the survey's company-wide figures. Repeat it in April with Spanish and English versions, given on paper at the morning crew meeting as well as by text, and split the two double-barreled items. Aim for at least 60 percent response at every depot before treating results as findings.
References
Groves, R. M. (2006). Nonresponse rates and nonresponse bias in household surveys. Public Opinion Quarterly, 70(5), 646-675. https://doi.org/10.1093/poq/nfl033
Harrison, M. I. (2005). Diagnosing organizations: Methods, models, and processes (3rd ed.). Sage.
Krosnick, J. A. (1999). Survey research. Annual Review of Psychology, 50, 537-567. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.50.1.537
The Walden MHRM 6801 Week 4 instructions
Week 4 asks you to evaluate a piece of evidence before using it in a diagnosis. State your conclusion first, especially if others are already quoting the data. Check response rates by group, not just overall. Identify anyone who could not respond, which is more serious than anyone who chose not to. Read each question for wording problems, such as asking two things at once. Use research on survey quality to explain why each problem matters. Say what the evidence can still support, and recommend how to collect better evidence. A response table by group usually makes the main problem visible before any argument is needed, so place it early in the memo.
How this MHRM 6801 Week 4 example is built
The memo opens with the two figures already being quoted and why neither can be relied on, citing Harrison. A table shows response rates for five depots, and a section uses Groves to explain why low response at the newer depots is likely to bias the results. A section describes the crew members who received only an English link. A section identifies two double-barreled items, citing Krosnick. A short section salvages single-idea items at the older depots. Recommendations call for a paper and text survey in Spanish and English with split items and a 60 percent response target at every depot. The memo names the two figures already circulating, so the owners know exactly which numbers to stop quoting and why.
Where the marks sit in the MHRM 6801 Week 4 rubric
Evidence memos are graded on critical rigor and usefulness. Stating the conclusion first, when others are already relying on the data, earns credit. Examining response by group rather than overall shows statistical awareness and is weighted heavily. Recognizing people who were never able to respond demonstrates attention to coverage. Identifying flawed questions, with research support, shows methodological knowledge. Salvaging what can still be used, rather than discarding everything, shows balance. Clear recommendations for better data complete the memo. Memos that report survey percentages at face value, or reject the survey without identifying specific problems, receive lower marks. Respect for the people who designed the survey, focusing on fixes rather than fault, is noticed.
MHRM 6801 Week 4 help from the desk
Find the survey or dataset your organization is relying on and ask four questions. Who was asked? Who answered, broken down by group? Who could not answer, for reasons such as language or access? Does each question ask exactly one thing? Write down the answers. Then decide which results are still usable and for which groups. Finally, describe how you would collect the data again so these problems do not recur. Many memos accept survey results because they are expressed as precise percentages. If you have a survey you want to evaluate, send us the questions and response rates. Two pages is usually right.
Get a MHRM 6801 Week 4 example written to your instructions
Attach the survey results or case exhibits your section provides, together with the Week 4 prompt and rubric. The memo arrives in 24 to 48 hours, first one free, with every result placed in one of three columns and a reason beside it. Response counts are never invented; a missing figure is flagged rather than filled.
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MHRM 6801 Week 4 questions, answered
Where can I find a free MHRM 6801 Week 4 sample paper?
The survey evidence memo is shown in full on this page, free.
What survey does the MHRM 6801 Week 4 memo evaluate?
A January crew pulse survey at a composite moving company with five depots.
How did response rates vary?
From 70 percent at one older depot to 12 percent at one newer depot.
Who was never asked?
About thirty Spanish-speaking crew members who received only an English link.
What is wrong with the fairness item?
It asks about fairness and notice together, so its answers cannot be interpreted.