In business, there’s no end to data collection and analysis. While data presents itself in several forms, one of the most important is Quantitative data. Subsequently, analyzing these figures and numbers gives insight into a company’s reality.
Now, it’s irresponsible for companies to decide without adequate data to backup. Once your work impacts a business, a concrete understanding of quantitative data is vital. The quantitative analysis represents a hypothetical situation in numbers. Here, the quote ‘numbers don’t lie comes to mind.
While there’s a whole school of knowing quantitative analysis, this piece explores the basics.
WHAT IS QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS?
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The process of analysis begins from the collection. Quantitative analysis implies the evaluation of numbers, facts, percentages, and other statistical forms. For data to be used in quantitative analysis, it must be measurable and verifiable. Examples of these are; revenue, wages, market share, etc.
For a business, the primary purpose of quantitative analysis is to foster an understanding of the business’ performance over specific periods. The ability to make these evaluations prevents business stakeholders from making guts-and-instincts-powered decisions.
Thanks to data technology, quantitative analysis is easier, with very high probabilities of resultant success.
Beyond making decisions, quantitative analysis powers performance evaluations, predictions, and business and finance infrastructures. Having these details is essential in quantitative investing, which you can read more on this Coresignal’s article.
TECHNIQUES OF QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
There are three main techniques that are linear programming, regression analysis, and data mining.
Regression Analysis
Regression analysis is a technique common to both business owners, statisticians, and economists. In regression analysis, the primary elements are statistical equations. These are used in estimating and predicting a variable’s impact on the other.
A use case for regression analysis is to determine the influence of interest rates on consumer behaviors in asset investment. Secondly, regression analysis can provide insight into education’s effect on employees’ annual earnings.
In business, regression analysis aids in determining advertising expenses’ impact on profit. Thanks to the measurement’s result, the appropriate decision can be made on the advertisement program.
Linear Programming
In business, linear programming has its primary function in identifying how a business can run at reduced operational costs while maximizing profits. In addition, linear programming helps achieve effective resource allocation.
Linear programming is vital in a business because there are situations where resources aren’t enough. Without finding an effective resource distribution plan, the whole business suffers the risk of underperforming.
Data Mining
Data mining is a process that involves knowledge in computer programming and statistics. Data mining is becoming popular in the analysis world because of the ever-increasing data sets. To handle big data, data mining is the best option. When done right, data mining makes it easy to detect connections and patterns in any given set.
APPLICATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS IN BUSINESS
As a business owner, quantitative analysis becomes essential when it influences performance. The performance, in this case, may not be financial. Hence, let’s take a look at the various applications of quantitative analysis in business.
Project Management
For every project manager, quantitative analysis is critical to the job. It can help effectively manage limited resources. When a project manager identifies the limitation of the resources, they would be able to create a schedule.
Production Planning
Product planning is a critical stage of the development lifecycle. When a company embarks on building something new, the quantitative analysis evaluates cost proposals, timing, and location. With the insights at hand, the company can make better decisions, meeting customers’ needs while maximizing profit.
Marketing
Marketing can make or mar a business. Therefore, companies need to leverage the right marketing strategy to retain relevance. However, despite the importance of marketing, resources don’t get allocated adequately and efficiently to the unit.
One way to beat this dilemma of resource allocation is by being intentional with objectives. Clear-cut objectives that directly company-wide goals force the hand of management in resource allocation.
Finance
Quantitative analysis is also vital to the accounting department. Accountants use different types of quantitative analysis. For instance, analysis can help in valuing an investment. In this case, products are also valued based on production cost and potential profit.
Purchase and Inventory
Highly successful businesses are those able to predict the demand for their products and services. Thanks to quantitative analysis, it’s become easier to predict how many a product will be sold. This then informs the company’s decision in the volume of production materials to be ordered. Quantitative analysis also helps determine how much it’ll cost to get the initial location to destination resources.
CONCLUSION
Quantitative analysis is vital to business growth because businesses can only grow when they make the right decisions. As a business owner, it’s crucial to invest in bringing in an expert to handle analysis. A business not making a decision based on data is bound to go under. Hence, it’s critical to prioritize quantitative analysis in every aspect of the business.
