GSBS6002 Foundations of Business Analysis: SPSSGSBS6002 Foundations of Business Analysis: SPSS Case Study – Newcastle Superannuation Survey
Superannuation funds are investing more in funds with an environmental, social and governance (ESG) focus and might create a competitive advantage my creating ESG products that meet member demand. Newcastle Superannuation is seeking to understand what proportion of superannuation fund members would derive utility from their retirement savings being invested in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, and how those preferences differ across demographics. Further, management is interested to know which of three aspects of ESG members find most important: environmental factors, social responsibility or corporate governance.
In this assignment, you will play the role of a researcher hired by the Newcastle Superannuation to conduct research and collect information to assist with the decision-making process. The key focus of the research will be to examine fund members’ attitudes towards ESG investing and the design of ESG portfolios that they prefer. Newcastle Superannuation has developed a plan to develop one of four possible portfolios, namely (i) a portfolio focused exclusively on environmental issues, (ii) a portfolio focused exclusively on social responsibility issues, (iii) a portfolio focused exclusively on governance issues, (iv) a combination of all three factors.
To understand customer’s expected behaviour and expenditure, a research project approved by the Newcastle Superannuation was implemented. The data were collected through an online survey from 2,000 members. To create this sample, Newcastle Superannuation examined its database of members and divided the members into quintiles based on their overall fund balance, before randomly selecting 400 members from each group to send the survey. Overall, 527 customers completed all the online survey questions. The respondents were given a copy of Newcastle Superannuation’s plans for alternative ESG portfolios and asked to respond to this plan. Responses from these customers have been recorded in an Excel spreadsheet, “Assignment 2 Data.xlsx.” The data set is available in the folder of Assignment 2 in Blackboard.
A member of your team has suggested that when you perform this analysis, you should undertake a series of hypothesis tests to examine the following: 1. In the previous survey conducted by Newcastle Superannuation, the average member account balance in ESG portfolios was $274,000. Is the current member balance in ESG investment options different from this previous value? 2. Newcastle wants to understand whether there a significant difference in members’ balances in ESG portfolios across demographic categories. a. Is the members’ balance in ESG investment options different across age groups? b. Is the members’ balance in ESG investment options different across genders? 3. Newcastle Superannuation wants to understand which of four alternative ESG portfolio options, if any, members would prefer and whether this preference might differ according to demographic factors. a. Is there a difference in the proportion of fund members that prefer each of the four ESG portfolio options that have been proposed? b. Is the preference for each of the four ESG portfolio options different across genders? 4. Is there any difference between fund members’ likelihood of investing in an ESG portfolio in the future and the likelihood of changing superannuation funds based on the ESG products they have available? 5. Is a the likelihood of fund member investing in an ESG portfolio in the future related to any of the following factors: a. Frequency of reading financial press, b. Conscious of social responsibility in grocery shopping, c. Expectations about the profitability of well-governed companies, d. Likelihood of making voluntary superannuation contributions.
Required: Write a data analysis report that provides the results to hypothesis related to all of the five issues described above and make overall recommendations to the bank so that management can use for future business decision making. For the purposes of your analysis, you are to treat the 10-point response variables as a ratio scale. Based on your analysis relating to these hypotheses, your report should focus on two key questions: - What is the amount that fund members invest in ESG portfolios and how this expected expenditure differs across demographic groups? - What are the determinants of interest in ESG portfolios and which ESG investment options are fund members most interested in? Newcastle Superannuation Member Survey
Please complete the following information about yourself. Question 1 – What is your gender?
Question 2 – In which age category you belong to? 1. 18 – 29 years 2. 30 – 39 years 3. 40 – 49 years 4. 50 – 59 years 5. >= 60 years Question 3 – How much of your superannuation fund account balance do you currently have invested in an Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) option? ------ Question 4 – Which of the following ESG portfolio options would you be most likely to invest in (select one only)? 1. Environmentally-focused 2. Social responsibility-focused 3. Governance-focused 4. Combination of all three factors.
Section 2: Preferences for ESG Please circle the number that corresponds with your level of agreement.
Question 5 – Overall, I am likely to allocate invest funds in an ESG superannuation portfolio in the future.
Question 6 – Overall, I am likely to change superannuation funds based on the ESG products they have available.
Section 3: Determinants of ESG Investment Preferences Please circle the number that corresponds with your level of agreement.
Question 7 – I regularly read financial media, such as the Australian Financial Review.
Question 8 – I am conscious of purchasing sustainable and ethical products when I do my grocery shopping.
Question 9 – I believe strengthening governance creates additional bureaucracy that can constraint entrepreneurship and reduce profitability.
Question 10 – I am likely to make voluntary contributions to my superannuation fund in the future.
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