Final answer:
Companies choose to use internal data due to its relevance, cost-effectiveness, and confidentiality, which makes it ideal for making informed decisions based on their specific business context. For scientific questions, data selection should be relevant and robust to support the study's integrity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Companies prefer to use internal data primarily because of its relevance, cost-effectiveness, and confidentiality. Internal data is often more relevant as it is collected from the company's own operations, providing specific insights that external data cannot. In terms of cost, collecting data internally can be more economical since it avoids the purchase of expensive data from external sources. Moreover, internal data is confined within the organization, reducing the risk of sensitive information being exposed to competitors or the public.
Using internal data allows a company to make decisions based on historical patterns and results that are unique to their specific business context. This data is typically more accurate and actionable for the company's purposes. Furthermore, it supports the company in justifying strategic decisions based on empirical evidence gleaned from its own activities, which is crucial in strategic planning and performance evaluation.
However, when answering scientific questions, especially those concerning the interaction of populations within communities, the selection of data should be based on the relevance to the specific scientific inquiry, whether it be internal or external. The data must be robust enough to support the hypotheses being tested. The decision on the type of data to be used can greatly influence the integrity of the scientific conclusions reached.