3.1 Introduction
Generally, research methodology is a process to collect data and different information for achieving the research objectives. It primarily focuses on the methods, tools and techniques of data collection. It may include interviews, surveys, research publication and research technique. The instruments for gathering data also fall within the definition of methodology of a research. The purpose of this study is to identify the critical viability factors of UDC, analyze their real scenario and find the gap between them to realize the viability towards UDC based E-governance in Rural Bangladesh.
3.2 Research Design
Susan K. Grove et al. defines defines a research design as “a blueprint for conducting a study with maximum control over factors that may interfere with the validity of the findings”. It is a master plan of specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information. The study has been planned to be both exploratory and evaluative in nature. It is exploratory in the sense that it tries to identify the significant viability factors in the light of rural socio-economic background, anxieties, expectation and vision from both users’ and entrepreneurs’ perspective. It is evaluative in the sense that it tries to estimate these identified factors under the present settings, management and programs (information and services) of UDC.
3.3 Research Instrument
A research instrument is a tool used to collect data. The study is predominantly qualitative, though, it has used both qualitative and quantitative approaches. In one side, it has focused on the root level stakeholders demands, grieves and satisfaction; in the other side it has quantified their views statistically.
The research instrument used in the present study is basically content analysis, Key informant Interview (KII), questionnaire survey and d) observation method. At first a set viability factors has been identified from the content analysis of books, journals, thesis, proceedings, related to the tele-center (UDC) based E-governance in South-East Asia especially India and Bangladesh. Specially the reports published by the Access to Information (A2i) project responsible for UDCs’ service delivery has been used as primary materials. Secondly, these factors have been verified and more specified through the primary source like KII with the selected experienced officials related to UDC;
unstructured questionnaire based field survey among the users and entrepreneurs of UDC.
Then the most critical factors have been identified through the experienced users and entrepreneurs of UDC. So the methods used for data collection are:
1) Content Analysis,
2) Key Informant interview (KII), 3) Questionnaire Survey and 4) Institutional Observation.
3.4 Questionnaire Design
A questionnaire has been designed to gather the necessary information. Based on the literature review, primary serve and KII the questionnaires have been developed for both citizens and entrepreneurs. At first two sets of unstructured questionnaires have been developed to find out the primary factors responsible for the viability of UDC – one for the viability from the user and viability from the entrepreneurs. The experts have been requested to scrutinize the questionnaire and to give their impressions regarding the relevance and contents of the questionnaire according to the research objectives. They have been asked to examine the questionnaire critically, and give feedback and suggest with regard to comprehensiveness, redundancy level, and consistency. The questionnaires have been created in such way that the respondent can give quick response. At the second step two sets of structured questionnaire have been made to choose the crucial factors responsible for the viability of UDC from the selected factors collected from unstructured questionnaires. The feedback provided by the respondents during the first step has been duly considered in designing the next structured questionnaires. Finally, the answers of the questionnaires have been divided and evaluated through four chapters corresponding to the objectives of the study.
3.4.1 Testing of the Questionnaire
The questionnaire has been tested for, content validity sensitivity and data triangulation.
(a) Content Validity
The questionnaire has been tested for the following features:
1) Comprehensiveness,
2) Relevance with the objectives of study, 3) Relevance with current scenario and
4) Time befitting: On an average 10-15 minutes have been required per respondent, however, the interactions with the functional heads and senior people lasted for 25-30 minutes.
(b) Sensitivity
Five-point Categorical scale has been used to record the perceptions of respondents. Further, the sensitivity was assured by taking multiple questions pertaining to similar theme.
(c) Data Triangulation
Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data allows a researcher to validate and crosscheck the findings.B. Kaplan and D. Duchon notes that:
“Collecting different kinds of data by different methods from different sources provides a wider range of coverage that may result in a fuller picture of the unit under study . . . Moreover, using multiple methods increases the robustness of results because findings can be strengthened through triangulation – the cross- validation achieved when different kinds and sources of data converge and are found congruent”. 92
92 B. Kaplan and D. Duchon, 1988. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods in information systems research: a case study, MIS quarterly, pp.578, accessed June 12, 2016,
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.524.6178&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Chart 6: Data Triangulation for the Study
Source: The User
In this research the viability factors have been triangulated through questionnaire survey, KII and institutional observation respectively.
3.5 Scale Construction
For measuring the citizens’ and entrepreneurs’ viability factors from the settings and service delivery system of UDCs a five–point Categorical scale has been used. It is one of the most widely used approaches to scaling responses in survey research. Each item of the questionnaire has been measured on a five–point scale with end points of very essential (5) and Not essential (1). On the other side for measuring the presence of these viability factors another five point categorical scale has been used with end points of full presence (100%) and No presence (00%).