CHAPTER VI METHODOLOGY
6.2 Research Process
process, maintain a position in the Sultanate of Oman as a Strategy Advisor to the petroleum industry.
Chris Anthony Babicci Methodology / 48
and have experiences or knowledge relating to regulatory reform, transformation and mergers.
Executives of conventional banking and Islamic banking supervisory departments of the Central Bank of Oman were also selected, however, they declined to be interviewed and formally responded to the researcher that internal CBO approvals for the interviews were unavailable due to the possible market sensitive nature of the proposed discussions.
A representative from the College of Banking and Finance of Oman was also included in the interviewee selection to provide a view of the educational sector for banking.
The selection number of respondents was spread across the banking and supporting industries and considering Ambrosini et al. (2009) and Alam, M.N. and Alam, M.S. (2017) and Rowley (2012), consisted of twelve interviews.
The following table shows the selected respondents that were interviewed and also shows what sector the respondents came from and the level of their seniority in their institution.
Table 6.1 Interview respondents
Banking or Other Entity Respondent and Seniority Level
Conventional Banks Chief Executive Officer
Business Head
Conventional Bank Windows Board Member
Chief Executive Officer
Islamic Banks Chief Executive Officer
Business Head
International Banks Business Head
Large Businesses Chief Executive Officer
SME’s Chief Executive Officer
Accounting Firms Partner
Legal Firms Partner
College of Banking and Finance Oman Past Dean
Total Respondents 12
Sampling sizing in qualitative research is regarded as the specific standard and has been proposed for different methods of data collection for qualitative study, Qu
& Dumay (2011) propose a single individual interview is appropriate where unstructured interview technique is used, however in the search for a full and varied view of data, more than one individual could be used depending on the level of knowledge and experience of the interviewee, and as the researcher deems fit. The amount of people used add to the depth and thoroughness, and validation of the material provided, although larger numbers can often cloud analysis of final results without adding proportionate value (Marshall et al., 2013), with the lesser the number of interviewees preferable when the subjects are at the upper range of specific expertise and knowledge. This research used semi-structured interview technique and is described as open discussions guided by pre-qualified themes interposed with questioning to elicit greater depth responses (Qu and Dumay, 2011). The number of interviewees for the sample requires a sufficient quantity so that people with different roles, experience, backgrounds, and any other source of variability that might draw accurate answers are included in the study. There is no one size fits all with selecting sample size for qualitative case study research and the key criterion is that the interviews must result in satisfactory interesting findings. Rowley (2012) reports that as a guide qualified research should aim for around 12 interviews of approximately 30 minutes in length, or the equivalent, six to eight interviews of around one hour.
The number of respondents (twelve) was appropriate for this research methodology and the discussions showed a deep knowledge of the Omani banking and business environments, this provides satisfactory comfort that the outcomes of the interviews are appropriate and accurate. The process to select respondents, test them for fit against the criteria, and approach them for acceptance and to complete the interviews was lengthy and took four full months due to the seniority of the respondents and their busy and full schedules. There was a balanced mix of Omanis and expatriates (7 Omanis and 5 expatriates), seven of the respondents were from within the banking industry and five were from other sectors.
To gain the greatest depth and width of knowledge of the subject, a greater than usual selection of interviewees was set for this research project, and a criteria to ensure the best knowledge panel available. Interviewees selected were expected to have
Chris Anthony Babicci Methodology / 50
been in their respective industries, in Oman, for ten years or more, and in their current role for at least four years. Interviews were conducted on an individual, one on one basis, with the researcher and conducted and recorded by video using Zoom video conferencing applications.
Figure 6.4 COVID – 19 restrictions
Pulakos and Schmitt (1995) show that structured interviews relate to two types of respondent, the first is experience based and the second is situational based.
Experience based questions are those that relate to real life circumstances of what the respondent has experienced, and situational questions relate to how the respondents feel events have transpired. All the respondents for the interviews have had direct experiences in their fields in order to answer the structured questions, and they also showed that they all have opinions and considered views of how events in the banking sector have transpired.
The respondents were assessed for experience based fit (referring to the process in Figure 6.3), and they all meet the criteria of knowledge and experience for their subject matter. All have been in their respective industries in Oman for over ten years and in their positions for over four years. The selection criteria of ten years in the industry is rational because that is approximately 25% of a projected career life, and the interviewees will have built up substantial knowledge and experience in their field. This
COVID – 19 restrictions
In the normal course of utilizing semi-structured interview techniques for data collection, the researcher would preferably meet with the respondents to conduct interviews in person and face to face, to enable a depth of interaction and to ensure the best quality of responses.
During the research period for this study the global pandemic of COVID – 19 closed airlines and inhibited all travel to Oman.
The Sultanate of Oman is peculiar, especially in a first world environment, in that the Oman Telecommunications Regulatory Act (2002) prohibits the use of social media applications, including video conferencing.
Fortuitously, in response to the COVID – 19 situation the Omani government partially lifted their restrictions and have allowed the temporarily use of VoIP applications, including Zoom video conferencing.
also runs true for working in Oman for at least ten years where employees are able to build knowledge and experience specifically about the Omani markets.
All the respondents were at the very senior CEO or business head level and those from outside the banking sector were selected from large business, the SME sector, accounting, and legal firms – as users of banking services, and from the academic community (College of Banking and Financial Studies) that closely relates to banking education.