CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN
4.3 Population 112
4.3.3 Data collection instruments 117
Collection of secondary data was the first stage of this research project. Secondary data is described by Welman, Kruger and Mitchell (2005:149) as comprising information collected by individuals or agencies and institutions other than the researcher. This stage involved collecting information from the literature on policies, minutes of meetings, local government publications and legislations to inform the study.
Primary data were collected through questionnaires that were filled in by the respondents. Each step of the qualitative interview was aimed at gaining new data from the respondents who revealed the many experiences of the people who were met by the researcher. Information on the questionnaires included: biographical information, for example age and gender. The nominal scale was used for this purpose. This was be done according to Maree and Pietersen (2007:164) in order to compare the sample to population characteristics to see if it was representative of the population, and to explore possible relationships between biographical
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variables in the study. The Likert scale was used to ascertain attitudes and feelings of the respondents. According to Maree and Pieterse (2007:167), the use of the Likert scale involves asking respondents whether they agree or disagree with a statement. In most instances, Maree and Pieterse (2007:167) maintain that this is accomplished by asking a series of questions and then calculating a total score for each respondent, assigning the value of 1 to 3 or 1 to 5 (if 3 or 5 categories are used).
4.3.3.1 Questionnaires
A closed or pre-coded questionnaire was used for this study. This type of questionnaire offers the respondents a range of answers to choose from. A summated or Likert scale was used in testing the attitudes of the communities, councillors and managers on various issues of service delivery.
Section (A) of the questionnaire focuses on demographic data which includes gender, race, age, and highest level of education. The demographic data were critical in that respondents of the study had to be 18 years old and above to participate in the study. This is in line with the provision of the South African Constitution in that people who are eligible to vote should be 18 years of age.
Section (B) dealt with the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery offered at the eDumbe Municipality. The respondents were given a 5 point rating scale:
strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree on a variety of statements.
Section (C) dealt with the assessment of provision of service delivery at the eDumbe Municipality. Respondents were to choose between Yes/No responses to the statements given.
According to Welman, Kruger and Mitchell (2005:175), in a self-completed questionnaire, a range of answers is set out in the questionnaire and the respondent is asked to tick the appropriate box. The standardised questionnaire includes the instructions on how to complete the questionnaire and to explain what
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was expected of participants. Once they were completed, the questionnaires were returned to the researcher for data capturing and analysis. The questionnaires were administered by the researcher to avoid any recording errors that might occur if questionnaires had been administered by research assistants. According to King and Horrocks (2010:1), interviewing is the most commonly used method of data collection in qualitative research.
4.3.3.2 In-depth interviews
The second stage of the research was to collect the primary data. Welman, Kruger and Mitchell (2005:149) define primary data as the original data collected by the researcher for the purposes of his or her own study. The collection of primary data was through the use of interviews with the selected respondents, including 8 councillors and 5 managers. Face-to-face interviews were conducted for councillors and managers at their areas of work. These interviews were more like conversations in which the researcher guided the direction of the interview. An interview schedule was used to systematically guide the researcher on questions needed to be asked.
4.3.3.3 Document collection
Collection of secondary data was the first stage of this research project. Secondary data is described by Welman, Kruger and Mitchell (2005:149) as comprising information collected by individuals or agencies and institutions other than the researcher. This stage involves collecting information from the literature on policies, minutes of meetings, local government publications and legislations to inform the study.
4.3.3.4 Data Analysis
Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive analysis was used to measure the central tendency
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such as mean, median, mode, range, variance, standard deviation. Inferential analysis was used to measure relationships using the t-test, anova, chi-square, regression, correlation.
Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The sets of data were subdivided into subsets of data, based on the patterns or themes which arose. The patterns or themes form strategic concepts. Peculiar features in themes were explored. Different subsets of data were also explored. The identified themes were thereafter examined and compared to those identified in the literature. The analysis of secondary data offer researchers the following advantages:
• Cost and time: The researcher gets access to good quality data, such as books, journals and legislations from various government departments.
• High quality data: The data sets used are usually of high quality and reliable.
Many of these datasets were generated by experienced researchers and research organisations.
• Subgroup or subset analysis: When the samples are large, it is possible for researchers to study sizeable subgroups of individuals or subsets of questions.
• More time for data analysis: Data collection is time-consuming. This involves spending more time on the task of data analysis and the interpretation of results.
• Opportunity for cross-cultural analysis: Secondary analysis of comparable data from two or more countries in the context of globalisation, can provide one possible model for conducting cross-cultural research.
• Re-analysis may offer new interpretations: Data can be analysed in different ways in that new theoretical ideas may suggest a new analytical approach that the original researcher could not have contemplated and an alternative method of data analysis may lead to a different interpretation of the data (Bryman et al. 2015:288).