115 S = 344
Therefore, sample size for the known population was 344.
Table 6: Summary of Population and Sample Size Determination
Number Participant Group Population Sample Size
1. District Court Judges in Accra 35 3
2. Lawyers in Accra (GBA members) 2,800 292
3. ODR Practitioners (GNAAP members) 420 45
4. Disputants Unknown 384
5. Religious Leaders (Ex. of CCG & GPCC) 9 2 6. Chiefs (Gt. Accra Regional House of Chiefs
members)
10 2
TOTAL 3,274 728
Note: CCG stands for Christian Council of Ghana, GPCC represents Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council and GNAAP stands for Ghana National Association of ADR Practitioners.
The sample size for each category was determined using the formula for calculating known population as used above.
116
2004, High Court (Civil Procedure) (Amendment) Rules, 2014, and Criminal Offences Act 1960 were also be examined.581 Where appropriate, cases adjudicated in court and other dispute resolution were looked at.
Primary data denote information gathered by the researcher from the respondents of interest in a study. Cross sectional research design which is exploratory in nature was used. The purpose is to ensure gathering of data via investigation of different constructs at a time.582 Data was collected using structured questionnaires (mailed and self-administered) as well as interviews. Structured questionnaires were used as they allowed all respondents to answer the same questions coupled with provision of options to choose from.583 The interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview schedule done via zoom, face-to-face, and telephone. Data from the interview were used to extract the themes for integration. Questionnaires were placed online and where appropriate emailed to respondents and some hand delivered. A link was shared with participants to follow to respond to the items. Once completed, the researcher automatically received the feedback with the responses.
A 5 variable Likert scale survey questionnaire was the main instrument for gathering quantitative data. This was to accommodate situations where respondents are indifferent about the item. It is also to make the instrument very sensitive to discriminate the behaviours as posited by some scholars.584 A Likert scale provides an ideal technique for eliciting standardized responses from respondents. This was designed around a range of statements formulated to respond to the research questions.585 Reliability and validity are cardinal principles in research. Joppe, as cited in Golashani586 defines reliability as the degree of results consistency over time. The main characteristics of reliability are replicability and repeatability.587 Three types of reliability have
581 The full names are: High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (C.I. 47), High Court (Civil Procedure) (Amendment) Rules, 2014 (C.I. 87), and Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).
582 John W Cresswell and Plano Clark Vicki L, Designing and Conducting mixed method research (Sage Publications London 2011) 59.
583 Cresswell and Plano (n 468) 60.
584 Atindanbila Samuel, Research Methods and SPSS Analysis for Researchers (BB Printing Press Accra 1993) 47.
585 Robert K Yin, Case study research: Design and methods (2nd edn, Sage Publications London 2003b) 23.
586 N Golashani, ‘Understanding reliability and validity in qualitative research’ [2003] The Qualitative Report 597- 606 <http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR8-4/golashani.pdf> accessed 7 September 2019.
587 Michael Tagoe, A handbook for writing research proposals (Ghana University Press Accra 2009) 39.
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been identified in quantitative research. Kirk and Miller, as cited in Golashani588 stated these as:
(1) the extent of a measurement remaining the same; (2) the stability of a measurement over time;
(3) the extent of similarity of measurements within a given period. Validity on the other hand, is defined by Tagoe589 as the extent to which a measurement instrument measures what it is meant to measure. To ensure validity and reliability, the researcher adapted and adopted tried and tested instruments in the dispute resolution field. Principal among them is the ten-point instrument designed by Cheung et al590 for dispute resolution system selection.
In this respect, there was adherence to the fundamental procedures for developing a Likert scale.
The first was the identification of themes. This was made possible by literature review on the subject matter under review. This consisted of review of similar works done on the phenomenon gathered through academic journals, information from relevant textbooks, decided cases and statutes. The direct correlation between length of questionnaire (number of items) and quality of responses guided the questionnaire adaptation. 591 Measures of internal consistency were used to ensure reliability of the questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to ensure that all items related to each other and indeed the total instrument. The values computed ought to range between 1 (this denotes perfect internal reliability) and 0 (this denotes no internal reliability at all).592 Cronbach alpha co-efficient demonstrates the extent to which all the items in the questionnaire measure the same phenomenon or attribute.593 A value of 0.80 is considered good if the instrument under consideration has a total item of 40 and above.594 However, fewer items yield smaller reliability coefficients. In these instances, an internal reliability coefficient of 0.70 or a little below that are seen as reliable.595 On the top layer, a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.9 is considered excellent.596
588 Golashani (n 468).
589 Tagoe (n 469) 39.
590 Sai On Cheung, Suen C H Henry and Lam T I Ptrick, ‘Fundamentals of alternative dispute resolution processes in construction’ [2002] Journal of Construction Engineering and Management 409 – 416.
591 Earl Babbie and Mouton J, ‘The practice of social research (10th edn, Oxford University Press Southern Africa Cape Town 2010) 83.
592 Andy Field, Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (3rd edn, Sage Publications Limited London 2009) 677.
593 Chris Welman, Kruger F and Mitchell B, Research methodology (3rd edn, Oxford University Press Southern Africa Cape Town 2005) 93.
594 Field (n 474).
595 Bryman Alan and Bell Emma, Business research methods (Oxford University Press 2015) 94.
596 Field (n 474).
118 5.8 Location of the Study
The study was carried out in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Greater Accra is the capital of Ghana. It has a population of 5,455,692 out of Ghana’s total population of 30,832,019.597 In effect, out of the 16 Regions in Ghana, 17.7% of the entire population live in Greater Accra. It has the most District Courts (the largest Court), largest number of lawyers, the most ADR practitioners, among others. Data was collected from the District Courts of Accra; Lawyers who are members of the Ghana Bar Association (Greater Accra Chapter); ADR Practitioners (Members of the Ghana Association of Certified Mediators and Arbitrators (GHACMA) and Members of the Ghana National Association of ADR Practitioners (GNAAP); Religious Leaders (Christian Council of Ghana and Ghana Charismatic and Pentecostal Council (some Executives); Ashaiman Central ADR; Disputants; and Court-Connected ADR practitioners. The key sites for the research have been illustrated on the map below:
Fig. 2: Key Locations of the study
597 Ghana Statistical Service, ‘Ghana 2021 Population and Housing Census: General Report Volume 3A Population of Regions and Districts’ 2021.
119 5.9 Data analysis
Data analysis is the process of coding the data collected, editing the data, entering data into computer system (software), and interpreting or making meaning of data so collected.598 Data collected was analysed appropriately to determine the exact findings based on respondents’
responses. Qualitative data was analysed by identifying thematic and contents responses. This was done with the help of Atlas.ti. The quantitative data collected was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0. In this regard, graphs, charts, and pie chart were used to illustrate findings for ease of understanding, interpretation, and analysis.