Chapter 5: Research Methodology
5.7 Stage 1: Qualitative Research Design (Stage 1)
5.7.2 The Focus Group Interview Guide
The focus group interviews were done through a series of open-ended questions. The advantages of using open-ended questions according to Maree and Pietersen (2007, p.161) are that:
• “the respondents can give honest answers and in detail,
• the respondent’s thinking process is revealed,
• complex questions can be adequately answered,
• thematic analysis of responses will yield interesting information, categories and subcategories”.
No sensitive questions were included. The interviews were conducted by the researcher and recorded with a dictaphone with prior permission. This allowed the researcher to fully engage in the discussion.
The researcher was guided by the following phases of a focus group interview offered by Welman et al. (2005, p.202):
• “the researcher introduces the topic to the focus group
• the researcher sets rules indicating for example, that only one person should speak at a time
• the researcher will guide the open group discussion (with the planned questions).
• the session ends with each person giving a final statement that may not be challenged”
The focus group interview included the following questions (Appendix G);
1. This is an exciting stage in your life as you are now at the end of your schooling and you have many dreams about your future. How many of you would like to attend university after completing school?
This question was asked to ascertain whether the participants were even considering studying at university. The researcher did not want to assume that this would be the case. This target market experience a wide range of financial, social and economic difficulties (Science Foundation Programme, 1998, p.7) that it may be possible that they find these difficulties insurmountable and therefore not even contemplate a university education. This would influence the contribution they
2. Who would you say influences your decision about attending university?
Probes:
Parents Friends Teachers Siblings Other relatives
Literature points out that significant persons influence the student’s decision about which university to attend (Chapman, 1981 cited in Joseph and Joseph, 2000, p.40). It was therefore necessary to establish who is highly influential in the target market’s decision as this may possibly be one of the factors the researcher aims to identify in Objective 1. The probes had been identified in literature (Chapman, 1981 cited in Joseph and Joseph, 2000, p.40 and Maringe, 2006, p.473) and the researcher needed to establish if they were applicable to the target market that this study was focused on. After the participants answered the question the researcher checked which of the above probes were not mentioned and asked specifically about them.
3. What are some of the things that influence your decision about which university to attend?
This question aimed to address Objective 1 of this study which aimed to establish the choice factors. As potential applicants are faced with a wide range of tertiary institutions and qualifications to choose from, what they look for in an access programme and university becomes important. If the factors that the target market is looking for do not match what the university has to offer then they may go elsewhere. The probes were identified from a variety of literature:
• Reputation of the University and the specific programmes (Hayes, 1989; Moogan et al., 1999; Soutar and Turner, 2002; Vaughn, 1978 cited in Veloutsou et al., 2004, p.161).
• The location of the university and the geography of its surroundings (Veloutsou et al., 2004, p.161).
• Distance from home (Soutar and Turner, 2002, p.40).
• The institution’s infrastructure (Coccari and Javalgi,1995; Vaughn, 1978 cited in Veloutsou, 2004, p.161).
• The campus atmosphere (Soutar and Turner, 2002, p.40).
• The costs associated with study at the University (Chapman, 1986 cited in Veloutsou, 2004, p.161).
• The quality of the teaching staff (Soutar and Turner, 2002, p.40).
• The future career prospects and opportunities following graduation from the university (Chapman, 1986; Hayes, 1989; Newell et al., 1996; Soutar and Turner, 2002 cited in Veloutsou, 2004. p.161-162).
• Employability (Bonnema and Van der Walt, 2008, p.318).
• The quality of life during their studies (Chapman, 1986 cited in Veloutsou, 2004, p.162).
• Course content (Bonnema and Van der Walt, 2008, p.318).
• The type of course they want to do (Soutar and Turner, 2002, p.40).
• Sporting (Bonnema and Van der Walt, 2008, p.318).
• Significant persons; friends, parents, high school personnel (Chapman, 1981 cited in Joseph and Joseph, 2000, p.40).
• Institution’s efforts to communicate with students: written information, campus visits and admissions/recruitment (Chapman, 1981 cited in Joseph and Joseph, 1998, p.40).
4. Is there something else that you are considering doing besides going to university? (What are the other things that compete with your decision about attending university?)
This question relates to Objective 2. For example a student may be considering tertiary studies and may be contemplating to do that at a technikon or corporate university. The other alternatives that the student is considering forms part of the competition the university faces and thus it is important for UKZN to know how these are positioned in relation to the Foundation Programme.
5. What are some of your important needs that you think should be considered in an access programme?
Objective 3 aimed to assess whether the needs of access students are incorporated into the way the programme is positioned. Thus it was necessary to find out what the important needs of the target market are. No probes were used.
6. What are the important factors that you look for at in an access programme and university?
Probes:
Costs
Location
Leading to employment, future career prospects Reputation of the university
Institution’s infrastructure – library facilities, classroom, computer labs, campus security campus accommodation
Campus atmosphere Quality of teaching staff Quality of life during studies Course content
Type of course you want to do Sporting
Institution’s effort to communicate with students: written information, campus visits, recruitment &
admissions
This question was linked to Objective 1. The researcher aimed to identify which factors are important for this target market. Here the researcher expected answers related more to an access programme.
7. The Foundation Programme at UKZN is offered in Pmb and Dbn. Which would you like to study at and why?
The problem of unmet enrolment targets was only a problem on the Pietermaritzburg campus. This problem only began on the Pietermaritzburg campus since UKZN had merged. The Foundation programme in Durban may be internal competition that the Pietermaritzburg Foundation Programme faces (Kioko, 2008).
8. What are your opinions about UKZN?
9. Is there any reason that you would not want to study at UKZN?
Questions 8 and 9 were included to find out what the target market thought about UKZN. If there are negative perceptions about UKZN this would affect the Foundation Programme meeting its enrolment target.
10. What do you think about the Foundation Programme (in science) at UKZN?
This question aimed to establish the perceptions about the Foundation Programme as negative perceptions could be contributing to the research problem.
11. What do you think about the Foundation Programme at UKZN compared to other institutions?
Question 11 is linked to Objective 2. Comparison of customer perceptions of competing products is part of the positioning process.
12. Which are the other institutions that you would consider attending?
This question is also linked to the positioning process and is part of Objective 2.
13. Are you aware of any advertising that the CSA does?
Questions 13, 14 and 15 were aimed at answering Objective 4. The researcher wanted to find out what perceptions the target market had of the CSA’s advertising strategies.
14. The CSA uses ex and current students to visit schools and advertise the programmes. What do you think about this?
The CSA uses students as the main form of promoting itself. The researcher wanted to assess whether the target market found this a suitable and appropriate method.
15. Do you think there is a more appropriate way to advertise the programme?
The target market may have some ideas of what would work best for them. Therefore it was important to hear what they believed would have been more appropriate.
16. The University of Natal and University of Durban Westville merged to form one institution – UKZN. What you do think about this merger?
Objective 6 aims to evaluate the effect of the merger at UKZN on the target market to try to understand if this contributed toward the research problem. Questions 16, 17 and 18 are linked to this objective.
17. How do you view the new UKZN?
18. Has the merger affected your decision about which university to attend?
19. The CSA also offers another access programme which is the Augmented Programme. Have you heard of it?
The Augmented Programme was introduced on the Pietermaritzburg campus in 2007. This may have contributed to the research problem. Questions 19, 20 and 21 have therefore been asked and are linked to Objective 7.
20. What are you opinions about the Augmented Programme?
21. How do you view the Augmented Programme compared to the Foundation Programme?