RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN
5.5. Methodological Considerations
5.5.8. Techniques and Procedures
5.5.8.14. Interviews
In a mixed study, the formulation of the research questions is more difficult than in single method investigations because it requires quantitative and qualitative research questions for the same study (Onwuegbuzie, 2006, p. 477). Research questions determine the research design to be used, including the size of the sample, sampling scheme, and instruments used, including data analysis techniques. Mixed research questions were used for this study (quantitative aspect); firstly comparative questions were asked to compare the outcomes of T&D on technical and administrative and senior junior employees, respectively in order to determine whether there were any differences. Relationship questions were also asked to establish whether there is any relationship between T&D and employees and organisational performance. The qualitative research questions for this study were open-ended, evolving and non-directional questions that sought to enable an understanding of T&D in a specific setting (Creswell, 2012), the NRC.
The research questions for this study were formulated based on past research and theories and the need to arrive at a decision through the data collected. Research questions play an
important role; for instance, they provide the outline for carrying out the study. The research questions for this study were rigorously scrutinised and some of the questions were partially reworded. Some questions were added or removed as a result of the secondary research findings. This also led to the reformulation of the aims and objectives of this study. The interview questions were formulated based on the secondary research findings and theories and the need to answer the research questions. The questions were designed by reviewing the interview questions used in previous studies and adapting them for this study. The questions were reviewed by experienced researchers in the field which included my supervisor, after which the final questions were formulated.
Both structured and semi-structured questions were used for the interviews; this allowed for in-depth insight into the nature of the management and outcomes of T&D interventions in the NRC. The study benefited from seeking information from employees experienced in the area of the study, by tapping into their knowledge or experiences (Copper & Schindler, 2008).
Interviews enabled the researcher to obtain in-depth and comprehensive information about the success of the T&D initiatives in the organisation.
According to Jankowicz (2005 cited in Saunders, 2008), questionnaires are more useful if used in conjunction with in-depth interviews to understand the facts under review. This study combined two data collection methods, questionnaires and personal interviews. Semi- structured interviews were deemed appropriate as they enabled the researcher to probe and explore participants‘ ideas and perceptions of the main themes of the conceptual model and also provided an opportunity to explore emerging themes not initially considered for the study (Saunders et al., 2007).
The NRC management required a proposal and a copy of the interview questions a month before the actual interviews took place. This enhanced the reliability of the qualitative data collected and equally prevented bias, because it allowed them to become familiar with the questions and feel more at home with them. The participants signed a consent form in line with the ethical concerns of the study. The data were obtained by conducting a face to face interview with eight Directors. These included the Director General and seven Deputy Directors of different departments. The initial responses of the senior and junior employees were collected by means of extensive survey questionnaires; hence, they were not included in the interviews. The small number of people interviewed was due to the calibre of the
population group involved. There are never many Directors and Assistant Directors in an organisation and they are very difficult to get hold of for interviews, hence, the small size of the population. However, in qualitative research the investigator needs to participate enthusiastically in deliberating a specific topic. Creswell (2012) and Saunders et al. (2007, cited Abdullah, 2012, p. 115) argue that the qualitative approach therefore requires a small number (1-40) of respondents), as the ability of an investigator to provide an in-depth picture weakens with the addition of new interviewee. Furthermore, it is time consuming to obtain and analyse qualitative data, so the inclusion of additional individuals prolongs the process (Creswell, 2012).
Open-ended questions were used in most parts of the interview; this inspires interviewees to respond willingly to the questions. The researcher was watchful of body language when conducting the interviews. The interviews ran over a period of approximately a month due to the interviewees‘ busy schedules. Follow-up questions were used to probe further. The interviewees were asked introductory, open-ended questions on the key themes of the conceptual model, followed by exploratory questions which centred on the important areas of the study. The responses were recorded with the aid of tape recorder and were transcribed. In line with Creswell‘s (2012) suggestion, the researcher developed interview protocol that contained instructions for the process of the interview, the questions to be asked, and space to take notes for the responses from the interviewee. This serves as backup in case of machine malfunction. The interviews lasted from 45-60 minutes. The interviews were flexible; the researcher had the opportunity to probe or ask follow up questions; this makes this a more participatory process, but preserves the exact meaning of the questions asked (Kuter &Cemal, 2001).
The data were transcribed and analysed qualitatively. The presentation of the data followed the three steps advocated by Miles and Huberman (1994 cited in Sekaran & Bougie, 2009, p.
370) for qualitative data analysis. These are, ―data reduction, data display and the drawing of conclusions‖. Data reduction is the reduction of a large quantity of data to its parts. The researcher applied structural coding which is known question-based rather than theme-based according to MacQueen Milstein (1999 cited in Namey, Guest, Thairu & Johnson, 2007). The use of structural coding was necessary according to Miles and Huberman (1994 cited in Sekaran & Bougie, 2009, p. 370 ) because the data were collected using structured and semi- structured interviews that have disconnected questions and probes that are repeated across
various records in a data set. Furthermore, the approach to the data analysis is partly theory- driven in the sense that the researcher wanted to measure specific hypotheses. As a result, some of the categories of analysis were pre-determined. Another important reason for adopting existing codes and categories is that the researcher can begin with and/or expand prevalent knowledge (Sekaran & Bougie, 2009, p. 374). For this study, the researcher developed a matrix to organise and arrange the qualitative data. A matrix is descriptive in nature and allows for the data to be arranged in themes (Sekaran & Bougie, 2009). Finally the results were merged with the result of the quantitative analysis in the discussion stage.