CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.4 Approach: qualitative research
3.5.1.3 Process followed
i. Draft interview schedule in accordance with research objectives as follows:
• Are CoPs facilitated by business-to-business media? How CoPs emerge with this media paradigm as an attractor and how they function, with specific emphasis on:
unique characteristics and dynamics of B2B media;
the role of information technology and the internet in fostering patterns and characteristics in B2B media and CoPs; and
principle systems' features of both.
• How knowledge assets are generated through business-to-business media:
How do B2B media create knowledge assets, with specific emphasis on the uniqueness of knowledge being created (i.e., sector specific, industry specific, category specific). Soft Systems Methodology will be used as the analytical lens through which to interpret the data.
• Business-to-business media community-of-practice sustainability: What collaborative structures, processes, roles and incentives do we need to support the renewal and application of knowledge, with specific emphasis on:
the role of systemic linkages in knowledge generating capacity;
where knowledge resides and how it is renewed;
what kind of knowledge is required to move forward; and measures to track progress and support ongoing learnings.
ii. Piloting of draft interview schedule
Following administration of the pilot questionnaire to three respondents, the following shortcomings were identified:
• The existing set of questions proved to be too long for the from the perspective of respondents. Gillham (2005) showed that when interview processes are too lengthy, respondents lose focus and become bored, leading to a drop in the quality of data.
• Based on the experience gained during the piloting process, a number of previously separate questions were combined and reworked, as it was evident they yielded the same responses.
• A concern was the lack of knowledge about one of the core subject matters, namely communities of practice. After the pilot process the researcher developed a brief contextual document provided to
respondents prior to the interview process. In developing this briefing document, the researcher was mindful of not providing answers or priming subjects. This was purely for purposes of enlightenment as to the research themes and theory.
• The piloting process included amendments and input by the study supervisor.
iii. Administration of finalised interview schedule
The conduct of the actual main interviews for the research proposal occurred in several stages. Gillham lays down a process (2005, p.76) which include preparation, first contact, building rapport, the core interview, and the "closure" phase. In the preparation phase, email and telephonic requests were made for interviews by the researcher, followed by the emailing of the context brief, the research questions and research consent form. The researcher interviewed the majority of die subjects at their own offices; two at die researcher's own offices, two telephonically who were based in Cape Town, and one over email (the sole international respondent). The researcher stuck with the questions as attached for example and did not deviate from the core subject matter once initial pleasantries were completed. Each interview lasted for approximately one hour to a minimum of 40 minutes and a maximum of 90 minutes. The researcher used a laptop to transcribe the interviews verbatim as the respondents were speaking.
Each respondent signed the consent form, each, bar one, were happy to be quoted by name, only one wanted to be quoted in their personal capacity and not professional capacity. The researcher thanked each respondent personally during the interview and again afterwards by email and offered each research subject the opportunity to see die completed research. The researcher also undertook to distribute the key research findings through various conference presentations, articles in relevant business-to-business media, and uirough the researcher's blogsite to ensure that the conversation continues after mis research project is completed.
To provide a comprehensive overview of die direct research process, die following annexures are attached at die end of die dissertation document: die final research questionnaire (Annexure 3-1);
me briefing document to research respondents (Annexure 3-2); and the respondent consent form (Annexure 3-3).
To aid the researcher further, the research process was outlined below to ensure comprehensive planning and preparation for the study at hand (Figure 3-2).
FIGURE 3-2: THE RESEARCH PROCESS
PREPARATION / PLANNING
• Identification of Subjects
• Refinement of research constructs & concepts
• Draft Questionnaire
• Finalisation of Research Plan with supervisor
•> r
DATA GATHERING: PILOT
• Literature study
• Pre-testing of questionnaire: Identification of strengths &
weaknesses
• Finalisation of questionnaire
y
r
DATA GATHERING: ACTUAL
• Interview process
i
DATA
• Finalisation of data analys
• Data analysis and interpret
'
i
ANALYSIS is method ation.
'
REPORTING
• Discussion
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Strengths and Limitations
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3.5.2 Data analysis
The process for a general inductive approach for qualitative data analysis starts with condensing the extensive raw text data - gathered from interviews in this study - into summaries; establishing obvious and transparent linkages between the research objectives and the summarised findings from the research data; and finally, to develop or derive a model or theory from the research study data, as explained by Thomas (2003, p. 1): "The inductive approach reflects frequently reported patterns used in qualitative data analysis. The general inductive approach provides a convenient and efficient way of analysing qualitative data for many research purposes." The purpose of the inductive approach in qualitative data analysis is to allow for the emergence of themes in the research, informed by specific characteristics identified from 'meaning units' in the raw text.
Thomas puts forward that this is to prevent the restraints which may occur when using more structured methodologies, where contamination can occur when key themes are obscured due to preconceptions in data collection and analysis in a more deductive approach.
3.5.2.1 Coding: themes and characteristics
Thomas provides a framework in which the researcher analysed data within the inductive approach (2003, p.2). Gillham (2005) advises that there are no hard and fast rules with categorical analysis. The question the researcher needs to keep top of mind is (p. 140): "how can I analyse the data to make the best presentational and interpretive sense of my material?" As Thomas (2003) advises, inductive coding began with thorough, multiple readings of text, data cleaning to ensure all meanings were clear, i.e., the researcher removed half sentences, researcher comments, questions and unrelated sentences. The researcher, when identifying meaning units considered the multiple meanings. As the process of analysis continued, a general summary memo of each category, including sub-categories, was written up and linkages noted. Towards the end of the process, continuous revision and reflection took place to ensure all contradictory points of view and insights were identified. Systems mapping was employed with each interview to ensure all perspectives were considered and all themes surfaced.
The main process of analysis and outcome of inductive research is the development of the emergent categories into a model, theory or framework that summarises the raw data and sets out the key themes and processes. The following process was followed (drawing on Thomas, 2003;
Gillham, 2005), by the researcher as outlined below (Figure 3-3):
Category label
Category description:
o Characteristics o Scope
o Limitations
*Meaning units are derived at through a process of reflection.
Sub- category
"Text or data associated with the category: Examples of text coded into category that illustrate meanings*, associations and perspectives associated with the category" (Thomas, 2003, p. 4)
Sub-category descriptor
FIGURE 3-3; PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT OF CATEGORIES IN AN INDUCTIVE APPROACH IN QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS (drawn from Thomas, 2003, p. 4)
Labeling a category, albeit with a short phrase or word, surfaces inherent meanings. The category descriptor includes, by way of example, text or data associated with that category to illustrate the
"meanings, associations and perspectives associated with the category" (Thomas, 2003, p. 4). Of the many categories, some will have sub-categories and the researcher has to take care to investigate linkages between the various categories to show relationships and commonality of meaning (Thomas, 2003). Gillham (2005) advises that the forming of categories starts from the analysis of the first transcript of an interview "but the reality and robust character of these categories only become apparent as you move from one transcript to another" (2005, p. 137).
The end result is the development of a model, theory or framework which can include various types of hierarchical or boundary-less models. For the purposes of this study, soft systems
modeling is used, as is set out in the next chapter (Chapter 4) where the research is unpacked, and in the final conclusions (Chapter 5) a model was developed.
i. Meaning units/themes: Meaning units are the identification of the themes in the research, the implicit and implied meaning embedded in the text in the context of the study and the researcher's worldview, including the hidden subtieties that may not be obvious in the construction of a sentence or phrase, but when considered as a whole, die meaning becomes clear. Giorgi (1985, p. 15) describes meaning units thus: "They exist only in relation to the attitude and set of the researcher... What stands out depends very much upon the researcher's perspective." In order to appear as objective as possible, the researcher put aside own assumptions and observed the text through an impartial and
analytical lens as much as is possible with qualitative research.
ii. Characteristic descriptors: In order to break down die themes into manageable meaning units, it was necessary to label each category mat was surfaced and provide a descriptor, including key characteristics, scope and limitations. The categories were informed generally by the research objectives set out at die beginning of the research study, and from specific characteristics and themes surfaced by the research, which were highlighted by multiple readings of the text.
iii. Bracketing: Bracketing already took place at the interview, where the researcher tried not to influence die subjects witfi her own assumptions. It has to be recognised of course that the research questions in diemselves, while semi-structured and open-ended, still point hie research subject to the subject under discussion as die context of the study is important. Aanstoos explains (1985, p, 90): "To understand the subject's world, one must first arrive at it by a suspension, or bracketing, of all presumptive constructs about it."
3.5.2.2 Data Collection
The proposed unit of analyses for die research study were business-to-business media organisations which were seen to facilitate communities of practice and knowledge generation.
The data-gadiering process comprised die following: personal interviews witii die publishers and/or managers/editors of the identified business-to-business media, using a semi-structured interview schedule which sought to answer the research questions / themes set-out in the research study. Perceptions and observations of research subjects were documented in great detail.