3.3. Research process onion
3.3.5. Research choice
120 Firstly, it helps develop a framework with in-depth and rich descriptions, explorations, and an understanding of the PM tools currently used by SMSEs. To review this process intensely, three research questions using ‘how’ and ‘what’ were proposed. Secondly, a case study can tackle ‘how’
and ‘what’ questions (Yin, 2013). These questions helped the researcher provide a descriptive and exploratory interpretation of the phenomena through social interactions, experiences, and the actions of SMSEs and how they gave meaning to social PMs. To this extent, it required the researcher to pay attention to the situations in which these elements occurred. Furthermore, a case study allowed the researcher to obtain deep and detailed qualitative data by getting closer to the phenomenon.
From the interpretivism perspective, various methodologies exist to study human experiences of phenomena. The case study approach seems appropriate to guide and create techniques and procedures for the research. The case study approach is relevant because the study of social PM in SMSEs in KZN is a contemporary phenomenon which cannot be separated from its context. The case study approach is considered an ideal approach when the researcher desires to understand holistically “a contemporary phenomenon (e.g., a 'case'), set within its real-world context – especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not evident” (Yin, 2009:18).
In a case study, the context and phenomenon are inseparable. The context provides an intermediary to understand the case or the contemporary phenomenon profoundly and better (Yin, 2009). The aim of investigating these interrelated elements in their natural setting produces a deep understanding and appreciation of the cases.
121 Quantitative research chooses experimental and survey research strategies. Quantitative research is deductive and based on hypotheses/questions of existing knowledge and theory (Creswell &
Creswell, 2017b). The number of participants in quantitative analysis is significant (Alase, 2017;
Creswell & Creswell, 2017b). Researchers are independent of the research instruments.
Quantitative researchers test theories using rigorous methods.
Qualitative research studies participants’ meanings and the relationships between them. It applies various data collection methods and analytical procedures to develop a conceptual framework.
Methodologically, qualitative research uses non-standardized data collection so that questions and procedures may modify, change and emerge during the research process. It is likely to implement non-probability sampling techniques. Researchers are dependent on the research instruments in order to gain physical access to participants and build relationship with the participants to obtain access to their data. Qualitative research can choose a variety of research strategies, such as action research; the case study; ethnography; ground theory; and narrative research. Most qualitative research adopts an inductive approach, where naturalistic and emergent research design is implemented to develop a new theoretical perspective not already existing in the literature.
However, some qualitative research may use a deductive approach to test existing theories.
Qualitative research is associated with an interpretive research philosophy.
A multiple method research design uses a variety of research methodologies in collecting and analysing data. There are two forms of multiple method research namely: multiple method and mixed method. In multiple method design more than one data collection method is used and data are analysed with different procedures, but this is restricted to either a quantitative or a qualitative design. There is no mix of quantitative and qualitative design in multiple method research. In mixed method research, both qualitative and quantitative research are combined in the research design. Multiple method research adopts either an inductive or a deductive, or both research approaches. Multiple research method research design can follow either a critical realistic or pragmatism research philosophy.
This study aimed to develop a social performance measurement framework through an in-depth and detailed description, exploration, and understanding of performance measurement in small and medium social enterprises in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Qualitative research seeks meaning and knowledge about processes and phenomena, focusing on narratives, personal experiences, and language
122 (Coyle & Tickoo, 2007). The researcher chose a qualitative research design, based on the study's purpose and the nature of the research questions. The following section describes and explains the rationale for the preferred research design.
3.3.5.1.The characteristics of qualitative research
Qualitative research is a multi-method in focus, involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). Qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena by considering the meanings people bring to them (Denzin et al., 2006). Qualitative research has an investigative capacity to explore, analyse and understand problematic issues (Creswell, 2013). A qualitative researcher has a role in investigating and exploring the research subject matter's impact on the participants' lived experiences (Coyle & Tickoo, 2007; Creswell, 2013; Alase, 2017). It is a research model that occurs in a natural setting. It enables the researcher to advance a level of detail from deep engagement in the actual experiences (Creswell & Creswell, 2009; Mohajan, 2018). It explores local knowledge and understanding of a given programme; people's encounters; implications and relationships; social processes; and relevant components that marginalize a group of people (Mohajan, 2018). It is exploratory and pursues an understanding of why certain social phenomena or programmes function in a particular context. Qualitative research is a social action method that expresses how people interpret and make sense of their experiences to understand individual social realities (Mohajan, 2018). Based on the aim and objectives of the study qualitative research is appropriate for this study.
Interpretivism aims to interpret and understand complex social phenomena by developing theories or patterns. It investigates the meanings ascribed to individuals' experiences, which bonds interpretivism to qualitative research (Heiska et al., 2017). Qualitative research provides a detailed understanding of human behaviour, attitudes, emotions, and experiences. Furthermore, qualitative research aims to discover significance, not in numbers, but rather in themes that arise from descriptions of ordinary human experiences. Thus, qualitative researchers collect textual data where participants engage with the study's problem or phenomena. Interviews; observations; focus groups; documentary analysis; and case studies are the most common qualitative research techniques (Coyle & Tickoo, 2007).
123 Quantitative research is deductive and based on hypotheses/questions of existing knowledge and theory (Creswell & Creswell, 2017b). The number of participants in a quantitative analysis is significant (Alase, 2017; Creswell & Creswell, 2017b). Researchers are independent of the research instruments. Quantitative researchers test theories using rigorous methods. In contrast, qualitative research is inductive (constructing patterns, categories, and themes from the bottom).
It uses flexible methods (Creswell & Poth, 2016). Qualitative researchers develop theories and are considered research instruments. The qualitative analysis focuses on a small number of participants (e.g., 5-30) selected purposefully (Coyle & Tickoo, 2007). Determining the participants in qualitative research is problematic since various scholars have conceived it in their way. (Tracy, 2020).Qualitative research begins with questions such as ‘how,’ ‘what’, ‘who,’ and ‘why’. The type of questions can be descriptive: ‘what happened?’; interpretative, ‘what is the meaning?’ and theoretical, ‘why this happens?’ (Coyle &Tickoo, 2007:35).
As previously discussed, the interpretivism paradigm assumes a relativist ontology (multiple meanings of phenomena and subjective approach to reality); a subjectivist epistemology (socially constructed knowledge); and participant observation (typically inductive, in-depth investigation) methodology. The following sections discuss the implications of ontology, epistemology, and methodological approaches within qualitative research.
3.3.5.2.Ontological assumption of qualitative research
According to Willis (1995), interpretivists are anti-foundationalists who believe there is no single correct route or particular method to gain knowledge. Qualitative research follows multiple open values (Xuehong, 2002; Creswell & Poth, 2016). It highlights the uniqueness, the creation of reality, and shared meanings by the researchers, the research participants, and the reader. The researcher is responsible for actively reporting multiple realities (Creswell & Creswell, 2009). The researcher seeks meaning and understanding of real phenomena using narratives, personal experience, and research participants. Researchers must use persuasive writing so that readers experience ‘being there’ (Creswell, 2013). The study represents research participants' realities through their voices, and interpretations through “extensive quotes” (Creswell & Poth, 2016:76) from the data.
According to Creswell & Poth (2016), researchers must frame the study in order to evolve the design and present realities as an instrument of data collection, and with a focus on participants' views. The participants' realities helped clarify the researcher’s realities, which enabled the
124 researcher to understand the phenomenon being studied. The researcher’s understanding of the context of small and medium social enterprises assisted in interpreting the data, gaining more knowledge/insight into the participants' worlds, and modifying the reality of the phenomena under study. The qualitative inquiry follows an inductive process "where concrete, context-specific evidence are collected, then patterns and commonalities are identified to build abstract ideas and the theories" (Hong & Cross Francis, 2020, p. 2).
3.3.5.3. Epistemological assumptions of qualitative research
Epistemology is a mechanism for understanding and explaining how we know what we know. The interpretive paradigm's epistemological assumptions necessitate qualitative research to acknowledge that knowledge is not separated from human beings; instead, it incorporates the social context in which knowledge is co-created (Gaus, 2017). The researcher and the research participants are assumed to be interactively related in obtaining the research findings (Guba &
Lincoln, 1994). The subjectivist epistemology assumption means that researchers create meanings from data through insightful processing of data, informed through their relationships with the study participants. Xuehong (2002) stated that qualitative research highlights that a researcher is a tool of investigation. The researchers participate in the research process (Creswell & Poth, 2016).
Through an extensive and in-depth relationship with the subject, the researcher gains the participants' understanding and support in the research. The researcher is strongly committed to understanding the social phenomena from the research participant's point of view (Xuehong, 2002).
In this study, given the researcher's limited understanding of the study phenomenon, the researcher initiated in-depth contact with the research participants to understand and learn their views and attitudes on the research issues . Qualitative research aims to understand a specific case with in- depth exploratory studies to find quality responses throughout the study (Creswell & Poth, 2016).
Hence, a qualitative research approach was appropriate for this study. It allowed for exploring the phenomena and produced an understanding of the research issues, as well as explanations with little information. Peer reviewer and member checks minimized bias due to the close interaction of the researcher and research participants.
125 3.3.5.4. The methodological approach in qualitative research
Qualitative research incorporates a range of methods and practices with some common characteristics. Qualitative research is inductive and develops theories (Coyle & Tickoo, 2007;
Mohajan, 2018). Qualitative research methods are flexible, and analysis is not dependent on statistical procedures (Antwi & Hamza, 2015; Creswell & Poth, 2016). Qualitative research considers the researcher as a research instrument (Anderson, 2017).
Qualitative research includes various methods, namely case studies; ethnography;
phenomenology; action research; and ground theory (Mohajan, 2018). The case study method emerged as the most appropriate method. It aligned with the study's purpose of developing a social performance measurement framework for small and medium social enterprises in KwaZulu-Natal.
The case study approach provided in-depth and rich descriptions, explorations, and understandings of social performance measurement of small and medium social enterprises.