Research design and methodology comprises of several research approaches.
Researchers are free to select research techniques, methods and processes that best suit their needs. In this study, the current researcher uses the pragmatism paradigm. According to Howell (2005), a paradigm choice establishes the researcher's intent, motivation, and expectation. Pragmatism is not devoted to any one system of philosophy or reality. This method has always been seen as the model that offers the fundamental methodological basis for qualitative and quantitative study”. Mixed methods research approach helps the researcher to explore both qualitative and quantitative methods of mixing the study results. The research design of this study is discussed in detail below.
1.7.1. Research Design
In order to pursue the objectives of this study, the current researcher adopt a mixed- method approach, incorporating qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Mixed methods research is an approach to an inquiry involving collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, integrating the two forms of data, and using distinct designs, which may involve philosophical assumptions and theoretical frameworks (Creswel, 2009). The core assumption of this form of inquiry is that the combination
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of qualitative and quantitative approaches provides a more complete understanding of a research problem than each approach alone. According to Creswell and Plano Clarke (2007), “mixed methods research is the kind of research wherein the researcher combines quantitative and qualitative techniques, in a single study or series of related studies during single or multiple phases within a pragmatic philosophical worldview (paradigm) and theoretical lenses that direct the plan for conducting the study. The current researcher employs a concurrent design within a mixed-method design in this study, which implies that both qualitative and quantitative data is collected. Through this model, the researcher gathers qualitative and quantitative data at the same time. Data is analysed separately, mixes the two databases by merging the results during interpretation. This approach is used to confirm, verify or corroborate findings. It is also used in one strategy with the abilities of another to solve a weakness.
1.7.2. Study Area
Giyani Local Municipality is situated in the Municipality of Mopani District in the province of Limpopo, South Africa. This municipality was created under the 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Municipal Demarcation Act of 1998, and Section 12 notice issued in terms of Local Government: Municipal Structures Act of 1998 (Mashele 2015). The town of Giyani is located approximately 155km from Polokwane. Greater Giyani has 60 councillors and is divided into 30 wards. The 10 traditional authority areas comprise 91 villages, nevertheless, the current researcher concentrated only in ward 23, which consist of five (5) villages. The villages include Kheyi, Guwela, Mbendle, Mushiyani and Nsavulani. Giyani also has a diverse culture. The key language is Xitsonga, followed by Venda and Sotho. It has a population density of approximately 237 420 people (IDP, 2013/14).
Small-scale agriculture, such as maize, vegetables, tomatoes, beef, transport and retail production are economic activities which mostly take place in Greater Giyani Municipality. However, several factors are affecting negatively on the economic growth, such as geographical location distance to markets, shortage of skills, poor infrastructure, climatic conditions and diseases such as Human Immune Deficiency Virus and Malaria (Mawila, 2016). Most of the people around Giyani use buses and minibus taxes as a mode of transport to workplace and social activities. The
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municipality has the potential to grow tourism and conservation because of established natural heritage sites throughout the district, mining, abandoned farming schemes, processing of natural products such as Mopani Worms and Marula Fruit.
1.7.3. Target Population”
Steyn, Smith, du Toit and Strasheim (2013:16) define a population as “the total group of person or universal collection of items or elements to which the study relates”. Gerrish and Lacey (2010:17) state that a “population is a full group of participants from which the researcher wants to generalise the findings of the study”.
The total group of people involved in this study is people residing in ward 23 under Greater Giyani Local Municipality and the municipal officials, including the municipal office-bearers in the Grater Giyani. However, the study's entire target population is 110 people, including 100 community members from the 5 villages in Ward 23 and 10 municipal officials. The villages include Kheyi, Guwela, Moshiyani, Mbendle, and Nsavulane.
1.7.4. Sampling Procedure and Size
A sample is considered by Levine, Stephan, Krehbiel and Berenson (2005) as part of the population chosen for analysis and the population as the totality of items under consideration. According to Fox and Bayat (2007:54), “sampling refers to the process by which elements are drawn from the population under study”. Further, Creswell and Plano Clark (2007) point out that the sample is part of the population from which the researcher gathers information. In respect of this study, purposive (non-probability) and random (probability) sampling techniques is used to collect data. The researcher purposively uses his judgemental knowledge to select a group of people he thinks can provide the required information. The purposive sampling strategy is used when participants are selected based on prior knowledge and information that can be conferred to the researcher. Therefore, purposive sampling is used in this study, specifically for qualitative data to get the relevant information from 10 municipal officials, where the use of face-to-face interviews is conducted from ward councillor, municipal councillors and municipal officials from Greater Giyani Local Municipality who are directly involved in service delivery.
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Probability sampling involves some form of random selection in choosing the elements (Creswell, 2003)”. “This method of sampling requires a selection process in which each element of the population has the same and independent probability of being chosen”. Random sampling implies that it is used to reach a high number of respondents, where the use of a questionnaire is randomly distributed to the segmented population. A random sampling strategy is used in this study, specifically for quantitative information, is to generalise the research‟s findings the entire population. This study randomly selected 100 participants from ward 23, those who are involved in streets committee leadership, 20 participants from each village.
Gender equality is also considered in the study.
1.7.5. Data Collection Instruments
Data collection can be obtained through the usage of several techniques. In respect of this study, the current researcher uses primary data, which is data collected from participants and secondary data, which is data collected from journals, books, articles and legislative frameworks. Therefore, the researcher uses the following instruments to gather information for the completion of the study.
1.7.5.1. Questionnaires
The current researcher randomly distributed and administered 100 questionnaires, which include 20 per village in ward 23. A closed-ended questionnaire is distributed to the community members. The goal is to provide access to the role of leadership in the delivery of services within municipalities. The researcher ensured that the questionnaires are interpreted into two different languages for the people who cannot read English. The questionnaires ensure that the same questions are given to respondents.
1.7.5.2. Interviews
For this study, semi-structured interviews was conducted, in which the researcher uses purposive sampling to purposefully select the respondents who are assumed to be having relevant knowledge concerning the matter being investigated. Face to face interviews was conducted with 10 participants where the researcher set a meeting with them, which include administrative and political leadership in the Greater Giyani
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Local Municipality. The interviews were queried to establish the validity and the significance of leadership and to find out the challenges faced by leadership on service delivery. As a data collection technique for this analysis, the researcher chose interviews because an interview helps participants to explore their interpretations of the environment in which they live and to convey from their point of view how they view situations.
1.7.5.3. Documentation Analysis
Documentation analysis is a set of documents that can get particular information for the study (Creswell, 2003). Academic books, research papers, articles and government-related documents are used as the secondary sources of information in this study. It is through these documents that perspectives in the role of leadership on service delivery is generated, to enable the researcher to understand the views of different scholars on the role of leadership in service provision and the techniques that can be used in South African municipalities to strengthen the role of leadership and improve service provision.
1.7.6. Data Analysis
Data analysis usually involves minimising the data obtained to manageable proportions and defining the data (Yin, 2009). Since the current study takes a mixed- method approach wherein two data analyses method are adopted, namely the qualitative data and quantitative analyses method. For quantitative data, the researcher uses descriptive statistics. This involved employing, graphs and pie charts, on the other hand, qualitative data is analysed with adherence to thematic system. The current researcher uses words and quotations to present the data.
When thematic codes analyse data, it is called thematic analysis. Therefore, this study takes note of the themes and numerical that emanates in discussion with the respondents and uses such in the analysis of responses given. Further, the study analyses both the findings from qualitative and qualitative to find consistency and inconsistency within the findings.
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