4.4.1 Survey Instrument
According to Coldwell & Herbst (2004) a survey refers to a combination of questionnaires and interviews. In this study a survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Saunders et al (2003) states that a questionnaire includes all techniques of data collection in which each person is asked to respond to the same set of questions in a predetermined order. A self-administered questionnaire was developed as the survey instrument. It was designed to gather information to answer the research projects questions. The questionnaire was structured into three sections. Section A was designed to gather background or biographical information such as title of post, post level, length of service, number of years in senior management position, gender, age, and level of qualification. Section B consisted of thirty five items which included scaled and forced choice questions. Section C comprised seven open ended questions. The structure of the questions in sections B and C were based on the need to gather information that can be assessed against the action learning equation, action learning model and the twelve elements action learning framework.
According to Saunders et al (2003) the purpose of a pilot test is to refine the questionnaire so that respondents will have no problems in answering the questions and
there will be no problems in recording the data. The questionnaire was pilot tested on 5 senior managers. The purpose of the pilot test was to detect possible flaws in the questionnaire such as ambiguous instructions and unclear or ambiguously formulated items. Participants were also requested to indicate how they interpreted the questions.
By interacting with the selected participants in the pilot test I was able to observe non- verbal behaviour. The respondents were interviewed to determine if the questionnaire accurately captured their responses and to ascertain what their opinions were of the questionnaire. They found the questionnaire easy to understand and complete.
4.4.2 Sampling
According to Saunders et al (2003) sampling techniques provide a range of methods which enable the researcher to reduce the amount of data that needs to be collected by focusing on data from a subgroup instead of all possible respondents. The sampling technique used in this research study was non-probability sampling. This method according to Babbie and Mouton (2002) is reliant on available subjects. This method was used due to constraints on the time and availability of managers.
Welman & Kruger (2001:63), state that "purposive sampling is the most important kind of non-probability sampling. Researchers rely on their experience, ingenuity and/ or previous research findings to deliberately obtain units of analysis in such a manner that the sample they obtain may be regarded as being representative of the relevant population". This view is supported by Saunders et al (2003) who indicates that purposive or judgmental sampling enables the researcher to use his or her own judgment in selecting the sample which enables him or her to best answer the research question or questions to meet the objective of the study.
One hundred and sixty nine senior managers had attended the Khaedu Action Learning Programme during 2005. This represents the total population for this study. Fifty senior managers were selected as the sample. Based on the researches involvement in the Action Learning Project and senior management development, the sample was selected
purposefully from the consolidated class list of all senior managers that attended the Khaedu Action Learning Programme. Only senior managers who have attended both the core skills programme and deployment to the coal face completed the questionnaire.
The Khaedu Action Learning Programme is a programme that targets senior managers in all the Provincial Departments. It is coordinated by the Management Development Unit in the Directorate: Human Resource Development in the Office of the Premier.
Permission was therefore sought from the Director-General of the Province, by way of a minute, to undertake the study in the Provincial Administration and administer the questionnaire on the fifty senior managers. The Director-General duly granted permission to undertake the study as requested.
4.4.3 Data Collection
The questionnaires were distributed by hand to the identified senior managers. In cases where senior managers were not available the questionnaire was handed to their personal assistants/secretaries. The questionnaire was accompanied by the letter of approval from the Director-General, the respondent consent form and letter explaining the purpose of the study and instructions. A period of seven days was provided for the completion and collection of the questionnaires. Senior Managers have schedules that require them to be out of the office to attend meetings, workshops and planning sessions. The latter for the New Year. As a result not all the completed questionnaires were received within the seven days. This required constant telephonic follow-up and liaison with the senior managers or their personal assistants. Some senior managers were out of the office for long periods that went way beyond the period set for the collection of the questionnaires.
Few senior managers indicated that they were too busy to complete the questionnaire.
Consequently, of the fifty questionnaires distributed thirty questionnaires were completed and returned.
4.4.4 Setting up Data for Analysis
Saunders et al (2003) states that data includes facts, opinions and statistics which are collected and recorded for reference and analysis. Data analysis according to Saunders et al (2003:476) is a "process for the collection and analysis of qualitative data that involves three concurrent sub processes of data reduction, data display, and drawing up and verifying conclusions". For the purpose of this study the data analysis will entail as stated by Terre Blanche & Durrheim (1999:47) "identifying themes in the data and relationship between these themes".
The data collected comprised ordinal and nominal data. All the responses from the thirty questionnaires were coded. The MoonStats statistical package was used to analyse the data to obtain bar charts, histograms, pie charts and frequency tables. Although the data was reduced, it was only used as a guide to support the emerging themes set out in chapter 5.