CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3. INTRODUCTION
3.3. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT/TOOL
Various tools exist to assist researchers to carry out their goals. The tools of research entail the specific strategies or mechanisms that the researcher will apply to collect, process, analyse and interpret data.
Figure below shows the process that was undertaken for this research.
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The table below lists the advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires.
“Advantages Disadvantages
Wide area coverage Often low response rate
Remote location access Incomplete responses
Fairly low cost Response inducement and/or follow up may be
necessary
Design questions for the survey questionnaire in word format
Submit questions for approval Obtain approval
Automate questions on the www.surveymonkey.com online survey website Include the consent form on the first page of the survey
Draft and send an email with the cover letter and the questionnaire link Email the survey questionnaire to the selected individuals within the organisation
Analyse results
Design questions for the follow up semi-structured interviews in word format Submit questions for approval
Obtain approval
Arrange and conduct semi-structured interviews Draft a report
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Respondents in their own environment High quality instrument necessary More time available for a considered response Representativeness may be suspect No interviewer bias
Anonymity may allow disclosure of more confidential data
Time required”
Table 5: Advantages and disadvantages of using questionnaires
The table below lists the advantages and disadvantages of interviews.
“Advantages Disadvantages
Increase the chance of successful data collection
Requires extensive resources and time
Increase accuracy and completeness of data Interviewer training is necessary Data enrichment is possible (interviewer
observations)
High cost
Representativeness can be controlled Risk of interviewer bias Immediate calibration of validation of response
is possible
Risk of interviewer dishonesty
Media other than paper questionnaires can be used
Not suited to highly confidential data requirements (e.g., turnover, profit, etc.)
Respondent co-operation may wane.”
Table 6: Advantages and disadvantages of using interviews
3.3.1. SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE
The survey questionnaire is divided into three sections. A copy of the survey questionnaire is provided in Appendix C. The website for the survey only allowed ten questions to be asked on the survey questionnaire.
The first section A was the demographics question. The section was aimed at assessing the demographic profile of the participants. The purpose of this section was to obtain an overview of the participant’s experience, in terms of the number of years that they have been working on projects, the department that the participant works in within the organisation as well as the number of years the participant has been working in the organisation.
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The second section B assessed the participant’s understanding of which type of project structure does the organization use. A brief description of the types of project structure was provided to assist the participants in making an informed choice regarding the type they choose.
The third section C assessed the perception of the participants regarding project matrix management organisation structures. A literature review was conducted for this study. The first three questions (C3- C5) of this section were based on the literature review, where participants were asked to rate the items that were the outcome of the literature review according to their perception and current experience on the projects that they are working on that are using project matrix management organisation structures. These questions were assigned a five-point Likert-scale which looked at whether they agree or disagree with the items. The varying degrees of the scale were whether they: strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The participants were also be asked to add any items that are not covered by the literature review and that they are experiencing on the projects that they are working on or that they have worked on which are using project matrix management organisation structures. The first question asked about the advantages of using matrix management organisation structures, the second question asked about the disadvantages of using matrix management organisation structure and the third question asked about the roles that functional managers should be undertaking on projects that are using project matrix management organisation structures.
The next four questions (C6-C10) asked about the performance of projects that the participants have worked on in terms of cost and schedule for the last three years under the project matrix management organisation structure. The first of the four questions (C6-C9) asked whether there have been any cost implications in the projects that the participants have worked on because of the project matrix management organisation structure being used. The follow up questions asked the participants to indicate whether the projects have underspent by 0-20%, overspent by 0-20% or were on budget. The following question asked whether there have been any schedule implications in the projects that they have worked on because of the project matrix management organisation structure being used. The next question asked the participants to indicate whether the projects have been completed on time, ahead of schedule or behind schedule.
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The last question asked the participants to indicate whether they experienced any of the challenges or issues that were listed on the questionnaire because of the use of project matrix management organisation structure. They were also asked to list any issues or challenges that you they were aware of and that were not mentioned.
3.3.2. INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE
The interview questionnaire consisted of 11 questions. A copy of the interview questionnaire is provided in Appendix E. The purpose of the interview was to unpack, discuss and validate the results gathered from the survey questionnaires.
The research instruments or tools chosen for this research were qualitative data collection methods. A survey questionnaire followed up by semi-structured interviews were utilised to collect data.