CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.4 Research Strategy
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used research instruments allowed for that. Inductive conclusions of the study were made from the qualitative data and are well articulated in Chapter 4.
62 Table 3.1: Research Strategies
RESEARCH STRATEGY DESCRIPTION
Experiment -based on natural sciences but can be used in psychology.
The research is quantitative with samples having different experimental conditions.
Survey -used for the deductive research approach. They enable collection of a huge quantity of data from a big population at low costs. Standardised questionnaires are used to collect data in this strategy.
Case Study -ideal for gaining a thorough knowledge of how research is carried out. It is a systematic predetermined way of investigating some state of affairs using various sources of evidence available.
Grounded theory -best for the inductive research approach. The collected data helps the researcher to come up with a theory. Thus theory comes after data collection.
Ethnography -it emanates from the field of anthropology and is ideal for the inductive approach. This tries to interpret the social world why it is that way and takes a very long time.
Action research -the researcher is part and parcel of the population within which the research is taking place. Its aim is to describe, understand, explain and change the world
Source: Compiled using information from Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009)
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Yin (2008) gives three conditions that distinguish each of the research strategies and they are as follows:
a. The type of research question posed;
b. The extend of control a researcher has actual behavioural events; and c. The degrees of focus on contemporary as opposed to historical events.
Table 3.1 below summerises the ideal situations for different research strategies.
Table 3.2: Relevant situations for different research strategies
STRATEGY FORM OF
RESEARCH IN QUESTION
REQUIRES CONTROL OF BEHAVIOURAL
EVENTS?
FOCUS ON CONTEMPORARY
EVENTS?
Experiment How, why? Yes Yes
Survey Who, what, where, how many, how much?
No Yes
Archival analysis Who, what, where, how many, how much?
No Yes/No
History How, why? No No
Case study How, why? No Yes
Source: COSMOS Corporation, Adapted from Yin (2008)
According to Yin (2008) a case study research method is a practical investigation of a current occurrence within its real-life context; when the boundaries between phenomenon and its background are not clearly evident and in which multiple sources of evidence are used. Zainal (2007) describes a case study as a research strategy that looks at past reports for exploration and greater understanding of sticky issues. It is
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therefore necessary where in-depth understanding of issues is required. In most cases a case study researcher chooses a small area or a limited number of people as subjects for study and takes a closer examination of the subjects within a defined context (Zainal 2007). A case study allows a researcher to explore existing theory, challenge it and come up with new hypotheses (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2009). The authors give the following as the research instruments that can be used to collect data in a case study: questionnaires, interviews, observation and documentary analysis. Yin (2008), described the case study inquiry as it:
• copes with the technically distinctive situation in which there will be many more variables of interest than data points and as one result,
• relies on multiple sources of evidence, with data needing to converge in a triangulating fashion and as another result
• benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions to guide data collection and analysis.
Thus a case study is a research strategy that comprises an all encompassing method covering the logic of design, data collection techniques and precise approaches to data collection (Yin, 2008). Zainal (2007) highlights the following as advantages of using a case study:
i. Data is collected from where it is being used (Yin, 1984);
ii. It allows both quantitative and qualitative philosophies to be applied in research;
and
iii. Allows for explanations to be given for some observed numerical data.
A case study as a strategy includes both single and multiple-case studies (Yin, 2008). It is usually both qualitative and quantitative or purely qualitative in nature. The author further gives five situations where the case study can be applied to explain, describe, illustrate, explore and meta-evaluate different situations. A case study can help to
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explain the linkages between real life encounters that are too difficult for surveys or experiments to demystify. It can also help describe how a real life situation is. Smith (1990) and Stake (1986) cited in Yin (2008), explained that a case study may be a meta-evaluation study of an evaluation study, thus can be used to evaluate some studies or strategies that would have been applied.
3.4.1 Design of Case Study Strategy
According to Yin (2008), the design of every case study includes the desire to analyse contextual conditions in relationship to the context of the research problem. There are two types of case studies which are single or multiple and all of them can have unitary or multiple units of analysis (Yin, 2008). Thus a case study can either be a single or multiple case design. There are five rationales given for applying a single case study design. A single case can be used where it represents a significant case in testing a good theory. The theory would have some propositions and situations where the propositions work and the significant case will be used to prove if the propositions are true. A single case study can also be used if the case in question is extreme or unique to other cases and this usually works in clinical psychology in which an injury or disorder may be so rare such that any of the cases can be studied (Yin 2008). The third rationale where a single case study is used is when it is a typical or representative of the population under study. When the investigator has an opportunity to observe and analyse a phenomenon which was not accessible using scientific investigation, a revelatory case is used in a single case design (Yin, 2008). This case allows a break an investigator to make a break through in a certain area of study. A longitudinal case can be used in a single case design where the single case has to be studied at two or more different points in time.
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A case study design can also be a holistic or embedded where the unit of analysis is used for classification (Yin, 2008). In a holistic case study design, the chosen single organization as a unit will provide all the required data as one whilst in the embedded design various sub-units, departments or strategic business units will be sources of study and analysis.
3.4.2 ZINWA as a Typical Single Case
This study used ZINWA as typical case because of its suitability to answer research questions of this study which on evaluating of the use of the RBV theory in the public sector of Zimbabwe. This strategy helped the researcher to evaluate the situation in Zimbabwe’s public sector using ZINWA thus addressing the objectives of the study. The research strategy of this study also followed the holistic case study using ZINWA. The study focused on the whole organization without splitting various departments, sections nor strategic business units as research units. A case study strategy answered “how“
ZINWA is applying the RBV theory as a management strategy. The study focused on the current management strategies ZINWA is applying in relationship with the RBV theory with no control of the behavioural events.
ZINWA qualifies to be a” typical” case to represent all the organizations in the public sector of Zimbabwe. In reference to Chapter 2, a typical organization in the public sector of Zimbabwe is a parastatal which can be an Authority, Agency or Commission and a Department. These are usually established by an Act of Parliament to provide social services on a cost recovery basis such as water, electricity, transport, communication, housing and food. Public organizations are also mainly owned by government, the line Ministry is in charge of the operations of that organization and their service charges and fees are regulated by this Ministry. Zimbabwe National Water Authority was established by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority Act [Chapter 20:25] of 1998 to provide water
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as a good and water resources development and management on a cost recovery basis.