4 CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4.1 Introduction
4.4 Population and sampling strategy
4.4.2 Sampling
Due to the population identified for this research being relatively small, it was possible to adopt the entire population as the research sample.
A pilot survey was also included in this research to ensure that the questionnaire is clear and capable of eliciting the correct type of input for the research. A random, but stratified, sampling approach was utilised to identify a sample of 10% or thirty five respondents from the population of businesses that operate in the eThekwini green economy to complete the pilot survey. According to Robinson (2004, pg. 8), “In a stratified sample, the researcher first selects the particular categories or groups of cases that he/she considers should be purposively included in the final sample. The sample is then divided up or ‘stratified’ according to these categories and a target number of participants is allocated to each one. Stratification categories can be geographical, demographic, socio-economic, physical or psychological – the only requirement is that there is a clear theoretical rationale for assuming that the resulting groups will differ in some meaningful way”. This is largely supported by Singh and Masuku (2014). The stratification was undertaken according to the type of sector that the companies were a part of, such as energy or waste management.
A purposefully selected sample was drawn from the KSEF board and a total of two individuals were identified to form the sample. Both of the individuals selected have experience that spans multiple sectors, such as a public electricity organisation, a private energy focused organisation and academia. According to Tashakkori and Teddlie (1998) and Creswell (2014), purposeful sampling is a type of non-probability sampling, where the individuals are identified based on some key information, knowledge or role that these individuals can play in the research. According to Palinkas et al. (2015), utilising purposeful sampling in qualitative research is common.
Due to the small number of eThekwini Municipal officials that are directly involved in the eThekwini green economy, it was feasible and beneficial to include the entire population as the sample.
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The initial population identified for the quantitative part of this research was three hundred and fifty nine companies, as identified by eThekwini Municipality (2013a).
From those three hundred and fifty nine companies, thirty-five were identified through a random stratified sampling approach to participate in the pilot survey. The remaining three hundred and twenty four companies were to form the population and sample of the main survey.
The population for the interviews were split into two. The first part of the population was made up of the five directors of KSEF, two of whom were identified through a purposefully sample process to form the sample. In addition, five eThekwini Municipal officials were identified, as the number was small and access to these officials was easy, all were placed in the sample.
There was a dismal response rate from the initial three hundred and twenty four companies, which were identified to take part in the survey, the reasons of which are discussed in chapter 6. The population was broadened in order to increase the amount of data collected, as the responses received were not sufficient and to ensure that people with relevant knowledge and experience of the green economy are able to actively complete the survey. The following individuals were further added to the population: three individuals from a relevant national research institution; eight individuals from relevant international non-governmental organisations with a presence in South Africa; sixteen officials from eight other Metropolitan Municipalities in South Africa; forty three members from the Central KwaZulu-Natal Climate Change Compact; four officials from various South African government agencies that work with cities on climate change; four officials from the National Department of Energy and Department of Environmental Affairs; twenty one individuals from private companies or in their private capacity that are engaged in aspects of the green economy; twenty four officials from eThekwini Municipality who have a climate change or related mandate; three officials from a South African non-governmental organisation; four academics from an eThekwini based University;
five academics from an University based in the Western Cape; two officials from Eskom; and one official from a coalition of large companies that focus on sustainable growth. These individuals were identified due to their work that was related to the green economy and climate change more broadly. Many of the identified individuals
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hold either senior level management posts or technical posts that are related to thematic areas that contribute to mitigating climate change or adapting to climate change. It must be noted that a large portion of the above mentioned individuals were not based in the EMA, but would have some knowledge that can be utilised to answer the key research questions of this research.
The total number of individuals identified above totalled one hundred and thirty eight.
As a result, this brought the final population to four hundred and sixty two.
It is important to note that for the initial interview population, one official that was identified from the eThekwini Energy Office resigned and could not be interviewed.
However, the population for the interviews was also increased to include officials that have insight into the eThekwini green economy from specific sectors that have interventions within the green economy. It was envisaged that these officials would be better able to provide in-depth insight into their areas of expertise, such as electricity or revenue, which would then contribute to a more thorough understanding of the components of the eThekwini green economy and the manner in which they interact.
The number of interviewees was increased by an additional nine people.
A third component to the population was also added in, to accommodate the addition of a data collection tool, focus groups. This data collection tool was added to gather data that emerged through the interaction of respondents during the focus group sessions and to get people with diverse backgrounds and experience to interact to determine if their opinions converge or not. The participants were purposefully selected, due to the unwillingness of organisations and companies to participate in the focus groups, to include: nine engineers that work on water and wastewater infrastructure; five participants of the 2017 Sustainable Living Exhibition; and eight individuals from an Energy Centre at an eThekwini based University of Technology.
Table 4.2 provides an overview of the final numbers of the population and sample size.
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Data collection method Population Sample
Survey 497 Individuals /
Businesses
35 Individuals (Pilot survey) 324 Individuals (Original survey) 138 Individuals (Expanded survey) Interviews 16 Individuals 16 Individuals
Focus groups - 22 Individuals (In 3 groups)
Table 4.2: Final population and sample of the research Source: Author.