CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
3.13. VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY 1. Validity
Validity reveals how well the information gathered corresponds to the subject under examination. In essence, it measures what is intended to be measured. Validity refers to the correctness of the conclusions drawn regarding an assessment’s results (Duke, Hamidi and Ewing, 2020). Validity strives to explain whether the questions asked in the questionnaires were geared to address the study’s goals and objectives. The validity of the research questions in this study was achieved (Creswell, 2014). The research used interview schedule design tools with open- ended questions to get in-depth information about the subject under scrutiny.
These tools allowed the respondents to express themselves without limitation. This created an atmosphere of freedom and openness to the participants. The study achieved its internal validity, because all the stakeholders who manage women rugby in the Polokwane Local Municipality were interviewed. External validity was
also achieved because the results of this study replicate the underrepresentation of women rugby in management positions on a global scale, not just in Polokwane.
3.13.2. Reliability
The study addressed its objectives and targets, with the chosen research instruments for gathering and analysing data making it more reliable. Participants were assured that the results will be kept confidential; so, honesty in answering the questions remained a requirement (Noble and Smith, 2015). In achieving reliability, the researcher was consistent in using the same questionnaire for all the 20 participants. Responses illustrated a uniform continuum as the participants answered the same questions, yielding almost the same answers.
3.13.3. Trustworthy
Trust is the relationship between the researcher and the participants, in which the researcher has a duty not to spoil the field for others in the sense that potential research subjects become unwilling to continue with participation should that trust be bridged (Du Plessis, 2012). The researcher checked the whole document to make sure the research participants did not feel they were being misled or tricked in any manner. The researcher always told them the truth, which sparked a developing a mutually trusted relationship.
3.13.4. Ethical Considerations
Hammersley and Traianou (2012) proffer that ethics are principles that guide certain conduct and behaviour. The researcher has to act ethically to follow the prescript of a particular field of study. Participants were also informed that should they feel uncomfortable or rather decide to stop being part of the respondents, they were free to quit without probable implications.
3.13.5. Ethical clearance
Clearance was acquired from the University of Limpopo Research and Ethics Committee, before undertaking the study. Permission through a formal written
letter was sent to the BlueBulls Federation in the Limpopo Province to conduct the study in the Polokwane Local Municipality.
3.13.6. Informed consent
Before the study commenced, all the participants signed a consent form. Each of the participants were advised that their participation in the study was on a voluntary basis. They were also informed that they could decide to withdraw from the study at any given time (Creswell, 2014).
3.13.7. Neutrality and non-response
Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. One of the options on the questionnaire afforded the participants in the study to choose ‘neutral’ as an option on the questions on which they were unsure.
3.13.8. Anonymity and confidentiality
The researcher protected the participants’ confidentiality by not disclosing the privileged information or the identity of the participants in the study (Gibson, Benson and Brand, 2013). In ensuring the full confidentiality of each person involved in the study, a coding system was used. For example Mr Shongwe was represented by X1 instead of divulging the real names of the participant. Clark- Kazak (2017) emphasises the protection of the identity of the participants in the study. As such, an alphanumeric system was used instead of using participants’
real names. The researcher ensured that all the participants remained anonymous;
no names were disclosed. Furthermore, the researcher ensured that all the participants were aware of the research topic, the aim and objectives of the study, before signing the consent form. The coding system was used, instead of divulging the real names of the participants. The participants were aware that the data will assist the Department of Sport Recreation South Africa (SRSA) with policy review.
3.13.9. No harm to participants
The researcher ensured that all the participants in the study were protected from any form of harm, such as physical, mental, and psychological harm (Gibson et al.,
2013). Therefore, participants in this study were not exposed to questions that could fuel or promote prejudice. Participants were also advised that, should they feel unsafe during the interview, they may request to dissociate themselves from all the proceedings of the interview at any stage and at any time.
3.13.10. Limitations
The focus of the study was the underrepresentation of women in sport with reference to women rugby in management. Therefore, the study included women rugby coordinators, coaches, referees and women players only. Men rugby was excluded from the study as it does not address the issues in the problem statement.
Most of the respondents were still skeptical about meeting face to face due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was, therefore, impossible to meet everyone face to face.
This could have improved the research findings of the study through observation.
3.13.11. Time constraints
Time constraint is the project’s timeframe for completion, which details the end dates for each project phase as well as the date on which the finished product will be made available (Hartmann and Briskorn, 2022). The research took more time than expected to be completed because of the TREC Clearance. However, eventually, Clearance was obtained and the letters from the gatekeepers had to drag because the federation that runs rugby in the province had problems with their emails. Thus, no one could give the researcher permission to conduct the research.
However, the researcher finally received permission and the research was conducted successfully.
12.3.12. Finance
This research project had no funding, all financially incurred transactions such as travelling fees, telecommunications and online communication were funded by the researcher. The study was a success because finances did not disturb the study in any way. Telephone calls and data bundles were relied solely on the researcher’s personal budget. This made the research to go on undisturbed. Some respondents could not be reached by researcher in person because of their busy
schedules. Hence, the researcher used telephone calls and communication via emails and WhatsApp messaging.