methodology
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
This section presents the research methods that will be used to carry out the study. It covers the research design, Area of study, target population, sample design, sample size, research instrument, and measurement of variables, Data Collection Procedure, data analysis and anticipated problems of the study
3.1 Research Design
RESEARCH DESIGN
A descriptive cross-sectional survey will be done to help the researcher examine the effectiveness of the contract management.
Both qualitative and quantitative approaches will be employed. This design will be adopted to help the researcher gather data from a sample of a wider population at a particular time and make interference to a wider population.
It will also help in measuring various and examining relationships (Mugenda and Mugenda, 2003).
Quantitative design will capture the correlation part of the research as allowed to by (Creswell, 2003). It will be employed in computing quantifiable statistics like measures of central tendency, percentage and distributions.
Quantitative design will be used to enable the researcher to establish patterns, trends and relationships.
This design is best for this study because variables use of this design will generate quick, timely and cost effective results and shall be cost as well as time effect as one does not have to want a long period getting results.
3.2 Area of the Study
The study shall be carried out at UNBS headquarters in Nakawa Industrial area on Plot M217 and its branches in different regions in Uganda.
3.3 Target population
Sekaran (2003) defines a population as the entire group of people, events or things that a researcher wishes to investigate. The entity comprises of239 employees, 1executive director, 12 management staff, 40 division heads, 5 regional heads, 181 staff members at UNBS whose duties influence Stakeholder Involvement, contract management and service delivery in UNBS.
Table 1: Population, Sample size and Sampling technique
Source: UNBS Employee List, (2013)
3.4 Sample Size, Techniques and Selection
Mugenda and Mugenda (2003), argue that it is impossible to study the whole targeted population and therefore the researcher shall take a sample of the population. A sample is a subset of the population that comprises members selected from the population. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table for sample size determination approach, a sample size of 148 employees was selected from the total population of 239 employees.
3.5 Research Instrument
Questionnaires shall be used to obtain the necessary primary data to answer the research questions and achieving the research objectives. The questionnaire shall be designed in a manner that motivates respondents with simple structured questions with the option of providing any addition information to the structured questionnaire as an option to obtain relevant data from them. Secondary data shall be obtained through reading and reviewing existing records of related information to contract management such as contract management reports, published articles, journals and PPDA publications. Validity and reliability tests shall be carried out to ensure accuracy and usability of the instrument.
3.6 Measurement of Variables
A five point Likert ordinal scales ranging from; strongly agree which shall be assigned 5, strongly Agree, 4 agree, Not Sure assigned 3, Disagree allocated 2 and strongly disagree allotted 1 to obtain responses on the variables. The Likert ordinal scale has been used by numerous scholars who have conducted similar studies such as Bowling, (1997).
The structured questions will be measured using the following variables;
- i) Stakeholder involvement; reliability of stakeholders, ability to measure service levels,
Ability to monitor changing requirements
- ii) Contract management; monitoring, evaluation, administration
iii) Service delivery; level of quality, price, time
3.7. Validity and Reliability
The two terminologies emphasis data quality control
3.7.1. Validity
This refers to the extent to which results can be accurately interpreted and generalized to other populations (Oso and Onen, 2008). These writers further define validity as the extent to which instruments measure what they are intended to measure.
Validity will be tested using content validity index which involves judges scoring the relevancy of the questions in the instruments in relation to the study variables.
The formula for CVI will be
CVI =
Where CVI = content validity
n= number of items indicated relevant.
N = total no. of items in the questionnaire
The researcher will give the instruments to the two experts who will make an assessment of whether what the researcher is trying to bring out actually does come out. The instrument will then be tried out on selected individuals of the same characteristics as those that will be in the study to assist in identifying deficiencies in the instruments such as insufficient space to write responses, wrong numbering, vague questions, (Muganda and Mugenda 1999).
The researcher will analyze the data collected and were need arises, the instrument will be re-adjusted and re-design to improve reliability and validity.
3.7.2. Reliability
Crobach’s coefficient alpha (a) as recommended by Amin, (2005, P.302) will be used to test the reliability of the research instrument. The instrument is deemed reliable if reliable of 0.7 and above is obtained and therefore, it will be adopted for use in the data collection.
If the researcher gets below 0.7, the questionnaires will be redesigned so as to make the alpha reliability coefficient 0.7 and above.
Formula for rehabilitee is
= ( )
Where = alpha reliability co efficiency.
K=Number of items included in the questionnaire
= sum of variance of individual items
= variance of all items in the instrument.
3.8 Data Collection methods
Two methods will be used to collect data, namely questionnaires surveys and face to face interview.
3.6.1. Questionnaire surveys
Accordance to peil (1995), questionnaire surveys are large – scale surveys involving literate people. The purpose of using this data collection method is that the targeted respondents are literate people when often prefers privacy and anonymity. Milne (1999) adds that responses are standardized and hence more objective. He identifies some disadvantages as possibility of participants forgetting important issues due to occurrence of the questionnaire surveys after the event and difficulty of findings in interpretation of some questions by participants (for close ended questionnaire). Milne (ibid) also suggests.
Respective mitigation measures as involvement of knowledgeable people and piloting questions.
The research will use this method for collecting data to all the respondents of UNBS.
3.6.2. Interviewing
Kumar (2005) defines interviewing as the persons to person interaction among two or more people with specific purposes. Using face to face interviews for collecting information is preferred when social cue of the interviewee is needed. (Such as voice, intonation, body language) are important information source for interviewer, when the interviewer has enough budget and time for travelling or when the interviewee live near the interviewer and standardization of the interview situation is important (Op denakker, 2006) some short fall of interviewing method (Include requirements for training and practice for the interview and confidentiality for the exercise.
The interviewer also has a potential to influence, due or distort the interviewee’s responses (Hidayah, 2011). The researcher will use this method to collect data from managers, division heads and regional heads because of its ability to clarify questions and even explore further into some issues being studied.
3.9 Data Sources
Source of data will be from both primary and secondary sources.
3.9.1 Primary Data
Primary data shall be obtained from well-designed questionnaires structured to obtain relevant data and to gain opinions and practices on impacts of contract management on service delivery, at UNBS
3.9.2 Secondary Data
Secondary data is data which has been collected by individuals or agencies for purposes other than those of a particular research study. It is data developed for some purpose other than for helping to solve the research problem at hand (Bell, 1997). Secondary data shall be obtained from Procurement and Disposal Unit (PDU) reports, published articles, journals and PPDA publications relating to contract management and service delivery.
Techniques for analysing data will be both qualitative and quantitative.
Analysis
Under quantitative analysis, process will include editing, classification, coding and presentation. Data will be summarized in frequency tables, percentage; data will be analysed with the use of statistical package for social scientist (SPSS). Quantitative data will be collected through structure questionnaires and it will be cantered into a computer, tabulated and analysed.
Spearman’s correlation coefficient is recommended by Amin (2005, P.378) will be used during data analysis in order to test the strength, degree and direction of the relationship between contract management service delivery.
The formula will be used for this study because it is compatible with SPSS program in addition to being appreciated in analysing data under which the data will be arranged.
3.10.2. Qualitative techniques for data analysis
The quantitative data will be collected through interviews with key informants and instructed questionnaires. It will be placed under different themes which will be given different codes.
The code category will be written in the margins and assembled accordingly; these approaches enable the researcher to easily depict the findings of the study and interpret them in depth and is an appropriate manner so as to come up with vulnerable conclusions from the data gathered.
3.11 Limitations
The researcher anticipates lack of adequate resources for some of the research activities. In addition, the information required in the study is likely to be hard to be extracted from the respondents as it may be viewed as confidential.
