CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0       Introduction

This chapter discusses the operational framework within which the facts of the study will be gathered and analyzed. It presents the research design, study population, sample size and selection, sampling techniques and procedure, data collection methods, measurement of the variables and instruments, validity and reliability of research instruments, data collection procedures, data analysis and how the ethical issues underlying the study are addressed.

3.1       Research design

The study will adopt a case study research design. This is because the research is focusing on one case. There is a debate on whether case study research design can be used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. According to Saunders, Thornhill, & Lewis (2015); Bhattacherjee (2012), a case study research design can be  used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data from respondents. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative data will be collected by use of interview guide and questionnaires respectively  (Demeke, 2018). Interview guide will be used to collect data from Procurement and Disposal Unit (PDU) staff and Accounting Officer whereas questionnaires will be used to collect data from user departments and selected providers.

3.2       Study population and sample size

Using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table for sample size determination, a total of 80 respondents will selected from a population of 90 as shown in table 1 below. These are preferred because they are directly involved in the procurement cycle (PPDA Act as amended, 2014). A total of 100 procurement transaction files conducted between 2015 and 2019 will be sampled and respondents asked if they adopted use of e-procurement in acquiring and providing the items.

Table 1: Showing study population and sample size

 3.3      Sampling  technique

The study will employ simple random sampling technique for quantitative study and purposive sampling technique for qualitative study. Simple random sampling will be used to select user departments and vendors. Simple random sampling gives equal and independent chance of being selected as a member of the sample (Saunders et al.., 2015).  Purposive sampling will be used to select PDU staff and Accounting Officer because they are the key players in the procurement cycle.

3.4       Data collection methods and instruments

Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and instruments will be adopted.

3.4.1    Data collection for quantitative approach

For this part of the study, the questionnaire survey will be adopted.

Close-ended questions with a five Likert scale will be used to allow the respondents to agree or disagree with the item in the questionnaire. The questionnaire will be divided into four sections namely; background collecting demographic data of the respondents, section two will address management decision, section three will address information communication technology proficiency and section four will address employee and user competence. In each section, the respondent will be given instructions on how to complete the questions.

3.4.2    Data collection for qualitative approach

In this technique the researcher will carry out a face to face interaction with the respondent about various aspects of the research objectives. The face to face interview is preferred because it will make it possible to establish rapport with respondents as well as allowing the interviewer to observe and listen (Foucault, 1980). Interviews will be conducted for Procurement and Disposal Unit staff and Accounting Officer.

3.5       Data collection procedure

After approval of the research proposal, the researcher will obtain an introductory letter from the university as proof that the researcher is a student of Cavendish University. The researcher will present it to the respondents before administering the questionnaire or interviewing the respondents. The researcher will assure the respondents of utmost confidentiality in the entire process of the research study.

3.6       Measurement of variables

The data on variables will be measured at three levels which will include; bivariate level in which the researcher intends to concurrently consider two variables using presentation modes like cross tabulation., univariate and multivariate. The univariate level considers measurement and analysis of data at individual variable basis where the researcher uses measures of the mean, mode and frequencies. At the multivariate level, the researcher considers a combination of more than two variables at the same time and this is mainly used at higher level analysis to compute variable aggregates as well as the regression coefficient.

The questionnaire is prepared using a five point Likert scale which has; (5-Strongly Agree, 4-Agree, 3-Not Sure, 2- Disagree and 1-Strongly Disagree). The Likert scale measures attitudes, behaviors and values of individuals in regards to a given aspect. Therefore, the choice of this measurement is that each point on the scale carries a numerical score which will be used in the study of social attitude.

3.7       Data quality control

The study will account for both validity and reliability so as to assure and maintain quality.

3.7.0    Quantitative quality control

3.7.1    Validity of research instruments

According to Amin (2005) validity of a research instrument is when a tool contains questions that are in line with both theoretical and conceptual aspects of the study variables. Therefore, all research instruments will be validated by experienced scholars in procurement and postgraduate research studies whose input will be considered before the instruments are administered to their study sample. Through measuring content validity indices, experts will be asked to rate each item on the questionnaire, interview guide, and documentary checklist as Relevant (R) or Irrelevant (IR) whose averages will yield computations of Content Validity Index (CVI) that must be above 0.7 threshold as illustrated by formula:

CVI =           Where n= Number of items rated as relevant, and N= Total no. of items in the instrument.

3.7.2    Reliability of research instruments

Reliability of a research instrument as defined by Kothari (2011) is the extent to which research findings can be replicated if another study was undertaken using the same research tools. This will be attained after piloting the questionnaires at the district from where data will be collected from 80 respondents that will be captured in Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) and tested for Cronbach’s reliability test to determine the levels of reliability that ought to be equal or above threshold of 0.7 as suggested by Amin (2005) for the instrument to be administered.

3.7.3    Qualitative data quality control 

The interview guide will be vetted though a pilot study to make sure that its content measures all the variables involved in the study.

3.8       Data handling procedure

3.8.1    Data organization

Having collected/obtained quantitative data on questionnaires, this numeric data will be organized and entered in SPSS according to the sequence on the questionnaire and research objectives. Since the study will also collect qualitative data, a thematic content analysis will be employed to organize qualitative data from interviews and documentary checklist that will help in interpretation and processing of related content.

3.9       Data processing, analysis, and presentation

3.9.1    Quantitative data analysis

Data analysis involves reduction of accumulated data to a manageable size, developing summaries, looking for patterns and applying statistical techniques. Using statistical package for social scientists (SPSS) to process quantitative data, the study will be in position to avail descriptive frequency tables that will generate preliminary findings and later inferential tables will be used to generate conclusive findings and to test guiding research hypotheses for rejection/acceptance (Amin, 2005). To test the research hypotheses, the study will use Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient results of both simple and multiple regression analysis to determine whether different organizational attributes predict adoption of e-government procurement in Tororo district local government.

3.9.2    Qualitative data analysis

Data collected from interviews will be transcribed and edited to ensure completeness and accuracy of results. The qualitative data will be categorized into meaningful information to supplement quantitative data (Creswell, 2014).

3.10     Ethical considerations

The ethical considerations will be taken into account throughout data collection. First, each selected respondent will be informed that his or her response is voluntarily and those who will provide verbal and written concert will be taken part in the study.

Secondly, a clear introduction and elaboration of the objectives of the study will be given to every respondent before engaging him or her in the field work. Thirdly all research tools will have an introduction and participants identities will be kept anonymous, to avoid any harm to respondents. Furthermore, the study will abide by the ethics of social research ranging from professional ethics to those concerning researcher to respondent relationship. In addition, all those who will assist the researcher in one way or the other will be given due respect. Acknowledgement of other scholar’s works will be maintained throughout the research process.