CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
The previous chapter reviewed various literature/writings on the subject of ethical leadership for good governance in the Local Government Authorities. The purpose of this chapter was to provide a research design that underpins the study and to provide a full explanation of how the research was to be conducted. Kothari (1987:1) defines research as a scientific and systematic search for relevant information on a specific topic. Research methodology is a scientific and objective understanding of how research is conducted (Kothari, 2004:1). Leed and Ormrod (2001:14) define research methodology as “the general approach the researcher takes in carrying out the research project”. Research methods are understood as the techniques applied in the collection of data or information in the research activity. These methods include questionnaires, interviews, textual analysis and survey method (Kothari, 2004:7).
3.2 Methodology Framework of the Study
Research is a logical and systematic search for new and useful information on a particular study. Research is done with the help of study, experiment, observation, analysis, comparison and reasoning. Methodology can be defined as giving a clear-cut idea on what methods or process the researcher is going to use in doing research in order to achieve research objectives. The plan for the entire research process is required at right point of time and advance in research work in the right direction and careful chosen research methodology. Therefore, research methodology is a systematic way of solving a problem. According Ngware (2010:1) research is scientific and an objective inquiry. Scientific research, among others includes the following characteristics. First, includes an investigation of some hypothetical propositions Tripathi (1987:1-2) cited in Ngware (2010:1) whereby hypothesis guides a researcher about the facts, what is relevant and irrelevant. In this case, the relevant facts gathered were the issues related to ethical leadership and good governance in Local Government authorities in Kinondoni Municipality, Tanzania. Second, scientific research is systematic and controlled. The system and control make scientific research replicable, an essential consideration as the ethical leadership and good governance in Tanzania. Third, Scientific research is empirical. It is based on large experience of others rather than only personal experience. On this logic, this study collected data from citizens’ perspectives on how do they experience ethical leadership and good governance in Local Government Authorities. The subjective belief is checked against objective reality on the ground. In this case, the study areas of Sinza, Mwannyamala, Ubungo and Kibamba wards aimed at knowledge that is objective and reliable. Field study serves several purposes including exploratory, descriptive and hypotheses testing. Exploratory field study has as its goal to gain familiarity with the issue of ethical leadership and good governance in local authorities to enable the researcher define research problem. Descriptive field study has as its objective the description of a system. Research methods do constitute a part of research methodology (Tripathi 1982:5, 2) as cited by Ngware (2010:1). The logic behind the methods used in the context of research study has to be explained why particular methods are used. Research method is only an operational framework whereby the research explains clearly how data was captured in the field, which instruments were used and how data were analyzed (Ngware, 2010:1)
According to scholars agreed that there are two main approaches to any scientific inquiry: quantitative and qualitative methods. About what methods to choose in any particular research depends on the nature of the project, the type of information needed, the context of the study and the availability resources. Quantitative approach is the one which explains a phenomenon by collecting numerical data that is analyzed using mathematics (Creswell, 1994:18) while qualitative method concerns largely with the critical analysis of views, opinions, attitudes, feelings and behaviors. Research is oriented to seek answers that try to solve the problems objectively and scientifically. In this study, the research used qualitative methods for data collection and analysis. Ngware (2010:2) noted that: quantitative and qualitative research methods are more associated with deductive and inductive approaches. Deductive research attempts to provide evidence for or against a pre-existed hypothesis. Inductive research method begins by observing to develop a new hypothesis or to contribute to new theory. Normally, the quantitative research is linked to the notion of science as an objective fact while qualitative research is more identified with the view that science is lived experience and hence subjectively determined. Usually, quantitative research begins with specified objectives focusing on testing pre-conceived results. Qualitative research method starts with open-ended observation and analysis, most often it looks for patterns and process to explain “how and why” questions. Qualitative researcher is interested in understanding how a respondent views a situation under the investigation. To ensure objectivity, generalization and reliability, the quantitative research uses methods adopted from physical sciences. Data collection instruments like in-depth interviews, questionnaires open-ended; Focus Group discussion are the instruments of data collection. According to Babbie, (1986:72) research serves many purposes such as exploration, description and explanation. Exploration aims to develop an initial, rough understanding of a phenomenon while description is the precise measurement and reporting the characteristics of phenomenon under study. Explanation is simply discovering and reporting relationships among different aspects of the phenomenon under research. The next part discusses on research design and process.
3.3 Research Design and Process
This research is grounded in the qualitative tradition, employing a case study method of inquiry. According to Yin (2003:19) stated, “research design is the logic that links the data to be collected (and the conclusion to be drawn) to the initial questions of study”. Nevertheless, Yin indicated that a case study is appropriate when one wants to test variables related to a weak theory in a controlled setting. This case study was meant to investigate and examine variables related to ethical leadership that promote good governance in Local Government Authorities. Normally, this design applies when the main purpose of the research is to gain an experience with a phenomenon and find new insights (Yin, 2003:5). According to (Robson, 1993:146) defined a case study as “strategy of doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context using multiple sources of evidence”. There are three traditional researches for the real world research, which includes experimental, survey and case study. The next part describes the study area and its justification.
3.3 Study Area and Justification
Kinondoni Municipality is the northmost of three municipalities. Administratively, Kinondoni is broken into four (4) divisions, 27 different wards and 113 sub wards (http:// www.kinondonimc.go.tz). I selected this area as a unity of case study because of one general objective that, Kinondoni Municipality is among the leading Municipalities with high unethical practices of corruption in land accessibility in Dar es Salaam, in particular. However, the study based on three areas of social services delivery including land, health and education. The specific reasons for the selection of the area are three in number. First, Kinondoni is the largest Municipality with high population among other municipalities in Dar es Salaam City. The latest population census of 2012 showed that population of Kinondoni was 1,775,049 (http://www.kinondonimc.go.tz). Second, because of its status and role at national and international levels it was easier to access data and information appropriate to ethical leadership and good governance. Third, the researcher anticipated getting appropriate information in Kindononi Municipality; as an urban area and centre of commercial, education and administrative activities in Tanzania having various people from each corner of the country (multiethnic).
Specifically, the study was conducted into four wards. The first ward was Sinza. The selection of Sinza ward relies on the observation that, citizens who live there have medium income and their lives seem to be better. The citizens in this ward are not very rich or poor but at the middle. The second ward was Mwananyamala. The justification of this selection bases on the reason that citizens in Mwananyamala ward are those with low income. Therefore, their living conditions are low such as houses and sewage systems. The third ward was at Kibamba. Kibamba was selected because it is among the wards in Urban-rural area. The fourth ward was Ubungo. Ubungo ward was included in the study since it consists of the elites. In Ubungo ward is where there are high learning institutions and universities including University of Dar es Salaam, the first university in the country and as the mother of all universities in Tanzania. Citizens in Ubungo ward have high income and good living conditions. Conclusively, it was likely possible to access information on ethical leadership and good governance from the citizens with: medium income, low income, high learning and from urban- rural area perspectives. Next part deals with sampling procedure.
3.4 Sampling procedure
According to Ngware (2010:4), sampling in research is about what and who will be studied or observed by representing only fraction of them. Fundamentally, there are two types of sampling procedure: random/probability sampling and non-random/non-probability. A random sampling procedure gives us greater assurance that the units of analysis are the representative sample of the selected population. For non-random sampling procedure involves only some likeness of between the selected one and the larger group of the population. Non-probability sampling is widely used in social science studies because they are useful and economic. Purposive sampling (non-random sampling) method was used to obtain informants from Local Government Officials and employees. The simple random sampling was used to select ordinary citizens including women and men. The selected population was able to provide necessary information to answer the research questions. The next part is about sample size.
3.4.1 Sample Size
The key was to choose a sample size that could provide the researcher with sufficient information about a population under study. The aim of sampling strategy entails the researchers select the participants, sites and documents based on their ability to “inform an understanding of the research problem and central phenomenon in the study” (Creswell, 2007:125). The sample size for this particular study consisted of four wards. The respondents included ordinary citizens, Local Government officials. The total 12 Local Government officials and 40 ordinary citizens were included in the study. According Marshall (1996:523), an appropriate sample size for a qualitative study is that adequately answers the research questions. The following part is about sampling techniques.
3.4.3 Sampling Techniques
The study employed both purposive and random sampling techniques. The purposive sampling technique was used to obtain informants from Local Government officials and employees. Random sampling technique was used to get informants from ordinary citizens as service beneficiaries in consideration of their socioeconomic and political life regarding ethical leadership and good governance in local government authorities. This enabled the study to acquire an appropriate data to answer its research questions.
The first type of respondents included 13 Local Government officials especially: Municipality Mayor, Municipality land officer, council chairperson, health officer and education officer. At each ward, the study included ward executive officer. In addition, at each ward, one village was selected to get information from village chairperson. The justification of this type of respondents relied on the reason that they were working at Local government Authorities. They were knowledgeable about what was going on about governance and social service. The second type of respondents included non- officials (ordinary citizens). The next part discusses the data collection process.
3.5 Types of Data and their Collection Methods
Data collection process describes the process of gathering information that enables the researcher to answer research questions and evaluate the outcomes. This study drew data from both primary and secondary sources. Secondary data were obtained through literature review, aiming to (a) establish the existing knowledge base with respect to the research issue as defined (in section one and two) and (b) the primary data were collected during the fieldwork. An essence of collecting data from different sources aims to corroborate critique, fill the gaps in the areas not sufficiently covered by secondary data. Thus, secondary and primary data have to complement one another that in turn have to lead to the fulfillment of the study objectives. Next to this is about data collection methods for primary data.
3.6 Data collection for Primary Data
Kothari (1985:11) defines primary data as the origin information collected for the first time. Kothari (2004:95) adds that the primary data are those “collected afresh and for the first time, and this happens to be of original in character”. The primary sources of data were collected from the fieldwork. This study included face-to-face interviews with key informants, Focused Group Discussion and document analysis/textual analysis. Primary data represent feeling, emotions, ideas, thoughts and personal views of respondents.
3.6.1 Interviews Technique
An interview involves direct personal contact with the respondents who are asked to answer given questions relating to the research problems (Bless and Higson-Smith, 1995:104). Open-ended interviews were used. This method involves presentation of oral verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral verbal responses. According to Bless and Higson-Smith (1995:105) non-scheduled interviews, is one of the methods of getting people to express their views commonly referred to as unstructured interviews, which consist of asking respondents to remark on broadly defined issues, and to freely relate their own experiences. The advantage of this method can be used through personal interviews, and if possible, by telephone Kothari (2004:97). There is a chance to ask for clarification on the issue from the respondents rather than using questionnaire method. Indeed, it is expensive to reach each respondent personally but it very efficient, and where it is very difficult, telephone interview fills the gap. MacNabb (2008:294) stated that the commonest interview strategy used in public administration study “is the in-depth personal interview”. For this study, this method has an advantage with regard to citizen’s perspectives on ethical leadership for good governance in Local Government Authorities. Key-informant interviews covered the Local Government Officials, which included municipal directors, land Officer, health officer, and education officer. At each ward level, interviews included ward executive officers and councilor from each ward.
3.6.2 Focus Group Discussion
According to Rwegoshora (2006:179), the purpose of group discussion is obtaining in-depth information on concepts, perceptions and ideas of a group. The groups comprised 10 participants from each ward. Open-ended questions were used in order to allow (a) respondents freely discuss and comment on the research issue (b) flexibility of approach in question (Kothari, 1987:121) and (c) to minimize biases of the interviewer which could be introduced into the research process through closed-ended questions. The advantage of Focus Group Discussion was to test the validity, and clarify the information provided by individual respondents during the personal interviews and less time consuming with valuable information. The next part is about textual analysis.
3.6.3 Textual Analysis
In Krishnaswami and Ranganatham (2005:211) textual analysis is defined as “a research technique for making references by objectively and systematically identifying specified characteristics of the contents of documents”. In this study, textual analysis was used in helping the researcher to obtain the clear starting point of ethical leadership for good governance in Local Government Authorities. In addition, textual analysis from various newspapers were employed for getting information related to corruption as unethical behavior, an impediment for social service delivery and an obstacle for good governance.
3.7 Secondary Data
Kothari (2004:111) defines secondary data as “information which has already been collected by someone else and has been passed through the statistical process”. Basing on this study, secondary data were collected from various sources such as books, reports, journals, papers, official documents, articles and on line archive, which have direct linkage with ethical leadership and good governance in Local Government Authorities. The researcher visited various academic institutions including the University of Dar es Salaam for secondary data collection. The main importance of the secondary data provides with us already studied and analyzed data. The use of secondary data allows supplementation of extra information that could not covered by the primary data alone. Thus, secondary data were used in order to enable the researcher to grasp knowledge about ethical leadership and good governance in detail and hence confine the study to core researchable issues.
3.8 Data Collection Methods
The data for this study were collected by using qualitative methods of the data collection. Both respondents were subjected face-to-face interviews. In qualitative research approach, data for a case study are frequently collected from multiple sources. Yin (2008:83) identified six major sources of data from where the case study researchers may draw their evidence or data, including “documents, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participation-observation, and physical artifacts”. Therefore, in this case study, data were collected through interviews, Focused Discussion Group and textual analysis.
3.7 Data Reliability and Validity
In conducting this study, ardent attempts were made to produce reliable and valid information that can contribute to the building of sound and scientific knowledge. Triangulation is the use of multiple sources of data that confirms or validates the same piece of information. Thus, triangulation was employed as a control check. For instance, if empirical findings were cross-checked through interviews and concurs with Focus Group Discussion and with textual analysis then one is save to conclude that such data is reliable. The next part discusses on data process and analysis.
3.8. Data Process and Analysis
This section describes on how data were processed and analyzed. Anfara et al. (2002:31) remarked that the aim “of analysis is to bring meaning, structure, and order to the data”. This study was designed as qualitative research. The study used three instruments namely interviews, Focus Group Discussion and textual analysis. The rationale of doing this was to control whether there may be different information provided by informants on the same facet and seeks more explanations to get an accurate data. It helps to easy the process of data analysis and interpretation. Qualitative data was categorized in accord with the themes that relate to research objectives. The study employed descriptive, qualitative research approaches to analyze and interpret data. The qualitative approach was employed aiming to understand the citizens’ perspectives on ethical leadership for good governance in Local Government Authorities.
Data analysis and processing involve editing the schedules and interview responses, coding, classification, and entering data into the computer (Kothari, 2005:315). The ethical components such as personal integrity and honesty, justice, truth, concern for people, rule of law, accountability and transparency, participation, efficiency and effectiveness were analyzed. The above-mentioned ethical elements of leadership are intermediate variables for good governance. The quotes from the informants were inscribed in the reports to contextualize the discussion within the process function. Inductive content analysis was applied in this qualitative case study. The following part discusses ethical issues in conducting research when human participants involve in the study.
3.9 Ethical Issues
The aim of this study was not to study humans, as such but human participants were involved in the research hence the importance of ethical issues. Individual informed consent was required before conducting this research. Individual informed consent may be written or oral. Person receives a written form that describes the research and then signs the form to document his or her consent to participate. Oral consent means that a person receives all of the information needed for consent either verbally or in writing and then verbally consent to participate. However, oral consent is generally accepted for research with minimal risk. The consideration of ethical issues to the participants includes protection from harm, informed consent and right to privacy (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005:146). Therefore, the participation by individuals in this research was voluntary and not of force. The right to privacy principle that was adapted in this study was the confidentiality principle. In this study, the names and responses of participants are strictly confidential. Instead of their names, the codes were used to represent their identities. The logic behind for doing this is to avoid the possibility of identification, which may cause physical or psychological harm to the participants. The following part is the summary of the chapter.
3.10 Summary
This chapter has dealt with the different methods that were used in collecting data that culminated into the realization of this study. It deals with the research design, study area and justification, sample size, sampling procedure. It also deals with the data collection methods used to collect data. Finally, it deals with data processing and analysis as well as the ethics of conducting research. The next chapter deals with presentation, analysis and discussion of the data collected.
Related: The necessity of ethical responsibility in leadership for good governance