Chapter 3: Methodology
3.1 Introduction
This chapter will discuss the research aim and objectives, research design, and the research
process followed by data collecting and data analysis. To achieve the objectives of this study
and the suitable types of research that were required it was therefore necessary to employ a
suitable research design.
3.2 Research design
Research designs provide basic directions to carry out a research project (Hair, Babin, Money
and Samouel 2003:57). Creswell (2009:3) concurs that research designs are plans and
procedures for research that span the decisions from broad assumptions to detailed methods
of data collection and analysis. This author also indicates that there are three types of research
designs namely quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods.
3.2.1 Quantitative research
Collis and Hussey (2003:13) explain quantitative research as objective in nature. They
explain that this research method concentrates on the measuring phenomena that involves the
collecting and analysing of numerical and applying statistical tests. This method of collecting
research concerns things that can be counted and uses statistics to process and explain data
and summarise findings.
The term ‘quantitative’ is used as a synonym for data collection techniques used. Examples
will be a questionnaire or data analysis procedures such as graphs or statistics that generate or
use numerical data (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2009:151).
3.2.2 Qualitative research
According to Bayat and Fox (2007:7), qualitative research methods are designed to
scientifically explain events, people and a matter associated with them and does not depend
on numerical data, although it may make use of quantitative methods and techniques. Ghauri,
3.1 Introduction
This chapter will discuss the research aim and objectives, research design, and the research
process followed by data collecting and data analysis. To achieve the objectives of this study
and the suitable types of research that were required it was therefore necessary to employ a
suitable research design.
3.2 Research design
Research designs provide basic directions to carry out a research project (Hair, Babin, Money
and Samouel 2003:57). Creswell (2009:3) concurs that research designs are plans and
procedures for research that span the decisions from broad assumptions to detailed methods
of data collection and analysis. This author also indicates that there are three types of research
designs namely quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods.
3.2.1 Quantitative research
Collis and Hussey (2003:13) explain quantitative research as objective in nature. They
explain that this research method concentrates on the measuring phenomena that involves the
collecting and analysing of numerical and applying statistical tests. This method of collecting
research concerns things that can be counted and uses statistics to process and explain data
and summarise findings.
The term ‘quantitative’ is used as a synonym for data collection techniques used. Examples
will be a questionnaire or data analysis procedures such as graphs or statistics that generate or
use numerical data (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2009:151).
3.2.2 Qualitative research
According to Bayat and Fox (2007:7), qualitative research methods are designed to
scientifically explain events, people and a matter associated with them and does not depend
on numerical data, although it may make use of quantitative methods and techniques. Ghauri,
