A quantitative research project gathers and analyses numerical data, which can either be primary or secondary, using appropriate methods to obtain its findings and make its recommendations (Collis & Hussey, 2013; Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2012).
The research design involves various steps including the selection of a sampling method such as a random sample for a large population as it proves to be the most unbiased such that the data can be generalised to the population (Collis & Hussey, 2013). The most ideal methods for collecting and analysing data would be an online survey to the organisations that have access to the internet and face-to-face or telephone interviews with the same questions as those on the online survey but structured in such a way that is more adequate for such settings (Collis & Hussey, 2013). The advantages of using the online method is that it is very economical, easy to compare and explain (Hanid et al, 2019) yet the downfall is the fact that response rates may not be as high as expected due to the fact that the topic may not really be of interest to the survey participants, or that the survey may be too long, or how it is presented in, whether or not there is an incentive, etc. (Fan & Yan, 2010; Miksza & Elpus, 2018). Face-to-face interviews will be used for the organisations that do not have access to the internet and are not based in Maputo City as travelling is not an option due to inherent costs, however, it is important that the interviews be recorded, but, of course with the permission of the interviewee and from these interviews, the interviewer will also be able to pick up nuances which cannot be picked up in an online survey (Collis & Hussey, 2013). Collis & Hussey (2013) also state that there may be ‘questionnaire fatigue and non-response bias should the surveys not be responded’.
The data that needs to be collected is both primary and secondary data due to the fact that the former will be gathered from the surveys and interviews, and, the latter from existing literature whereby it is essential to point out that the data should be reliable as a means of ensuring that it fits the quantitative research methodology (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2012). And, in the case of the research topic at hand, there will be a discrete variable due to the fact that the variable can only take one value on the scale (Collis & Hussey, 2013).
The reliability and validity of the data to be collected can be improved by administering pilot tests to peer groups or other individuals, but not to the sample that is to be surveyed / interviewed as a means of ensuring the consistency and stability of the instruments used, and, because validity comprises of criterion, content and construct, it is vital that these be three areas be tested too by means of various models (Collis & Hussey, 2013; Mohamad et al, 2015).
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