Following from the discussion in preceding sections, a multiple case study strategy was deemed appropriate for this research based on the research design employed. The actual research process including the data collection techniques employed in the research is now discussed in the following sub-sections. Data collection from the five local regeneration partnerships investigated took place in Lagos and Abuja between March 2014 and January 2015.
The various stages employed to support the design of the research is listed below. 1. Existing literature on collaboration, public private partnerships, local
regeneration and the PPP environment were critically reviewed; it also covered the Nigerian context. This provided the basis on which to focus the understanding of the issues being investigated and also to help identify the research gap.
2. Academic literature on collaboration elements, on collaboration processes and on local regeneration partnerships in developing countries is relatively sparse; especially in Nigeria, hence an initial theoretical frame work was developed. 3. A pilot study was carried out to gain relevant findings, to refine the research
115
4. The next stage involved gaining a deeper understanding of the major issues of the research by redefining the interview schedule.
5. This led to the main data collection using semi structured interviews and documentary evidence.
6. The data collected was then analysed and interpreted.
7. Based on the findings of the research, the final stage involved theory building.
Literature Review
Development of Research Aim and Objectives Development of Conceptual Framework
Case Study
Policy/Internal Documents Organisations Databases Newspaper Articles Semi- structured Interviews Independent Reports Development of Interview Schedule
Selection of Participants Pilot Study
(14 participants interviewed - March to April 2014)
Initial Analysis/Refinement of Interview Schedule (May to August 2014)
Conducted Main Interviews
(28 participants interviewed - October 2014 to January 2015) Transcription of Interviews
(February to April 2015)
Case Analysis
(Thematic and inductive process - May to August 2015) Interpretation of Empirical Findings
(Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 - September to March 2016) Theory Building
Figure 5: An overview of the research process and data collection timeline for this study
116
It is important to state here that in a qualitative case study research, the use of a range of data sources describes and gives meaning to entire events, processes and meanings of the phenomenon been investigated (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005). In the context of this research, both primary and secondary data sources are employed; this comprised the use of semi-structured interviews with relevant participants, the use of relevant documentary evidence as primary data sources, such as contract and policy documents, newspaper articles, independent reports and online databases of partner organisations and the use of secondary academic literature on PPPs in Nigeria. Figure 5 above, outlines how the research process was employed to support the design of the research.
4.6.1 The pilot study
Exploratory case study was employed to collect data prior to when the main data was collected. This assisted in clarifying the methodological issues that the researcher was uncertain about; in terms of the research aim and objectives, the data collection and analytical methods (Yin, 2009). The findings were then used to refine the research aim and objectives and to decide if the choice of research methodology was the right one.
The geographical location for the pilot study was Lagos State, historically; the state is one of the largest cities in Africa with a projected population of about 10 million in 2011 that is growing by a projected base of 3% annual growth rate (NBS, 2012). It is the economic base of Nigeria with over 65% of all business activities and is a favourable location for trade, tourism and industry (Smith, 2013; Mobereola, 2006). Furthermore, Lagos State has benefited from the policy implementation of its State Government which is often cited as among the most competent and effective in Nigeria due to the various economic reforms the government has put in place over the years (Mobereola, 2006). As such, the state is also considered the forerunner in implementing the PPP policy in various core and social infrastructure projects. The case investigated in the pilot study is one of the first local regeneration partnerships at a state level in Nigeria.
During the exploratory phase of the research, the researcher conducted fourteen interviews between March and April 2014. This included conducting a case study of
117
a toll road to assist in identifying and understanding initial concepts related to the Nigeria local regeneration partnerships. The interviews lasted for a period of about 42 minutes to 125 minutes (on the average an hour). The interviews were carried out with participants from government organisation, regulatory and advisory bodies, financial and investment consulting firms and infrastructure development companies. The aim was to identify the roles, links and interactions that exist between the public and private sectors. The participants were able to discuss information regarding the collaboration processes and procedures that were involved in the partnership arrangement and partnership working, thus providing some historical information alongside the contemporary situation.
The primary purpose of the exploratory phase of the study was to clarify any misconceptions formed during the review of the literature. This was an important stage for the research process as it allowed the researcher to explore the initial concepts and ideas, verify the research problem and to refine the research aim and objectives. It was an opportunity to discover the relationships and roles of the partners in the partnership arrangement, their governance and operational structures; in addition, it was an opportunity to investigate how the collaboration between the partner organisations performed as against the theory of collaborative advantage discussed from the literature. As a result, this stage resulted in collecting primary data from a number of partnership professionals as predefined in the case frame (section 4.5.3); specifically, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who had been involved and had direct relationship with the local regeneration partnership arrangement. To ensure that there was maximum variation in the data collected, the researcher ensured that participants with a variety of characteristics, in terms of the partnership arrangement were also selected. According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, (2012), this further selection criterion is an example of purposive sampling and it is termed maximum variation sampling technique.
4.6.2 Refining the research aim and objectives after the pilot study
The benefits of the findings gained from the pilot study are; firstly, the data evidence collected from the semi-structured interviews provided valuable insights into the phenomenon being studied. Secondly, the findings were used to refine the research
118
aim which led to five objectives as listed in (section 3.5.2.1). Thirdly, the findings also led to the refinement of the conceptual framework with the introduction of new constructs; specifically, the collaboration elements (trust, transparency and accountability); the inclusion of the termination of partnership arrangements to the conceptual framework, as well as the inclusion of the antecedents to PPP policy implementation, namely (budgetary restraints, economic reforms favouring the PPP policy and the willingness of interest groups to participate in PPP initiatives). Fourthly, the findings offered the researcher the opportunity to modify the interview guide. While most existing questions were left on so as to gain sufficient information, a few were modified and a number of new questions were introduced to address the issues that emerged from the pilot study. Once the pilot study phase was completed and the interview schedule had been redefined, the researcher was ready to proceed to the main data collection stage.