DESCRIPCIÓN DEL ALGORITMO OMEGA MODIFICADO

In Phase 3 of the research, follow-up interviews and associated observations relying on qualitative analysis (Hurworth, 2000) were undertaken. Amplification of details of the seven skills and competency needs items identified in the Delphi survey, together with a discussion of professional development strategies that were to promote these needs, were obtained from a series of semi-structured interviews of a representative sample of nine District Directors.

Research Population

A sample of nine District Directors was chosen on the basis of population: all respondents were male. Three District Directors, chosen from each size range, were invited to be participants in the interviews. Details of their

TABLE 3.1 RESEARCH POPULATION FOR SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS Name of District Directors Size of District Populat- ion Educat- ional Qualifi- cation Work Experience in each District Characteristics

1. Mr. Fred Small Graduate _Degree Medium: 1 _year He had high confidence to speak and preferred a more business style of leadership.

2. Mr. Bill Small Graduate _Degree High: 4 years He spoke with confidence and had a dream to be an ideal District Director of the people

3. Mr. Brad Small Graduate _Degree Low: 1 month

He spoke very confidently and wished his subordinates and people had more respect in terms of reliability and credibility.

4. Mr. Sam Medium Graduate _Degree High: 4 years

He was a quiet man who spoke in a soft voice but had good sense of humour. He also wished to be a good model for his staff.

5. Mr. Beckham Medium Graduate _Degree Low: 9 _months He looked a serious man but remained smiling. He wished to be good leader of his District.

6. Mr. John Medium Graduate _Degree Low: 9 _months

He was a very courteous man and spoke with low and soft voice. He wished his local people to be proud of him as District Director.

7. Mr. George Large Graduate _Degree High: 3 years

He was a friendly man who maintained his smile. He looked more like a businessman and the atmosphere in his District was more like private organisation. He wished to be good model for his staff.

8. Mr. Ian Large Graduate _Degree High: 3 years

He had high confidence to speak. His behaviour was like that of a Thai Member of Parliament. He wished to be a good model for his staff, people and his colleagues.

9. Mr. Danny Large Graduate _Degree Low: 9 _months

He spoke with a low voice, was shy and also very courteous. He wished to be a good model for his staff and people.

background and a brief observation of the characteristics of each noted as a result of my contact with them, are contained in Table 3.1. The selected District Directors had an average of 1 year 11 months of work experience in each district. To protect the confidentiality of participants in the study, pseudonyms were used for the real names of the District Directors.

Methodology

In phase 3, I carried out a set of individual semi-structured interviews of nine District Directors. These questions, contained in Appendix 10, were based on the outcomes of the Delphi study in the final round. In this phase, a stratified sample of nine District Directors was invited to participate in a semi- structured interview. The stratified sample was chosen on the basis of population: small (population less than 100 000), medium (population between 100 000 and 120 000), and large districts (population greater than 120 000) – the size range being determined following an analysis of population statistics (see Appendix 9).

Three District Directors were invited from each size range. They were asked to discuss the seven skills and competency needs as identified by the Delphi survey, giving their opinion as to why these needs were important to them, and how they saw them assisting them in their present and future positions. They were also asked to discuss professional development strategies that they believed would promote these needs. These interviews were audio-tape recorded, a transcript of each made, and a narrative analysis using standard qualitative data reduction techniques was then undertaken.

Data Collection and Data Analysis

In this phase, I collected data between 27 December 2004 and 10 January 2005. It was this data collection process that made me enthusiastic to meet my participants face to face. The duration of each interview was, on average, 30 minutes and took place within the participants’ offices. These interviews were audio-tape recorded and later transcribed.

Nine District Directors were asked to discuss the seven skills and competency needs as identified by the Delphi survey, giving their opinion as to why these needs were important to them, and how they saw them assisting them in their present and future positions. I asked them to discuss

professional development strategies that they believe would promote these needs. These opinions and observation provided another source of evidence and gave me a broader understanding of their experience. Stake (1995) explains that qualitative researchers press for understanding the complex interrelationships among all that exists, and concepts that are closely related. The product was an articulation of how and why events occurred as they did. ‘A good case study brings a phenomenon to life for readers and helps them understand its meaning’ (Gall, 1996, p. 543). During each situation I observed and made special notes relating to their responses. Transcripts and corresponding observation notes were combined and used to develop a set of nine case studies; the outcome is attached as Appendix 11: Phase 3 Interviews. Huberman & Miles (1994) observe that in data reduction,

the potential universe of data is reduced in an anticipatory way as the researcher chooses a conceptual framework of research questions, cases and instruments.

In this research, narrative analysis using standard qualitative data reduction survey was undertaken.

In this process, I utilised a large piece of stiff cardboard on to which I fitted all of the cells and responses. I looked for in both areas were key ideas, leading to key concepts and major themes. I established a data grid in which I consolidated first the key ideas. Interview questions were listed across the top of the grid; the names of the nine participants interviewed were listed down the left side of the grid. I identified what each of the nine District Directors said about item needs to improve their job performance – and both key ideas that they expressed and quotes of what they actually said. This provided an overview of the data collected so far and also provided me with the basis for establishing the needs and skills and competencies required by them. The detailed observations, descriptions and explanations given by participants in interview provided a deeper understanding of the professional development experience. Narrative analysis, involving the identification of identified

themes and interests emerging from the interviews, was the qualitative data reduction technique applied in this phase of the research.

Case Studies

In this process, I clarified the responses of opinions and ideas about competency needs of the nine District Directors. Even though a great deal has been written about case study analysis, as exemplified in Miles & Huberman (1994) and Hurworth (2000), the analysis of case study evidence was one of the least developed and most difficult aspect of doing case studies (Yin 1994) view remains true in terms of its systematic development. Qualitative analysis in this dissertation, followed up by semi-structured interviews and associated observations relied on qualitative analysis. I made the original transcript in Thai and then translated it into English as reported in the outcome on my dissertation. An audit of these translations was undertaken with my Thai co-supervisor. The complete set of these case studies is contained in Appendix 11.

Altheide & Johnson (1994) identify the need for researchers to report multivocality in establishing credibility:

Multivocality refers to the fact that participants come to a situation from differing perspectives and do not necessarily articulate the same views. Regarding the case study, it will be useful if it enlightens the readers of the report. The more the researcher sets the context for the phenomena, the more complete will be the readers understanding of the case study.

Yin (1989) views using the qualitative methodology in case studies as being the preferred strategy for research studies dealing with contemporary phenomena within a real life context. The qualitative data analysis in this dissertation was like story-telling that sought understanding of the data details in each case. Rather than investigating the nature of a phenomenon, the way in which each aspect was seen, viewed or understood, was studied.