El Acceso a los Servicios Básicos Rurales

As such, a qualitative study is concerned with non-statistical methods and small samples, often purposively selected (Delport & De Vos, 2011:65). Qualitative research methods originated in behavioural sciences, and are used extensively to interview individuals and groups (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010:94). In this study, the research focused on questions that canvass opinions without limitations from the managers of share purchase schemes.

The questions were semi-structured and open-ended (Appendix A). These questions were fielded to managers at the vendor companies, which included executives who manage the share schemes. The advantages of qualitative research are:

• It is usually conducted in natural settings (such as classrooms, schools and sports fields), which are the overwhelming preference for qualitative studies;

• The extensive use of descriptive data; qualitative researchers are likely to describe a phenomenon with words, rather than with numbers;

• The search for meaning is often evident, which in qualitative research focuses on how people try to make sense of their lives (Kumar, 2011:13).

3.5.3 Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematically based methods.. The phenomenon being researched was the benefits of ownership of shares in the share purchase schemes. A questionnaire of 30 questions (Appendix B) was fielded to the beneficiaries of the three schemes in the telecommunications sector.

Numerical data was formulated by converting the results of the questionnaires from which statistical analysis was conducted to come up with findings and recommendations. Mathematical and statistical calculations are utilised at this stage. Quantitative research can be defined as a data collection technique that uses questionnaires or data analysis procedures, such as graphs and statistics, to generate and use numerical data (Saunders et al., 2012:415). Quantitative research is used to generate tables and diagrams that show the frequency of occurrences by using statistics.

3.6 DATA COLLECTION

The research method choice involved assessing the various data collection methods and selecting the appropriate method to meet the research objectives (Cooper & Schindler, 2011:183). A research method is a strategy of enquiry, which moves from the underlying assumptions to research design and data collection (Myers, 2009:2003). A survey was selected as the appropriate method to explore the benefits of ownership of BBBEE share purchase schemes to the beneficiaries in the telecommunications industry, between 2003 and 2016.

3.6.1 Survey

A survey is defined as a system of collecting information from a source in order to describe, compare and explain their knowledge, attitudes and behaviour (Scott & Usher, 2011:93).

Surveys allow the collection of standardised data from a sizeable population in an economical way. This method also allows for easy comparison (Saunders et al., 2012:171).

3.6.1.1 Questionnaire

The questionnaire can be defined as a data collection technique in which each person is asked to respond to the same set of questions in a predetermined order (Leedy & Omrod, 2010:223). A questionnaire is a tool for collecting data about a particular issue. Typically the quantitative method makes use a questionnaire. In this study, it comprised 30 questions related to the objectives of the research.

As this study had illiterate and semi-literate subjects, the questions were worded in very simple language, and were short and concise. The list of questions was short, only 30 questions. The advantage of this method is that it can reach a large number of participants, through internet, postal service, or telephone. The participants can also complete the questions at their leisure. The disadvantages, however, were that response rates might be low and the questionnaire could intimidate the illiterate or semi-literate participants.

Questionnaire development is a process that consists of several steps: The first step in questionnaire development is conceptualisation, which involves defining the subject and the variables to be measured. Building from the literature reviewed, the subject and variables involved assessing the feasibility of measuring concepts in the target population, which included senior managers of telecommunications companies with share schemes, and disadvantaged beneficiaries of share schemes in the telecommunications industry.

Questionnaire testing was done with four disadvantaged share purchase scheme beneficiaries and also the Statkon department to test how understandable, logical and simple it was to complete the questionnaire. Input was received from both sources, which enriched the questionnaire quality. The questionnaire was revised once feedback was received from the pilot study. Suggestions were evaluated and implemented in order to meet the research objectives.

The final questionnaire design was sent to both Statkon and the research supervisor for approval. Upon approval, the questionnaire was ready to be distributed for data collection. The survey strategy permits the collection of quantitative data, which was analysed using cross tabulations and chi square test. “Survey research is probably the best method for a researcher who is interested in collecting data for describing a population too large to observe directly” (Babbie, 2010:254). As the population of this study was large, the survey method was selected.

3.6.1.2 Interviews

An interview is a discussion with purpose between two or more people. The goal of any qualitative research interview is to see the research topic from the perspective of the interviewees, and to understand why they have a particular perspective.

Interviews may be highly formalised and structured, using standardised questions for each research participant, or they may be informal and unstructured conversations.

The circumstances in which a qualitative research interview takes place are:

• Where a study focuses on the meaning of particular phenomena to the participants;

• Where individual historical accounts are required of how a particular phenomenon developed: for instance a new shift system; • Where exploratory work is required before a quantitative study can

be carried out; and

• Where a quantitative study has been carried out, and qualitative data are required to validate particular measures or to clarify and illustrate the meaning of the findings.

For this study, semi-structured interviews were employed to elicit information from the managers of the various schemes, who were deemed to have ample knowledge about the topic under study. Four managers from the three schemes were interviewed.

Five questions were fielded, which revolved around the benefits of ownership of share purchase scheme shares. The interviews were one-to-one sessions and allowed detailed discussions of issues.

The data was captured, edited and then analysed. The questions were open-ended, such as “What do you think, and why…?” Interviews can have some limitations: they can be very subjective, and the interpretation of data collected could cause difficulties during analysis. For interviews, there are important considerations that should be taken into account. These are vocabulary, prejudicial language, ambiguity, imprecision, leading questions, double-barrelled questions, assumptive questions, hypothetical and sensitive questions. To fulfil the research objectives, semi-structured interviews were employed. In semi-structured interviews, the researcher has a list of themes and questions to be covered, although these may vary from interview to interview (Greef, 2011:151).

3.7 TIME HORIZON

Time plays many roles in the design and execution of the research (Babbie, 2010:106). Time horizons reflect the period over which the research study is carried out. Time considerations involve evaluating and choosing the period of

research study appropriate to fulfil the research objectives. Time sequence of events and situations represents the accuracy and applicability of events in a given period. There are two options dealing with the issue of research timing, namely cross-sectional studies and longitudinal studies.

Cross-sectional research is based on studying a phenomenon at one point in time. A cross-sectional study was done over a period of six months (October 2015 to April 2016) in order to address the research objective. The research study represented a snapshot at one point in time of the benefits of ownership of shares in BBBEE share purchase schemes in the telecommunications industry, between 2003 and 2016.

3.8 RESEARCH POPULATION

The group that the research study aims to draw conclusions on is called the population (Babbie, 2010:116).

It is also defined as “the whole set of entities that decisions relate to” (Easterby-Smith et al., 2011:222). All the items under consideration in any field of inquiry constitute a ‘universe’ or ‘population’.

The population for this research study were the beneficiaries of the three share purchase schemes in the telecommunications sector, who own or have owned shares. The beneficiaries participating emanate from the three schemes: Vodacom Yebo Yethu, MTN Zakhele, and Telkom Khulisa. The beneficiaries are spread throughout the nine provinces of South Africa.

3.9 SAMPLING

Sampling refers to the process of selecting a sample as a small portion from or a subset of a defined population – with the intention of representing the particular population (Neuman, 2011:241). Another definition of sampling is the process of selecting units from a population of interest so that by studying the sample the results may be generalised to the population from which they

were chosen (Brynard, et al., 2014:56). Sampling involves any procedure that draws conclusions based on measurement of a portion of the population.

In this research, a random sample was chosen. Questionnaires were sent to members of the share schemes and any responses were accepted without any conditions. No quotas were set for each scheme. The target sample was 100 questionnaires; however, 119 responses were received.

The researcher used the opportunity of an MTN AGM to distribute the questionnaires, which accounts for the large response from the MTN share purchase scheme participants. The questionnaires were also distributed to stokvels or any individuals who held shares in the telecommunications shares schemes. Of the 119 responses that were received, the majority belongs to MTN.

The sample for interviews includes four managers chosen for their hands-on involvement in the projects of share purchase schemes. This sampling is called purposive sampling (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010:206). From 11 managers, four were chosen for the semi-structured interviews. Out of the three schemes, two schemes formed part of the study, namely, MTN Zakhele and Vodacom Yebo Yethu. Telkom Khulisa senior management were not interviewed as the scheme was vested in 2006. The adequacy of this kind of sampling for quantitative studies depends on the judgment of the researcher, and is therefore sometimes even called judgment sampling (Welman, et al., 2009:69).

3.10 DATA ANALYSIS

Data analysis is the application of reasoning to understand and interpret data collected in a study (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2012:191). This process involves reducing accumulated data to a manageable size, developing summaries and applying statistical techniques (Pietersen & Maree, 2007:188). Quantitative research methods were dominant in this study. The answers to the qualitative questions were converted into numeric data, after being collated and sorted.

The SPSS software was used to analyse and verify the data. The trends that emerged were illustrated through graphs, percentages and frequencies.