Operación y mantenimiento de las plantas a grandes rasgos

For confirmatory purposes, based on the themes from the data, the views of each group in the sample were compared vis-à-vis on each theme or topic. To make a more distinctive comparison and contrast among the groups in the sample, the data was categorised under two objective points; firstly, the views from the public and, secondly, the views from the active and retired police. Subsequently, these formed separate chapters from which to present a critical analysis and discussion of the themes that emerged from the data. In addition to the theoretical framework adopted in my study, the research also made use of data triangulation. Data triangulation denotes gathering information from different sources either to explore or investigate a research subject in order to increase the validity of the research (Denzin 1970; Amaratunga, Baldry, Sarshar, and Newton 2002; Bryman 2004; Guion, Diehl, and McDonald 2011).

For instance, as Denzin (1970: 301) points out that when studying the meanings associated with some social phenomenon, “[researchers may] explicitly search for as many different data sources as possible which bear upon the event under study.” In this current study, I examined different groups, although from a professional perspective, each group is significantly different from each other. However, the generic concepts of corruption can be extracted from their affiliations to their profession. Hence, by studying this concept from a different setting, I was able to analyse the views of the respondents and established areas of divergent as well agreeable notions. This was used in addition to the data gathered via direct participant observation as well as from secondary sources, thus operating upon the data triangulation technique (see Denzin 1970).

Conclusion

It is significant to acknowledge the methodological problems encountered in my study.

Firstly, in relation to the sample size, although in total I managed to conduct thirty-two interviews, there is no likelihood of generalizing the findings since I cannot say that this is by any means representative of the population. Secondly, the sample was derived from a group of people perceived to be most likely to encounter the police during their everyday business. As discussed previously, some of these participants were obtained through the snowballing technique, whilst private entrepreneurs (market traders), were chosen based on their convenience and accessibility to me within the Greater Accra region. The effect that this has had on my data is my inability to draw a concrete and complete conclusion from my data in relation to all the facets of the Ghanaian society, since again the sample cannot be seen to representative. An additional issue encountered through this sampling method, as much as snowballing is that the researcher had little or limited control over the sample, since it is a chain referral process influenced by the judgement of the research participants. It also makes it likely that participants would have shared similar traits. Hence, opinions or views provided cannot be considered as a representative of the larger population.

It is worth noting that as there is more than one language or ethnic group in Ghana (an issue which is not by any means pertinent to Ghana alone), one significant aspect of data collection in these areas is the ability to speak or understand the language of the participants (see also Bulmer and Warwick 1993). Although Ghana has other native languages such as Akan, Ga, Ewe, Moshi, Dagomba, Hausa among other languages, to

prevent any difficulties in translating, the medium in which all interviews were conducted was English. My study necessarily narrowed its scope through participants’ ability to communicate in English (Creswell 2003).

Furthermore, I also found that as the Ghana police service is based on a centralized policing style. This means that if future research on policing were to be conducted within any of the regions but Accra, one would have to travel to Accra and vice versa for clearance from the Police Headquarters. As the office of the police regional commander in Kumasi asked whether I have had clearance from Accra, this I believe would be time consuming as well as a logistical challenge. Some of the transcribing was incredibly time consuming. This was hugely influenced by the electric power rationing system in Ghana.

This meant I had to pause for a day or a couple of days during the transcription and continued after the availability of power, as I spent most of the day collecting the data.

Nonetheless, overall, I obtained data that detailed, and which described the processes and perceptions of low level police corruption in Ghana. Further, the interview data collected were solely dependent on what participants deemed fit to share (see also Dodge 2011). In other words, the shared data was limited to participants’ perceptions, views, or personal or vicarious experiences of police corruption. Nonetheless, the triangulation approach was used to support the themes which emerged out of the data.

The following chapters present a thematic discussion and analysis of the views and findings from the interviews carried out with the various respondents from the sample.

The subsequent chapter, as well as the first of the findings chapters, focus on the

meanings participants construct around public-police corruption practices.