Research design is the overall procedure that will be followed when conducting research. As soon as the research problem is identified and properly formulated, the next step is to create detailed steps that should be followed in the research process (Leedy, 1997:93). There are a number of research designs available (Bamberger et al., 2006:232). For example, survey research, correlation research, experimental research and causal-comparative research amongst others. A research design should be selected based on the kind of research questions that will be asked and how the combination of these methods can add weight to the research (Gray, 2009:205). For this research, a survey will be used initially, followed by a qualitative approach conducting interviews. This combination is to gain more clarification by the researcher about certain aspects posed by the research sub-questions.
3.3.1 Selecting the research design
Yin (2003:21) discloses that the research design must be able to allow or facilitate the researcher to obtain answers to the original question on which the study is based. In this case, the research design needs to facilitate or address the answer to the following research question “What policies and measures do SMMEs make use of to protect their information as well as ensure adequate customer protection in an online environment?”
A sequential explanatory strategy will be used for this research that specifies the collection and analysing of quantitative data followed by qualitative data in two consecutive phases within a single study. This method is preferred because it provides the researcher with an opportunity to use interviews to understand some of the decisions that are taken by SMMEs, revealed in the quantitative part of this research. According to Cresswell (2003:215), this method is commonly used where unexpected results are obtained through a quantitative method. This method is straightforward and it makes it easy to describe and report on findings.
3.3.2 Questionnaire Design
Delport (2005:159) discloses that quantitative data collection methods commonly make use of measuring instruments in the form of questionnaires. According to Krosnic and Presser (2010:263) questionnaires are the preferred form of data collection from people and can be used together with other techniques. When designing questionnaires, it is advisable to keep important points in mind in order to
First of all, the type of information that is required needs to be considered to both achieve the objectives of the research and fulfil the purpose of the evaluation. Secondly, a decision needs to be made on the type of questions and responses which will best capture information that is sought (Colosi, 2006:1). As mentioned, validity and reliability needs to be considered by making sure that the measurement procedure and the measurement instrument used meet the acceptable levels of reliability and validity. There are a number of response systems or question types from which a researcher can select so that the desired goals are met. Examples of some of the question types are open questions, closed questions, dichotomous questions, scaled questions, statements and others.
The researcher will make use of closed-ended questions for this research. These questions are preferred because when using open questions, some answers might not be clear. If using closed questions, this problem is averted as respondents could choose from a list provided. Most importantly, the research objectives will be considered when deciding on the type of questions to use for this research. As Delport (2005:174) suggests, the researcher needs to make sure that all the possible theoretically appropriate answers to a question can be determined. These types of questions will allow the researcher to compare questions with one another and where respondents do not fully understand a question, the response choices could clarify this. Leading questions will be avoided in order to ensure that reliable data is collected. Questions in this questionnaire are structured in such a way that one issue per question is addressed. In order to avoid bias, the researcher will attempt to ensure that all the possible answers are provided as alternatives. To achieve this, a five point Likert scale is used. This type of question allows the “…respondents to rate their degree of agreement or disagreement with the provided opinion…” (Dunn, 2010:249). This type of scale is the most commonly used method. According to Colosi (2006:3) a five point Likert scale is an appropriate method and the choices range from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”. The five point Likert scale also allows researchers to quickly tabulate responses and determine the percentage of the respondents who agree or disagree with a statement.
3.3.3 Semi Structured Interviews
It is common usage amongst researchers to utilise semi-structured interviews in order to clearly understand participant’s beliefs about perceptions or accounts of
The researcher will prepare a number of questions to guide them during the interview process. These questions will be formulated in such a way as to address the scope of the interview. This type of interview is preferred because the interviewer can deviate from the sequence of the questions (Flick, 2011:112). In other words, the interviewer can always ask more probing questions for clarity. De Vos et al., (2005:297) disclose that semi-structured interviews can last for a prolonged time and can become intense and involved depending on the particular topic. The questions will be kept neutral instead of leading in order to enhance reliability. They will also focus on research questions to make sure that the participants provide the information that is required for this research (De Vos, 2005:397). The method used for the interviews will be face to face at the companies’ premises. The interview duration could range from 10 to 30 minutes and will be recorded whenever possible. In some cases, relevant and important data will be written down, helping to generate ad hoc questions during the interview.
3.3.4 Transcribing interviews
After interviews, the data will be transcribed in order to present it as the interviewees answered the questions. Terre Blanche, Durrheim and Painter (2006:302) note that it is better to refer back and forth to different parts of an interview if it is on paper, than if it is on audio cassettes, hence the need for transcribing of the data. It is advisable to transcribe directly to a word processing document. This will make it convenient to edit and structure the data and search for key words at a later stage. It is also crucial to transcribe everything rather than trying to decide which data is relevant and which is not (Terre Blanche et al., 2006:302). The researcher will read and listen to the recorded data in order to check for reliability as suggested in the literature.
3.3.5 Data Analysis
One of the challenging tasks of mixed methods is how to analyse data collected from qualitative and quantitative research. In this method, because data is collected in phases, the analysis is easier to see and conduct than in a convergent design (Creswell, 2012:552). For this research, the companies not making use of information security will be identified via quantitative data and then be invited to take part in qualitative data collection.