PROCEDIMIENTO PARA LA ATENCIÓN Y GESTIÓN DE PETICIONES CIUDADANAS

Methodology is a combination of techniques used to enquire into a specific situation (Easterby-Smith et al., 2002). It is concerned with linking the theoretical aspects of research with the appropriate practical data collection instruments or techniques.

Meanwhile, a choice of research design “reflects decisions about the priority being given to a range of dimensions of the research process” (Bryman & Bell, 2007, p. 40). Hence, research design provides overall guidance for the practical procedures of the research methodology, primary data collection methods and data analysis (Hussey &

Hussey, 1997; Churchill, 1979), consistent with the research philosophy.

87 Several variables contributed to the formulation of the present research project. The nature of research purpose, study aims, and research domain are seen as key aspects determined the research design.

3.2.1 Research Philosophical Position

A research philosophy reflects the researcher’s perspective in interpreting of phenomena, and depends on how he\she thinks about the development of knowledge.

Consequently, it is a pattern of beliefs about the way in which the procedural steps of the research should be designed and how related data should be gathered and analysed (Levin, 1988). Hence, it represents the vision that controls and affects all other related strategies and techniques.

Saunders et al. (2007) have classified research steps into different layers and alternatives approaches which should be employed in conjunction with the nature of the research and the questions the researcher is seeking to answer. The Research Onion Model shown in figure 3.2 represents five levels comprising the different philosophical positions of research, alternative approaches, strategies, data collection instruments and analysis techniques.

Figure 3.2: The Research Onion Model Source: Saunders et al. (2007)

88 Although related literature classified research according to perception of the world into several different philosophies (e.g. realism, positivism, pragmatism, etc), positivism and phenomenology are seen as two major approaches in which research could be classified (Creswell 2003; Easterby-Smith et al., 2002).

Positivism is developed from existing theory within a logical manner through highly structured empirical testing of hypotheses (Winter, 1987). While positivism is more compatible with natural science and applied research, phenomenology represents another viewpoint. As a reaction to the positivism approach, phenomenology aims at illuminating the nature of a concerned phenomenon, and to understand it through how it is perceived by the actors in its context.

Positivism has been criticised as an inappropriate philosophy within marketing or management research because of its structural tendency. According to Saunders et al.

(2007, p. 86), “the social word of business and management is far too complex to lend its self to theorizing by definite ‘laws’ in the same way as the physical sciences.”

On the other hand, phenomenological research considers humans as part of the phenomenon and focuses on understanding the mechanism in which meanings, beliefs, and realities of the social world are formulated by members of a social group (Acumen Insights, 2009). The research methods under the phenomenological perception give considerable attention to focusing on the meaning ― within the qualitative approach ― rather than the measurement of social phenomena (Husseny & Husseny, 1997). Thus, research undertaken using the phenomenological methodology aims to understand intentional phenomena by interpreting meaning (Fay, 1996).

To conclude, whether phenomenology or positivism is more suited to the planned study depends on the nature of the research, its aims, in addition to the question(s) the researcher is seeking to answer as Saunders et al. (2007) stated.

Focusing on each approach in terms of perception of the world, objectives, research methods, techniques of data collection and analysis, and the role of respondents, table 3.1 below highlights the key variations between Phenomenology and Positivism as discussed in relevant literature.

89 Table 3.1: Phenomenology and Positivism: Main Features

Source: Adapted from Acumen Insights (2009) and Easterby-Smith et al. (2002)

In order to gain insight into the ways by which experienced managers in Jordan’s telecommunications market consider how to manage customer satisfaction and customer retention this research adopts the phenomenological approach, with the aim of establishing greater understanding of how different actors act in the environment and how practices are formulated.

To summarise, because of the need to concentrate on meanings, not facts, and the attention given to understanding what is happening, this research positions itself within the phenomenological perspective.

3.2.2 Research Approach

Qualitative research is an umbrella term covering an array of interpretative techniques which seek to describe, decode, translate and otherwise come to terms with the meaning, not the frequency, of certain more or less naturally occurring phenomena in the social world (Van Manen, 1990 cited in Al-Busaidi, 2008, p.11).

90 The interpretive perspective offers service marketing research an appropriate approach in which intangible ‘people-related variables’ could be evaluated (Guest 1997;

Bharadwaj et al., 1993) whereas such aspects represent the main influential factors that affects a firm’s image and perceived value in the context of services.

Moreover, the interpretive approach enables the researcher to focus on understanding what is happening in the context of a specific phenomenon and facilitates the interpretation of data (Carson et al., 2001). Similarly, it allows a clearer understanding of complex situations involving human and organisational behaviour (Remenyi et al., 1998). In this regard, evaluating the influence of marketing orientation and the ways firms manage customer satisfaction and customer retention in this research will be done not only on organisations but also in organisations as an in-depth evaluation (Rouse &

Daellnbach, 1999).

The qualitative interpretive approach was chosen in this research as the most appropriate methodology to collect “detailed descriptions of events, situations and interactions between people and things providing depth and detail” (Patton, 1980 cited in Gilmore & Carson, 1996, p.22). In addition, the qualitative approach involves gathering a great deal of information about a small number of people or organisations which are generally not presentable in numerical form (Ticehurst & Veal, 2005), and which is considered more suited to this study.

It is suggested that any research carried out in the services context where people’s interactions and integration of acts should be undertaken from the interpretative perspective (Rouse & Daellnbach, 1999). Meanwhile, an interpretive methodology is important for gathering and explaining attitudes and opinions of people. It allows achieving a substantial meaning and understanding of the ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions (Carson et al., 2001).

To summarise, the qualitative approach was adopted in this research as highly appropriate in marketing research, (Saunders et al., 2007) and because it is well suited to investigate the characteristics of services (Glimore & Carson, 1996), as in the case of the telecommunications service in Jordan.