El trabajo de campo y el encuentro con los informantes

5.4.1 Development of Questionnaire

A questionnaire is a set of questions for measuring the perceptions of respondents quantitatively. The main objective of the questionnaire is to translate the researcher’s information needs into a set of questions that respondents are willing and able to answer (Malhotra & Peterson, 2006). Therefore, the current research is about investigating respondents’ perceptions associated with the interrelationship between KM and TQM. These two issues are important for EP and quality of HE. In order to study these issues, it was essential to develop the research instrument for conducting the survey. Therefore, a relevant questionnaire was developed to reflect the aim and objectives of the main core of this study. The development of the questionnaire passes through different steps (Churchill & Iacobucci, 2010). The earlier stage of research is formulating the main components of the research project, including the research problem, research questions, objectives, and hypotheses. These specific components help keep the questionnaire design focused. In this respect, understanding the specific components that are related to KM and TQM in HE are important steps in designing the specific questionnaire. Therefore, a continual review of the relevant literature and an understanding of the nature of modern academic processes were the main source for understanding the components of KM and TQM issues. Literature was the main source of setting up the main variables that are illustrated in Table5.1.

Table 5 1 Variables and Measurement Items.

Variable Measurement items Sources

KM processes  Knowledge creation.  Knowledge storage.  Knowledge distribution.  Knowledge application. Lawson et al. (2003) KM technology  (LAN) web.

 Administrative units with a network of computers.  Update information system.

 Email, automated retrieval of information, word processing, audio-video conferences.

Trigg (2000) Team of knowledge  Knowledge-makers.  Knowledge managers.  Students’ KM. Trigg (2000) Effective leadership

 The senior administration adopts a strategic plan to achieve quality.

 College adopts the principle of quality as the responsibility of all sections.

 College administration puts forward plans for

Logothetis (1997, p. 94)

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Variable Measurement items Sources

continuous improvement and encouragement of employees.

 Communication channels to the market place should be available.

 The college has competent research and development units to determine the needs and desires of the market place.

 Higher administrative decisions are made on the basis of facts.

 Higher administration makes a radical change to make the quality a part of the organisation’s system.

Continuous Improvement

 There are teams equipped with the necessary supplies to improve quality.

 There is a specific and a clear-cut program to avoid mistakes.

 There are statistical methods and tools to test and measure the quality of graduates.

 Devise ways and means continuously to help improve the quality of EP.

 Workers receive training to be aware of the opportunities and improvement targets.

Dahlgaard et al. (1998) and Seddon (1997)

Staff Involved

 Faculty members partake in making strategic decisions regarding quality.

 Faculty and staff are entitled to resolve major problems related to graduates.

 Efficient system to motivate individuals.

 The system rewards persons showing creativity.  Facilitate communication.

 Efficient programs that help faculty members get acquainted with the objectives and mechanism.

Partlow (1996)

Internal Processes Perspective:

 Continuous increase in the productivity of faculty members.

 Continuous increase in the rate of the production capacity of the administration.

 Continuous increase in the rate of use of the educational technology.

 Continuous increase in the rate of development curriculum and educational programs.

 Continuous increase in the rate of development for educational environment.

Kaplan and Norton (1992)

Customer (stakeholder) Perspective

 Internal stakeholders.

 External stakeholders (marketplace).

Kaplan and Norton (1992), Williams (1999),

Dobbin and Fowler (1997)

Learn and grow Perspective

 Technological innovation.  Administrative innovation.  Additional creativity.

Kaplan and Norton (1992) Hill and Jones (2001) Total number of statements = 90

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The next step in developing the current questionnaire was writing a set of statements in a way that ensures they are easy to understand by respondents. The state ments were then organised and categorised into different sections according to the purpose of this study. The researcher believes that such strategy in the development of the questionnaire is important to answer the research questions and to justify the re search hypotheses. As indicated in Chapter 1, sets of research questions and hypotheses were prepared according to the aim and objectives of this study. Furthermore, Likert (1932) rating scales were set up with a five-point scale (Table 5.2) for respondents to select the categories that best describe their perceptions on different statements. This response scale was selected because of the recommendation of researchers (Lopez et al., 2009). The final step in the design of the questionnaire in the current study involved examining and re-examining whether statements in different sections reflected the purpose of this study in investigating the perspectives of KM and TQM in HE, specifically at Jordanian universities. A few changes were made before the final dra ft of the questionnaire was developed. This step was followed by conducting a pre-test, which was necessary for the development to be clear and reliable (Churchill & Iacobucci, 2010). In the pre- testing, the researcher gave the questionnaire to a few experts in the field for review. A few suggestions and changes were made by the reviewers, which were taken into consideration.

Table 5 2 The Likert rating scale used in this study.

Likert scale Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

Symbol SD D N A SA

Individual statement ... ... ... ... ...

5.4.2 Structure of the Questionnaire

In addition to the information listed in Table 5.1, Table 5.3 (see also Appendix. A) illustrates the general structure of the questionnaire. The questionnaire was organised to include two main sections. The first section is related to independent variables, including gender and age. This section of the questionnaire was aimed to collect data regarding the nature of the respondent’s background. Generally, these variables do not change and cannot be influenced by external factors, compared to the variables that are often influenced by how individual respondents perceive certain issues. Therefore, variables in Section B are considered dependent variables.

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The structure of Section B includes nine sub-sections (B-1 to B-9). Each subsection deals with certain issues related to both KM and TQM. In addition, each sub-section contains a different number of statements, which form the main core for collecting the data. The analysis of the collected data gives an insight into how respondents perceive KM and TQM–related issues and how the perception of respondents can impact the higher educational process at Jordanian universities.

Table 5 3 The general structure of the questionnaire

Category Content

Section A:

Demographic information

Gender, age group, degree, academic ranking, how long you have been working in this field, current position, university affiliation

Section B:

Independent variables or the categorised statements related to the integration of KM and TQM and their impact on EP

Dependent variables Number of

statements B-1. KM processes

I Knowledge Creation: university administration depends on

the following to create knowledge. 5

II Storing Knowledge: university administration depends on

the following to store knowledge. 4

III Knowledge Distribution: university administration depends

on the following to distribute the knowledge. 6

IV Application of knowledge: to apply the knowledge, the

university administration should 5

B-2. KM Technology 8

B-3. Knowledge-related variables

I Knowledge Team 3

II. Knowledge managers: university knowledge managers

carry out the following 4

III. Students' KM 5

B-4. Effective Leadership (TQM Processes) 7

B-5. Continuous Improvement 5

B-6. Staff Involvement 8

B-7. Internal Processes Perspective 5

B-8. Stakeholder related variables

I Stakeholder Perspective 6

II. External Stakeholders 4

B-9. Learn and grow perspective

I. Technological Innovation 3

II. Administrative Innovation 3

III. Additional Creativity 2

Total 90

Therefore, the structure and flow of topics are an essential part of the questionnaire structure to make it friendlier to the respondents. Well- mannered structure contributes to making the questionnaire easy for respondents to give the necessary information and for

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the researcher to collect accurate and efficient data. In this respect, both the logical nature and clarity of the statements often encourage respondents to complete the questionnaire.

5.4.3 Piloting the Questionnaire

Piloting the questionnaire is an important step, which comes after the first draft. It is often suggested to have other opinions about how to design a sound questionnaire. The purpose of presenting the questionnaire to be pre-assessed is to check the wording, the order of statements, whether they are understood by respondents, whether some statements require elimination, and whether the questionnaire is adequate. Therefore, a copy of the first draft was distributed to ten academic staff for review to identify any mistakes that needed correction. They were asked to give comments and make changes to the first draft of the questionnaire. The researcher emphasised the clearness of the statements, the structure of the questionnaire, and that the content should be closely related to the main subject. Responses from the proofreading of the questionnaire resulted in a few comments that were mainly related to the statements it contained. The comments recommended changing the concept of a few statements. However, as the content of the questionnaire was derived from literature (Table 5.4), comments related to the concepts were not considered. However, some contextual changes were made, especially those that improved the statements to make them clearer.

The next step in the development of the current questionnaire was to send it to the supervisor for proofreading to achieve the desired results. Professor Les Ruddock suggested some changes related to the soundness of the questionnaire and eliminated some statements. Thus, the final draft of the questionnaire was downloaded online and emails were sent to the sample population.

Table 5 4 Jordanian universities that were involved in the current study.. Public Universities Websites

1. The University of Jordan www.ju.edu.jo

2. Yarmouk University www.yu.edu.jo

3. Mutah University www.mutah.edu.jo

4. Jordan University of Science & Technology www.just.edu.jo

5. The Hashemite University www.hu.edu.jo

6. AL al-Bayt University www.aabu.edu.jo

7. AL-Balqa Applied University www.bau.edu.jo

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9. Tafila Technical University www.ttu.edu.jo

Private Jordanian Universities

1. Amman Arab University www.aau.edu.jo

2. Middle East University www.meu.edu.jo

3. Jadara University www.jadara.edu.jo

4. Al - Ahliyya Amman University www.amman.edu

5. Applied Science University (Private) www.asu.edu.jo

6. Philadelphia University www.philadelphia.edu.jo

7. Isra University www.isra.edu.jo

8. University of Petra www.uop.edu.jo

9. Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan www.alzaytoonah.edu.jo

10.Zarqa University www.zpu.edu.jo

11.Irbid National University www.inu.edu.jo

12.Jerash University www.jerashun.edu.jo

13.Princess Sumaya University for Technology www.psut.edu.jo

14.Jordan Academy of Music www.jam.edu.jo

15.Jordan Applied University College of Hospitality and Tourism Education (JAU)

www.jau.edu.jo

16.Faculty of Educational Sciences and Arts-UNRWA www.fesa.edu.jo

17.Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts www.rsica.edu.jo

18.American University of Madaba www.aum.edu.jo

19.Ajloun National Private University www.anpu.edu.jo

20.University of Banking & Financial Sciences www.ubfs.edu.jo

http://www.mohe.gov.jo/brief/briefMohe1/tabid/558/language/en-US/Default.aspx

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