VALORES Y TIPOS:

According to Yin (2011:78), a valid study is one where the data have been properly collected and interpreted, so that the conclusions accurately reflect the environment that was studied. Kumar (2011:177) continues by saying that in order for a study to be recognised as reliable and accepted research, it has to meet the requirements of validity and reliability. The manner in which the research process is conducted can affect the accuracy and quality of the findings (Kumar, 2011:177). The feedback provided by the participants form the basis of the findings and conclusions of the study. Responses to the questions comprise the inputs for consideration and analysis, and the findings comprise the outputs. The criteria of validity and reliability must therefore be applied to every aspect of the research process, including the selection of the sample, the collection of the information, analysing the data and writing the final report. If one or more of these steps are not performed with precision, then the accuracy and quality of the final product will be questionable (Kumar, 2011:177).

Validity in the broader sense refers to the ability of the research instrument to demonstrate that it is finding out what it has been designed to do, and reliability refers to consistency in the findings when used repeatedly (Kumar, 2011:184). Validity can also be described as the correctness and accuracy of the research process adapted to finding answers to the set of

26

research questions. It applies to the process as a whole and also to the individual steps within the process. Validity is the extent to which the research findings accurately represent what is really happening in the situation being studied (Kumar, 2011:178). Kumar (2011:181) defines reliability as the extent to which repeated measurements made under similar conditions will offer the same results. Reliability is concerned with the transferability and the credibility of the findings. Therefore, when the same set of information is collected more than once, using the same instrument and the same results are achieved under similar conditions, then the instrument is considered to be reliable. In this particular study, the use of telephone interviews combined with a clear set of interview questions which were communicated in advance of the interviews, resulted in the researcher collecting accurate, comprehensive and consistent data.

In qualitative research the validity and reliability of the research are determined by four indicators: credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability (Kumar, 2011:184- 185). Credibility is synonymous with validity, and it is believed that participants are in a good position to decide whether or not the research findings have been able to accurately reflect their opinions. The more accurately the study reflects the views of the participants, the higher the validity of the study. Transferability may be more difficult to establish because it may be very difficult for the research to be generalised or transferred to other settings. Dependability is very similar to reliability, and it is concerned whether the same results can be achieved if the study is repeated. In qualitative research, it may also be difficult for others to replicate the study unless the researcher maintains an extensive and detailed record of the process. Lastly, conformability is the degree to which others can substantiate the results of the study (Kumar, 2011:184-185).

To meet the requirements of the concepts of validity and reliability the following specific practical steps were taken. First, all 12 UN Funds and Programmes: UNCTAD, ITC, UNDP, UNEP, UNFPA, UN-HABITAT, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDCP, UNRWA, UNW and WFP were invited to participate in the study. The same process of data collection and analysis was followed with each one of them to ensure a consistent approach. This ensured that data gathered across the different UN Funds and Programmes could be properly compared. This verification of the information served as a way of strengthening the validity of the study. All the participants were asked the same basic questions and the information was cross- referenced to ensure accuracy and consistency. It was also important to gather a sufficient amount of detailed and varied data to analyse. Because the interviews were semi-structured, there was an opportunity to word questions in such a manner so that they were not ambiguous and were clearly understood, as well as giving the researcher the opportunity to

27

probe deeper into an area through follow-up questions. In addition to the above, an attempt was made to ensure that each interview captured information related to the objectives of the research in a way as factually and neutral as possible.

By using a consistent approach, interviewing the same status of people in each of the UN Funds and Programmes, and by keeping meticulous records of the process and the data collected, the researcher enhanced the credibility and dependability of the research. By capturing and analysing the data in a factually neutral manner, the researcher increased the validity of the study because the analysis truly reflected the views of the respondents and was not distorted or tainted by the researcher’s own views. As mentioned above, while the transferability of the research may be difficult, the results of this particular study could indeed be transferred to other similar types of entities such as non-profit organisations that also work in post-conflict and fragile state environments, because they face the same type of security and business continuity challenges as the UN agencies that participated in this study.