Research Methodology [PDF]

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Chapter 3 Methodology Introduction This chapter is an exposition of the research process. It is a description of all the activities and procedures the researcher used in carrying out this study. Haralambos and Holborn (1990:879) recognise that academic subjects require methodology to reach credible conclusions. They assert that research methodology “ must have ways of producing and analyzing data so that theories can be tested, accepted or rejected” This chapter outlines the various methods used in gathering and analysing data relating to the phenomenon of creation and consumption of digital and digitised Intellectual property at Midlands State University. In this chapter the researcher will also discuss the reasons for selecting the particular methods selected. Research Approach For the purpose of this study Qualitative methods were used since the study is premised on an analysis of cultural creators and cultural consumers motivations, particularly the how and why behind digital media’s creation and consumption culture. According to Shuttleworth (2008; 64), “Qualitative techniques are extremely useful when a subject is too complex to be answered by a simple yes or no hypothesis. A qualitative approach was selected as the research is less about quantities but more about the unquantifiable qualities such as norms, sub-cultural traditions as well as personal ethical and moral considerations. Research Design A research design is a plan of how one proposes to conduct a research study. Unlike the methodology which focuses on research processes and the tools and procedures to be used , a research design focuses on the result. It is an empirical investigation into phenomena within a contemporary, real world context when the boundary between phenomenon and its context are not clearly evident and in which multiple sources of evidence are used. This study utilised qualitative methods , particularly archival research, interviews and participant observation to explore and explain the norms, ethics, morals and motivations behind the Digital and digitised Intellectual Property creation and consumption culture

prevalent in Zimbabwe. The case in research was confined to The Midlands State University in trying to understand the phenomenon of creation and consumption of intellectual property in the Digital Age. Yin (1994) asserts that “A case study is best defined as an intensive study of a single unit with an aim to generalize across a larger set of units.” MSU’s students are therefore the units that were analysed to shed light on the IP culture of Zimbabwe as a Macrocosm. Yin (1994) notes that, “To refer to a work as a case study might mean (a) that its method is qualitative, (b) that the research is ethnographic, clinical, participant-observation, or otherwise “in the field” (c) that the research is characterized by process-tracing (d) that the research investigates the properties of a single case or (e) that the research investigates a single phenomenon.” As the Study is qualitative involving participant observation as a method of data gathering , approaching the study as a one of many possible cases was apt in allowing effective research into the phenomenon of creation and consumption of Intellectual property in the digital age. Unit of analysis The unit of analysis can be defined as what a researcher’s analysis is focusing on for example “an individual, a group, an organization, a city, and so forth.” (Berg, 2001). In other words the unit of analysis is the major entity that the researcher is analysing in their study. In this research, the unit of analysis was the norms, perceptions attitudes, morals and ethics influencing how and why Midlands State University students in the create, distribute and consume of digital and digitised Intellectual Property. Sampling Methods Castillo (2009) asserts that “a sample is a subset of the population.” The need for a sample arises from the inability of a researcher to test all the individuals in a given population . This research made use of purposive sampling. “Also called judgmental sampling, purposive sampling is based on the researcher’s use of knowledge or expertise about some group to select subjects who represent this population. That is to say, the researcher subjectively selected the members of the sample from the student body of Midlands State University. In selecting the members to make up the sample the researcher chose firstly students who are self identify as consciously in a constant and active process of creation and distribution of intellectual property in the form of Digital media products and secondly, those who

intentionally seek out and consume digital media products in evidently larger quantities than other people. The sample was made up of 10 students, 9 Males and 1 female between the ages of 18 and 28 who agreed to participate in the study. The sample of students’ was from varying undergraduate backgrounds and included 2 psychology students, 2 music and musicology students, 1 media and society studies student , 2 computer science students , 2 information systems students and 1 English and communication student. Interviews took place at MSU main campus in locations that were convenient for the students and ranged in length between 30 minutes and an hour. All of the interviews took place between the 1st week of April and the second week of May 2014. The interview approach involved scheduling an interview with each sample member and before beginning the interview; the researcher presented the participant with an information sheet, obtained informed consent and received signed permission to record the interviews (attached as appendices). Also, the student’s basic demographic information was captured and the student was given a chance to ask the researcher questions regarding the aims of the study. After each interview the data was transcribed verbatim Observation of the sample was ongoing but the main research data used was collected between January and May 2014 as the researcher was part of the Midlands State University student body and was thus active in the social circle from which the sample was selected. Research Instruments Research instruments refer to the ways the researcher uses to collect relevant and sufficient data for solving the problem. Data Collection Interviews Leedy (1993) defines an interview as “the act of questioning and listening.” Interviews are one of qualitative research’s main methods of data collection. They are superior to most other methods in ascertaining people’s opinions, perceptions and meanings of situations. Methods of conducting interviews are various and include face to face, printed questionnaires, and telephone or over the phone and internet interviews. Within these methods, interviews can be broken down into two categories, that is, structure and unstructured.

In a structured interview, the respondent is asked a series of predetermined questions with pre-set response categories. There is little room for variable responses. Structured interviews are useful when used to extract simple factual data from people that cannot be observed directly. An unstructured interview is one of the best methods of obtaining data from the interviewee as it does not restrict their ability to express themselves in a way and order they feel is best to express themselves. It also allows the interviewer to ask questions in such a way interviewees can speak in their own terms rather than those imposed rigidly and a priori by the interviewer. Response to questions can be given in “a depth which addresses the rich context that is the substance of their meaning.”(Punch.1985:46) This research used unstructured face to face interviews as one of the methods in a triangulated data collection approach.

Participant Observation In whatever role, participant observation is a demanding specialized form of data collection and according to Punch (1986); it is a “prolonged immersion in the life of a group, community or organization in order to discern people’s habits and thoughts as well as to decipher the social structure that binds them together”. According to Berg (2001) “… researchers tend to conduct participant observation studies in settings where there is something available to observe. Organizations and organizational structures, social roles among group members, normative values among deviants, and similar topics become typical fodder for participant observers.” Participant observation allows for the researcher to observe the research population naturally in the processes of their unfolding realities. This may include moments when individuals spontaneously hold a conversation, discussion, or argument. This allows for the researcher to collect data emerging from natural unmediated talks which may be impossible in focus groups or interviews due to reflexivity induced by the researcher’s presence. This study was well informed by participant observation as the researcher was at the time of the study an active member in the creation, distribution and consumption culture at MSU. Thus valuable observation and discernment of the values as well as moral and ethical considerations involved in the processes of creation, distribution and consumption was possible. Also active

observation as to whether access to different classes of digital media technology has any effect on how individuals relate to digital and digitised intellectual property was achievable.

Archival Research Archival research is the collection of information from documents or records kept in public and private archives. (Berg, 2001) It is useful to researchers in the academic environment because it provides large quantities of inexpensive data. Also data colletion through archival research is practically nonreactive to the presence of reseachers. Berg (2001) asserts that archival data is extremely attractive to many researchers because of the standard formats used in creating public archives. That is to say the formats and filing systems of most public archives make finding required data easy . Also , archival data utilizes already created filing systems which facilitate for easier analysis. The researcher used archival research in collecting data related to Zimbabwean Intellectual Property legislation and Policies in online repositories . This data was aimed at creating an informed picture of current policies and how they relate to creators and consumers rights in the digital environment. The data collected from the archival research enabled the researcher to scrutinise the current policies in relation to the attitudes and feelings of creators and consumers of digital media made manifest through interviews and observation. It allowed the researcher to ascertain whether current policy is sufficient or needs to be amended to cater for current trends and recent developments. That is to say, with, particular regard to the rise of ease of access to the internet and easily accessible offline peer to peer sharing methods such as Bluetooth, DVD and CD ROMs, Flash Drives and High Capacity external hard drives. Data Analysis There are a number of procedures used by qualitative researchers to analyze their data. Miles and Huberman (1994) identify three approaches to qualitative data analysis: interpretative approaches, social anthropological approaches, and collaborative social research approaches. For the purpose of this interpretive methods were employed particularly critical discourse analysis. Discourse analysis

According to Fiske (1987:74), a discourse is, “a language or system of representation that has developed socially in order to make and circulate a coherent set of meanings about an important topic area. A discourse is an amalgam of codes, languages and ways of speaking of a topic. According to Fairclough (1995) discourse analysis investigates the terrain of both ideological and linguistic processes. That is to say, discourse analysis is based on scrutiny of the word: spoken or written; intonation; gestures, facial expression; images and signs. In this study, this method was used to understand the meanings behind individuals’ reasoning in relation to their creation, distribution and consumption behaviour. The researcher analysed and interpreted data in the form of the spoken and written word as well as human action derived from interviews, participant observation and archival research. Berg (2001:239) posits that, “human action can be seen as a collection of symbols expressing layers of meaning. Interviews and observational data, then, can be transcribed into written text for analysis.” As the research has a phenomenological and ethnographic orientation the researcher attempted to uncover and or capture the essence of interview, observational and archival data using critical discourse analysis which is an approach that scrutinises “the social power implications of particular discourses with an explicit aim of challenging power imbalances.”Van Dijk (1995) posits that critical discourse analysis’ focus is on power relations, and the manner in which individuals or groups in society use text to resist or reproduce these in relation to dominance and inequality. That is to say , critical discourse analysis serves as an apt tool for analysing data related to the shifting power balances facilitated by the new media and new media technologies in relation to their influence on digital and digitised intellectual property creation and consumption. Method of Data Presentation Thematic Analysis Approach In presenting my findings, I will employ a thematic analysis approach. In formulating themes for analysis and presentation the researcher read the interview transcripts and identified key themes arising from the various participants responses. The researcher endeavoured to break down the transcripts into themes relating to the research questions, objectives as well as ideas arising out of the literature review. The thematic approach was employed due to the complex nature of the studied phenomena. That is to say , many complex considerations go into informing individual’s intellectual property creation and consumption attitudes and

behaviour. The themes were therefore worked up analytically and intuitively and parts of the individual transcripts that did not be satisfactorily fit into the broad thematic narrative were identified. These were analysed and thematised as representing the complexity of individual decision making processes and are presented thematised as such. The thematic approach was chosen because it allows for findings to be presented in such a way that other researchers reading the work can see how the researcher arrived at his conclusions and assess their reasonableness in light of the data with which the researcher was working. Conclusion This chapter was a presentation of the different methods and techniques that the researcher used to gather data for the study. It was a description and discussion of the research design, research instruments and their advantages and disadvantages as well as the population, sampling methods, data collection and data analysis procedures. Selection of this research methodology involved assessing the strengths and weaknesses of various methodologies. The researcher thus chose to employ a combination of techniques that would thoroughly explore the phenomenon being studied.