Strength And Limitations Of The Methodology

The universe today is filled with assorted documented societal research done in regard to all facets life, with the purpose to explicate, understand, make decisions and do finds. There exist chiefly two types of research scheme, quantitative and qualitative research scheme under which other types of research are conducted Bryman ( 2001, p.. This essay nevertheless, is concerned with quantitative research and more specifically the research design of a quantitative research. Harmonizing to Gray ( 2004, pp.22 ) quantitative methods hail from the rationalist paradigm that believes that constructs in societal scientific discipline should be tested through empirical observation like the natural scientific disciplines and research should concentrate on formulating and proving hypothesis ( use the deductive attack ) to cognize the relationship between two or more variables. The trial shows if the hypothesis is true or false ( disproof ) . Over the old ages, there has been changeless statement among research workers about the usage of quantitative and qualitative design in a given research, each holding their basic distinctive feature.

Quantitative research entails quantification of the informations, the usage of a deductive attack, intending the research is carried out based on already bing theories from which hypothesis to be tested are formed. It is founded on the positivism philosophy that stresses the usage of natural scientific discipline methods to transport out any survey and, topographic points emphasis on objectiveness ( the research worker should analyze a peculiar phenomena without bias “ value-free ” ) . Qualitative informations on the other manus employs the inductive attack in which the theory is formed based on the findings, grounded on the interpretivism philosophy that research workers should use a methodological analysis that reflects the differences between people and employs subjectiveness the ( research workers ‘ reading of the phenomena ) . It is besides centred on the construct of constructionism, which means that societal phenomena and their significance are invariably change since it is influenced by societal histrions.

A quantitative research design measures variables, seting into consideration the dependability, cogency and generalization of the measuring, to bring forth figures that will enable the research worker make judgement or reply the research inquiries. Examples are studies, experiments and observation among many others, Sarantakos ( 2005, p.50 ) . It is of import to observe at this point that no research is beyond inquiries refering its methodological analysis, based on this, this essay hence seeks to measure the research design of the article by Wagner and Westabay ( 2009, p. 257-265 ) “ the willingness to relocate to another state: the impact of cultural similarity, finish safety, and fiscal inducement. ”

The rating will look into the dependability, cogency of the measurings, the representativeness of the sample, generalbility of the findings, and replicability of the survey. These standards ‘s harmonizing to Bryman ( 2001, pp28 ) are necessary to measure a quantitative design. The survey employed cross-sectional design ( informations were collected by questionnaire ) , 2A-2A-3 between capable experimental design and the analysis of discrepancy ( ANOVA ) . Culture similarity, finish safety, and fiscal inducement the independent variables were divided into degrees such that civilization similarity had two degrees or conditions ( similar, different ) , finish safety had two degree besides ( safe and unsafe ) and fillip for relocating three degrees ( 0 % fillip, 20 % fillip, 40 % fillip ) . These variables were manipulated ( utilizing scenarios ) , and given to participants indiscriminately assigned to 1 of the 12 conditions to read. Manipulation cheque was used to measure the effectivity of the use, and so the 196 participants were asked to react to three inquiries accessing their willingness to relocate utilizing a questionnaire, assessed on 5-point graduated tables. Now let us look into the restrictions of methodological analysis, without pretermiting the fact that there are constrains such as clip, money, entree, accomplishments, non-response that affect the procedure of a research.

Sampling as defined by Walker ( 2010, p.23 ) is the method used to choose participants from the larger population for a research with the purpose to generalize. Using the definition the article failed to province the sampling method used at the initial choice of the participants before the random trying method was applied to delegate the participants ( topics ) into group. This therefore creates the inquiry if really the 196 participants were a true representation of the survey population. Bearing in head besides that it is seldom possible to carry on a research on the full population to which findings will be generalised to ( workers in transnational corporations ) due to clip, budget and deadline restraints. Notwithstanding a sample that will stand for the working category population ( based on the hypotheses ) is of import.

The findings lack generalibility or universality- Bryman ( 2001, p.75 ) defines it “ as the pertinence of the findings beyond the confines of the peculiar context in which the research was carried out ” – sing the demographic features of the participants, as bulk comprised of adult females ( p.261 ) . This creates gender instability of the findings, particularly as the research inquiries did non province that the research was looking at willingness to relocate among adult females. In add-on, the participants had an mean age of 27.5 intending the participants were immature, therefore of how many the findings can be applicable to older workers in age severally. This besides affects the external cogency that is besides concerned with the extent to which findings can be generalised to the larger population ( Grey 2004 ) .

The survey lacked face cogency because of scenario use instrument used, since the cogency of a measuring means a “ research instrument must mensurate what it intends to mensurate ” Bryman ( 2001, p.72 ) . The inquiry so arises if the scenario design truly measures the willingness to relocate as ( Arksey and Knight 1999 cited in Gray 2004, p.190 ) noted that conjectural or scenarios are hapless forecasters of people ‘s existent subsequent behavior and such method can be effectual if participants have a first-hand cognition or experience of the field. Therefore, the survey would hold greater cogency if used among more experient workers in multinationals who experience resettlement outside the state often. This point is farther expressed in the paper of Mietzner and Reger ( 2005, p.236 ) that to utilize a scenario design a “ deep apprehension and cognition of the field is of import ” .

In add-on, the survey lacks ecological cogency. The research workers admitted this in the restriction of the survey, stating it would be better to retroflex the survey on the field, as Walker ( 2010, p.42 ) noted that findings from unreal environment does non supply a existent universe findings. Gray ( 2004, p.77 ) besides noted that there is a bound to experimental research in the existent universe because it is hard to happen experimental and control groups that are similar. In respects to this survey a quasi experiment that entails acquiring groups of people that have experienced resettlement in the natural scene, trial if civilization, fiscal inducements and safety has an influence on their willingness to relocate and so compare with those that have non experienced the event of resettlement. Therefore forestalling the usage of the scenario design, which has shown in the old paragraph has cogency job. Even though experimental designs are regarded as more superior to quasi experiments, observation done in the field scene is better in footings of pragmatism. However there is the inquiry of which is more of import to the research worker, the pragmatism of a survey or control Gray ( 2004, p.77 ) .

Refering the dependability of the measuring ( the consistence of the steps ) , Bryman ( 2001, p.70 ) identified three factors that test the dependability of a measuring ; these are “ stableness, internal dependability and inter-observer consistence ” . Stating that, the stableness of a measuring is tested utilizing the test-retest method, which entails the same measuring used to prove the same participants once more on a different juncture and a high correlativity between the two tonss is expected to demo stableness of the instrument. In the instance of this survey, the stableness of the measuring is non known since the same participants were non tested at a different juncture with the same measuring. With respect to internal dependability, Bryman ( 2001 ) noted that the Cronbach ‘s alpha used to prove the internal dependability of points to cognize the grade to which the points are mensurating the dependant variable. The coefficient ranges from 1 ( intending perfect internal dependability ) and 0 ( means no internal dependability ) . This was used to prove the dependability of points in the questionnaire and gave a coefficient of ( .97 ) , which reveals a really high dependability between the points, which is good. However, ( Briggs and Cheek 1986 cited in Pallent 2007 ) said “ in a state of affairs where the points are few, which in this survey the points are ( three ) , the cronbach ‘s alpha values are normally low, therefore the average correlativity of the points should be reported and the most dependable mean should run from.2 to.4 ” . This therefore inquiries the internal dependability coefficient reported.

STRENGTH OF THE STUDY

The survey has construct cogency which means hypothesis are deduced from theories that are relevant to the construct Bryman ( 2001, p.72 ) this is found with the usage of Social Identity theory, anticipation value theory to derive hypotheses ( pp. 259-260 ) . The research inquiries ( hypothesis to be tested ) five of them were clearly stated, besides equal theories was used to explicate the relationship of the three independent variable of civilization similarity, finish safety and fiscal inducement to the dependant variable willingness to relocate. There was proper conceptualization of the variables and the survey had replicability since the processs used in transporting out the research were spelt out clearly.

Research Article

Wagner, R.M. and Westabay, D.J. , 2009. The willingness to relocate to another state ; the impact of cultural similarity, finish safety, and fiscal inducement. International diary of psychological science, 44 ( 4 ) , PP.257-265.

REFRENCES

Bryman, A. , 2001. Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gray, E.D. , 2004. Making research in the existent universe. London: Sage.

Mietzner, D. And Reger, G. , 2005. Advantages and disadvantages of scenario attacks for strategic foresight. Int.J. Technology intelligence and planning, 1 ( 2 ) , pp.220-239.

Pallent, J. 2007. Spss survival manual: a bit-by-bit usher to data analysis utilizing spss for Windowss. 3rd erectile dysfunction. McGraw Hill: Open University Press.

Sarantakos, S. , 2005. Social research. 3rd erectile dysfunction. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillian.

Walker, I. , 2010. Research methods and stastistics. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.