Human Resource Practices of Different Levels of Employees - Essay Example

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY The purpose of this research study is to examine human resource practices of different level of employees in the branches of afinancial institution based in Doha and how far they are contributing to the retention of employees. A detailed explanation of research approach, instruments, data validity, collection, sampling and data analysis techniques are provided below. Basically, methodology refers to the methods of data collection employed in the study (Struwig and Bates 2004). This data will be used to discuss the results which will attempt to answer the research questions raised in the first chapter. This section comprises of mainly four basic steps which are involved in the process of data collection. In most cases, the type of methodology used in a study is determined by the particular type of research being undertaken. The availability of relevant resources and time also play a contributory role to the methodology used. Methodology helps to organize, represent, and analyze data and information in a bid to answer the research questions of the study. The following are the basic steps involved in this section of methodology: a) Research design b) Data collection c) Sampling technique and sample size d) Data processing, analysis and presentation Research design A research design is a conceptual structure, outline or blueprint of what the researcher would do in the study by following proper guidelines that are meant to obtain data that can be used to solve the research problem or answer the research question. Research design represents the entire structure and working framework of the research which makes it possible and valid to draw more general conclusions from the study (Oppenheim, 1992). It works as the bonding element that holds other elements and parts of research together to give a perfect blend of conclusions and consequences of research. The researcher used mainly primary data collection method in order to provide reliable results. The research has been designed in a descriptive manner which is meant to count representative samples and make inferences about the whole population. The method used in the study involves gathering data from the selected participants using questionnaires and an analysis of this data is descriptive in nature since it shows the subjective views of an individual. This design would certainly reach the desired goals in that the participants would be employees in HR related departments but working for organisations that deal with IT. Research Methods Quantitative data collection techniques will be employed in this study and it will include mainly primary data through the use of questionnaires. Basically, quantitative data is any form of data that can be expressed numerically or can be counted (Struwig and Stead, 2004). This often involves primary data which employs the use of questionnaires. The research instrument used in this study is closed questionnaire where a respondent is given a choice from those available and can tick the chosen answer. The use of questionnaires is seen as one of the most effective methods of gathering data from respondents since they will do this under no form of force or coercion which would be likely to give reliable results in the study. Quantitative methods lend themselves well to those studies where general trends among the population are to be discerned through the use of large numbers of participants and numerical analysis of data (Troachim, 2001). As a result, this study must incorporate a primarily quantitative approach, because it seeks to arrive at conclusions based on data collected from a wide sample of the population. Since this study needs to be completed within a limited time frame, it does not allow for an elaborate process of collection of interview data with a large participant sample and subsequent qualitative analysis of the data. It would be necessary to use some quantitative assessment measure because numerical data is the simplest to analyze in the shortest time frame. Advantages of Questionnaires Questionnaires are seen as more popular research methods since each respondent is presented with similar questions that would likely to bring a reliable set of responses. The questionnaire has been selected because of the following reasons: a) Relative low cost. b) No formal arrangements may be needed. c) Avoids embarrassment on the part of the respondent. d) Respondent can consider responses. e) There is a possibility for anonymity of the respondent. Sampling Technique and Sample Size Selection The sampling method that will be used for primary research conducted using the survey based questionnaire is that of non probability sampling. In this scenario, the respondents who would be available and willing to provide their views and insight would be included as the target respondents of the survey. They are targeted using the non-probability based sampling that allows anyone who has reliable and valid information to share or to respond to the survey. The sample size for questionnaires would basically cover about 200 respondents. In this study convenience sampling will be used where respondents are chose on the basis of availability. This method has been chosen because the branches of the financial institution are similar and there are likely high chances of getting informed responses. Internal Validity Validity and reliability are concerned with checking the status of the data collected if it is valid and reliable (Struwig and Stead, 2004). The research methodology to be employed will be checked for validity and appropriateness by taking feedback from the research supervisors. Internal validity basically calculates the extent to which the responses from the respondents reflect the same attributes. This is based on the notion that the respondents ought to complete the test within a given time frame. External validity The validity and the reliability of the data gathered through the questionnaire based survey will be ensured through the use of the triangulation technique whereby multiple questions would be targeted at the respondents to determine the integrity of the answers. The sources for the historical qualitative research were taken from official company websites and the peer reviewed journals to ensure that the information used in the literature review was accurate and valid. Data Processing, Analysis and Presentation The analysis of the Quantitative information that will be gathered will be analyzed through statistical analysis techniques using the Microsoft Office software. This will include tabulation of the statistical results that would be followed by a descriptive analysis. Raw data collected from the respondents using questionnaires would then be tabulated and explained on the basis of the responses from the respondents. This is appropriate in that similar responses are explained using the same method of descriptive analysis. The research has been designed in a descriptive manner which is meant to count representative samples and make inferences about the whole population. The method used in the study involves gathering data from the selected participants using questionnaires and an analysis of this data is descriptive in nature since it shows the subjective views of individuals who work in the branches of a financial institution based in Doha, State of Qatar. This design would certainly reach the desired goals in that the participants would be employees in HR related departments but working for branches that deal with IT. Summary Basically, quantitative research method will be employed in the study for different reasons likely to produce valid results. The survey questionnaire that will be selected will be considered as the primary research instrument. The questionnaire offers the most cost effective and efficient way of collecting responses from a large number of participants. Since this study aims to gather data from a large participant base, a primarily quantitative approach will be used to analyze the data collected from these questionnaires. Internal validity will be ensured by avoiding bias, and convenience sampling has been selected over random sampling due to the constraints of time and the inherent difficulties in obtaining a truly random sample from the different branches. Since the data will be analyzed quantitatively by collecting it using a Likert style questionnaire, the SPSS statistical software package is proposed to be used for data analysis. Tests that will be carried out include descriptive analysis where the subjective responses from the individuals will be analysed in depth. The next chapter looks at the analysis and discussion of the data gathered in this research. Read More