Chapter 3: Research methodology 3.1 Introduction Before undertaking any research, Boyle and Schmierbach (2015) suggested that a paradigm needs to be developed to ensure that the philosophical underpinnings used by the researcher are determined. When determining the paradigm the researcher has to decide on whether to use a positivism approach or to use an anti-positivism approach. When a researcher adopts a positivism approach, the social aspect of research is assumed to have no significance on the results of the study. As such, most such studies adopt a quantitative review where the data collected does not really highlight the relationship with society. An alternative is an anti-positivism approach where the researcher recognizes the impact that social conditions and perceptions may have on the subject of research. This mostly leads to interview type of data collection where the respondents positions influence the findings. The paradigm that will be used in this study is an anti-positivism paradigm since the customers behaviors and attitudes are determined by the societal perceptions and attitudes. 3.2 Methodology Objectives The main aim of the methodology developed is to provide a guide of how data analysis will be conducted in the study. This begins with the process of the philosophy that will be used in the research all the way to the validity and reliability of the information that has been collected. The first objective of the research methodology is to highlight the different options that are available and give the justification of the ones selected in the study(Krishnaswamy, Sivakumar, & Mathirajan, 2009). The methodology will provide an outline of how the data collection and analysis process will be conducted. The last objective is providing the validity and reliability measures of the proposed methodology. 3.3 Research methods used When reviewing different research methods used, it is important to subdivide them further into subtopics to concentrate on one aspect of research methods at a time. This is done using Saunders, et al. (2009)s research onion. 3.3.1 Research philosophies Research philosophies are subdivided mainly into epistemological research ontological research philosophies. Ontology mainly looks at how things work from a nature perspective. On the other hand, an epistemology looks at how knowledge between the inquirer and the research interact(Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 2009). The most effective way of determining the nature of reality is by understanding the four main research philosophies based on ontology and epistemology. The four main research philosophies are positivism, realism, interpretivism and pragmatism. When an ontology is based on the positivism philosophy, the objectives and the nature of reality are independent or external from the social factors. Secondly, an ontology based on realism assumes that the reality is independent of human beliefs, thoughts or knowledge but it can only be understood or interpreted using social conditioning(Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 2009). Third, when an ontology is based on the interpretivism philosophy the nature of reality is based on social constructs or subjective. Finally, when an ontology is based on pragmatism, the nature of reality can be viewed in multiple ways. The research looks at consumer attitudes and behavior(Saunders & Tosey, The layers of research design, 2013). This is independent for every different consumer. Therefore, the ontology used is subjective or based on the interpretivism philosophy. Positivism, realism, interpretivism and pragmatism work differently when viewed from an epistemology perspective. When an epistemology is based on the positivism philosophy, the objectives and the nature of knowledge assumes that everything is based on causality when it comes to knowledge that exists. Secondly, an epistemology based on realism assumes that the nature of knowledge is based on the observable phenomenon(Saunders & Tosey, The layers of research design, 2013). Essentially, insufficient data provides inaccurate information, and some phenomenon may require proper inaccurate information were not collected effectively. Third, when an epistemology is based on the interpretivism philosophy the nature of knowledge is based on the social phenomenon and subjective meanings that change the meaning based on the situation. Finally, when an epistemology is based on pragmatism, the nature of knowledge is dependent on the nature of the questions that are asked and not the nature of the situation. The research looks at consumer attitudes and behavior. This is independent for every different consumer(Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2009). Therefore, the epistemology used is interpretivism in nature since the situation in Saudi Arabia determines the nature of knowledge. 3.3.2 Research Approach Ascertaining the approach in research is the next step in the development of the research methodology. There are two specific segments that need to be reviewed. The first is the review of whether the research will be inductive or deductive in nature. The deductive reasoning is based on using a specific premise that is legitimately known, and then the researcher seeks to draw a conclusion based on the premise. Essentially, deductive reasoning in research moves from facts to conclusions. Essentially, theories are used as the facts and then conclusions based on the theoretical underpinning are used(Kumar, 2010). The specific process involves the movements from theory selection to hypothesis creation, data collection and analysis and then confirmation of success or failure of the hypothesis. The alternative is inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning is based on drawing conclusions directly from the observations of data. The conclusion in this sense is different, and most researchers refer to it as an inference. Essentially, if something is observed several times, inductive reasoning dictates that it is true based on certain conditions. The process of making inferences is normally not backed by theories of facts and instead it seeks to provide more groundbreaking studies. This is normally the process that tentative theories are developed before being confirmed by other studies(Wayne Goddard, 2004). The research seeks to review the consumer attitudes and behaviors, and this is based on theories and facts from the academic field. Therefore, the deductive reasoning is used in the research methodology and the analysis of the information obtained. Ascertaining whether research will be primary and secondary in nature is the next main step in the study. According to Kumar (2010), primary research is the type of research that involves collecting new information to specifically address unique problems raised in the research questions of a study. It is normally used by a researcher for the specific purpose in mind. Primary research has certain advantages that are unique. First, it is very effective when implemented in the right way. The specific data collected is suited to answering the unique research questions in the most effective way. Second, provides information that is up to date especially when it comes to topics that are either trending or that change quickly. Finally, it is effective when the study is something new in the field of research. If there is no other source of information, primary research allows the study to be conducted and completed. With any types of research approach, there are some specific disadvantages that are unique to it. One of the problems with primary research is that they are expensive in nature(Krishnaswamy, Sivakumar, & Mathirajan, 2009). Collecting data from scratch will always be more costly than using data that is already available. Next, the amount of time used is quite significant in comparison with previous studies. Finally, the research has to be done properly, and if not done well there are some serious issues that may render the entire study inadmissible. The methodology has to be done effectively, and unskilled researchers may end up making errors that are critical to the accuracy of the conclusions. The competing research approach is the secondary research that involves the use of information that is publicly available from other researchers, companies, and governmental institutions(Kumar, 2010). Secondary studies have certain benefits that are unique to the approach. First, they are inexpensive in comparison to primary research that has a high overhead. Second, they are easily accessible in certain cases. This reduces the amount of time that is required for the study. Third, the data provides additional information that is required to clarify some issues in the research. This ensures that the information is well developed in the research. Finally, the researcher does not have to go deep into the different types of research methodologies since the initial sources did that in their research. However, there are serious detriments. The first is the lack of coherence between the data and the research questions. Primary research offers a better answer to the research questions since the data is tailor made for the study. However, secondary research has to try and adapt research by other people to answer the research questions(Boyle & Schmierbach, 2015). Secondary research also carries the risk of propagation of error. If the initial research was done ineffectively, this is carried forward into the current research. Third, some data may be too old for use in secondary studies. Finally, secondary research is not suited for topics that change a lot. Research on consumer perception changes quite fast and there is a need to ensure that the information obtained is done effectively, primary research is adopted. This allows information specific to the time period in Saudi Arabia to be collected. 3.3.3 Data type Deciding on the type of data is another important stage that cannot be ignored. Essentially, three types of data can be collected using primary research. Quantitative data is the first type of data that can be collected in primary research. The best explanation is data that can be changed or converted easily into a numerical value(Kothari, 2004). There are certain benefits inherent only to quantitative data. First, this is easy to collect since it requires measurements without further review. It is commonly collected when the researcher uses surveys and experiments that provide observable or measurable information. Second, the process of analysis of the data collected is simple since many applications have been developed that can provide statistical analysis. Thirdly, the speed that that data can be collected is also quite fast in comparison with the other data types because numbers and numerically convertible characters are easy to collect. Despite these benefits, quantitative data has some inherent weaknesses that make it unattractive for use in certain types of research. First, the information collected is the least comprehensive in comparison with that from the other studies(Hair, Celsi, Money, Samouel, & Page, 2014). Numbers mostly only give the value and cannot explain the underlying reasons. The process of data collection should be done effectively to ensure that the data is within certain parametric values. Finally, the size of the sample required is normally quite large for the data to be representative of the entire population. Qualitative research is the alternative data type that can be used in primary research. This entails the collection of information either through observation of from conversations with the sample that is used in the research. This type of research is most common with interviews and focus groups that seek to gain more specific information. Inherently, there are many benefits that qualitative data can have over quantitative information(Kothari, 2004). First, the data is more detailed in nature allowing the researcher to understand the themes behind the choices that are made by the researcher. Second, the detailed nature of the research that is conducted means that the size of the sample requires is quite low. Even three respondents can provide meaningful information since there are no parametric limitations required. Despite the benefits highlighted, qualitative data does have its own set of detriments. First, the time required for collection is normally a lot more than in quantitative research. Collection from one participant in qualitative research takes close to ten times the time that quantitative data gathering takes. The analysis is quite difficult since qualitative research relies on determining the main themes behind the information that the researchers obtain(Hair, Celsi, Money, Samouel, & Page, 2014). This is further convoluted by the lack of software that can provide accurate theme analysis. Finally, qualitative data is normally used when the subject of the research involves human responses. It is not as versatile as quantitative data. Financial and accounting research is hard to conduct using qualitative research. Quantitative and qualitative data are the two main types of data that can be used. However, in the past decade, researchers have been developing ways of combining the two types of data to create mixed data methods. The amalgamation of the two allows the researcher to collect both qualitative and quantitative information(Kothari, 2004). However, only one of the two can be the main types of research and the other supports the research. In cases where quantitative research is the predominant types of research, the qualitative research provide support for the quantitative research. On the other hand, when the research is predominantly qualitative the quantitative research provide additional information in line with the qualitative research. Mixed data has some benefits that the other types of research may lack. First, the size of the sample size is no longer determined by parametric measures. This is a benefit that quantitative research lacks. On the other hand, the mixed data can be analyzed partially using statistical applications. This is a benefit that qualitative research does not have. However, the main problem is that most of the measures of reliability and validity cannot be done(Hair, Celsi, Money, Samouel, & Page, 2014). Qualitative and quantitative methods have specific reliability and validity methods but mixed data does not have an independent approach to achieving the same validity and reliability. The research seems to determine the attitudes and behaviors that customers in Saudi Arabia exhibit towards products due to globalization. This information is quite sensitive and cannot be obtained purely using quantitative data. Therefore. Qualitative data is chosen for this specific research. 3.4 Focus group interviews 3.4.1 Research strategy justification Before any research has been undertaken, there is a need to review the different strategies that exist to select the most effective in answering the research questions that have been provided. Saunders et al. (2009) provided some research strategies in the research onion highlighted above. Considering that a qualitative data will be used, there is a need to align the data types with the right strategy. Four different research strategies are reviewed in this case. The first is the semi-structured interview, survey, focus groups and archival research. Survey investigation is one of the most common research strategies used in the academic field. A survey can be described as a detailed approach to gathering information from a subsection of a population, sample, to determine the opinions, satisfaction level, impressions and attitudes of the sample(Saunders & Tosey, The layers of research design, 2013). There are inherent advantages that surveys have over the other strategies of data collection. First, surveys are easy to develop especially when they are quantitative in nature. The collection of data is also easy whether it is being done physically or it is being done using online methods. Surveys can also collect data from a broad geographical region and a large sample. The structure of the questions determines the flexibility of the research methods that are available. There are different survey software that can be used in the collection of data making it easy to achieve the intended outcomes. On the contrary, there are detriments that exist when it comes to surveys. Closed-ended survey questions normally lower the validity of the results due to the limitation on the answers(Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 2009). Sometimes the data collected may have missing or unclear information due to a lack of an avenue to clarify answers. Finally, the participants in a survey may provide inaccurate information due to some bias in the questions or due to personal reasons. Archival research is an alternative research strategy that entails the review of information from original archived information. This does not use the presented data by other scholars, organizations, and governments. Instead, it relies on the original data that was used in the research. Inherent benefits exist when dealing with archival research(Saunders & Tosey, The layers of research design, 2013). In one case, archival research can allow the researcher to conduct the research without affecting the behavior of the participant. This provides data that can be directly be compared with that of the previous research without any problems in participant differences. This research strategy is quite cost effective since the data has already been collected but other studies. It can also provide an opportunity to review information trends that may have occurred. This can only be determined when data archived is compared with more recent data. Despite the ease of archival research, there are detriments that make in unattractive for many types of research(Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 2009). One is the lack of control in the data collection process. This means that propagated errors cannot be avoided when dealing with archival research. Additionally, the data may fail to adequate answers to the data that has been collected. Interviews are the third research strategy that entails posing questions to the respondent and recording the answers that are obtained. This is different from surveys because there has to be face to face interaction between the researchers and the participant in the study(Saunders & Tosey, The layers of research design, 2013). However, there are numerous similarities like the use of a sample. Face to face interviews have the benefit of researcher screening to ensure that there is no missing information and the data provided is meaningful. Face to face interviews also provide an avenue where verbal and non-verbal cues can be assessed. This makes the interview more accurate and allows the research to capture the emotion of the respondent. Inherent disadvantages still exist when dealing with this types of research strategy. The cost of interviews is a lot higher due to transportation costs for the interviewer. This increases with the scope of the interviews providing a very expensive research strategy when dealing with something that affects different regions(Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 2009). Additionally, phone interviews or email interviews sometimes affect the accuracy of the information that is collected. The sample size also needs to be limited to ensure that the time and cost are minimized. Finally, there is an element of bias since the most common strategy for sampling is purposive sampling. Focus groups are the final type, and this research strategy entails asking information on the opinions, satisfaction level, impressions and attitudes from a selected group of people in a specific session. Focus groups are normally limited when it comes to the size of the group(Saunders & Tosey, The layers of research design, 2013). The average size is 10 but rarely more than this. However, it has the same benefits as a face-to-face interview since the researcher and the participants interact. The body language can also be reviewed when it comes to the results that are collected. The information is also faster to collect as compared to one-on-one interviews. A detriment is that sometimes the focus group may not be representative of the entire population. Sometimes the topics are difficult to steer. The skill of the moderator is vital in ensuring that the results are accurately done(Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 2009). Finally, an element of peer pressure exists leading to skewed results in favor of the majority. However, the focus group is chosen in the research methodology since it can allow a group of some university students to be chosen and provide information on the results that have been obtained. 3.4.2 Focus group data collection Any data collection endeavor requires the use of a sampling frame that provides a guidance of the sample that will be collected. The sampling frame is made up of the students in the university. This includes all the years in the school and all the genders in the school. The process of sampling is done through purposive sampling where representatives from each of the years and classes will be selected. There are three main considerations that will be made in the selection of the sample. The gender needs to be inclusive of both genders. All the years in the universities need to be represented, and different courses need to be included. 3.5 Global brand situation in Saudi Arabia Assad (2007) reviewed the issue of global brand presence in Saudi Arabia. The study found that consumerism in Saudi Arabia was as a result of the combination of both local factors and global factors. Issues like manipulative advertising, urbanization and shopping Centre proliferation have led to the development of the Western consumerism lifestyle. This seems to indicate that there is a relationship between the preferences in the Saudi Arabia market and the global presence in the country. The issues seem to affect the younger generation more significantly than, the older people in society. However, global brands have become more favorable. Research by Opoku (2012) collaborates the findings that Assad (2007) found. In the research, Opoku (2012) reviewed the impact that peer pressure had on university students in Saudi Arabia. The findings show that younger Saudis find themselves pushed to purchase products based on the prevailing culture. At the moment, this is influenced heavily by global brands. The peer pressure is steering more people to adopt a purchasing decision that opts for global products as compared to home-grown products. This is an effect of globalization that most people were not expecting. Al-Ghamdi, Sohail, and Al-Khaldi (2007) measured the consumer satisfaction in Saudi Arabia. The results showed that consumerism was growing in Saudi Arabia due to the influx of global trends in the society. More people were willing to adopt more popular global brands as opposed to the local brands. The rich and wealthy seem to promote the use of global luxury brands. This is evident in the automobile and the clothing industries. More Saudis are willing to purchase products from European or American brands. Al-Ghamdi, Sohail and Al-Khaldi (2007) also found that this is more prevalent in the younger generation that is more exposed to global brands. 3.6 Research process An aggregate of 15 persons will be selected in the sampling process. This involves the choice of 15 people in the different samples. A total of 12 people will be selected in the sample. This provides an adequate number while allowing adequate room to collect respondents. The focus group will be given a time and a date where they will avail themselves for around 3 hours. The researcher will then create an open-ended questionnaire that will guide the focus group session. A question will be posed to the focus group, and they will be allowed to all give their thoughts on the question. This will allow everyone to present their ideas in an unbiased session. Since recording the information will be difficult, this will be done using a recording device. This will then be transcribed and then presented. The main issue that needs to be determined is the language that the focus group participants will be most comfortable speaking with. Arabic is the most convenient to allow people to have a good conversation together. Therefore, the questionnaire will first be developed and then presented to the supervisor for approval. After this, it will be translated into Arabic and then used in the focus group session. The participants will respond in Arabic to allow them to present the best information. This data will be collected using a recorder and then transcribed. This will then be translated into English where data analysis and presentation of the findings will be used. The following is a Gantt chart of the expected process of conducting the research. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Creation of the questionnaire Approval and translation of the questionnaire Pilot study Choosing the sample participants Selection of location and date Conducting the focus group Transcription and translation Analysis of results Presentation of findings 3.7 Conclusion Concluding any research methodology requires determining the measures used in providing ethics as well as the reliability and validity. The information presented will be provided to the focus group participants to determine the authenticity of the information. This will also provide the insight on how transferable the information is. The questionnaire is checked by the supervisor to ensure that it is appropriate, and a pilot study confirms this. This means that the instruments that are used are reliable. Some measures provide the ethical underpinnings of the research. First, all the names of the focus group participants are kept confidential. This protects their reputations. Next, the participants all make written consent for engaging in the focus group and allowing the information they provide to be used in the study. The data will be destroyed to ensure that it does not have any detrimental effects on the respondents. Al?Ghamdi, S. M., Sohail, M. S., & Al?Khaldi, A. (2007). Measuring consumer satisfaction with consumer protection agencies: some insights from Saudi Arabia. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 71-79. Assad, S. W. (2007). The rise of consumerism in Saudi Arabian society. International Journal of Commerce and Management, 73-104. Boyle, M., & Schmierbach, M. (2015). Applied Communication Research Methods: Getting Started as a Researcher. London: Routledge. Hair, J. F., Celsi, M., Money, A., Samouel, P., & Page, M. (2014). The Essentials of Business Research Methods. London: Routledge. Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques (1st ed.). New York: New Age International. Krishnaswamy, K. N., Sivakumar, A. I., & Mathirajan, M. (2009). Management Research Methodology: Integration of Principles, Methods and Techniques (1st ed.). New Delhi: Pearson Education India. Kumar, R. (2010). Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners. New York: Sage. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=a3PwLukoFlMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=kumar+research+methodology&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZp4GU5d_JAhVDLhoKHQzGCWQQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=kumar%20research%20methodology&f=false Opoku, R. (2012). Young Saudi adults and peer group purchase influence: a preliminary investigation. Young Consumers, 176-187. Sarantakos, S. (2007). Data analysis (1st ed.). Los Angeles: Sage. Saunders, M., & Tosey, P. (2013). The layers of research design. Rapport, 58-59. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students (5th ed.). London: Prentice Hall. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=u-txtfaCFiEC&dq=saunders+research+methods+for+business+students&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj42MnN5d_JAhWK1hoKHVDCB5UQ6AEIKTAC Wayne Goddard, S. M. (2004). Research Methodology: An Introduction. New York: Juta and Company Ltd. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=bJQJpsU2a10C&printsec=frontcover&dq=Wayne+research+methodology&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_68-u5d_JAhUKtBoKHcm6B1oQ6AEIHjAA#v=onepage&q=Wayne%20research%20methodology&f=false Zikmund, W., Babin, B., Carr, J., & Griffin, M. (2012). Business Research Methods. Thousand Oaks: Cengage Learning.
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