CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the research methodology for this study, which is essentially a blueprint
of the procedures involved in the investigation of facts and concepts. It outlines the path that
the researcher took in the observations and explanations of social reality (Burns and Grove
2003:195). This chapter therefore presents an overview of the procedures involved in this
research process. It constitutes the research design, the sampling process, data collection
methods, data analysis, the ethical issues considered and some of the limitations involved in
this study.

3.2 Research design

This research adopted a qualitative research design in its endeavor to explore the individual
perceptions on the influence of supplier evaluation on procurement performance. Qualitative
research is a form of inquiry that focuses on the way people interpret and make sense of the
phenomenon under study based on their experience, knowledge or expertise (Holloway and
Wheeler 2002:30). In this particular study the main objective was to understand supplier
evaluation and I its influence on procurement performance from the perspective of those
involved in the industry and within the setting where it happens. Given that one of the
objectives of this study was to explore the individual perspectives of the procurement staff
and suppliers on the phenomenon of supplier evaluation, a qualitative research design became
the most appropriate gateway to an in-depth understanding. Therefore, the researcher
employed in-depth methods of data collection, particularly in-depth interviews and focus
group discussions which were amenable to the quest of this study.

3.3 Population of the study

According to Corbin and Strauss (2008), a population refers to the whole group of people in
which the study is conducted. It is from this collective group that a representative part is
selected as research participants. In this particular research, the population of the study was
constituted by all the procurement staff and suppliers in the public health sector. For the
purposes of this study, the researcher looked for a particular characteristic within that
population and only picked one of the parastatals in the health sector, which is NatPharm.
Therefore, the procurement staffs at NatPharm and the current suppliers were considered as
the population from which the sample was finally extracted.
3.4 Sample and sampling procedures

A sample is defined by Patton (2015), as a representative part of the whole population, which
is selected as participants in research. Sampling is therefore, a process of selecting a
representative part of the population. In this study, a purposeful sampling procedure was
followed. Patton (2015) defined purposeful sampling as the selection of information-rich
cases for in-depth study. Information-rich cases are those from which one can learn a great
deal about issues of central importance to the purpose of the inquiry. The purpose of inquiry
for this study was to explore the individual perceptions on the influence of supplier
evaluation on procurement performance in the health sector. Therefore, the sample was
basically constituted by procurement staff and suppliers at NatPharm, which is one of the
parastatals under the Ministry of Health and Child Care. However, the researcher also
deliberately and purposefully included only the management and staff from the procurement
department as the information rich sources because they are the ones with experience on the
phenomenon under study.

A total of 18 participants were recruited as a sample in this study. Of these 18 participants, 9

were male and the other 9 were female participants. Gender balance was deliberately
observed to ensure that the findings will represent the perceptions of all genders. Out of a
sample of 18 participants, 10 were reserved for in-depth interviews, in which 4 were from
management, 4 from the procurement department and two were suppliers. The other 8
respondents participated in a focus group discussion which was constituted by 2 members of
the management staff, 2 procurement staff and 4 suppliers. In the focus group discussion,
gender balance was also adhered to.

3.5 Data collection methods

3.5.1 In-depth interviews

The researcher adopted in-depth interviews as one of its main data collection methods. As
defined by Neuman (2013), an in-depth interview is a conversation with an individual in an
endeavor to deeply explore the respondent’s point of view, feelings and perspective. The
researcher engaged in face-to-face in-depth interviews in which a total of 10 individuals were
interviewed. The adoption of in-depth interviews as one of the primary methods of inquiry
went together with the objectives of this study, which sought to allow the researcher to be
engaged with those who are involved in supplier evaluation and procurement, to get evidence
based information from their own personal accounts. Therefore, through the use of in-depth
interviews the researcher was in a better position to explore in greater detail, the individual
perceptions of the respondents. In-depth interviews allowed the researcher to probe the
respondents to dispose and explain in-depth some of the information. Therefore, the
researcher was quite justified in his choice of in-depth interviews as a method.

3.5.2 Focus group discussions

This study also employed focus group discussions as its data collection method. This
involved group discussions on the topic, organized for purposes of this particular research,
which were guided, monitored and recorded by the researcher. Bloor et al (2001), pointed out
that focus group discussions can be used to clarify, extend, qualify or challenge data collected
through other methods. In this study, 1 focus group discussion was conducted, in which a
total of 8 people were recruited to discuss a wide range of issues to do with supplier
evaluation and its influence on procurement performance in the public health sector. This
study purposefully chose the use of focus group discussions so that the findings could be used
to test the validity or truthfulness of the findings from in-depth interviews. To achieve that,
the researcher made sure that the respondents of in-depth interviews were different from
those who participated in focus group discussions. Indeed, the use of FGDs proved to be very
useful in the process of corroboration, which is confirmation of results through the use of
different methods. In addition, focus group discussions allowed the respondents to lay bare
some of the issues which seemed hidden in individual face to face interviews. Through
collective discussion on the phenomenon under study, the researcher was provided with a
large pool of information and multiple viewpoints.

3.6 Data analysis

This study adopted a content analysis as its instrument for qualitative data reduction and
categorization, which was based on core consistencies and meanings. The qualitative data
collection methods used in this study, particularly in-depth interviews and focus group
discussions, yielded vast amounts of descriptive data and the process of data analysis sought
to reduce and make sense of those vast amounts of information, so that the impressions that
shed light on research questions could emerge. Most of the data in this study was in the form
of notes jotted down during interviews and FGDs, and statements transcribed from the
recordings. The process involved documentation, in which all the interviews, audiotapes and
notes were saved and listed. This was critical for keeping track of the rapidly growing
volumes of data, as well as providing a way of developing and outlining the analytical
process. The data analysis process also involved conceptualization, coding and categorization
of data. This involved identifying and refining important concepts, where comments and
statements were pulled out of the huge pool of data and then put back together more
meaningfully.

3.8 Ethical considerations

Ethics refers to the moral guidelines or responsibilities of the researcher to ensure that the
interests of those participating in the study are not harmed as a result of the research being
done (Bryman and Bell, 2007). This study particularly considered three fundamental ethics to
protect the participants of the research. These involved informed voluntary consent,
anonymity and confidentiality. Informed consent is one of the fundamental ethics in research
which requires the researcher to seek the voluntary consent of the respondent to participate in
the research, after fully informing them of the processes and procedures involved in the study
Patton (2002). In this particular study, the researcher started by seeking the consent of the
staff and suppliers at NatPharm. The researcher orally briefed the potential respondents about
the whole research processes and purpose of the findings. In addition, the researcher was very
conscious about protecting the identity of the participants by respecting the ethics of
confidentiality and anonymity. The researcher ensured anonymity of participants by avoiding
the use of their real names in all research processes. Instead, the researcher forged pseudo
names for participants. Given that this study utilized in-depth methods of data collection,
which allowed respondents to disclose any sensitive information about their company’s
supplier evaluation processes, the researcher ensured that the privacy of such information is
protected. Therefore, the findings of this study have been reserved only for academic
purposes, not for any other public consumption.

3.11 Chapter Summary

This study sheds light on the methodological path that this study followed in its endeavor to
understandsupplier evaluation and its influence on procurement performance. The study
adopted a qualitative research methodology where in-depth interviews and focus group
discussions were used as methods of data collection. The chapter also outlines the process of
recruitment of participants into this study. The purposeful sampling strategy was used to
recruit participants in this study. The data collection methods employed in this study are
explained and justified in detail in this chapter. The process of data analysis is also laid out in
this study, following through the step by step procedures which the researcher went through
in analyzing the data. The researcher adopted content analysis as its approach in the analysis
of data.