Tacit Knowledge in the South African Financial Sector, Essay Example

Chapter 3 Methodology

A careful choice of methodology and instruments maximizes accuracy and reliability of results of an empirical research. Considering the specifics of the chosen object of studying, special attention should be paid to the choice of a general approach, as it must address several aspects of tacit knowledge when describing its management and transfer techniques. This chapter includes an overview of the conventional research methods that are used as alternative courses of action and justification of the applied methodology. Also, the chapter contains an outline of the advantages and disadvantages of specific tools associated with the chosen research design and approach, as well as the description of sampling, setting, data collection and analysis strategies, as well as limitations of the present research and steps to ensure protection of the participants from risks linked to the research.

The Choice of the Method

The choice of the method for research is conditioned by the nature of the studied phenomenon, the field of science, the academic level of the research and other factors. Distinguishing between quantitative and qualitative methods may be carried out in the following way:

“Qualitative methods involve a researcher describing kinds of characteristics of people and events without comparing events in terms of measurements or amounts. Quantitative methods, on the other hand, focus attention on measurements and amounts of the characteristics displayed by people and events that the researcher studies” (Thomas, 2003, p. 1).

This criterion is extremely simple and does not take into account a range of other factors that influence the chosen research method. More exhaustive definitions refer to the “interpretive, naturalistic approach” and meanings assigned to phenomena and concepts when speaking about qualitative methods and numerical measurement and generalization of studied objects when dealing with quantitative methods (Thomas, 2003, pp.1-2). Both methods are extensively used in scientific research, but the majority of projects tend to concentrate on one or the other, which is a conventional approach. Thomas (2003) claims, however, that each of the mentioned research methods is best suited to answering specific kinds of research questions, but “the best answer frequently results from using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods” (p. 7).

Thomas’ perspective is shared by Taylor (2005) who agreed that the two research types have a common ground, as “both are concerned with reliability and study designs, and approaches are similar” (p. 5). The present research is aimed at the establishment of the role of tacit knowledge management and transfer in the success of the business activities of a manufacturing company. The nature of the studied phenomenon, which presupposes that it escapes easy structuring or categorization, suggests that a combination of research methods is instrumental to the end of this research. The combination of methods ensures, on the one hand, the statistical accuracy of those findings which are associated with measurable aspects of the phenomenon and, on the other hand, the depth of analysis of facets that deal with the meaning and the concept of tacit knowledge in general. The present investigation utilizes a mixed method operating the data obtained through utilization of a questionnaire with closed-ended questions and a face-to-face interview with open-ended questions.

Research Design and Approach

As de Vaus (2002) indicated, a survey as a research method can be characterized by a set of systematized or structured data. Information is collected concerning the same characteristics or variables from a minimum of two participants, but normally a survey involves a bigger number of information sources. The survey research method is used to collect, organize and process data which, in turn, may be gathered with the aid of a variety of techniques (de Vaus, 2002, p. 5). The survey and case study methods operate a similar set of techniques, among them questionnaire or structured and in-depth interview (de Vaus, 2002, p. 6). The case study method, however, “does not fundamentally rely on comparing cases but on fully understanding the ‘wholeness’ of a particular case and understanding particular attributes of a person (or an organization […]) within the context of the case’s other characteristics and history” (de Vaus, 2002, p. 5).

A standardized self-completion questionnaire appears a relevant instrument for data collection in the present research. This is conditioned by a set of characteristics inherent in this form of data collection. In particular, self-completion questionnaires pose no difficulty to complete for participants. The design of such questionnaires is prompted by the intent to minimize the risk of the respondent failing to complete the task properly by way of becoming confused or omitting a question. This design also is meant to reduce the danger of ‘respondent fatigue’, as “it is manifestly easier for a respondent who becomes tired of answering questions in a long questionnaire to consign it to a waste paper bin than to terminate an interview” (Bryman & Bell, 2007, p. 241).

The advantages of a self-completion questionnaire over a structured interview would also include considerable easiness for the researcher in administration. Moreover, characteristics of interviewers might affect the accuracy of analyzed data, as they can produce an influence on the interviewed participants. According to Bryman and Bell (2007), such interviewers’ features as social background, gender, or ethnicity might result in biased answering (p. 242). With self-completion questionnaires, the issue is irrelevant due to the absence of an interviewer and, therefore, any effects prompted by his/her personality. Also, the presence of an interviewing person is likely to result in participants’ conscious or unconscious desire “to exhibit social desirability bias” (Bryman & Bell, 2007, p. 242). This is a confirmation to Tourangeau and Smith’s assumption that “respondents are less likely to under-report activities that induce anxiety or about which they feel sensitive in self-completion questionnaires than in structured interviews” (as cited in Bryman & Bell, 2007, p. 242).

Invariability of the data collection procedure is maintained through a fixed design of a questionnaire that remains unaltered for all participants. All questions are presented in the same order and in the same manner, which enables the researcher to ensure maximum equality of circumstances that respondents are put into while completing a questionnaire. Nevertheless, the research design presupposes a greater degree of convenience for respondents, as they may choose the speed and manner of answering (Bryman & Bell, 2007).

A self-completion questionnaire also has disadvantages, which suggests that a combination of several techniques is beneficial. First, in case respondents have difficulty in answering a question, they cannot consult the author of the questionnaire and ask him/her to clarify challenging issues. Such a limitation is the reason why all questions in a questionnaire should be composed in such a way that no ambiguity or misunderstanding could arise during its completion. Also, in case if instructions are unclear, respondents are likely to choose to omit a question (Bryman & Bell, 2007, p. 242).

Another difficulty associated with a written questionnaire is the impossibility of probing respondents to articulate an answer, as probing can be useful if open-ended questions are involved. As Bryman and Bell (2007) pointed out, “interviewers are often trained to get more from respondents. However, this problem largely applies to open questions, which are not used a great deal in self-completion questionnaire research” (p. 242). It is essential to avoid using more than a minimum of open-ended questions as respondents are normally reluctant to write much. Complex structures in questions should also be avoided since they may be difficult to follow (Bryman & Bell, 2007, p. 242).

Finally, respondents may read the whole questionnaire before starting to answer. If such a situation takes place, Bryman and Bell stress, “none of the questions asked is truly independent of the others. It also means that you cannot be sure that questions have been answered in the correct order” (2007, p. 243). Additional data are also unavailable.

The second part of the present survey is essentially a structured interview. A structured interview presupposes a standard list of questions asked in the same order for all participants. This tool also stresses reliability and is aimed at reducing the possibility of interviewer bias (Mitchell & Jolley, 2010, pp. 276-277). Despite the limitations described above, according to Babbie (2008), interviews offer many advantages, too. The choice of such an approach reduces the risk of receiving incomplete questionnaires from participants. Though they may skip questions in self-completion, this may be avoided in interviews. As Babbie (2008) pointed out, “although self-administered questionnaires may be more effective for sensitive issues, interview surveys are definitely more effective for complicated ones” (p. 302). Moreover, face-to-face communication between the interviewer and the respondents allows the former to make observations as to the reaction of the latter to specific questions, the mood, atmosphere and other factors (Babbie, 2008, p. 302).

Though distinctions are often made between the construction of an interview and development of written questionnaires, it is largely unwarranted, according to Schwab (2005). More specifically,

“The difference between the two procedures resides primarily in the way information is obtained from research participants. Interviews elicit information verbally; questionnaires elicit information in written form. The same care must be taken in developing interview questions and response formats as is taken in developing questionnaires” (Schwab, 2005, p. 41).

There are, however, specific features that might make interviews more attractive at early stages of instrument development. Interviews may help researchers refine questions and response formats. When finalized, however, an interview schedule looks as a typical questionnaire (Schwab, 2005, p. 41). The decision as to which instrument is more relevant for the purpose of the research may be reliant on a range of criteria, among them the cost of administering, respondents’ abilities and motivations. An interactive format of an interview may be regarded as an advantage in that it stimulates and motivates participation and complete responses. The advantages of questionnaires consisting in the maximum uniformity of questions and answer coding should be also taken into account. The present study utilizes both instruments in order to achieve its goal and answer all research questions. Written questionnaires maximize the efficiency of the present research in terms of accuracy of obtained data for the quantitative aspect of the research, whereas face-to-face interviews provide depth and insight that are essential for the qualitative aspect of the present research. Data obtained from the questionnaires will be analyzed with the aid of the statistical tools provided by the Predictive Analytics SoftWare (PASW) Statistics. Simultaneously, interview data will be coded and analyzed by way of utilizing NVivo resources.

Sample, Setting, and Related Procedures

Sample and Setting

The sample studied in the present research will include 23 employees working for Baytech who are directly involved in tacit knowledge management and transfer operations. The employees chosen for participation in the research deal with specific areas of expertise which is associated with their skills, values and experience and which cannot be transferred through conventional knowledge transfer channels. The choice of participants will not be restricted to a specific gender, age group, or position within the company. Such a sample will allow the researcher to analyze tacit knowledge management and transfer techniques carried out by responsible officials within one company at different levels. Moreover, this will enable one to conduct thematic analysis, as well as establish trends and track discrepancies and understand the efficacy of the undertaken steps. The size of the sample is determined by the number of employees of Baytech who are engaged in tacit knowledge management and transfer, that is the sample equals the population. Therefore, the sample will provide an accurate picture of the situation.

Related Procedures

The initial stage of the data collection presupposes contacting the Human Resources Department in Baytech in order to discuss the responsibilities of employees to be chosen for the investigation. Besides providing the researcher with a sample group, this stage is also aimed at studying how exactly they are involved in tacit knowledge management and transfer operations. HR managers may assist in forming a list of employees occupying positions in Baytech associated with tacit knowledge management and transfer. The size of the sample will allow one to conduct a qualitative and quantitative analysis of tacit knowledge management and transfer techniques within the company stressing not only trends general for specific groups of professionals, but also single out unique attitudes, motivations and strategies exerting influence on the process.

Participants will be informed about the details of investigation via e-mail and confirm their consent to take part. The next stage will consist in the process of data collection itself. The questionnaires containing closed- and open-ended questions to enable the researcher to conduct an analysis on both qualitative and quantitative planes will be distributed among the participants via e-mail and in person and returned by respondents after completion in person during an interview. There is a possibility that some respondents do not appear at the interview. In order to make the research as well-planned as possible, the respondents will be asked to inform the researcher beforehand if they decide on quitting the study. They will be also asked to indicate the reasons why they decided to quit.

At this stage, uniformity of conditions and circumstances will be stressed, in order to avoid discrepancies in the attitude caused by external factors. The interview will be held with every participant separately, ensuring that participants cannot hear answers given by other interviewed employees, at approximately the same time. Answers will be recorded by the interviewer.

Data Collection Instruments and Procedures

The data collection instruments that will be utilized in the present study were developed and applied in Joia and Lemos’ (2010) and Ayier’s (2006) works aimed at an in-depth investigation of the strategies of tacit knowledge transfer. Elements of questionnaires applied by the researchers in order to obtain data for their analyses appeared quite efficient in the task of establishing the factors affecting the process. Joia and Lemos’ (2010) questionnaire included only closed-ended questions, providing respondents with the opportunity to agree or disagree with a number of statements. Ayier’s (2006) questionnaire comprised both open-ended and closed-ended questions, whereas the latter gave respondents the possibility of forming statements themselves choosing from a limited number of options. The questionnaire formed for the purpose of establishing tacit knowledge management and transfer techniques utilized in Baytech and regarded in the present study will be based on a combination of the two approaches.

Joia and Lemos’ (2010) strategy appears quite effective as the chosen format of a questionnaire allowed the researchers to study idiosyncratic characteristics of employees and establish that they positively influence tacit knowledge transfer. Also, it managed to measure the level of common language (i.e. specific institutionalized jargon) within an organization, which appears quite important considering that this element is deemed an essential condition for tacit knowledge transfer (Joia & Lemos, 2010, p. 421). The research successfully completed the task of identifying how experiences, insights, heuristics, and personal time management are treated within a company as features and factors determining tacit knowledge essence and management techniques (Joia & Lemos, 2010, pp. 421-422).

Overall, the questionnaire was helpful in establishing that the willingness of employees to transfer tacit knowledge depends to a great extent on how much personalization is stressed in knowledge management strategies and how flexible this management is (Joia & Lemos, 2010, p. 422). Considering the established importance of the factors that were given sufficient attention in Joia and Lemos’ (2010) questionnaire, using corresponding questions for the development of an understanding how tacit knowledge management is carried out in a different company appears reasonable. Relevance of Joia and Lemos’ research was recognized by Cardoso, Meireles and Peralta (2012), as well as McBeath and Ball (2012). Consequently, the questionnaire composed for the present study was created with due regard to the approach chosen by Joia and Lemos (2010).

As for the questionnaire utilized by Ayier (2006), the results obtained by the researcher in the process of investigation suggested significant importance of a positive diversity climate for the success of knowledge sharing within business sphere, fostering career advances for employees. This appears to be especially relevant for multicultural teams where differences in background and culture might become a significantly strong barrier preventing effective knowledge sharing. The questionnaire included questions that helped to establish which incentives are instrumental in encouraging those employees who are involved in tacit knowledge management to share this knowledge more willingly and effectively. This finding appears an essential extension to the theory of tacit knowledge management. It appears important to study which tools are efficient in value-adding activity as they are directly linked to the desire of employees to contribute to the success of an enterprise they are employed by and share tacit knowledge.

Considering the significance of the abovementioned studies and relevance of the results obtained by the researchers with regard to tacit knowledge management, creating a questionnaire combining the two approaches utilized in them appears an efficient strategy as it allows one to take into account the trends and specific features of the tacit knowledge management and transfer process specified by Joia and Lemos (2010) and Ayier (2006). Questions will be formulated with due regard for specifics of the studied company. Overall, the questionnaire will contain 38 closed-ended questions, whereas the interview will be composed of 8 open-ended questions. The latter will be tailored for an in-depth interview and provide the participants with a possibility to present an additional perspective on the tacit knowledge management process and suggest relevance of factors that were not mentioned among those which were the basis for the closed-ended questions. The structured interview format with a list of specific questions asked in the same order has been chosen in order to maintain maximum accuracy of obtained results. Considering the possibility of discrepancies caused by such factors as the interviewer’s appearance or respondents’ communication skills, the risk of affecting the course of the interview or influencing the reaction of a participant will be reduced to a minimum. The interviews will be recorded, so it will be possible to return to the responses later and conduct member checking to establish if clarity was maintained and if all answers were interpreted correctly by the researcher. This analysis will be carried out with the aid of NVivo software.

Data Analysis

The design of the written questionnaire presupposes the necessity of processing the obtained data with the aid of computer software and drawing trends, generalities and oddities by way of comparing the responses. The mass of answers will be coded through Excel, PASW, and NVivo software, which allows one to enhance the data analysis process and ensure accuracy of the elicited results. Hardy and Bryman (2009) indicated that

“variability between cases is central to quantitative data analysis. The goal of quantitative data analysis is to capture the amount of variation in a sample and to explain why this variation exists as it does and/or how it was produced” (p. 6).

In the present study, the quantitative aspect will be maintained through closed-ended questions that are possible to answer by way of choosing from a limited number of alternatives. A group of questions will have “yes/no“ reply variants, whereas another group will be possible to answer with the help of the Likert scale showing the gradation of agreement ranging from complete denial expressed with the “strongly disagree” option to full support expressed with the “strongly agree” option. Both designs will also contain an option allowing the respondents to indicate that they have difficulty in responding to a specific question and cannot express their opinion on it. The results obtained from the closed-ended questions section will be analyzed with the aid of descriptive statistics in order to establish trends arising around the variables that appear relevant for the present research. The statistical techniques employed to work with ordinal data will be Somer’s D and Multidimensional Scaling.

The results obtained from face-to-face interviews with participants carried out in the form of open-ended questions will provide unstructured responses being essentially qualitative data and requiring organizing and structuring. The initial stage of data analysis will include coding with the aid of NVivo software which will help organize data according to a set of variables serving as criteria for categorization and elaborating an organization pattern for the obtained results. The code will allow one to structure the respondents’ answers around specific concepts associated with tacit knowledge management and transfer techniques. The original problem stated as the focus of the present study will be reconsidered with regard to the data elicited from research of secondary data presented in the literature review and empirical evidence from a written questionnaire and face-to-face interviews.

Presentation of Results

The data of the present research will be analyzed with the aid of computer software. As numerical data collected and processed with the aid of quantitative research are easy to process in terms of trends and proportions, it appears logical to present them in the visual form utilizing the resources of Excel for building diagrams and graphs, as well as scientific visualization constructed with the aid of Multidimensional Scaling. Relationships between variables may be shown through Somer’s D.

The findings will be presented in the form of diagrams, tables and graphs allowing one to visually assess the importance of certain factors exerting influence on tacit knowledge management and transfer techniques. Such a presentation is illustrative in showing the correlations and proportions characteristic of different factors, as well as general trends. It will also show how different concepts associated with tacit knowledge are viewed by the employees involved in its management and transfer. The qualitative portion of data will be recorded verbatim by the researcher, and then processed via the NVivo software with the purpose of eliciting themes arising from the answers of the respondents. The qualitative findings will be presented in the form of content analysis in the presentation section.

Limitations of the Research Design

The limitations of the present research are conditioned by the disadvantages of the chosen research methods discussed in the corresponding section. However, they require additional comments. The study will be conducted on the basis of one company which reduces the reliability of the obtained results and limits their generality. The size of the sample is also considerably small, which affects the quantitative aspect of the investigation dealing with frequency of occurrence of relevant variables.  However, the statistical limitations are counterbalanced with the qualitative aspect of the research, which allows concentrating on the content and meaning of tacit knowledge management techniques.

Protection of Participants’ Rights

Protection of the rights of volunteering participants in research is one of priorities for those involved in research. The present research will be conducted in compliance with the general ethical principle emphasizing that “research must respect the autonomy of participants, must be fair in both conception and implementation, and must maximize potential benefits while minimizing potential harms” (Online Ethics Center, 2006, para. 8). Even though the present research is unlikely to pose any risks for participants, it will be ensured that the participants are fully informed of its nature, task, goal, and design. As it is essential that they have “a good understanding of the information and their choices, not only at the time of enrollment, but throughout the research”, they will have a possibility to contact the researcher and enquire about the issues they may be concerned about (Online Ethics Center, 2006, para. 16). All participants will be made aware that their decision to take part in the investigation “must not only be informed, it must be voluntary” (Online Ethics Center, 2006, para. 17). Confidentiality of the participants’ data will be maintained throughout the research ensuring that no personal information becomes public without permission. This will be achieved by way of coding all personal information from the questionnaires and interviews, keeping research records in a locked folder on a computer that is only accessible with the help of a password which will not be disclosed by the researcher to unauthorized individuals. The reported data will be double-checked in the process of analysis to avoid any bias while interpreting them. The data will be stored in encrypted format for five years and then destroyed. Observance of the abovementioned principles will be guaranteed by an approval obtained from the institutional review board (IRB) after careful consideration of the design of the research in order to ensure that the rights of human subjects involved in it are protected properly.

Chapter Summary

The specific features of tacit knowledge as an object of study presupposes that it escapes easy structuring or categorization. This suggests the possibility of using a combination of research methods. The combination of methods ensures both the accuracy of the findings connected with measurable aspects of the phenomenon and the in-depth consideration of the issues which deal with the meaning and the concept of tacit knowledge in general. This investigation is based on a mixed method combining elements of qualitative and quantitative research. The data will be elicited from a written questionnaire with closed-ended questions and a face-to-face interview with open-ended questions.

The two instruments have been chosen for this study as their advantages are complementary, counterbalancing their disadvantages and providing a full and rounded view of how tacit knowledge management and transfer is carried out in Baytech and how the process is viewed by employees engaged in these activities. The sample will include 23 employees working for Baytech and associated with tacit knowledge management and transfer. Uniformity of conditions will be maintained for all participants. The questionnaire will contain 38 closed-ended questions, whereas the interview will be composed of 8 open-ended questions.

Data analysis will be carried out with due attention paid to the nature of the data. After codification the numerical data obtained from answering “yes/no” questions and those making use of the Likert gradation scale will be processed with the help of a computer allowing one to present the results in the form of graphs and diagrams. The qualitative data obtained from face-to-face interviews will be analyzed according to a set of variables serving as criteria for categorization and elaborating an organization pattern for the obtained results. This will allow the researcher to structure the respondents’ answers around specific concepts and obtain a systematic picture of the employees’ views of tacit knowledge and its management and transfer techniques.

The limitations of the present research are linked to the disadvantages of the chosen research methods and instruments. Moreover, the scale of the study and the size of the sample are considerably small. This fact limits the reliability of the obtained results to the studied company.

The present research will be conducted in compliance with the general ethical principle emphasizing the right of research participants to autonomy, being informed as to all possible effects and influences of the research on their lives and health and respect for their opinion. The confidentiality of the participants’ data will be maintained throughout the research. All respondents will give an official consent to participate, and accuracy of data will be double-checked in order to avoid any bias.

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