The study was qualitative in nature as it helped in understanding and giving interpretations to behaviors, emotions, beliefs, texts, talk and relationships of the individuals in the community studied. The case study design, one of the formats used in qualitative research, was used to primarily determine the potentials of participation in decision-making to demonstrate power. The ability to describe and explain in detail aspects of processes in a social unit in their real social context is the main reason why this research adopted the case study design (Feliciano, 1994). Yin (2003) also promotes case study as the method of choice when the case being studied cannot be distinguished from its context. This is the situation of this particular study. Stake (1995) suggests that although there is little interest in “generalizing to the species… the case researcher examines a part of the whole, seeking to understand what the specimen is, how the specimen works” (pp. 36-37). Yin further explains that case studies may be exploratory aiming to define the questions and hypotheses of a subsequent study and descriptive, explaining how events happened. In addition, case study became especially useful in obtaining valuable information from the respondents. It helped to have a better understanding on situations as the researcher inquired what information was most useful to provide insight on the community being studied (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). Case study researchers specifically focus on cases they are interested in and not on the methods used (Stake, 2003 as cited in Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). This then led the researcher to be practical in choosing the most appropriate method to gather pertinent details. Unlike other formats, findings from cas... ... middle of paper ... ...ropriate in the context of the study. The approach isolates particular issues within a community, examines them in detail, then appraises the relative influence of variables (such as groups, individuals, and activities) contributed to their outcomes (Dahl, 1957). During the process of decision-making, the approach guided the research path by determining who successfully initiates, modifies or vetoes the decisions while being made. Much of the work based on this approach describes the way competing groups or individuals struggle within a community through creating a balanced, albeit perhaps unequal, distribution of power. Also, studies using this approach tend to develop findings that support diversity within a community power structure. It must be emphasized that this approach was used to supplement the case study to give different dimensions to the research.
A study area is expected to capture the complexity of a single case, and the methodology which enables this has developed within the social sciences. Such methodology is applied not only in the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics, but also in practice-oriented fields such as environmental studies, social work, education and business studies. In the research will try to capture the essence of case study methodology : firstly, by discussing the notions of “case study” and “case”. Secondly, by tracing its history; and finally, by making explicit its most characteristic features. The notions of “case study” and “case”. There are different ideas about what case study is. If try to find a common denominator that case study researchers (Yin 1994; Merriam 1994; Stake 1995,1998; Miles and Huberman 1994; Gillham 2001) might agree on, it would be something along the following lines: The study should have a “case” which is the object to study. The “case” should, be a complex functioning unit, be investigated in its natural context wit a multitude of methods, and must be contemporary.
Different styles of research are employed in research to safeguard that the facts are acquired to permit examiners to find resolution to the principal queries for the study correctly, therefore, evading uncertainty ( ). Acquiring relevant proof encompasses stipulating the type of proof mandatory in answering the query. Methodological designs encompass logical complications; therefore, matters of sampling, information gathering methods, and queries are secondary to the type of method used in research. Strategies are often compared with quantitative and qualitative research methods. Research and collective studies are often observed as principal specimens of quantitative research and are evaluated compared to the flaws and strong point of numerical, examination, and quantitative research methods ( ).
Within a society power serves a vital role of establishing and maintaining roles of dominance and submission (Bourdieu, 1977). This creates and maintains a social hierarchy of inequality that unconsciously determines the status, behavioural expectations and available resources for members of the community (Navarro, 2006). The meaning of power within a society is that it determines one’s social standing or relational position within the given community as well as the level of dominance or power they have available to exert onto others. Power, within a society is primarily created through the habitus, capital and culture of a
The power differences and inequality present at personal, cultural and structural levels will now be discussed. Discrimination, oppression and power are closely related because the least powerful and privileged groups of people such as Black, Asian and some ethnic minorities are treated differently. Weber (1963) defines power as ‘the chance of a man, or a number of men to realize their own will in communal action, even against the resistance of others’ (cited in Haralambos and Holborn, 1995, p 501). In other words, power is an opportunity for a person to do what they like despite of others wishes. One the other hand, Lukes (1974) suggests that power can also be defined as the ability of a person to exercise his/hers power over another person (cited in Cox et al., 1985 p 32).
The type of data collection for a qualitative research study depends on the research design. The qualitative design itself originates out of the disciplines and flow throughout the process of research (Creswell, 2014). Creswell (2014) recommends narrative, phenomenology, ethnography, case study, and grounded theory as common qualitative research methods. These were recommended because of they are popular across the social and health and science research studies. Hays and Woods (2011) asserted that selecting a research tradition congruent with one's research orientation and study purpose, and at the same time, infusing it in all phases of qualitative inquiry, is one of the key criterions for trustworthiness of the research results. Hays and Woods (2011) recommends six qualitative research traditions, including ground theory, phenomenology, consensual qualitative research, ethnography, narratology, and participative action research. Indeed, while there are additional qualitative research methods available, scholars have identified these six qualitative traditions consistently or identified them as emerging and common methods of qualitative research (Hays & Woods, 2011).
The purpose of this case study is to investigate and bring new insight to situations and behaviors within an organization. Case studies are learning tools which utilize social science research to identify and resolve individual and organizational challenges (K. Mariama-Arthur Esq., 2015).
There has been a debate over which tradition of methodology, qualitative or quantitative, can provide a better explanation while conducting social science research. Qualitative research provides in-depth case-by-case studies while quantitative, generates broader arguments accommodating a large number of cases. Many social scientists may be naturally qualitative analysts and their expertise could lie predominantly in such field (Mahoney and Goertz, 2006). Quantitative analysis, on the other hand, is preferred when the researchers want to observe common patterns among several different cases. However, both quantitative and qualitative analyses ask questions differently which may lead to different explanations, although they may be examining
Social Conflict Theory focuses on those who make who “makes the rules,” and the groups those rules target. These two groups are also known as the dominant group, whose interest are portrayed in society, and those whose interest interfere with the dominant’s interest. There is constant competition for power between the two groups, and societies laws, rules and norms develop from this struggle.
Now within the rest of this paper you will be finding a few different things getting discussed. Staring it off we will be discussing the articles that we have found to make our arguments and hypotheses. After wrapping up the literature reviews we will be discussing the hypotheses thus continuing onto our variables and indicators. Once we discuss our hypotheses we will be moving onto the research design. The research design will have our general issues, sampling, and methods.
French, J. R. P., Jr., & Raven, B. H. (1959). The bases of social power. In D. Cartwright (Ed.), Studies in social power (pp. 150–167). Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research.
The concept of power is a very broad topic that exists in many different forms. The ability to distinguish who has power from those who do not is very clear to determine. However this is not always the case. Power can be defined as the ability to force someone’s will against another in the face of resistance. Everyday activities and societal intuitions contain an inherent power structure that is constantly at play even if those affected are not aware of it. By studying power and who wields it along with the effects in society, it proposes an explanation as to why certain people possess a higher amount of opportunities than others. The sociological imagination can be used to study power by going beyond personal struggle and connecting it to
Some theorists view social interactions as an exchange of objective and subjective power (Benford & Hunt, 1992, p. 3), with social movements being created for the purpose of restructuring an imbalance in social, political, and economic power, or the way in which such power is used (Lukes 1974, pp. 24-5). The dramaturgy theory agrees that the focus of a social movement is the amendment or transformation of power relations, and goes even farther by suggesting that leaders of said movements are responsible for developing new and alternate possibilities for current power relations, and must persuade members that they are capable of generating change (Benford & Hunt, 1992, pp. 3-6). Thus, the effectiveness, quality, and sustainability of
Qualitative research was designed as a way to be directly connected with the subjects researched. Participant researchers may choose to merely observe and collect data or to be an active participant. Covert participation has the advantage of reducing the “reactive effects” of the social setting or group (Bachman & Schutt, 2012). Most researchers who use the participation method of research will often strike a balance between participation and observation. Through participation, an observer may gain the trust of the research subjects which can provide more fruitful results. Some research may however be unethical or a violation of law. A good researcher should use prudence beforehand when crafting their research design.
Case studies are a collection of data obtained using various methods gathered on an individual or group to record areas of interest in order to assist with analysis and provide recommendations. The study should include the name of the person, although this should be protected to provide anonymity where appropriate, and a brief description of the subject. The setting where the study is to be performed should be included. The aim of the observation must be presented along with a report of the findings. The type of method used will depend upon the subject and the area of interest. Data is gathered on the subject in this case observations were used to provide the data. An interpretation of the study will be made in order to provide a conclusion and recommendations made if applicable. Freud famously used the case studies that he carried out on his patients to develop his Psychoanalytic Theory.
...chniques and procedures among those associated with quantitative or qualitative research. A literature review, which included document analysis, was used to answer sub-questions one, two and three. A model building approach was suggested to answer sub-question four. In addition, the study uses a case study as a proof-of-concept. The use of a case study is a qualitative empirical study to strengthen the research validity. Since the research methods directly responding to the research questions (Literature review and Model building) make use of textual data, we classified this study as a qualitative study. Table 3.1 below summarises the classification of this study in terms of the dimensions discussed above.