Chapter 3
Methods and Procedures
This chapter will discuss the methods and procedures used and done in the study: the research method, the sample and sampling technique, the data collection method, the validation of the instrument and the statistical treatment of data.
Research Method Used
The descriptive approach was used in this study to determine the reasons for the turnover of Saudi Arabian Airlines Aircraft mechanics into non-technical jobs. According to Creswell (1994), a descriptive research tries to explore the cause of a particular phenomenon. It also intends to present facts concerning the nature and status of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study. In addition, such approach tries to describe present conditions, events or systems based on the impressions or reactions of the respondents of the research.
Basically, a descriptive research utilizes observations and surveys. For this reason, the researcher chose this approach because it is the intention of the researcher to gather first hand data from Saudi Airlines mechanics to determine the reasons for their turnover from a technical job to a non-technical position. This way, the researcher will be able to formulate sound conclusions and recommendations at the end of the study. The descriptive approach is also quick and more practical financially. Moreover, this method will allow for a flexible approach, thus, when important new issues and questions arise during the duration of the study, a further investigation may be allowed. Further, this type of approach will allow the researcher to drop unproductive areas of research from the original plan of the study.
However, this research is also partly based on quantitative research method so as to permit a flexible and iterative approach. The choice and design of methods are constantly modified during data gathering based on ongoing analysis. This allowed for an investigation of important new issues and questions as they arose.
This study also employed partly qualitative research method, since this research intends to find theories that would explain the relationship of one variable with another variable through qualitative elements in research. These qualitative elements does not have standard measures, rather they are behaviour, attitudes, opinions, and beliefs.
The qualitative research is described as multi-method in focus, involving an interpretative, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. This means that a qualitative researcher studies things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them. Accordingly, a qualitative researcher deploys a wide range of interconnected methods, hoping always to get a better fix on the subject matter at hand. (Walliman and Bousmaha, 2001)
This research study basically aims to determine the reasons why Saudi Arabian Airlines Aircraft mechanics shift from a technical job to a non-technical position. Specifically, this study hopes to determine the kind of organisational culture present in the Saudi Arabian Airlines, to know if the Saudi Arabian Airlines and the culture orientation of their employees clash against each other, to identify the compensation schemes of the Saudi Arabian Airlines, to know the views of the aircraft mechanics towards the compensation schemes of the Saudi Arabian Airlines, to determine how the work in Saudi Arabian Airlines affect the personal lives of their employees, and to know the assessment of the employees of Saudi Arabian Airlines, specifically the Airlines' aircraft mechanics, on the management of Saudi Arabian Airlines and how they deal with employees.
Sample and Sampling Technique
The respondents of the study came from the Saudi Arabian Airlines, with job positions of hangar maintenance technician, line maintenance technician, and shop maintenance technician. Due to time constraint and also, for the convenience of the researcher, only thirty (30) respondents were considered for the study. The convenience sampling technique was imposed in the study to pick up the thirty respondents, mainly because the availability of the Saudi Arabian Airlines mechanics was considered.
This part of the study is important because the most important data needed to fulfil the objectives of this study will only be supplied by the respondents from the Saudi Arabian Airlines.
Data Collection Method to be Used
In gathering the data needed in this study, the survey method, also known as the questionnaire method, was utilized. The researcher constructed a questionnaire and administered them to the respondents, the mechanics of the Saudi Arabian Airlines. The respondents were requested to answer the inquiries in the survey-questionnaire, each grading the statements using the Likert scale. The equivalent weights for the answers will be:
Range Interpretation
0.00 – 1.49 Strongly Agree
1.50 – 2.49 Agree
2.50 – 3.49 Undecided
3.50 – 4.00 Disagree
4.50 – 5.00 Strongly Disagree
In the Likert technique, a set of attitude statements are presented, where subjects of a study are asked to express agreement or disagreement using a five-point scale. The degree of agreement is given a numerical value ranging from one to five, thus a total numerical value can be calculated from all the responses. (Underwood, 2004)
Validation of the Instrument
For validation purposes, the researcher pre-tested a sample of the set survey questionnaires. This was done by conducting an initial survey to at least five respondents from the Saudi Arabian Airlines. After the respondents answered, the researchers then asked them to cite the parts of the questionnaire that needs improvement. The researcher even asked for suggestions and corrections from the respondents to ensure that the survey-questionnaire is effective. Automatically, these five respondents were not included as respondents for the study.
Statistical Treatment of Data
After all the data from the researcher-made questionnaire were collected, the following statistical formulae were used:
1. Percentage – to determine the magnitude of the responses to the questionnaire.
n
% = -------- x 100 ; n – number of responses
N N – total number of respondents
2. Weighted Mean
f1x1 + f2x2 + f3x3 + f4x4 + f5x5
x = --------------------------------------------- ;
xt
where: f – weight given to each response
x – number of responses
xt – total number of responses
The researcher will be assisted by the SPSS in coming up with the statistical analysis for this study.
Reference:
Creswell, J.W. 1994. Research design. Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks , California
Underwood, Mick. (2004). The Likert Scale. In Communication Studies, Cultural Studies, Media Studies (CMMS) Infobase. Available at: [www.cultsock.ndirect.co.uk/MUHome/cshtml/index.html]. Accessed: [15/01/04 ].
Walliman, Nicholas and Bousmaha Baiche. (2001) Your research project. California
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