The sample size of 21% of the total population was not necessary. It was a large proportion considering the type of research that was being carried out. In determining the sample size, the total population does not matter but how varied the population is ( Nicholas, 2008). Let us use an example to justify that the sample was large. For example, let us assume that the population of Spain was exactly the same. What sample size will be needed to conduct a research? Only one person will be needed because he or she can be used to characterize the whole population with 100% precision since there is no variability in the population (Gojanovic, 2007). For this reason, since the research only focused on one industry and asked questions that only affected the banking employees, there was no need to take such a large sample. Secondly, given the data collection tool that was to be used to collect the data, it was only proper for a smaller sample to be used. Travelling to every point to dispatch the questionnaires and collecting them back was time consuming and costly taking into account they were 15,000 questionnaires to be dispatched and collected from the 63 banks across Belgium.
Simple random sampling or probability sampling was used to select the employees from each of the banks. This is because the employees were selected without using any trick. There are advantages as much as disadvantages that come along with using simple random sampling as a method of selecting samples. The following are advantages and disadvantages of using simple random sampling.
Advantages of simple random sampling
Disadvantages of simple random sampling
Cronbach’s alpha measures reliability or internal consistency of a set of scaled variables. Scaled variables are those variables that are normally weighed on a likert scale. For example, a research might want to know the extent to which the respondents agree or disagree with a certain situation. An example of a question is, ‘half of the college students are drunkards’. The responses can therefore be rated as, ‘1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree and 5 = strongly agree’. Chronbach’s alpha measures the strength of the consistency. The reliability coefficient ranges from 0 to 1 (Dovich & Robert, 2010). The higher the value of the chronbach coefficient, the higher the chances that the items are measuring the same concept. A cronbach coefficient of 0.5 and below is considered unacceptable while a coefficient that is above 0.65 is considered appropriate. The cronbach alpha values obtained for the items in the research were all above 0.8. This is an indication that the items have high internal consistency. This test helps in qualitative research where likert scales are used. The cronbach alpha value will help the research identify the items that should be removed from the questionnaire and the items that should be retained. The items with low internal consistency are normally removed from the list items while the items with higher internal consistency are retained.
Although the research was about establishing the associations between quantitative and qualitative job insecurity and well-being, other variables such as demographic variables help the research to further establish whether the presence of demographics played a role in influencing some of the associations found (McCaslin, 2014). For example perceptions of females about job insecurity and well-being might be different from the males’ perception about job insecurity and well-being. On the same note, people with different employees with different educational backgrounds might be treated differently in places of work thus having divergent opinions about certain ideas. So establishing associations with these segmentations might help the research have a more informative outcome which will help in characterizing the whole population. In some research such as longitudinal research, demographic information of the participants is important as it helps the research keep track of all the participants so as to monitor and evaluate their progress.
This is a survey type of research design. This is because the research was based on wanting to collect information about a well-defined situation using a questionnaire. To add on, a written questioning has been involved in the collection of data. It is also considered a survey design since the research is focused on establishing the measures of attitudes, behavior and habits of the respondents concerning a particular situation which in this case was bank employees’ opinion about their satisfaction at their workplaces. Surveys therefore require information so that they can describe a particular situation, analyze the situation, find problem to the situation and identify the solution to the problem.
Advantages of surveys
The advantages of survey as a research design are numerous. It is easier to execute compared to other research designs. It is also not complicated thus very simple to develop compared to other research designs. To add on, if the right mode is applied, this design can lead to a reduction of the cost of conducting research (Petty, 2015). It is also a convenient method since the surveys can be conducted in various platforms such as on mobile phones, on telephone, through mails and on online platforms. The method also enables collection of data from a large number of respondents. The method also allows more than one question to be asked concerning a particular subject. This enables the research to have exhaustive information about a particular subject. Lastly, survey designs are normally free of errors especially when they are standardized. It can also be added that with surveys, there is always a lot of flexibility when it comes to questioning of the respondents. On the same note, in surveys, the interviewer will always have a larger control of the interview process. For example he or she is the one who decides who to ask questions and when to ask them. He or she also decides when to engage the whole sample. This ensures that there is order in the whole process of data collection. This method also ensures that there is high rate of response since the interviewer can always revisit the questions and make them clearer to the respondent thus ensuring high rate of feedback. Survey method also enables the researcher to be able to collect supplement data that might help in explaining some situations which need further explanation. This is not possible with other methods of data collection. In social research, surveys always come in handy as it involves collection of peoples opinions and views about certain aspects of their lives. This ensures that first-hand information is obtained from the sample. This in turn makes the results after data analysis to be valid and with minimal errors. This type of primary data can be used to accurately characterize the whole population.
Disadvantages of surveys
In surveys, respondents might give inaccurate or responses which are not honest. This might lead to wrong results when the data is eventually analyzed. Some respondents may also conceal very important information in fear that it will portray them in bad picture. Closed-ended questions in this type of design may restrict the respondents thus leading to lower validity levels for those questions. Some survey questions that already have option answers might be interpreted wrongly by the respondents thus leading to wrong information being collected. For example answers on a likert scale such as ‘agree’ and ‘somehow agree’ may be interpreted differently by different people. Errors may also arise in this research design due to cases of non-responses. Some questions might appear so sensitive to the respondent thus making him or her shy away from answering the question in the presence of the interviewer. For example a respondent might find it hard to disclose his or her monthly income to the interviewer due to the privacy nature of the question and for security purposes. However, in other methods of data collection, the respondent is able to disclose even the private information since he or she is alone.
References
Nicholas, L. (2008). Zero Acceptance Number Sampling Plans (5 ed.). Milwaukee: Quality Press.
Dovich, F., & Robert, A. (2010). Reliability Statistics . Milwaukee:: Quality Press.
Gojanovic, T. (2007). “Zero Defect Sampling”, Quality Progress (2 ed., Vol. 4).
McCaslin, M. J. (2014). The need for cognition. Handbook of individual differences in social behaviour. New York: Guilford Press.
Petty, R. E. (2015). The need for cognition. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology(46), 116–131.
Essay Writing Service Features
Our Experience
No matter how complex your assignment is, we can find the right professional for your specific task. Contact Essay is an essay writing company that hires only the smartest minds to help you with your projects. Our expertise allows us to provide students with high-quality academic writing, editing & proofreading services.
Free Features
Free revision policy
$10Free bibliography & reference
$8Free title page
$8Free formatting
$8How Our Essay Writing Service Works
First, you will need to complete an order form. It's not difficult but, in case there is anything you find not to be clear, you may always call us so that we can guide you through it. On the order form, you will need to include some basic information concerning your order: subject, topic, number of pages, etc. We also encourage our clients to upload any relevant information or sources that will help.
Complete the order form
Once we have all the information and instructions that we need, we select the most suitable writer for your assignment. While everything seems to be clear, the writer, who has complete knowledge of the subject, may need clarification from you. It is at that point that you would receive a call or email from us.
Writer’s assignment
As soon as the writer has finished, it will be delivered both to the website and to your email address so that you will not miss it. If your deadline is close at hand, we will place a call to you to make sure that you receive the paper on time.
Completing the order and download