Complete raw data from square peg-in-hole insertion

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stalls. That is, those who had created splinter market within the market. Also included were the male workers and people undergoing training.

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while doing something different .Such human behaviour affects the research findings and leads to the risk of developing inappropriate theory of entrepreneurial reality. Data collection processes should therefore include the interviewing of the entrepreneur, his/her family members who are involved in the business, looking at secondary documents and observation (Gamage, Cameroon and Woods 2003). Data triangulation was employed to get different viewpoints of a situation, to see deviations between proposed and actual actions and to avoid the researcher‘s biases.

The study utilized purposive sampling method. Various stages were involved in the utilization of this sampling method for the study. The study maintained geographical spread in selection of the sample by ensuring that all the eleven units of the Balogun Market were covered.

The first major stage was the selection of a contact person in a unit. The contact person helped in identifying the head of unit of the market. The remaining ten heads of unit were contacted through snowball method. The contact person served more or less like a guarantor especially when the women traders doubted the motive of the research. Most of the traders believed that we were from government institutions to impose tax on them, while some of them believe that we want to incur into their trading practices. With the present situation in Nigeria, some believe we are Advance fee fraudsters popularly known as ‗‘419‘‘. However, since the contact persons were people known to them, majority of them were relaxed and signified consent to participate in the study. Though, the educated ones among them did not give us many problems, but getting their attention was a major issue. However, after getting their attention, the researcher then had to fix appointments for interview. Most interviews were done on Sunday evenings at earlier agreed places.

Apart from being meticulous that the study was not concentrated in just one area, some other variable was also varied. Such variable included the age of the women. It was assumed that time and season which age group started textile trading differs, which would in turn affect their trading practices. There could also be differential experiences of entrepreneurial behaviour among them, which could translate to differential insights. The fieldwork also reflected differential perspectives among the younger ones and the older ones. These variations would be examined in detail in the next chapter.

Purposive sampling method was also utilized in selecting the women traders with splinter market and workers with women entrepreneurs. All case studies were sampled at the market.

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In all, eight case studies were sampled for the study. The following research instruments were adopted in data collection. Each instrument is explained with socio- economic characteristics descriptions of the respondents.

3.5.1 Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

FGDs were conducted for women traders comprising of six-eight women traders. This allowed for interactive group sessions that provided group insights and dynamics that could not be obtained at the level of individual. This also provided a frame for crosschecking and counterbalancing the findings from other sources. The FGDs examined all the empirical objectives of the study. A relatively homogeneous group was selected for each of the FGDs.

Such as, those in the same age bracket. The major reason was that there could be differential experience in entrepreneurial behaviour, challenges and different methods employed for entrepreneurial development. Therefore, age composition of the groups varied. In all, the researcher conducted eight enhanced FGDs. The FGD guide was structured based on the specific objectives of the study (see appendix).

All FGDs were conducted in Yoruba language. This was to ensure that the women had adequate understanding of the research problems. Each FGD lasted for about 40-55 minutes.

All sessions were held in a conducive environment, mostly in the living rooms. None of the FGD was held in the market. Before the take-off of the fieldwork, a training session was organized for two field assistants on the successful way to elicit responses from the respondents. It should be stressed that these two research assistants had earlier been involved academic research.

The first major step embarked on in the selection of FGD participants was the employment of contact person in the mobilization of participants. The contact person or the head of unit actually introduced us to some women in the market, they in turn introduced us to other women and inform them about our mission, and their consent to participate were then sought.

After the consents were granted, the women then asked for convenient time and the place to meet. All the FGDs were conducted in the evening mostly between 4.00 pm- 6.00pm in the living room of the women traders. Only one session was done in a week. Most of the FGDs were conducted with the help of a research assistant who was in charge of note taking. A pre-test was carried out to familiarize the research assistants with the instrument and to revalidate the instruments. The researcher was always present to facilitate the sessions. After the FGD

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sessions, translation and transcription were done immediately and the background notes were incorporated.

Table 3:6 Demographic characteristics of Yoruba Women in FGDs No FGD Conducted Age Category

2 40-45

2 46- 59

4 60 and above

Total 8

3.5.2. In-Depth Interviews (IDIs)

In-depth interviews were spread across all the units so that data generation was not geographically one-sided. At least, minimum of two in-depth interviews were conducted in each of the eleven units in the market. This ensured adequate geographical spread in the market. The researcher then set the interview appointments schedule. We limited the number of interviews to one per day. This was usually done in the afternoon/evening hours when sales will be down. The schedule was arranged this way to enable the researcher to have ample time to review interview notes and reflect on the session before going to the interview next day. In addition, transportation and traffic problems could be avoided since public transportation was the primary mode use to move from home to the market. The availability of the interviewees was also taken into account. For this reason, scheduling was made flexible enough to accommodate all of the interviewees. The times and space for each interview were suggested by the interviewees. All depended on their availabilities, comfort, confidentiality, anonymity, and security.

Characteristics of women traders in In depth- Interview (IDI) 29 2 or 3 women were chosen in each unit

11 Head of units

Total : 40

3.5. 3 Key- Informant Interview (KII)

The KII guide was structured based on the specific objectives of the study. The KII was conducted for women traders that may have knowledge on textile trading in Balogun market.

The categories of women traders chosen for key –informant interviewing were traders that

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sell from stalls and women who had retired from textile trading. The retired women were contacted through snowball method. The male traders and historians were included. In all, eighteen key –informant interviewing were held.

No of KIIs Categories

6 Women operating splinter market

5 Women traders who had retired from textile trading

5 Male textile trader

2 Historians

Total: 18

3.5.4 Case-Study

Eight (8) successful women textile traders were sampled. Success was measured by those who had been in textile trading for the minimum of ten years, who have at least two employers and two trainers working for them. They were in wholesale trade or retail trade.

Also included were those in wholesale trade that had banking services brought to their shops.

Eight cases were selected across the eleven units of the market. Multiple strategies of data generation were employed under case studies, which included observation, in-depth- interview and narrative trading practices and observation of secondary materials. Searching for cross-case patterns was very important in this study. Case- study helps in the building of theoretical understanding as it facilitated observing the patterns of behaviour of different cases and identifying the similarities and dissimilarities in the building of relationships.

Themes emerging from the empirical data require further iterative process to explore the social meanings underpinning particular actions. These social meanings are interpretations of socio-cultural realities in the context, based on understanding of how entrepreneurial behaviour fit the society and culture. The archival literature reviewed about the historical origins of economic activities of Yoruba women traders within their socio –cultural environment contributed to understanding of the deep-rooted reality of behavioural patterns and actions within the environment. Together, the analysis allows us to see subjective world of entrepreneurial activities, which influences objective reality of the Yoruba women textile traders

89 Figure 3.3

Source: Gamage,H. Cameron.D and Woods, E.( 2003) 3.6 Validity and Reliability of Research Instruments

Prior to introducing the research instrument to the actual studied population in Balogun Market, the researcher carried out a pilot study to pre-test the instrument. Seven women entrepreneurs that met the set criteria were purposively picked at Oshodi- market, where textile materials are sold. They were recruited through a local contact. The local contact introduced us to the women and explained the purpose of the research to them. We were given appointments to come back some days later. The participants in the pilot study shared similar characteristics with the respondents that were involved in the actual study. After the pilot study, minor adjustments were made to the research instrument. More questions were added to achieve the overall objective of the study.