Document analysis involves the reviewing and analysis of official documents that were useful in terms of the information and themes the research was investigating. The documents include policy documents, circulars and reports.
Table 2: List of documents
NO. DOCUMENT PLACE INFORMATION
REQUIRED 1 Policy documents Ministry
Headquarters and District education office
Origin and aims
decentralisation and roles and responsibilities devolved. 2 Circulars Ministry Headquarters and District education office. Instructions and procedures of operations in relation to decentralisation. 3 Reports(such as decentralisation evaluation reports) Ministry Headquarters and District education office
Project reports and decentralisation evaluation reports.
3.5 DATA ANALYSIS
Data analysis can be described as the systematic search and arranging of data from interview transcripts, which increases an understanding of the data and enables a clear and structured presentation. The qualitative data analysis is an ongoing process, which is integrated into all phases of qualitative research (McMillan and Schumacher, 2006: 417). McMillan and Schumacher (2006: 417) argue that the data to be analysed has to pass through inductive analysis which involves data coding, data categorizing and interpretation before providing an
explanation that makes sense. The qualitative data will be analysed using grounded theory. According to Merriam (1998), grounded theory involves grouping data into segments and categories which are compared to derive similarities and differences. The analysis seeks to establish pattern in the data and any relationship development developed from such patterns builds on into a theory grounded in the data.
Cross-case analysis within and between districts was used to explore relationship and patterns that will emerge from the individual districts.
3.6 VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY
Validity is a judgment of appropriateness of a measure. It is important to have validity in relation to instruments used to collect and analyse data (McMillan and Schumacher (2006: 324). This study has tried to describe and justify all the instruments and methods in use in terms of their appropriateness at ensuring validity of data collection and analysis. This was also done by conducting a pilot study to test the interview schedule and improve it.
Reliability is a measure of consistency, which is the extent to which the results are similar over different forms of the same instrument or occasion of data collection (McMillan and Schumacher, 2006: 183). The researcher tried to ensure that the respondents felt at ease during the interviews and had time to reflect on the questions to ensure that their answers were genuine. Thus, the study tried to get different data collection approaches and methods to maximize the reliability and validity of the findings.
3.7 RESEARCH ETHICS
of the individual, individual privacy and informed willingness on the part of the subject to participate voluntarily in the research activity. Since the issue this study is investigating might result in some respondents not giving information by fear of reprisal by their managers, it was imperative to be ethically conscious by explaining the importance of the investigation and the type of information required and guarantee respondents’ confidentiality by respondents’ anonymity.
3.8 LIMITATIONS
The limitation of the study is that no generalisation can be made. The fact that the case study was only on two districts is a limitation because, if this was a fully- fledged project, a much broader area and sample population would have been included in the investigation. The study may suffer from the weakness that interpretive studies are inclined to exhibit, which is the subjective nature of interpretive case study research. My use of triangulation at different stages may hopefully have gone a long way towards validating my findings. Accessibility of interviewees in Malawi was a problem because of the short time spent there and the interviewees’ busy schedules. Lack of trust emanated every now and then because some questions touched on the performance of their units/institutions and therefore their bosses and the interviewees had some reservations about sharing all their views openly. These appeared to have constituted the main limitations of the study.
3.9 SUMMARY
I have shown that this study is conducted in an interpretive paradigm as a way of capturing the rich detail of the researched phenomenon. The significance of the interpretive orientation and qualitative approach has been pointed out. I have supported the use of case study method in my investigation as appropriate because it helps in understanding the deeper features of a case in a given context.
I have shown that, apart from document analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain an understanding of various actors’ perceptions of the impact of decentralisation and also to have a two-way interaction and discussion to allow for greater depth.
Data analysis and discussion was done after a thorough understanding of the interviews’ content. The selected themes from the literature were used to summarize and categorize the data collected and to highlight the important features of the decentralisation implementation process.
I have noted that ethical considerations have been accommodated to ensure that the research is conducted honestly and that respect for people was an overriding consideration.
CHAPTER 4
IMPLEMENTATION OF DECENTRALISATION AND ITS IMPACT ON TWO