Research Methodology Research Philosophy
5.4 Research Design
5.4.4 Research Participant’s selection process
5.4.5.2 Field notes
Field notes are considered as an important data collection method in qualitative research. Since the human mind cannot keep a full record of everything in mind, field notes allow the researcher to retain and process gathered data (Lofland & Lofland, 1999). In other words, it means that the researcher must be able to record in the field notes all those important points which are said in the interview without personal evaluation and judgment as comprehensively as possible. For example, what and who was involved? What and where the activity occurred? Moreover, "field notes should be written no later than the morning after." Besides discipline, field notes also involve luck, feelings, timing, whimsy and art" (Bailey, 1996, p. xiii).
At this stage, it is important to understand that field notes can not only use as a data collection method but also data analysis technique (Morgan, 1997). Since field notes include
interpretation of data by the researcher they are communicating, “Part of the analysis rather
than the data collection” (Morgan, 1997, pp. 57-58). However, one has to keep in mind that the “basic datum of phenomenology is the conscious human being”, or the lived experiences of the participants in the research (Bentz & Shapiro, 1998, p. 98; Heron, 1996), it is quite important that the researcher should do everything in his/her to prevent premature categorization of the data involved (Caelli, 2001; Miles & Huberman, 1984). Field notes allow the researcher to clarify each interview settings and get closer to actual lived experiences of the participants.
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5.4.6 Sampling process
Population sampling for the intended study is based on purposive sampling and involves convenience and snowball methods as major analytical tools to conduct this study. As stated above, the researcher has selected 26 entrepreneurs for this particular research topic since this number is considered appropriate for qualitative research projects (Guest et al., 2006). Also, the researcher has limited his interviews to England as the majority of the Muslim population in the UK reside in the north-west (mainly Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford, and London) (Office of National Statistics, 2011).
13 of these participants are males, and the 13 are females and have their independent businesses.it is the intention of the researcher to recruit participants from both genders equally. The ages of the participants range from 19 to 46 with two participants in there mid 40's. Among these participants, two of them have their own offices while the rest operates from home. Majority of the participants are in the initial years of their business (average four years). 16 out of 26 participants are married in their ethnicity and have 1 to three children respectively while the rest of them are single and currently living with their parents. All of these participants first, second and third generation born British Muslims and consider themselves as practicing Muslims. The name of these participants due to confidentially agreement signed will remain confidential. Nevertheless, the researcher will refer to them in the following section as RM1 (Respondent Male 1), RF2 (Respondent Female 2) and onwards. Further details about participants in terms of their gender, location, and nature of business are presented in table 5.1 below.
149 No Research Participants
Male and Female (RM & RF)
Gender Location Ethnicity Nature of Business
1 RF1 Female Bradford British
Indian
Dietitian
2 RF2 Female Manchester British
Pakistani
Herbal lifestyle coach
3 RF3 Female London British
Pakistani
Artificial Jewellery
manufacturer and supplier
4 RM4 Male Manchester British
Indian
Wholesale (General
cloths) supplier
5 RM5 Male London British
Pakistani
Halal food
manufacturer
6 RM6 Male Manchester British
Pakistani
Halal meal prep
company focussing
bodybuilders
7 RF7 Female Manchester British
African
Audiologist
8 RF8 Female Coventry British
Pakistani
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9 RF9 Female Birmingham British
Pakistani
Entrepreneurial consultant
10 RM10 Male Manchester British
Pakistani
Hookah Supplier
11 RM11 Male Birmingham British
Pakistani
Online Halal food
delivery service
12 RF12 Female Manchester British
Pakistani
App developer
13 RM13 Male Oldham British
Banglades hi
Digital platform
provider
14 RF14 Female Birmingham British
Pakistani
Islamic toy store
supplier
15 RM15 Male Birmingham British
Pakistani
Islamic greeting cards
manufacturer and
supplier
16 RF16 Female London British
Pakistani
TV presenter and
lifestyle coach
17 RF17 Female Birmingham British
Pakistani
Marketing and
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18 RM18 Male Manchester British
Pakistani
Camel Milk supplier
19 RM19 Male Manchester British
Iraqi
eBay Seller B(Women Cloths)
20 RF20 Female Birmingham British
Banglades hi
Amazon Seller
(Kitchen accessories)
21 RF21 Female Birmingham British
Banglades hi
Amazon Seller
(Sportswear)
22 RF22 Female London British
Pakistani
Motivational speaker
23 RM23 Male Manchester British
Pakistani
eBay seller A
(Horsewear)
24 RM24 Male Manchester British
Banglades hi
Takeaway
25 RM25 Male Manchester British
Pakistani
Coffeehouse
26 RM26 Male Manchester British
Pakistani
eBay seller (women shoes)
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Researchers conducting Phenomenological research normally use purposive sampling since the small sample size can offer a satisfactory perspective if given Sufficient contextualisation (Smith & Osborn, 2003; Goulding, 2005). There is no right sample size in phenomenological research (Smith & Osborn, 2003). Small sample size has the potential to provide the essence of experiences since large sample size result in “potentially subtle inflections of meaning‟ (Collins & Nicolson, 2002. p.626). Also, there is a growing consensus related to the use of small sample size when conducting phenomenological research (Smith, 2004; Reid et al., 2005). In the next section, the researcher will discuss the ethical consideration for this study including the participant's consent form and privacy.