Qualitative Data Collection

As described in section 4.2, qualitative data were used to enrich the interpretation of the results of hypotheses testing, thus realising the sequential explanatory mixed methods design (Creswell et al., 2003; Ivankova, Creswell, & Stick, 2006). The qualitative data of my study were gathered from two sources. The main source was semi-structured interviews focusing on the meaning behind the outcomes of testing the research model of my study (see section 4.5.1 for a discussion of the semi- structured interview design). Open-ended questions incorporated into each section of the survey instrument (see section 4.5.2 for a detailed discussion of the open-ended questions) were also used as a source of qualitative data.

4.5.1 Interviews

The main source of qualitative data in my study was semi-structured interviews. Semi-structured interviews can result in richer, more in-depth data than survey questionnaires (including survey questionnaires with open-ended questions) because interviewers can ask follow-up questions to clarify the information provided by the respondents, to encourage the respondents to provide more relevant information, and to seize opportunities when unexpected relevant information is mentioned (Gillis &

147 4.5.1.1 Interview Participants

The survey conducted in my study (introduced in section 4.3.1) included a question asking the respondents if they were willing to participate in a follow-up interview, and, if yes, to provide their contact details. All of the respondents that indicated the willingness to participate in follow-up interviews were contacted; however, only some of them found time to be interviewed. In the survey, 151 responses were obtained, 35 of the respondents were willing to participate in follow-up interviews; and only five of the respondents that initially agreed to be interviewed found time to be interviewed. For a more detailed discussion of the response rate, refer to section 5.2.

All of the respondents that were available for interviews were interviewed. No selection criteria were applied as all of the interview participants self-selected. This may have introduced bias, but there was no alternative way to collect in-depth qualitative data.

4.5.1.2 Interview Questions

I developed the interview questions (listed in Table 4-8) based on the results of the hypotheses testing (relative advantage and external pressure were found to affect the breadth of e-procurement use, and compatibility was found to affect the depth of e- procurement use, see section 5.8.2.1 for details). First, the participants were asked to elaborate in general on the possible determinants of the breadth and the depth of e- procurement use within their organisations. Then, the questionnaire focused on the factors found to have effect based on the analysis of the quantitative data collected in my study.

No evidence of the effects of top management support was found in the quantitative data analysis, which I found to be particularly surprising (see the discussion in section 3.4.2.1). Therefore, I also included questions asking the respondents to elaborate on the possible effects of top management support. Nonetheless, to establish focus and to ensure that interview duration was acceptable to the interview participants, I did not explicitly cover other hypotheses in the research model (see

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Figure 3-1 for the research model) that were not confirmed in quantitative data analysis.

Table 4-8 Semi-Structured Interview Questions

Breadth of e-procurement use

According to your response to the original survey, your organisation relies on a range of e- procurement functionalities. How did you come up with the range of the functionalities you use? In particular, how did your organisation arrive at the decision on which e-procurement functionalities to use and which not to use?

Factors affecting the breadth of e-procurement use

Relative advantage At your organisation, how does the perception of the degree to which e-procurement offers advantages influence the range of e- procurement functionalities you use?

External pressure How do your trading partners and other external organisations influence the range of e-procurement functionalities you use?

Top management support In your opinion, in which ways does top management support influence the range of e-procurement functionalities you use?

Depth of e-procurement use

According to your response to the original survey, the total monetary value of goods and services purchased online ranges from 70% for indirect goods to 100% for direct and indirect services. In your opinion, what influences the total monetary value of goods and services purchased online? In particular, how do various factors in your organisation and in its environment determine this number?

Factors affecting the depth of e-procurement use

Compatibility How does the compatibility of e-procurement with your

organisation's culture influence this number (if at all)? By organisation's culture, I refer to factors such as your organisation’s preferred work style, existing work practices, prior experience, and values.

Top management support In your opinion, in which ways does top management support influence the total monetary value of goods and services you purchase online?

Other Is there anything else you would like to add?

4.5.1.3 Interview Procedures

As described in section 4.5.1.1, 35 respondents agreed to participate in the interviews. I contacted the respondents via e-mail to make specific arrangement. (Initially, e- mail addresses were available only for 30 of them; I was able to obtain the e-mail addresses of the remaining five by contacting them by phone.)

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I e-mailed all of the 35 prospective interview participants a cover letter outlining the purpose of the interview, stating the estimated interview duration (10 to 15 minutes), and asking if they would allow me to record the interview. I also asked the prospective interview participants to indicate the date and the time when they would be available to be interviewed. A copy of this e-mail is given in Appendix E.

Only five of the prospective interview participants found time to be interviewed. All of them were interviewed, and all of them gave me permission to record their interviews.

The interview questions were e-mailed to the interview participants several days prior the interview sessions. This was to enable the participants to reflect on the possible answers in advance.

All of the interviews were conducted in May 2011, two months after the results of the survey were available. The interviews were conducted using the Skype phone service to minimise costs. While conducting the interviews, I asked follow-up questions, depending on the situation, to obtain clarifications and to explore the relevant issues in further detail.

All of the interviews were recorded as MP3 files via MP3 Skype Recorder. The interviews took between 10 to 20 minutes (slightly longer than the initial estimate).

The interview recordings were transcribed in several stages. First, I transcribed the interview recordings in full. The transcription process took about two days to complete. The initial transcription allowed me to identify the parts of the recordings that were particularly relevant to my study. I split the MP3 recordings to extract the parts that were relevant (about 95% of the original recordings), and got them transcribed independently using a professional transcription service. The transcription service took about half a day to return the transcripts and charged me for five hours of work. I validated the transcript by comparing my own transcript with the transcript made by the service. Some minor differences were discovered and resolved by accessing the recordings.

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4.5.2 Open-Ended Questions in the Survey

Some of the qualitative data were collected via open-ended questions incorporated in the main survey instrument. In this respect, the design of my study was similar to the design of the study by Bhattacherjee and Premkumar (2004). Bhattacherjee and Premkumar tested a model explaining changes in user attitudes to the use of a computer-based training system and of rapid application development software by fitting quantitative data using PLS SEM. Bhattacherjee and Premkumar incorporated open-ended questions into their survey instrument. The open-ended questions enabled the respondents to elaborate on their attitudes. The resulting qualitative data were used to enrich the interpretation of quantitative findings. Bhattacherjee and Premkumar found that the qualitative data obtained via open-ended questions enabled deeper interpretations of the quantitative findings of their study.

An open-ended question was added at the end of each section of the survey instrument prompting the respondents to comment on their answers to closed-ended questions in the section (the full survey instrument is given in Appendix A).