Qualitative Data: Interviews

One of the main objectives of the research is to explore and identify employees‘ perceptions, understandings and awareness‘ of privacy at their workplace and the main issues related to it. This requires obtaining in-depth data and information to gain insights into the current privacy situation of an organisation. Interviews are needed to enhance the main outcomes of the quantitative data. This data was collected through face-to-face interviews with the principal personnel of the organisation.

Face-to-Face Interviews

Face-to-face interviews provide visual interaction components between the researcher and the interviewee, unlike telephone interviews (May 2011). This type of information is important because of the nature of the project‘s aims and objectives, which require exploration into the interviewees‘ perceptions, feelings and opinions. Face-to-face interviews with key personnel of Abu Dhabi Education Council were carried out in order to explore and identify employees‘ perceptions of privacy and the main factors influencing their behaviours regarding privacy. The number of the interviews, participants and justification for selecting the participants presented and discussed in section 4.4 and Table 4-2. Face-to-face interviews can be used to explore an interviewee‘s perception and attitude regarding a particular issue based on the interviewees‘ experience, knowledge and understanding of that issue, which is difficult to obtain through questionnaires (Mcqueen and Knussen 2002). To ensure that data and information that would achieve the goals of the interview are obtained, the interviewer must be skilled. This is due to the need to interact directly with interviewees and efficiently manage and control the interview process.

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The research designed semi-structured interviews to discuss and explore the research topics, (see Appendix E). Questions are designed that reflect the research topics and ensure that the interviewees‘ answers were based on their experience, knowledge and understanding of the topic in question. The research was non-intrusive to encourage the interviewees to explore their perceptions, attitudes and opinions towards the research topics. Some of the interviews undertook in English language and some in Arabic based on the interviewees language competence. Interviews in Arabic language transcripts translated to English and have the scripts available in both languages.

Interview Structure

Section A: Main Issues and Problems

This section‘s main purpose is to discuss in depth the main issues and problems of privacy at their workplace and in a society based on the interviewees' experience and knowledge. This is needed to get understanding and identify the privacy issues. Section B: Employees‘ Perception towards Privacy

The main purpose of this section is to discuss at depth the employees' privacy perception in order to understand and explain their behaviour towards privacy. This is needed to provide a qualitative data statement to support the main outcomes of the research.

Section C: Employees‘ Perception towards Different Types of Information

The main purpose of this section is to discuss in depth the employees' perception towards the types of information considered as private information. The discussion aims to find out which types of information are sensitive when disclosed to third parties. This is needed to be cooperated with the focus groups to provide a final list of the kinds of information considered as private and sensitive information. This is necessary for developing privacy policies and laws in the UAE in general, and Abu Dhabi Emirate in particular.

Section D: Definitions and Understanding of Privacy from the UAE Perception

This section‘s main purpose is to discuss in depth the definition and understanding of the term privacy from the UAE perception. This is needed to explore the different

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opinions and attitudes towards defining and understanding privacy and their perception of the term privacy. This is needed for a lack of generic agreement in the term privacy worldwide, and there is no precise definition of privacy in Arabic language dictionary.

Section E: Main Constructs for Employees‘ Attitudes and Behaviour towards Privacy This section‘s main purpose is to discuss the employees' attitude towards privacy in order to explore the main factors influencing the employees' behaviour. This is needed to develop and design conceptual models for the employees' behaviour towards other employees. The main outcome of this section is also needed to help in explaining the main outcomes of the quantitative data and the factors influencing individual behaviour towards privacy.

Section F: Open Question: Add any Other Issues of Privacy not covered in the interview

The main aim of this section is to give the interviewee the opportunity to add any comments or issues of privacy that have not been covered and discussed throughout the interviews.

Interview Strategy

The main strategy adopted in this research can be summarised in the following statements:

 Interviews carried out at the interviewee‘s appropriate date and time.  Interviews conducted in a comfortable place at the organisation with no

interruption to the interview process.

 Recording the interview based on the interviewees‘ preference, writing the responses or audio recording the interview.