Research design

A study‟s research design spans decisions and procedures related to methodology and how the research is to proceed (Creswell, 2009; Yin, 1984). Thus, the choice of research design is influenced by the researcher‟s ontology and epistemological thought. In order to

124 address this study‟s aims, a research design that could capture Tasmanian wine producers‟ experiences of horizontal networks and collaborative marketing from multiple

perspectives was deemed necessary. Furthermore, this study addresses gaps in the literature which reveal that a rich and in-depth understanding of inter-competitor collaboration within horizontal networks is still lacking. As such, the choice of

methodology needed to be flexible so to permit the researcher to uncover new meanings as they arise. Because interpretive researchers study phenomena within the frame of reference of their participants (Burrell & Morgan, 1979), a qualitative research design was a suitable fit with this methodological approach. Further, when the aim is to describe and explain, rather than prescribe and generalise, a qualitative methodology becomes the preferred research approach (Lindgreen, 2008).

6.3.1 Qualitative research

Qualitative research differs from quantitative research through its emphasis on words rather than numbers, and its use of less-structured data collection and analysis methods (Creswell, 2009; Van Maanen, 1983). A qualitative research approach was considered appropriate for this study as the research endeavoured to obtain insight into horizontal networks and collaborative marketing, rather than measure the scale of such activity (Hanson & Grimmer, 2007). When emergent themes constitute a study‟s focus, researchers need to be flexible in their choice of research methods (Veal, 2005) and research design (Finn, Elliott-White & Walton, 2000). Accordingly, the qualitative research approach adopted here was necessary in order to represent the range of

experiences and opinions of Tasmanian wine producers as closely as possible. A growing body of related literature supports the use of qualitative research to investigate horizontal and vertical collaboration between marketing firms (see, for example, Palmer et al., 2000) and the complexities and quality of inter-organisational relationships (see, for example, Lindgreen, 2001a).

125 One of the main strengths of qualitative research is that the findings are free to unfold and emerge through the intimate relationship between the researcher and the phenomena being studied (Guba & Lincoln, 1994). Through the application of qualitative methods, researchers can interpret the perspectives and experiences of multiple individuals in their natural environment, and therefore accurately capture the meaning people bring to what is being studied (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). Thus, the closer the researcher can get to their study‟s participants, the clearer the phenomena can be understood (Carson & Coviello, 1996; Hill, 1993; Merriam, 1988). To further accommodate such objectives, an

embryonic research design was adopted, which facilitated an iterative approach to data collection and analysis. As such, slight changes to the methodology were possible, even after the researcher had entered the field and commenced data collection (Creswell, 2009).

6.3.2 Sampling strategy

Decisions regarding methodology should be grounded in the choice of the sample and what unit of analysis to study (Patton, 2002). Because the unit(s) of analysis determines what or whom the researcher observes, it exerts a strong influence over the methods employed (Babbie, 2005). In order to answer the research questions, data were collected from individuals involved in making decisions regarding the networking activities of Tasmanian wine producing firms; thus, the organisation was the primary unit of analysis. Consistent with the network interaction approach, it is the individuals representing these businesses who actually experience the complexities of inter-competitor relationships and collaborative marketing, although it is the organisations they represent that comprise business networks.

The implication of the qualitative methodology and interpretivist perspective adopted in this study is that data were collected from a relatively small sample of Tasmanian wine producers. Maykut and Morehouse (1994: 56) advise qualitative researchers to build a sample of cases that will permit a deep understanding of the phenomenon experienced. Creswell (2009) adds that qualitative researchers should carefully select respondents and

126 cases that will enable them to understand the research problem and answer the research question(s). For the purposes of this research, respondents were carefully selected from lists of Tasmanian wine producers that were members of horizontal networks and had participated in collaborative marketing activity. This information was drawn from attendance at industry events, informant interviews (see section 6.4.1), discussions with representatives of the industry‟s peak body, inspection of wine network materials, and desk research. A decision was made that wine producers who were participants at the 2009 Tasmania Unbottled roadshow would be approached first, as these producers were assumed to have a deeper understanding of the phenomenon being studied19. After

entering the field, wine producers who were members of specific horizontal networks and some that were not, were also approached, as it was learnt that restricting the sample to just 2009 Tasmania Unbottled participants would produce a narrow picture of the

phenomenon being studied. Selecting cases that are not necessarily central to the research phenomenon is also a way qualitative researchers can avoid sampling too narrowly (Miles & Huberman, 1994).

Emphasis was placed on obtaining a diverse sample of individual wine producers, who could provide a wide-ranging volume of qualitative data. The sampling method employed was therefore, purposive sampling, which involves units of analysis being selected on the grounds that they are likely to provide „rich‟ data on the research problem (Marshall & Rossman, 1999; Patton, 2002; Shaw, 1999; Silverman, 2005). Researchers using this method must decide not only who or what to sample, but when to stop sampling (Mason, 2002). When making sampling decisions, researchers must ensure their purposive sample is diverse enough to allow comparisons between cases, and to identify reasons for any differences between the case settings or individual perspectives (Maxwell, 2005). In this study, rather than predetermining a sample size before entering the field, the selection of respondents was viewed as dynamic and interactive (Mason, 2002; Maykut & Morehouse, 1994). That is, only when the predetermined themes and issues were becoming „saturated‟ with data (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) or redundant (Guba & Lincoln, 1994), did the

19 _{The Tasmania Unbottled roadshow is an annual event organised by Wine Industry Tasmania on behalf of}

its members. The event involves approximately thirty Tasmanian wine producers, who showcase their wines in combined public, and trade, wine tastings held in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

127 sampling actually cease. In the end, a larger proportion of wine producers who were members of horizontal networks were selected, than those that were not. This was because after interviewing two non-network producers, no new issues or themes were identified. Further, because many of the wine producers selected were members of a sub- regional network but not the state-wide network, these respondents were used to obtain comparative and disconfirmatory evidence (Silverman, 2005).

In addition to obtaining a sample of network and non-network producers, this research sought to obtain the perspectives of a range of different sized wine businesses, in order to ensure all possible antecedents to, and motivations for, collaborative marketing and horizontal networking were covered. To ensure this and other objectives were met, a set of sampling criteria were used in the selection process. In this study, the size of the wine producing business, the sub-region in which it was located, and the owner/manager‟s involvement in horizontal networks, were the main criteria used to select individual businesses. In most industries, businesses are grouped into the size categories of small, medium and large according to the number of full-time staff each employs. However, due to the seasonal nature of the wine industry, many wine businesses employ only casual or seasonal workers. Thus, the only full-time equivalents are the owners themselves. For this reason, a decision was made to classify Tasmanian wine businesses according to their production levels (i.e. their annual grape crush measured in tonnes), as this was deemed to be a more accurate representation of their resource capacity and position.

In defining this set of sampling criteria, this study used a classification scheme adapted from an ACIL Consultants‟ (2003) report on SMEs in the Australian wine industry. In addition to using their categories of small, medium, and large, a fourth category for wine businesses that were classified as „boutique‟ was created. Prior to actually approaching prospective participants, the sampling strategy used in this study was approved by the University of Tasmania Ethics Committee.

Following this approval, approximately forty-five Tasmanian wine businesses were invited to participate in the study via an email to their owner or manager, which included

128 an information sheet on the study (refer to Appendix A). Some prospective wine

businesses were also contacted via telephone, if an email address was unobtainable or a response to the initial email was not received within seven days. For most of the wine businesses, the owners were contacted. However, for some of the state‟s larger wine businesses, a marketing manager or executive was deemed to be a more appropriate contact. Chance meetings at wine industry events proved useful in approaching prospective wine businesses or following up with those who were yet to answer the research invitation. Very few Tasmanian wine businesses declined the invitation outright, but many were unreachable, and after several attempts to make contact, it was assumed that these businesses were not interested in participating. The final sample consisted of thirty-three respondents, who were representatives of the same number of licensed Tasmanian wine producing businesses. This group was deemed representative of the overall Tasmanian wine industry population, particularly in terms of business size and geographical location.