Supporting Methods

3.3.4.1 Content analysis of secondary data

Secondary data may include academic journals, books, conference papers, government publications, newspaper articles, reports, theses, statistics and websites (Gray, 2004). There is little work on climate change adaptation and vulnerability and resilience of

103 tourism in academic journals. Many NGOs and development and donor agencies have published on the topics of climate change adaptation and vulnerability and resilience of communities, particularly in developing countries. Albeit not touching on tourism, these sources of data (i.e. reports) have been important to this study in understanding the vulnerability and resilience of communities in developing countries to the effects of climate change.

There are two key approaches for applying a content analysis approach to qualitative data: manifest content and latent content. Manifest content is an analysis on a very simple level, where words, pictures or objects are counted directly (Esterberg, 2002). Latent content involves a more interpretive analysis of the underlying meanings of the text (Babbie, 2007; Esterberg, 2002). In this latter approach, which is also termed ‘thematic analysis’, categorical themes are identified as core meanings of the data (Patton, 2002). Section 3.7.1 provides details of the content analysis applied to both the primary and secondary data of this study.

3.3.4.2 Observations noted in field diaries

The observations were noted in written field diaries that, when possible, were completed immediately after any activity undertaken during the field trip (Berg, 2007). This was to ensure that the field notes would reflect “what was said (or not said) and observed” (Minichiello, 1995, p. 216). It is important to record enough detail for the reader to be able to understand and comprehend the situation that was studied (Patton, 2002). Therefore, the observations covered descriptions of the destination, activities undertaken, the stakeholders, and methodology barriers that were recorded as factual and accurate descriptions without covering trivial information or irrelevant minutiae (Patton, 2002).

During the second field visit, my two colleagues, who joined me in the field for data collection, were provided with guidance as to what aspects could be covered in the field diaries based on their observations. These included: time; place of the observation; specific facts (number and details of what has happened); personal responses; specific words/phrases; summaries of conversations; insider language; and questions about people or behaviour for future considerations, in accordance with Chiseri-Strater and Sunstein (2001 paraphrased in Berg 2007).

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Research involving observation allows for exploring the world in many ways (Patton, 2002). The use of observational analysis in research allows the reader to be taken into the setting that was observed (Patton, 2002). The observation technique applied in the fieldwork in Vanuatu was informal and casual in nature and covered observations of interview settings and the buildings of government departments and organisations (with permission). Such observations provide an indication of a person’s status or a department or organisation’s climate and/or impoverishment (Yin, 2009).

Similarly, the technique was applied to achieve new dimensions for understanding the context (Yin, 2009) of the tourism system in Vanuatu. This was deemed important, as it was highly likely that the respondents would not see their involvement in tourism as part of a bigger tourism system. It was also applied for its ability to be an effective research method, when there is a need to understand the complexity of a situation, thereby considering that there are limits to the knowledge that can be gained from what people have said, verbally as well as written (Patton, 2002).

Table 3-3 presents a summary of the methods applied, the purpose of these methods and how they were applied in terms of the sources, participants and deployment. A further discussion of how the primary methods are applied in this thesis is provided in Section 3.6 on instrument construction.

105 TABLE 3-3: A SUMMARY OF THE METHODS APPLIED IN THE THESIS PROJECT

Method Purpose Sources, participants and deployment

Interviews (in-depth and semi-

structured)

Applied in order to: (1) gain information about the actions and reactions, motives and meanings of people in the context of everyday life (Minichiello et al., 1995); and (2) allow for more sensitive questions (i.e. questions about financial and skill levels) to be asked in a more sensitive manner than other methods would allow for.

Participants:

The 37 interview participants represented the range of stakeholders of the dive tourism sector from the following four stakeholder groups: (1) donor/development agencies; (2) NGOs; (3) private sector; and (4) public sector.

Deployment:

Participants were selected through convenience sampling techniques.

Group discussions

Applied in order to: (1) develop an understanding of multiple perspectives and opinions (of what or who made the tourism system function and what events have impacted the system in the past); and (2) identify trends and patterns in these perceptions (Krueger & Casey, 2009). Furthermore, it allowed a discussion of what actions were required to deal with future shocks and stressors.

Participants: 24 participants out of 40 actively participated in discussions over the course of the three group discussions held in Port Vila, Luganville and Port Olry.

Deployment:

Participants were selected through convenience sampling techniques.

Content analysis of secondary data

Provided the contextual information (Patton, 2002) that: (1) informed the selection of the case study destination; (2) highlighted factors and processes that may influence the destination’s vulnerability to climate change not covered in the primary data; (3) helped shape and inform the interview questions; and (4) identified possible key informants for primary data collection.

Sources:

 Newspaper articles

 Government policies and plans  Guide books  History books  Reports  Academic literature o Text books o Journal articles Observation noted in field diaries

Applied to understand the complexity of the situation (Patton, 2002) and aimed to: (1) identify further stakeholder groups; (2) highlight any power relationships between

stakeholders; (3) identify characteristics of the tourism destination; and (4) confirm key aspects of the tourism system and identify new aspects that were not already identified in the analysis of secondary data.

Sources:

Observation during transportation to and from Vanuatu and Luganville, in the host

community and during data collection activities.

Deployment:

Immediately after any activity was undertaken during the field trip, field notes were completed covering aspects such as: date and time; place of the observation; specific facts (number and details of what has happened); sensory impressions (sights, sounds, textures, smells, tastes); personal responses; specific

words/phrases and summaries of conversations (Berg, 2007).

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