Targeted population and sample size

This study targeted only few firms operating in the textile and clothing industry in the SAR, especially in South Africa, Mauritius and DRC. This study consisted of forty (40) firms operating in the textile and clothing sector from South Africa, Mauritius and DRC which were registered with their respective Federations, as an acceptable convenient sampling size to assure

validity and representation. Forty (40) firms was the targeted sample size which represented 10% of the firms in the population from KwaZula Natal Province, Eastern Cape Province and Mauritius. All these firms operated throughout the period under investigation and none of the firms had shut down. And each firm was independent of each other. To assure a meaningful response rate, the researcher proposed to contact the different participants on how to collect data at work or by telephone at a mutually acceptable time. The total population of this study consisted of the number of the textile and clothing firms operating in this sector and registered by their respective Federations, National Bargaining Councils or Trade Union. Thus, the researcher targeted only owners, managing directors and HR managers as respondents to complete the questionnaires. And the key informants were contacted telephonically at a mutually accepted time to help complete the fieldwork.

According to the National Bargaining Council for Clothing Manufacturing and Garment Knitting Industries (2009), at least one hundred and sixty (160) firms are operating in the clothing and garment sector in KwaZulu Natal Province. Furthermore, SACTWU (2009) indicates that only sixty-seven (67) firms are operating in the textile and clothing industry in the Eastern Cape Province. The researcher chose only these two provinces dues to their close proximity, easy access to documentations and low cost purposes enabling the researcher to conduct his research easily as the researcher leave in Eastern Cape Province. KwaZulu Natal Province was also chosen due to a high concentration of the textile and clothing firms in the Durban area while three areas were chosen from the Eastern Cape Province with an average concentration of the textile and clothing firms in Port Elizabeth area. But, East London and Zwelitsha areas helped to meet or obtain the required sample for the Eastern Cape Province. In addition to the above, Joomum (2006:199) pointed out that in Mauritius only thirty-eight (38) firms are operating in the textile sector and composed as follows: four (4) woollen yarn spinning mills; two (2) cotton yarn spinning mills; two (2) cotton-weaving mills and thirty (30) knitting fabrics producers. He further indicates that concerning the clothing production in Mauritius, only a few local producers, mainly small factories and the informal sector, produce for the local market (Joomum, 2006:199). According to the last publication of the Mauritius Manufacturing List by the Mauritius Ministry of Industry, Sciences and Research (2009) at least one hundred and sixty (160) firms are operating in the textile and clothing sector.

Furthermore, Mwamayi (2004:22) indicates that the DRC had several textiles and clothing companies such as NOVATEX, SOLBENA, UTEXAFRICA, SINTEXKIN, CPA, FILTISAF, SOTEXKI, and CONGOTEX but unfortunately all have been progressively destroyed, expect SOTEXKI as in 2007 UTEXAFRICA closed. SOTEXKI (Société Textile de Kisangani) is registered to the Congolese Enterprises Federation (FEC). Actually, the DRC is dependant almost exclusively on importation of textile and clothing products from China.

The sample in this study was made up of forty (40) firms operating in the textile and clothing industry in SAR. The study samples from South Africa consisted of nine (9) firms operating in the textile industry and fourteen (14) firms operating in the clothing industry. All selected firms were critically analysed. The breakdown from the South African firms was as follows: Eastern

Cape Province consisted of seven (7) firms; and KwaZulu Natal Province consisted of sixteen (16) firms.

Concerning Mauritius, sixteen (16) firms in both the textile and clothing industry were selected and critically analysed and only one firm from the DRC textile and clothing industry was selected and critically analysed for the purpose of this study. The respondents of this study were respectively Human Resources Managers (HRM), Managers or any Managing Directors. In each firm, the respondents were asked to complete the questionnaire after an initial contact by telephone or via email to secure an appointment.

The sample frame was obtained from the textile and clothing manufacturers listed from the Clothing Federation Handbook SA and Textile Federation Handbook SA, Trade Union or the Mauritius Ministry of Industry, Sciences and Research and Fédération des Entreprises du Congo (FEC), respectively from South Africa, Mauritius and the DRC.

The sample size was optimum characterized by its efficiency, reliability, flexibility and representativeness. In the South African case study, at least one hundred and sixty (160) firms are registered and working in the clothing sector according to the list obtained from the National Bargaining Council for Clothing in KwaZulu Natal Province and sixty-seven (67) firms are registered and working in the textile and clothing industry in Eastern Cape Province according to SACTWU Eastern Cape. Concerning the Mauritius case study, at least one hundred and sixty (160) firms were registered and operating in the sector according to the Mauritius Ministry of Industry, Sciences and Research; while for the DRC only SOTEXKI has survived.

The study covered only forty (40) textile and clothing firms which represented exactly 10% of this sector from the different areas, locations or provinces targeted in these three countries, especially located in South Africa, Mauritius, and the DRC. These firms were selected according to their size, location, product type, market and nationality (the majority of shareholders or owners) to ensure representativeness. Volunteer sampling was used as a sample of people who volunteered to be part of the study (De Vos et al., 2005:352).

According to De Vos et al., (2005:328), sample size depends on what you want to know, the purpose of the inquiry, what is at stake, what will be useful, what will have credibility, and what can be done with available time and resources. The overall response rate in this study was good as the researcher received forty (40) completed questionnaires out one hundred and twenty (120) questionnaires sent out in South Africa, the DRC and Mauritius fieldwork as a result of the self- questionnaire technique and interview.

4.3.1.1 Validity, reliability and representativeness of the sample

In this study, great care was taken to assure validity of the measuring instruments. The researcher was advised to present the findings of this study to the Union representatives associated with the different South African firms in the sample. Leedy and Ormrod (2001:31) state that the validity of a measuring instrument is the extent to which the instrument measures what it is supposed to measure. Additionally, Kruger (1994:31) shows that validity is the degree to which the procedure really measures what it proposes to measure. Leedy (1997:32) points out

whether or not it accurately measures what it is intended to measure. Thus, Silverman (2000:177) observes that triangulation and respondent validation are flawed methods and are therefore fallible paths to validity. Furthermore, he provides five interrelated ways of thinking critically about qualitative data to aim at more valid findings. These include the comprehensive data treatment, the constant comparative method, deviant-case analysis, using appropriate tabulation and the refutable principle.

Were the respondents telling the truth? In fact there was no evidence (from the questionnaire) of labour repression, despite evidence to the contrary from previous studies in Swaziland and South Africa. The researcher proposed to check validity by presenting the findings of this study and re- interviewing union representatives. This could therefore compare the responses obtained from the interviews to those obtained from the fieldwork, and compare the results to the theoretical findings. This approach is called triangulation. Validity is truth. Most of the respondents were owners or managing directors who completed the questionnaire by providing their expertise. As part of triangulation, union representatives acknowledged conditionally the findings of this study with its method, whilst showing that another method could have resulted in different findings. For instance, if a union official (trust issue) or outsider researcher had engaged workers about their condition of work, the workers may have revealed different information. It is important to note that abuses exist in the local textile and clothing industry depending on what method (top- bottom approach) was used and whether firms were compliant or non-compliant firms or whether these firms were across metro areas or non-metro areas firms. Thus, more investigation is needed to investigate whether labour repression exist by keeping a close eye to the used method (top or bottom) and the above four variables.

According to Silverman (2000:175), reliability is the degree of consistency with which instances are assigned to the same category by different observers or by the same observer on different occasions. A range of techniques are thus used in any single study to corroborate findings. To ensure reliability, it is therefore important that the researcher documents his or her procedures and demonstrates that categories have been used consistently (Silverman, 2000:188). Leedy et al., (2001:99) points out that the reliability of a measurement instrument is the extent to which it yields consistent results when the characteristic being measured has not changed. A researcher can measure something accurately only when it can be measured consistently. This means that in order to have validity there must also be reliability in the data. The more valid and reliable the measurement instruments are the more likely that the presented appropriate conclusions form the data collected and also solve the research problem in a reliable manner. Furthermore, Schumaker and McMillan (1993:386) add that reliability in design can be enhanced by making explicit six aspects such as researcher role, informant selection, social context, data collection and analysis strategies and analytical premises. In other words, the threat to reliability is reduced by adequately describing the relationship between the researcher and participant, the criteria and processes used in the purposeful sampling, the multi-methods employed in collecting data, the process of data analyses especially the codes used and decision rules for categorizing the theoretical framework and concepts that form the study (Schumaker & McMillan, 1993:387).

Concerning the representativeness of the sample, great care was taken in consideration as the researcher limitated the findings of this study to the firms under investigation and not to generalize them to the large population due to the use of non-probability sampling requirements. It is important to note that owners or managing directors were the right people identified in this study as respondents which differ completely to the right target or the right sample size. In fact, representativeness relates to generalisation resulting from random sampling and probability sampling. According to Welman and Kruger (2001), the smaller the population the larger the sample should be to ensure satisfactory results. Cooper and Schindler (2003:155) add that the larger the sample size, the lower the error in generalising to the population. Gardiano and Raulin (2000:133) state that it is important to understand the concept of representativeness and its relationship to generalizability. A perfect representative sample would be a “mirror image” of the population from which it was selected.

As hinted at above, Kerlinger (1986:110-111) argues that when we talk about representativeness, it means that sample should have approximately the same characteristics as the population relevant to the research in question. De Vos et al., (2005:196) ask how can we ensure that a sample is as representative as possible? They further add that random sampling is the only technique available that will ensure an optimal chance of drawing a sample that is representative of the population from which it was drawn. As argued by Urquhart and Fernandez (2006), theoretical sampling is concerned with theory construction and is not proportionate with the representativeness of a given population (as in quantitative research). In theoretical sampling the concern is to check and refine the researcher’s emerging categories of the phenomenon. Furthermore, Blaikie (2010:172) indicates that the ideal sample is one that provides a perfect representation of a population, with all the relevant features of the population included in the sample in the same proportions.