Validation 91

Embedded multiple case study was used to validate between the Project Managers and Community Leaders perspectives within two different physical settings who had experience earthquake disasters: San Francisco and Christchurch. In addition, a validation study was carried to validate the interviews with Project Managers, Community Leaders and against literature review. Project Managers and Community Leaders were interviewed to validate community empowerment from two different perspectives. The validation study, consisting of Figure 5-1, Section 5.3.4 and Section 5.3.5, was emailed to 23 individuals on June 6, 2018 to review the proposed framework. Fourteenth individuals responded. Some of the individuals participated in the PhD study and other individuals are the researcher's global contacts in the areas of Emergency Management, Disaster Management and Project Management. Their comments reshaped Figure 5.1 (visual representation of the Project Management Framework to empower communities during Disaster Recovery) into Figure 5-4.

The quality of the research design is judged by the use of various tactics to improve the validity and reliability of the study (Saunders, 2009) which was applied in this PhD study.

- 92 - 3.11.1.Reliability

Reliability is about achieving the same findings and conclusions if the research is repeated. (Bryman and Bell, 2011). Objective is to minimise the errors and biases during data collection (Amaratunga, 2002). It deals with whether the evidences and measures used are consistent, stable, dependable and predictable. In essence, the same findings can be produce by the same procedures.

3.11.2.Validity

Properties of validity ensures that the data collected or the propositions formed measure

what the researcher actually wants to measure. According to Easterby-Smith (2012)

validity is "the extent to which measures and research findings provide accurate

representation of the things they supposed to be describing". Reliability concerns

whether the research findings accurately reflect the social reality being studied (Collis and Hussey, 2009). The three types of validity are:

3.11.2.1. Construct validity

Establishing correct operational measures for the concepts, ideas and relationships being studied (Yin, 2009). Construct validity in this PhD study was met by using multiple data collection method (interview and literature review) within embedded multiple case study format. Embedded multiple case study format is:

 Two case studies (San Francisco and ChristChurch)

 Within each case study, a separate questionnaire for the Project Manager and Community Leader. The questionnaire set up the format for the semi-structure interviews.

3.11.2.2. Internal validity

Applies only for explanatory or causal studies only, but not for descriptive or exploratory studies. Validity seeks to establish a causal relationship. Internal validitiy was not used in this PhD Study.

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Establishing a domain to which the study’s findings can be generalised. Similarly, research strategies can produce very reliable but with no validity if not designed properly. External validity will be a major outcome of the proposed framework to be used in different other countries, types of disasters, cultural and geographical areas by Program/Project Managers. Case studies will be selected by types of disasters within a similar and different countries. The framework will account for the variations noted.

The following table summarized the tactics used to ensure validity and reliability of the approach and findings of this study. The table is based upon Yin (2003b) overview of validity and realibility.

Table 3-13: Case Study Tactics for Four Design Tests (Yin, 2003b)

Tests Case study tactic Phase of Research in

which tactic occurs Construct

validity

 Use of multiple sources of evidence  Establish chain of evidence

 Have Key informants review draft case study report  Data collection  Data collection  Composition Internal Validity  Do pattern matching  Do explanation building  Address rival explanations  Use logic models

 Data analysis  Data analysis  Data analysis  Data analysis External validity

 Use theory in single-case studies

 Use replication logic in multiple-case studies

 Research design  Research design

Reliability  Use of case study protocol  Develop case study database

 Data collection  Data collection

The PhD study is a multiple-case embedded study to ensure replication of the findings. Following the empirical investigation, the findings of the study (mainly the framework developed) will be validated through contacts used in the study and international contacts the researcher has obtained over the years. In essence, 10 to 15 individuals were used to validate the framework proposed. The international contacts are from the Project Management field, Disaster Management and Emergency Management from Asia, North America, and South America.

- 94 - 3.12. Ethical Approval

According to Yin (2009) care must be taken when carrying out a research study along ethical lines. The care usually involves

 gaining informed consent from all research participants persons on the nature of the

case study and formally soliciting their participation;

 protecting the participants from any harm;

 protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the participants; and

 taking special precautions to protect especially vulnerable groups (such as children).

This PhD Study followed the ethics requirements for Post-Graduate Study. The following ethical principles were followed:

 Respect the autonomy of human research subjects

 Do no harm to researchers or human research subjects

 Act justly towards those who contribute to your research

The following forms were used to meet the ethics requirements:

 Ethics Application Form UK PGRv5

 Invitation letter sample

 Research Partcipant Consent Form example

 Research Project Information Form

 Risk Assessment forms Research Projects v1

3.13. Summary

This chapter has presented the research methodology adopted for this study. Within the context of this study, case study research strategy has been selected due to number of reasons. Firstly, case studies falls within the interpretivism philosophy, which the study belongs to. Case study research strategy validated Project Managers experience and insights on community rebuilding. The qualitative data will validate the framework from a Project Management and Community perspective. Further, case study will provide the researcher to use multiple sources of evidence to gather a rich set of primary data. The next chapter discusses the data analysis and interpretation of results.

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Chapter 4

– Data Analysis and Interpretation of Result