Running Header: Case Study #6

Case Study #6

Alexis Bandin

Shorter University

BUS 5250

Week 6 Case Study

Dr. Collins Mkandawire

5/2/19
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1. Explain how sampling in qualitative research differs from sampling in quantitative

research?

When sampling with qualitative and quantitative data, there are differences that set them

apart. Qualitative data is where people or sites are selected to help explain what is happening, its

goal is to help develop a detailed understanding ("Qualitative Sampling Methods," n.d.). Then

with quantitative data, it is taking individuals and gathering data to make a generalization; ability

to build and test theories ("Qualitative Sampling Methods," n.d.). In a greater sense, quantitative

is random sampling while qualitative sampling is having a target/region for a study.

2. Define the population of Ralph’s quantitative study.

The population that is being used in Ralphs quantitative study is developed from

his mail directory. All that are included will be family, friends, members of Golden Gate

Park tennis club, the Phi Rho Omega marketing student’s association, and staff from an

Italian restaurant that he works part-time at. All together his total population will be 254

people.

3. Is Ralph using a sampling frame? Please explain.

A sampling frame is when a set of information is being used to set the sample

population ("What is sampling frame? definition and meaning," n.d.). As we found in the

previous question that Ralph will be using his mail directory as his population. So, for

this study, the sampling frame will be his mail directory. There will be a population size

of 254 total participants, which will allow Ralph to collect enough data to help him in

analyzing the results.

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4a. According to Ralph’s supervisor, the proposed sampling method is subject to coverage
error. Please explain why
.

Due to the method of sampling population Ralph is using, there is concern for coverage

error. According to statistical terms, coverage error happens when there is failure to cover all

components of the population being studied; incomplete frames result in coverage error (OECD

Statistics Directorate, n.d.). This is because there is a large number population of 254 people of

whom Ralph has ties to. Which does not make this quantitative study, completely random. As

Ralph talks to and interacts with most of the people that he has in his mail directory. Even

though the sample size is large in number, it is still limited as these are all people that Ralph

knows; this can create a coverage error for the study.

4b. Do you think that coverage error is problematic in this case? Why and how? Is there
anything that Ralph can do to solve this problem?

Well when it comes to a quantitative study, which consists of doing random sampling

Ralph misses that part. This is because unknowingly he selects individuals to do his study

through his mail directory. These are people he interacts with on a daily basis and could be

biases on the questionnaire. A way that Ralph could do this is by making is questionnaire

mainstream and allowing those in different classes or take the questionnaire online. Allowing

him to collect data that is not from his peers, coworkers, or family. This would then make this

more of a random sampling quantitative study, then what is currently being projected.

5.Is Ralph putting forward a probability or a non-probability sampling technique in his

quantitative study? What specific sampling technique is Ralph putting forward?
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When it comes to whether probability or non-probability sampling was used in this study,

we have to consider how Ralph reached out to people. Only using the people in his mail

directory would lead him to using the non-probability sampling. This is because he was

unknowingly targeting a certain group of people, meaning the data being collected cannot be

considered generalized (Sekaran, 2006, p. 276). The specific sampling technique being used

would convenience sampling, as Ralph is using people he directly knows and in contact with

daily. Versus going out to random people and asking for them to take his questionnaire or

providing a way to do it online to get the random samples.

Suppose that Ralph would execute his study in the way that he has proposed. Suppose that

109 persons would return his questionnaire and that, for various reasons, 12 of these

questionnaires are not useful. Furthermore, suppose that analysis of the data would reveal

that 56% percent of the participants are customers of a bank that came through the crisis

quite well; this particular bank has taken little risks with its customers’ money and has not

needed any support from the government.

6. Do you think that Ralph’s sample is large enough? Why (not)?

Considering that Ralph used is mail directory that had 254 people and only 109 people

responded, already cuts his population size into a little more than half. While also considering

that he limited himself already through only sending questionnaires to the people in his mail

directory. On top of that limitation 12 out of the 109 were not useable for Ralph, again limiting

him more on being able to analyze the collected data. It basically leaves Ralph with 97

questionnaires to analyze and come to a conclusion. Overall having 97 is considered a large

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sample size, but due to it only being people that Ralph knows limits on making this study

random. If he would have done his mail directory and included other people that he does not

know it could have helped him better in collecting data and having a larger sample size, then he

excepted. But I do think that the sample size is not large enough, with each cut it limits his

results. It also condenses the social circle that is derived from his study, making it a limited data

and not allowing the study to be random sampling. Ralph needed to reach out and get as many

responses to his questionnaire as he could, especially when trying to prove that people are not

trusting the banking system.

7. How may the fact that 56% of the consumers is a customer of a very responsible bank
affect the validity and/or reliability of the findings of Ralph’s study? Is there anything that
Ralph can do to solve these problems?

In the case of Ralph wanting to prove that most people see banks as not being

reliable/responsible is actually under the half mark of the questionnaires he received back. There

was actually a 56% of consumers that found their bank to be responsible. This affects his validity

as his theory is being disproved through the results of the questionnaires. This would fall under

discriminant validity, as the variables are not correlated to one another (). A way for Ralph to

decrease the affect is by making a larger pool for his sample and getting random samples, not by

only getting results from his peers, family, etc.

Summary:

Ralph will find that his data collecting will be limited and that he might not find the

results that will support his theory. However, he will be using his email directory to conduct his

study further to collect data through the use of a questionnaire. Furthermore, his population size

will start out as 254, but be cut in half will only 109 participants with 12 of those surveys being
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invalid for him to put forth for his study. Leading him to a very limited a small pool of sampling,

as most who took the survey are people that he is in contact with daily. This will lead him into

having coverage error, because this will dramatically decrease his sample size not allowing him

enough data to propose a theory or support his theory. As well as leading this study with being

about the quantitative method, there should be random sampling, but we see that Ralph targets

his individuals; making this not random sampling and turning it into a non-probability with the

technique being convenience sampling.

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References

Qualitative Sampling Methods. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://cirt.gcu.edu/research/developmentresources/research_ready/qualitative/sampling

Sekaran, U. (2006). Research Methods For Business: A Skill Building Approach, 4Th Ed.
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

OECD Statistics Directorate. (n.d.). OECD Glossary of Statistical Terms - Coverage errors

Definition. Retrieved from https://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=466

What is sampling frame? definition and meaning. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/sampling-frame.html

How to Determine the Correct Survey Sample Size. (2018, March 29). Retrieved from
https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/research/determine-sample-size/

Items Points Score

Explain how sampling in qualitative research differs from sampling in quantitative 10 7
research?
Define the population of Ralph’s quantitative study. 5 3
Is Ralph using a sampling frame? Please explain. 7 7
A. According to Ralph’s supervisor, the proposed sampling method is subject to 10 9
coverage error. Please explain why.
B. Do you think that coverage error is problematic in this case? Why and how? Is
there anything that Ralph can do to solve this problem?
Is Ralph putting forward a probability or a non-probability sampling technique in his 8 8
quantitative study? What specific sampling technique is Ralph putting forward?
Do you think that Ralph’s sample is large enough? Why (not)? 10 8
How may the fact that 56% of the consumers is a customer of a very responsible 10 8
bank affect the validity and/or reliability of the findings of Ralph’s study? Is there
anything that Ralph can do to solve these problems?
Summary or Conclusion contextualizing what has been discussed in paper 5 5
Citations and References 5 5
Information Integration and APA Documentation 5 5
Organization: Grammatically correct, no typos, and proof read for logic. 5 5
Total 80 70