Slide 7.

Chapter 6

Selecting Samples

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.2

Selecting samples
Population, sample and individual cases

Source: Saunders et al. (2009)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.3

The need to sample

Sampling- a valid alternative to a census when

• A survey of the entire population is impracticable

• Budget constraints restrict data collection

• Time constraints restrict data collection

• Results from data collection are needed quickly

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.4

Overview of sampling techniques

Sampling techniques

Source: Saunders et al. (2009)

Figure 7.2 Sampling techniques
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.5

Probability sampling

The four stage process

1. Identify sampling frame from research objectives

2. Decide on a suitable sample size

3. Select the appropriate technique and the sample

4. Check that the sample is representative

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.6

Identifying a suitable sampling frame

Key points to consider

• Problems of using existing databases

• Extent of possible generalisation from the sample

• Validity and reliability

• Avoidance of bias

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.7

Sample size

Choice of sample size is influenced by

• Confidence needed in the data

• Margin of error that can be tolerated

• Margin of error (also called The confidence interval ) is the plus-or-minus figure
usually reported in newspaper or television opinion poll results. For example, if you
use a margin of error of 4 and 47% percent of your sample picks an answer you can
be "sure" that if you had asked the question of the entire relevant population between
43% (47-4) and 51% (47+4) would have picked that answer.
• Types of analyses to be undertaken

• Size of the sample population and distribution

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.8

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.9

The importance of response rate

Key considerations

• Non- respondents and analysis of refusals

• Obtaining a representative sample

• Calculating the active response rate

• Estimating response rate and sample size

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.10

Selecting a sampling technique

Five main techniques used for a probability sample

• Simple random

• Systematic

• Stratified random

• Cluster

• Multi-stage

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.11

Simple random sampling

• Number each of the cases in your sampling
frame with a unique number.

• Select cases using random numbers until,

actual sample size is reached.

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.12

Systematic Random Sampling

• Number each of the cases in your sampling frame with a

unique number.
• Select the first case using a random number
• Calculate the sampling fraction
• Select subsequent cases systematically using the
sampling fraction to determine the frequency of
selection.

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.13

Stratified random sampling

• Choose the stratification variable or variables
• Divide the sampling frame into the discrete
strata.
• Number each of the cases within each stratum
with a unique number
• Select your sample using either simple random
or systematic random sampling

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.14

Cluster Sampling

• Choose the cluster grouping for your sampling

frame.
• Number each of the clusters with a unique
number.
• Select sample of clusters using random sampling

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.15

Multi-stage sampling

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.16

Non- probability sampling (1)

Key considerations

• Deciding on a suitable sample size

– Data saturation

• Selecting the appropriate technique

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.17

Non- probability sampling (2)

Sampling techniques

• Quota sampling (larger populations)

• Purposive sampling
• Snowball sampling
• Self-selection sampling
• Convenience sampling

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.18

Quota Sampling
• Divide the population into specific groups.
• Calculate quota for each group based on
relevant and available data
• Collect data from each quota

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.19

Purposive sampling
• Extreme case/deviant sampling: unusual or special
case enable to learn the most about the RQ.
• Heterogeneous or maximum variation sampling:
representing different subgroups
• Homogeneous sampling: One subgroup.
:

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.20

Snowball sampling
• Make contact with one or two cases in the
population.
• Ask these cases to identify further cases.
• Ask these new case to identify further new
cases.
• Stop when either no new cases are given or the
sample is large enough.

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.21

Self select sampling

• Publicize your need for cases
• Collect data from those who respond

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.22

Convenience sampling

• Also called purposive or availability

sampling.
• Select case based on ease or convenience.

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.23

Key Points

• Choice of sampling techniques depends upon the

research question(s) and their objectives

• Factors affecting sample size include:

- confidence needed in the findings
- accuracy required
- likely categories for analysis

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.24

Key Points

• Probability sampling requires a sampling frame and

can be more time consuming

• When a sampling frame is not possible, non-

probability sampling is used

• Many research projects use a combination of

sampling techniques

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.25

Conclusion

All choices depend on the ability to gain

access to organisations

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009