CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.0. Introduction
It was stressed that the methodological research is a
controlled investigation of the theoretical and applied aspects of
measurements, mathematics, and statistics, and ways of obtaining and analyzing
data (Fred.N Kerlinger, 1964:700). Likewise, Contemporary English dictionary
(1995: 231), defines methodology as a set of methods and principles that are
used when studying a particular kind of work. To sum up, a method comprises of
all intellectual process, an orderly system or arrangement that enables a
researcher to reach on aspect of knowledge by using various techniques. This
chapter intends primarily to highlight the methods and techniques that have
been used in order to collect data for the purpose of carrying out this
study.
It is primarily intending to make description and analysis of
the effect of implementation of e-procurement in Rwandan Hospitals especially
in Kabaya District Hospital. For this reason, it will bear an exploratory
aspect, especially because there has not been a similar study before.
This chapter gives a detailed presentation of the tools and
techniques that were used to investigate the research issues in the field. It
includes spelling out the area of the study and study population. It further
describes the methods and techniques used in the choosing the sample size and
selection instruments like questionnaire, interviews and documentation were
used. It also includes data processing, analysis and problems that were
encountered in this research, finally this chapter provides the back ground
against which the findings and conclusions of the study were examined and
appreciated regarding their reliability and validity.
3.1 Research design
According to Churchill (1992:108) a research design is a
framework or a plan for the study used as a guide in collecting and analyzing
data. It is a blueprint that is followed in completing a study. He further
defines a research design as a plan of action, for the purposes of this study;
the researcher adopted a survey as his research design.
3.2 Study population
William fox (1992:06) defines population as «a set of
cases from which a sample is drawn and to which a researcher wants to
generalize». He continues by asserting that population is data pertaining
to all or almost all cases to which a researcher wants to generalize.
For any study to succeed, information needs to be
representative of the population covered by the research questions. A
population refers to the total number of elements covered by the research
questions (Scottet al 1998:307). On the other hand, «population can be
defined as the totality of persons or objects with which a study is
concerned» (Grinnell et al., 1990:118).
Christensen (1991:101) asserts that, population refers to all
the events, things or individuals that are the objects of investigation. This
research is made to study the effect of e-procurement implementation in
Rwandan Hospitals especially in Kabaya District Hopital, thus the researcher
surveyed a selected unit (Staff) technically determined. The population under
study was made of suppliers.
As it has been indicated above, given the width of this topic
under study, the population is also wide as it is located in procurement
dominates. Indeed, the population under this study is derived from the
selectedstaff and 24 suppliers that have contracts with Kabaya District
Hopital.
| 
