Research Question and Context
Non-profit organisations are unable to meet their daily objectives due to inadequate financial resources. They rely on donors and well-wishers for funding. Therefore, for non-profit institutions to stick to their call and achieve their objectives, they should come up with alternative sources of funds.
The purpose of this dissertation is to identify management changes that can help non-profit organisations to become financially viable institutions. The research question intends to determine how change management process can facilitate to fashion a fundamental shift of non-profit institutions to empower them economically.
The objective of the research question is to identify how non-profit corporations may change their culture and employee behaviour to become financially viable institutions.
By the end of the study, the researcher should understand the present position of non-profit organisations, the financial challenges that they experience and what they are doing to become financially sufficient.
Besides, the research question will assist the research to identify what should be done to liberate non-profit organisations from financial hardships.
Methods of Data Collection
Methods of data collection determine the precision of a study. They determine the methods of data analysis that researchers use (Russell, 2005). Hence, it is imperative to use the most appropriate methods of data collection in order to achieve accurate results.
The dissertation will use numerous methods to collect data to enhance the accurateness of the results. The methods include group and private qualitative interviews, observation, and secondary data. The reason the dissertation will use group and private qualitative interviews is to facilitate collection of inclusive data.
Myers and Newman (2007) alleged, “Qualitative interview approach helps an interviewer to collect complex, in-depth data that is not as easily obtained through questionnaires or question-and-answer interview approach” (p. 12).
Qualitative interview will give the researcher an opportunity to gather data on a number of related issues based on participants’ responses. Besides, it will give participants an opportunity to confirm areas that they do not understand. Qualitative interview will enable the interviewees to expound on their answers.
Thus, it will assist the researcher to gather accurate data.
According to Myers and Newman (2007), qualitative interview gives researchers a chance not only to gather truthful and hard data, but also conduct perception assessment. Therefore, the dissertation selected this approach because it will assist the research to gather emotional data.
For instance, the researcher will ask participants to describe how they manage to meet their daily financial needs, particularly when donors and well-wishers fail to disburse money. Besides, the researcher will request the participants to describe how they feel when their organisations are going through financial hardships.
Such questions will assist the researcher to gather more comprehensive data compared to requesting members to describe particular processes. In addition, qualitative interview will enable the researcher to collect first-person data. Myers and Newman (2007) argued that qualitative interview does not use the antique methods of questioning.
Hence, it gives the researcher a chance to garner first-person evaluation of circumstances. For instance, the process will help the researcher to ask questions that directly relate to experiences of financial hardships in non-profit organisations. Such questions will assist the researcher to gather more expansive information.
The correctness of this dissertation will depend on the ability of the researcher to gather honest and accurate data. In most cases, participants answer questions according to what they suppose an interviewer wish to know. Consequently, they do not give accurate and honest feedback.
However, qualitative interview does not enable interviewees to figure out what an interviewer wants to know. Hence, respondents are likely to be frank in their responses. As a result, the method will guarantee that the researcher uses precise and correct data to compile findings.
The researcher will also utilise observation method to gather information. The method was chosen because it enables researchers to get first-hand data. Observation method will enable the researcher to visit non-profit organisations and gather direct information.
The researcher will visit some of the institutions that experience financial challenges and observe how they cope with the hardships, rather than relying on information from individuals who work in non-profit organisations. Besides, it will enable the researcher to identify factors that lead to economic hardships in non-profit organisations.
Therefore, the researcher will be in a position to come up with viable recommendations of what transformations ought to be implemented to enable non-profit institutions become financially empowered.
Adler and Adler (2002) posited, “Much of human social behaviour that may be of interest to the researcher is highly transient” (p. 44). Observation method enables researchers to record activities going on in the field. Hence, a researcher can later refer to the record when analysing his/her data.
This approach will enable the researcher to compare varied non-profit organisations when probing his/her data, thus ensuring that s/he comes up with comprehensive findings.
Observation method will boost the validity of the dissertation’s conclusions since it will enable the researcher to understand the hardships that non-profit organisations encounter. Besides, observation method will play a great role when preparing for group and private qualitative interviews.
It will give the researcher an allusion of what s/he ought to include in the interview questions.
The dissertation will use secondary data due to numerous benefits. First, secondary data will enable researchers to identify some transformations that should be implemented in non-profit organisations. There is a lot of secondary data that details how non-profit institutions can be transformed into financially viable corporations.
Hence, such data will be of great help in this research. Second, secondary data will ensure that the researcher does not collect irrelevant information when using other methods of data collection.
Adler and Adler (2002) posited that secondary data “helps to make primary data collection more precise since with its help, researchers are able to make out what gaps and deficiencies and what additional information needs to be collected” (p. 45).
Therefore, secondary data will act as a guideline when deciding what to observe in the field and the questions to use during research. The primary objective of this dissertation is to identify how change management can be used to transform non-profit organisations into financially viable institutions.
Failure to come up with correct recommendations will lead to the situation in the majority of non-profit corporations getting bad. Therefore, secondary data will be used to analyse facts gathered through other methods and enable the researcher to make informed decision.
It will help to determine if what is collected from the field corresponds to what is already known. Besides, secondary data will enable the researcher to identify what scholars recommend.
Evidence for the Use of a Structured Systematic Approach
A structured, systematic approach entails conducting research in a step-by-step manner (Adler & Adler, 2002). The approach helps to ensure that a research is thorough and researchers gather all necessary information. This dissertation will be conducted in a systematic manner.
The dissertation’s literature review will be compiled by analysing multiple peer-reviewed journals and books. The books and journals will be identified, analysed, and consolidated to come up with a comprehensive literature review. All the activities will be allocated adequate time to ensure that the researcher gathers sufficient data.
In addition, the research will use different methods of data collection. The researcher will begin by collecting secondary data. The secondary data will help the researcher to understand some financial challenges that non-profit organisations face and how they handle them.
Thus, information gathered from secondary sources will equip the researcher with knowledge in what to observe when s/he visits non-profit organisations. Besides, the researcher will be aware of what has not been researched, and therefore endeavour to gather information on the same.
After collecting secondary data, the researcher will organise for site visits to observe and record challenges that non-profit institutions face. Equipped with knowledge acquired from secondary data, the researcher will analyse each organisation to identify challenges are prevalent.
The researcher will use this opportunity to confirm what is documented in secondary data. Besides, the information collected through observation method will help the researcher to prepare questions to use in interviews.
The dissertation has opted to start with observation method so as to help the researcher compile interview questions that will assist to gather comprehensive data. Moreover, observation method will enable the researcher to gain clear picture of the organisations.
Hence, s/he will be in a position to come up with interview questions, which address all challenges that the organisations encounter.
The researcher will complete the exercise of data collection with qualitative interviews. The researcher has deliberately decided to end the exercise with qualitative interviews so as to gather accurate and comprehensive data.
The researcher will have identified almost all financial challenges that non-profit organisations encounter through the other methods. Consequently, s/he will be in a position to evaluate the answers that the participants will give and make clarifications.
Thus, the researcher will make his/her recommendations after critically analysing and evaluating massive data gathered through the different methods.
Effectiveness of Data Collection
A researcher should experiment his/her methods of data collection to ensure that they will assist to gather correct data (Russell, 2005). That is why the majority of researchers conduct pilot studies. The studies are intended to determine if a research will gather precise information.
As aforementioned, this dissertation will use observation and private and group qualitative interviews to collect primary data. It will also rely on secondary data from peer-reviewed journals and books. Participants will be required to react to a number of open-ended questions during group and private qualitative interviews.
The questions will be structured in a way that gives respondents an opportunity to elaborate on their responses. Besides, they will seek to gather data on transformations that non-profit organisations have implemented to become financially stable.
Participants will be expected to describe the measures they are taking to convert their organisations into economically viable institutions. In addition, the questions will require participants to describe the barriers they encounter as they strive to empower their organisations.
This will help the researcher to establish measures that should be taken to overcome the obstacles. Therefore, the questions will play a great role not only in coming up with research findings, but also formulating recommendations.
Apart from qualitative interviews, the researcher will use observation method to gather valuable information. The researcher will observe what non-profit organisations are doing to become self-sufficient.
Besides, s/he will work closely with employees in non-profit corporations to learn the changes they are implementing and challenges they encounter as they try to become financially stable. Secondary data will be gathered according to year of publication of a journal or book.
Only recent journals and books will be used. Besides, the research will rely on anecdotes compiled by non-profit institutions’ leaders detailing the experiences and challenges they encounter in their transformation endeavours.
Importance of Data
Bryman (2004) alleged, “Research data are significant and expensive output of the scholarly research process, across all disciplines” (p. 731). It works as an important component of the evidence needed to assess research findings and restructure the procedures and occasions leading to them.
In addition, research data help to address a study question. Besides, the data assist researchers to come up with feasible recommendations in regard to the research question. The data gathered in this dissertation will contribute significantly to helping address the research question.
The secondary data will contribute to identifying past challenges and relating them to present financial hardships that non-profit organisations encounter. There are numerous scholarly journals that detail the financial challenges that non-profit institutions face.
In addition, various scholars have compiled books and journals that describe what non-profit associations ought to do to become financially viable institutions.
Consequently, data gathered from these sources will not only help to identify some challenges that non-profit corporations encounter, but also changes that the organisations need to take. Thus, the scholarly journals and books will be useful in coming up with feasible recommendations.
Apart from scholarly journals and books, the dissertation will also rely on anecdotes that have been compiled by past and present non-profit organisations’ leaders. Many non-profit institution leaders have published stories, which detail the hardships they encounter in their daily management of the organisations (Wang & Strong, 2004).
Thus, the stories will assist the researcher to identify changes that non-profit organisations have adopted in a bid to become financially viable. Besides, the researcher will use the stories to draft recommendations. The dissertation intends to use observation method as another method of data collection.
Through observation method, the researcher will record and participate in activities designed to empower non-profit organisations financially. Thus, the process will equip him/her with hands-on experience of the problems facing non-profit institutions.
Besides, the researcher will observe and evaluate transformations being implemented by the institutions and their effectiveness. Indeed, the observation method will assist the researcher to understand what non-profit corporations are doing to become financially viable institutions and what needs to be done to support their initiatives.
The dissertation is designed to use qualitative interviews as the primary method of data collection. The reason this method was chosen is because it will help the researcher to make clarifications and get accurate data from respondents.
One way through which qualitative interview will contribute to answering the research question is by gathering data on what non-profit organisations are doing to surmount financial challenges. Participants will be required to elaborate on the measures they have taken to overcome financial challenges.
Hence, they will help the researcher to identify the measures that are already in place. In addition, participants will be required to state and explain the challenges their organisations encounter in the endeavour to become financially viable institutions.
Such responses will be invaluable in helping the researcher to determine the requisite transformations that will empower non-profit institutions financially. The primary objective of the dissertation is to identify how change management can be used to transform non-profit organisations into economically viable institutions.
Hence, all information gathered from the research will be intended to answer this singular question. Another way that qualitative interview will help to respond to the research question is by evaluating organisational culture. In most cases, corporate culture acts as a major barrier to transformation.
Corporate leaders and employees tend to stick to old ways of doing things and enjoy status quo. Therefore, qualitative interview will seek to determine how employees and corporate leaders hinder organisations’ effort to become financially empowered.
Evaluation of Methods of Data Analysis
Data analysis facilitates preparation of research findings and recommendations (Merriam, 2000). Hence, it is imperative for researchers to use appropriate methods of data analysis. The dissertation intends to use ground theory to analyse secondary data.
This method of data analysis will not only assist the researcher to save time, but also select the most relevant secondary data. Ground theory entails identifying appropriate pointers. Therefore, it will guarantee that the researcher uses consistent and accurate data to come up with his/her recommendations.
Apart from ground theory, the study will also use quasi-statistics to ensure that observations are not altered. A quality research is one that uses meta-data to analyse and give recommendations for a research question (Wang & Strong, 2004).
The reason this dissertation chose quasi-statistics is because it will enable the researcher to use meta-data in his/her research. The method will allow the researcher to compare secondary data with primary data collected through observation and qualitative interviews and use both to compile the findings.
Moreover, through quasi-statistics, the researcher will be able to control and select the most appropriate data to use. One advantage of quasi-statistics is that a researcher does not select data randomly. Instead, s/he has full control of the data and only selects the one that s/he believes that will help to address the research question.
Consequently, the use of quasi-statistics method of data analysis will ensure that only suitable and precisely chosen data is used.
The research has opted to use hermeneutic analysis due to several reasons. Hermeneutic analysis allows a researcher to bring out a profound understanding of the research question and data collected (Merriam, 2000).
Therefore, it will enable the researcher to gain in-depth knowledge of organisational culture and human resource practices, which will be invaluable in coming up with research findings and recommendations.
Understanding corporate culture will help the researcher to identify how change management can be used to transform non-profit organisations. Besides, analysis of human resource practices will contribute to understanding the role of human resource in changing non-profit institutions.
The dissertation has preferred qualitative data to quantitative data since the former is readily available and quite economical. Besides, it is possible for researchers to choose from a broad range of secondary qualitative data that is readily available both in libraries and internet.
In addition, the majority of data will be collected from peer-reviewed journals and employees of non-profit organisation. Therefore, the sources of data are credible and will help the researcher to gather reliable and inclusive information.
References
Adler, P., & Adler, P. (2002). Observation techniques: Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Russell, B. (2005). Research methods in anthropology: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
Bryman, A. (2004). Qualitative research on leadership: A critical but appreciative review. The Leadership Quarterly, 15(6), 729-769.
Merriam, S. (2000). Qualitative research and case study applications in education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Myers, M., & Newman, M. (2007). The qualitative interview in IS research: Examining the craft. Information and Organisation, 17(1), 2-26.
Wang, R., & Strong, D. (2004). Beyond the accuracy: What data quality means to data consumers. Journal of Management Information System, 12(4), 5-34.