Qualitative Research Methodology - Essay Example

Computer Technology in the police department It is assumed all over the world that police force have the responsibilities to provide security and protection for the citizens by minimizing crime at all levels, it has become necessary to have highly developed security equipment in order to face the new daily challenges. Particularly, the UAE is witnessing a huge cultural uprising in all fields, a strong enough reason for Government to increase (redouble) their efforts and improve the administrative system in order to meet the development requirement and thus maintain its growth.

For example, the use of computer has become essential in the administrative field and for this reason the public sector has experienced a huge technical growth where the computer has become an integrated part to any administrative work system. One can refer to the decreasing prices of computers and the demand for new computer models. Technology is nourishing the society, to give efficiency, from the running of a fan to the satellites, circling the space. In every field of knowledge and work, technologies are used to gain time.

For eg: before there was TV, there was the radio. But the latter was not enough. One wanted to see and hear at the same time. The aim of science is to make man use all the senses all that once to gain a wholesome knowledge of the surroundings. Therefore, the experts too want to find ways and means to create a technical system that helps the employees in finding informations related to their work with the least effort and shorter time to avoid searching in files and box folders for a certain paper which takes time and effort.

This problem demands the need of the UAE E-administrative to be brought to notice, in order to check the police system to update its efficiency. The administrative and financial departments and the personal affairs section, are always in contact with the headquarter for updates and consequently can report the matter so that the executive body needs a good organized system in order to achieve all missions fast and accurately as the executive body must answer to the judiciary, it cannot decide to take action on its own.

Therefore, the administration must be consulted for the ground work. Research problem Many departments, including the police, are suffering the performance routine of saving files which leads to accumulated files and it results in loosing important documents due to that accumulation as cases after cases have proven. The question is how to save those files and how to find the appropriate file for a particular case. Also, how many employees will do the job of immediate searching of the files, documents or papers that are of massive importance?

It is known that police officers are rushing in order to stop crime, to forget the difficulties that police officers are facing when review updates of the new orders and instructions are due. Piling papers according to the current system restricts the operation of getting information and delivering it to the administrative and field units. For this reason it has become necessary to create a developed program for saving files and maintaining information and providing the ability to review any data in a shorter time.

Objective of the Research Based on the above stated problems my research objective is to make the personnel affairs’ section of the directorate general of police Abu Dhabi one of the most vital and distinguished departments through the quality and performance polices such as the following activities: 1- The immediate response for duty call 2- To escalate the quality and excellence standard of the vocational administrative and field performance 3- Immediate delivery for all information to police forces 4- To exchange statement and information in accordance with e-Administrative system 5- To make our director a vital participant in the e-Government.

Like a teacher should be an example for the students; likewise the director can be the example for his subordinates. Research Questio The fundamental research question is how can the current way of management or E-Administration improve the present work system to meet the future ambition and what are the shortcomings of this work routine? Importance of the Research The importance of the research can be summarized in the following: it can help society or the people to live safely as the police department will be thorough with the help of computer and hard disks; even if the computer crashes one can always store information in the hard disks.

Ontological and Epistemological Assumptions My study of the application of E-Administration in Abu Dhabi Police department, is driven by ontological and epistemological assumptions. Firstly, I believe in the inherent capacity of information technology (IT) devices to improve information flow, communication, data storage and retrieval, and administrative processes/transactions. Information technology can be applied to every department of a police administration. The use of computers in administrative processes greatly can reduce the amount of paperwork, and shortens the time necessary in accomplishing each process.

The result is a faster delivery of products and services while reducing manpower requirements and lowering operational costs. Secondly,while computer technology offers a plethora of benefits in its application to police administration, I assume that it would be met with resistance from management, employees, personnel, and other parties involved. The police administration has been using their old routines and systems for the past decades; abandoning those old routines in exchange of new technologies may pose difficulty for some people.

It would take a lot of effort for the people involved to unlearn what they have been doing for the longest time, and then learn and adopt a new system that would eventually replace the old system. Those difficulties, challenges, and resistances must be properly addressed so that the new system can survive and become successful. Finally, the behavior and attitude of people toward computer technology is mediated by the meanings and experiences they have with it. People possess both positive and negative opinions about using computers in police administration.

In addition, the role of computer technology in their lives is determined by their age, gender, class, and an entire system of values and beliefs. These values and beliefs, when uncovered, would yield a better understanding of their perspective and lead to the development of an E-Administration that is specifically tailored to suit their needs. In addition to those two assumptions, you may want to add axiological, rhetorical, and methodological assumptions. Considering the abovementioned assumptions, a methodology must be applied that would allow me to gain a deep understanding of the subjects being studied, a methodology that would reveal the insights, beliefs, and experiences of the people for my study.

Among all the qualitative research methodologies available, ethnography is what I consider most proper that would yield the necessary data for my study. Considering the example of taking help of literature, one can make use of Derrida’s article on”Structure, Sign and Play in the discourse of the Human Sciences”. In this article, Derrida accuses Levi-Strauss of promoting hegemony, as Levi-Strauss hails that the ancient tribes which could write cum speak were able to preserve their knowledge better that the tribes that only spoke.

Therefore, Levi-Strauss promoted the idea of logocentrism (power of words) and ethnocentrism (power of a tribe, in your case power of a nation). Here you can take examples of powerful nations who are powerful because of their technology and computer is a technology. Qualitative Methodology versus Quantitative Methodology While every methodology has its own merits and limitations, ethnography fits my study as well as grounded theory, case study, or narrative inquiry. For instance. grounded theory is a process that leads to developing a theory through various inductions and deductions of both qualitative and quantitative data .

While grounded theory is useful in describing or theorizing about something, it doesn’t yield the perception and values which I need for my study. It can describe the acceptance or rejection of the new system in a single theory, but does not explain the underlying motivations and resistances of the police administration’s behavior. It investigates into a particular area of knowledge in detail, in order to make the work concise and precise. This method, therefore, questions everything: the why, the how, the what, the where and the when.

So, qualitative research method is rigorous and systematic. Qualitative research method denies to come to an absolute conclusion as it denies a researcher from making sweeping generalisations due to its lack of a wide range and number of samples. This methodology is very post-structural in its approach as there are no absolute answers to the philosophical questions asked by a researcher. But mere perceptions and values will not affect a change in the society. Therefore, I must consider the the quantitative method.

With quantitative method, one can come to a conclusion and can take an action as the method takes majority into consideration, unlike the qualitative method, which considers a small number. To want to change , one must observe inductive analysis, holistic perspective, objectivity and quantitative data. In this research one cannot use ethnography because, while following this method, the researcher is not supposed to question but simply observe. But one needs to question people in the police department to want to solve the problems and introduce computer technology.

In stead one can do a case study, can interview or hand out questionnaires. To do these justice, one must apply the inductive method. Differences between inductive and deductive methods: Inductive: from particular to general, laws are drawn out, student himself discovers law, student oriented, time consuming, develops power of observation, judgement and experience, psychological, slow speed but learning is permanent. Deductive: from general to particular, laws are given, student depends on others to be told laws, teacher oriented, saves time, no freedom to learn, learning by imitation, un-psychological, fast speed learning but temporary.

Case study involves an in-depth study of an individual case, multiple cases, or an event that leads to a generalization. As it can include quantitative evidence, relies on multiple sources, is the best option for my study. This method supports both qualitative and quantitative evidences. Narrative inquiry, meanwhile, is about knowledge that can be relayed, stored, and retrieved in stories. This method can yield the perception, beliefs, and values of the police administration through their stories about computer technology but I fear that the behaviors and attitudes might be missed.

The advantage of ethnography over narrative inquiry in this case lies in the holistic understanding that ethnography reveals about the police administration’s cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral aspects. literature talks about narrative inquiry, in the forms of fables and parables, legends. Methods in Gathering Data Participant Observation: As a member of the Ministry of Interior whose duty is to protect the security of the government, I will be immersing myself in the Abu Dhabi Police to gather valuable data.

This method would allow me to record their practices, motivations, and emotions. I will spend a specified amount of time in the Abu Dhabi Police to observe how they go about the administration, processes, and transactions. Attitudes, behaviors, mannerisms, language, and group dynamics will be noted. Pictures depicting everyday life in the Abu Dhabi Police will be taken. Focus Group Discussion: Using purposive sampling, a group of at least 50, which consists of management, branch managers, secretaries, mail registrars knowledge will be gathered for a discussion about E-Administration.

The discussion will be video and audio recorded. A transcription of the discussion will also be provided. This method would allow me to probe deeper in the underlying beliefs and values they hold about computer technology, in general and E-Administration, in particular. Tools in Analyzing Data 1- Thematic Analysis: The focus group discussion transcript will be subjected to thematic analysis. First, thought units will be identified by reading and re-reading the transcript. Second, identify recurring meaning units and then group those units that are express similar thoughts.

Third, basic themes will be generated for each meaning units that will be shared across all instances. Fourth, a table showing the theme and the supporting meaning units will be created. Lastly, a brief summary of issues will be investigated and a short description of each theme will be written. Ideally, thematic analysis should reveal the beliefs and values of the participants about computer technology and E-Administration. 2. Constant Comparison: Field notes from participant observation will be subjected to constant comparison.

First, codes from events and behaviors will be constructed. Second, codes will be compared with each other to find out consistencies and differences. Third, a category will be created for consistent codes. Fourth, a memo will be created for the comparisons and emerging categories. Lastly, when categories reach a saturation point, they can become axial or core categories. Those categories will reflect the participants’ attitudes towards computer technology and E-Administration. Conclusion The E-administration in AD police The meaning is to transfer all paper work to electronic data by using electronic paths that match with the administration communication lines and the leading serial, so the authorize side can make decisions regarding the issue and send it back to the people concerned for implementation.

This process could be called also (Mechanizing offices) which can be defined as group of office services designed to help users in communication controlling and achieving all administrative work with the least effort, high performance and security; users can use these services anywhere and anytime through the network of computers connected to each other by using a group of programs such as: Electronic Mail Word processing Spread sheet Graphic The most distinguished among the mentioned above is the electronic mail, this system is defined as a group of programs designed to ease exchanging of letters and reports among users where the sender can direct an e-mail to the inbox of the recipient where the latter can read, save and forward it to others.

This system is one of the best means of communication as its economic. Characteristic of using the E-administration Provides the ability to handle work outside the office. administration allows decision makers the ability to take decisions and even sign papers without the use of pens or personal attendance. This administration provides security and protects the content of secret documents and papers by using passwords . Saves time and reduces effort. There is no need of using manpower. Guaranties the speed of delivering information and data.

The goal behind managing work without the use of papers in the police facilities: Provides flexibility in deciding especially at crucial times. Speeds up the process of finalizing work papers. Increases the productivity of work and make good use of time Reduces expense related to man power and time storing requirement. displays information and data from the files with accuracy. The necessary steps to reach the target (Management without papers): In order to reach the target, it is necessary to make a careful study and correct programming of all the procedures and systems, also we should draw a proper plan of the target.

It follows as: The goal should be clear to all the employees working at the directorate. The directorate should encourage the employees to use electronic devices. Encouraging people who work with directorate to use E-mail. Dispose all papers and documents after encoding them on computer. Yesterday and today's office Yesterday’s office consisted of pens, papers, books, typing machine, copying machine, shelves, calculators, telex, fax, and some other office tools. While today's office consists of a computer that can save the work of data processing saving and editing.

We are looking forward to tomorrow’s office being equipped with one system that unites the processing of words, data, photo and also saving documents as far as holding conferences and meeting remotely by videos which are connected to computer. We are also looking forward to develop special systems for decision support systems and collecting, analyzing and developing information in order to make the process of finding documents and papers as easy job. Barriers facing the transferring to the E-administration: Some managers are not satisfied with this transformation and the result.

Many employees are not aware of its uses, E-administration will escalate their work performance. Some authorities adopted this experiment without an extensive study in the matter that led to failure , there is also the absence of financial support. The absence of high level training for the employees who considered to be the base of the Future. Positive Results: The experiment of administration without papers that has been adopted by some governmental authorities in UAE met with success due to the following result: 1.

Reducing time to process papers. 2. Enforcing confidence when dealing with customers inside the Directorate. 3. Enforcing the communication among all police systems. 4. Reducing the use of couriers who used to convey information manually. 5. Escalating the vocational quality for the employees by keeping them updated w on new technologies. 6. Activating the role of supervision on workers and the ability to measure the performance rates. 7. Increasing daily work productivity. 8. Reducing the possibility of losing information.

Helping decision makers to find alternatives when taking decisions Recommendations Future Recommendation to develop performance: 1. The transformation of E-Administration. 2. Measuring the performance level and achievement and also honor. 3. Organizing the process of archiving and instructing. 4. Connecting the Directorate by one network that connects all the departments and sections. 5. Developing human abilities by adopting plans with high levels in order to make workers be ready to deal with computers. 6. Connecting the Directorate General of AD Police electronically with the Ministry of Interior and join the E-Government. 7. Establishing website for the Directorate to display all news about polices systems. 8. Reducing the numbers of workers and use them to handle something 9.

Providing financial support to implement this idea. 10. Using Experts. Conclusion Administration without papers have become essential to all facilities and sectors whether governmental or private, but before going through such experiences, an intensive study shall be prepared, so we can apply it in one sector then apply it on other sectors when it succeeds, workers should be trained and finance should be provided in order to guarantee the success of this experience. I would like to mention that through this study, I first displayed the meaning of administration without papers before going into the core of the subject, I called it yesterday and Today's Administration; I also, mentioned the items being used such as (pen, papers, offices, shelves, employees, Bureau officers, outgoing mail officers and incoming mail officers and the archives).

I gave an example about how the happening of a process starts from decision making to implementing, I showed the possibility of losing information and data due to the length of the process. We came to the meaning of Administration without papers of the E-Administration, I talked about the goal behind it and advantage behind adopting this new administration, I also explained the ways, means and steps to achieve that goal, I focused on the E-mail as a crucial means to get any information we need at relative time within a few seconds.

Then I talked about the importance of using computer in taking decision by choosing a number of options and alternatives that may affect the flow of procedures and also its importance in the supervision and following up with employees before and after implementation. Finally, i highlighted the services that the computer can provide to its users in the justice and police sectors and mentioned the civil defence as an example, I also showed the services that the computer can to the judges, prosecutors and lawyers, where they can easily show the details of any case may need to be looking at and the ones which need an immediate handling.

I hope this project will the readers and I hope that I have not missed out on anything related to the essences of the subject. I hop e this project will have its I also hope it will be adopted by all facilities, because its idea has a great benefits in the administration field represented by the easiness of attaining any information by the authorized personnel and the security of information. References: 1. www.dubaipolice.ae 2. www.gove.ae 3. http://www.HR_eAdministration 4. http://www.nauss.edu.sa/NAUSS/Arabic/default.htm 5. Computer and Modern Management / Hussain A.Hameed 6. Police Magazine 7.

Computer In Police organization / Major Ahmed Mohd 8. Using Computer in Administration Department/ Dr. Ebrahim Rashed 9. Derrida, Jacques, “Structure, Sign and Play n the Discourse of the Human Sciences”, Writing and Difference, trans. Alan Bass. London: Routledge. 10. Rogers, “Business Analysis for Marketing Managers (1978).