Research methodology chapter 5

Chapter 5: Data for Economics and Business Researches

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5.1. Gaining access
5.2. Strategies for gaining access

5. Access
to data

5.3. Research ethics
5.4. Ethical issues during the specific
stages of the research process
5.5. Principles of data protection and
data management

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There are different types of access to data:
• Traditional access- this may refer to face-to-face
interaction, conversations, correspondence or

visiting data archives.

5.1. Gaining
access

• Internet-mediated access – this involves the use of
a computer, or computer technologies such as the
Web, email and webcams to be able to gain access
to questionnaires, discussions, experiments or
interviews or to gather secondary data.

• Intranet-mediated access – a variant of internetmediated access where one gains virtual access as
an organizational employee or worker using its
intranet.
• Hybrid access – this type of access combines
traditional and internet-mediated approaches.

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5.1. Gaining access
• The levels of access may vary because they depend on the
nature and depth of the access one wishes to achieve physical,
continuing and cognitive access.
• Physical access may be difficult because it not all organizations
are prepared to engage in activities which are not necessary

for them, since time and effort is required.
• Sometimes the gatekeeper (the person who keeps data and
decides who may have access to it) does not allow people to
undertake the research (because the organization does not
receive value from it or the topic is too sensitive).

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5.1. Gaining access
• Many people see access to data as a continuing process and not just one single event.
One of the two reasons for this is that access may be an iterative and incremental
process.
• After gaining access to one particular set of data one might seek further to achieve other
data in order to conduct another part of the research. Another reason why access is a
continuing process is because those people from whom one needs to collect data may be
different to those who agreed to your request for access.
• Physical access to data from of an organization will be granted in a formal manner,
though an organizations management. Therefore, it is useful to gain trust from the
organizational members. This type of access is named cognitive access.

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5.1. Gaining
access

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• Negotiating access - Negotiating access is likely to
be an important if one wishes to gain personal
entry to an organization and to be able to have
cognitive access to allow one to connect the
necessary data.
• Therefore, it is important to consider the project’s
feasibility (determine whether it is practicable to
negotiate access for a research project) and
sufficiency (whether one is able to gain sufficient
access to fulfil the research objectives).

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5.1. Gaining access
• Issues of being an external researcher - Researchers need to negotiate access at each
level: physical, continuing and cognitive. Because an external researcher lacks status in
an organization or group in which he wishes to conduct research he will face difficulties
at every level of access. Therefore, external researchers rely on the goodwill of the
organizational members. To be able to gain goodwill from members a researcher needs
to be able to communicate his competence and integrity and explain the importance of

his research project clearly and precisely.

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5.1. Gaining access
• Issues of being an internal/participant researcher -Even though an internal or participant
researcher is familiar with the organization and vice versa, he is still likely to face
problems of access to data. The status of an internal/participant researcher who wishes
to gain cognitive access could cause suspicions. This is because other organizational
members may not know what the internal/participant researcher will do with the data.
Here it is also important for the researcher to be able to communicate the purpose of his
research.

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5.2. Strategies for gaining access
• This section will discuss the different strategies one could use to obtain access to data for
traditional as well as internet-mediated means. The applicability of these strategies will
differ in relation to the researcher’s status as an internal or external researcher:
• Familiarity with the group and sufficient time

• Providing clear account of requirements for participators
• Overcoming organizational concerns
• Possible benefits to organization granting access and using suitable language
• Facilitating replies, developing access, and establishing credibility

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5.2. Strategies for gaining access
• Familiarity with the group and sufficient time:
• Before trying to obtain physical access, it is very important for a researcher to
familiarize himself with the organization or group.
• It may take a lot of time (weeks or even months) before physical access could be
gained (if access is even granted at all).
• This is the reason why a researcher needs to plan sufficient time for the data access
part of a research project. One also needs to consider the time needed for a
participant to respond to the request of participating in a research.
• Using existing contacts and/or developing new ones - When a researcher can use
existing contacts it is easier to gain access. Because these contacts have knowledge
of the researcher means that they can trust him and his intentions and are therefore
likely to gain access to the data.
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5.2. Strategies for gaining access
• Providing clear account of requirements for participators:
• Researchers need to be aware that they provide a clear report of their requirements
to allow their participants to know what will be asked of them.
• Without clear requirements, participants may act cautious since the required
amount of time they have to put in their participation may seem to be disruptive.
• This is why an introductory letter to the participants will have to provide them with
an outline and goal of the research and what the participants will have to do.

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5.2. Strategies for gaining access
• Overcoming organizational concerns: Organizations may be concerned about:
• The amount of time or resources involved in the request for access - the less the
better
• The sensitivity about the topic - negative implications are less likely to lead to
granting access, thus highlight positive approach.
• The confidentiality of the data and the anonymity of the organisation need to be
ensured.

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5.2. Strategies for gaining access
• Possible benefits to organization granting access and using suitable language:
• Organizations and their members may find it helpful to discuss their own situation in
a non-threatening, non-judgmental environment.
• Therefore, it may be helpful to provide a summary report of one’s findings to those
who grant access.
• One should also be aware that the use of language is important and should depend
on nature of people who participate.

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5.2. Strategies for gaining access
• Facilitating replies, developing access, and establishing credibility:
• Different contact methods could be used to write requests for access (phone, skype,
fax, email), but these may not be suitable in all cases.
• When using an incremental strategy (from minimum requirements of participants to
more requirements) one can obtain access to a certain level of data and a positive
relationship with participants will rise.
• As one establishes credibility, he can develop the possibility of achieving a fuller level
of access.

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5.5. Principles of data protection and data management
• In order to manage data ethically and lawfully one should consider the principles of data
protection and data management.

• Personal data are data that relate to a living individual which allow that person to be
identified, maybe in combination with other sorts of information known to the controller
of the data.
• Anyone who controls this type of data is subject to provisions of data protection
legislation of the country one lives in.
• The list below provides a summary of a couple of principles a researcher should consider.

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5.5. Principles of data protection and data management
Personal data should be:
• Processed fairly and lawfully

• Adequate and relevant

• Obtained for specified explicit and lawful purposes
• Accurate and up-to-date where necessary
• Kept no longer than necessary
• Kept securely
• Processed in accordance with the rights for data subject by the Act
• Not transferred to a country outside the European Economic Area

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5.5. Principles of data protection and data management
• A further category of personal data, known as sensitive personal data, covers information
about a participant’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs,
physical/mental health, sexual life or any proceedings or sentence related to an alleged
offence.

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