LONG DISTANCE BUS TRANSPORT: RATIONALE ISSUES AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE 

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CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Introduction

The previous chapter presented a review of the key literature on transport in the global south, and LDB transport, with Ethiopia being the specific geographical context under examination. This review has set a context for further study and the methodology presented will provide a framework for this research. This chapter presents the research strategy and the techniques that were used in the collection of data; it also includes the method of analysis and the ethical criteria for the research. This study relies on the collection and analysis of both empirical (quantitative) and qualitative data to explore the role of LDB in Ethiopia, as a contributor to the movement of goods and people within a developmental context.

Research Approach and Paradigm

The research design for this study is fixed and is based on the nature of the research problems and the issues being addressed. Different research problems lead to different research designs and methods, which in turn results in the collection of different types of data, and the relevant method of interpretation that this data requires (Creswell 1994; Leedy & Ormrod 2001). However, this study is conducted using numerous designs, such as surveys, exploration and descriptive designs.
In light of this research design, this study employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. With regard to the approach, the quantitative approach best represents the whole population; it uses standard instruments employed for prediction. The weakness of the approach is that it does not give room for descriptive techniques. On the other hand, Leedy & Ormrod (2001), Grey (2009) explain that the qualitative approach is very specific to a particular context and not generalised to other contexts.
The main reason for using a multiple stage approach is to maximise the depth and breadth of the data obtained (Byrne & Humble 2007). Since each approach has its own limitations, the use of multiple methods neutralises or cancels out some of the disadvantages of a particular method. Of course, the strengths and weaknesses of each approach also complement each other, which make it sufficient enough design to apply in this research. Since social phenomena are so complex, different kinds of methods are required to best understand this complexity. This approach is used because of the multifaceted nature of the study, which includes surveys, interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGD), and observation.
With regard to the research paradigm, this study follows certain paradigms (Kitchin and Tate 2000; Armitage 2007; Byrnes & Humble 2007). Particular schools of the philosophical view of science and methodologists have been engaged in a long-standing epistemological debate about how best to conduct research in a definite area. This pragmatic approach mainly focuses on a problem or reality, rather than on a theoretical analysis. The positivist approach deals with the quantitative mechanism, while the phenomenological approach focuses on interpretative methods (Byrnes & Humble 2007). However, one approach was not adequate for this study; because of it is mutually Exclusive nature. In this study, the researcher preferred the pragmatic view that includes both positivist and interpretive approaches, together. The accuracy of information in one type of data source should be verified by using both simultaneous and sequential triangulation of additional sources (Creswell 1994; Kitchin and Tate 2000). In this study, therefore, simultaneous and sequential triangulation of mixed approaches is applied. This process is used as a mechanism to verify the accuracy of both qualitative and quantitative data.

Site Selections and Sampling Techniques

In any field of study, an investigation of a wide area and broad aspects is challenging. It has to be specified in terms of area. The purposive sampling method used to select subjects is believed to be useful for a particular research/topic. Thus, the researcher intentionally selected the city of Addis Ababa and Mercato bus terminals. The logical rationale for the selection of Addis Ababa is that it has a greater number of bus commuters than any of the other cities in the nation. The city is geographically located in the center of the nation, and therefore it has good linkages to the other parts of the country. Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and the seat of many international organisations and embassies. For these and other reasons, the internal mobility towards Addis Ababa, and out of it, is very elevated and it takes place along five major highways, as seen in Map 3.1 below. It is the core part of the country for performing all types of economic activities that are basic for stimulating the economic development of the nation.
The main method used to select the sites and routes of the dispatch of buses was carried out by using random sampling technique. Out of five major highway routes, four were selected. Simultaneously, the four lines and towns were also selected for this survey.
These were Addis Ababa to Harare at Metehara, to Mekele (to the north) at Debre Sina, to Gojam line (to the north-west) at Gebre Guracha and to Arba Minch (to the south) at Hossaina. The instruments were applied on a daily basis on four sampled towns at Metehara, Hossaina, G/Guracha and Debre Sina towns. These towns are situated along the four highways of the nation that connect with the capital, Addis Ababa. It is important to ascertain the roles and linkage of these highway routes, and how they interlink with Addis Ababa. Therefore, only the passengers and operators who were using the selected routes were questioned in the study.

Sampling Techniques to Select Total Population of Buses, Operators, and Passengers

It is feasibly impossible to use all the targeted population (LDB drivers, operators and passengers) for this study, so a sample was taken from the passengers, operators, routes, places and buses. In this study, a multiple stage selection of bus terminals, routes, buses in each route and selection of passenger and operators was done.

Total Population and Size of the Buses, Operators, and Passengers

According to information from the Federal Transport Authority, there are between 25 to 32 LDB associations, which serve the community from the Mercato bus terminals only. The sample size of the buses were selected systematically at the survey sites. Systematic sampling is a good mechanism, if there are recorded lists (Grey 2009). Thus, based on the monthly dispatch lists of buses along each route, 6 % of buses were examined. It was also applicable to use the systematic approach taking the K^th bus alongside the sampled routes. The required information from the selection of buses were the number plates, side reference numbers, and name of the association.
With regard to the sampling of bus terminals, in Addis Ababa, there are six bus terminals. At the time of this study, the Mercato, Shegole/Asiko and Kality bus terminals were operational. The Mercato bus terminal was selected for this study using purposive sampling. It was selected due to its geographical setting and because it is the only national bus station that serves the whole nation. Meanwhile, the remaining two bus terminals; Shegole/Asko and Kality, were excluded from the study. However, it must be noted that there is an expansion of bus terminals in Addis Ababa because of their importance in transport networks (Figure 2.1 above).
A study conducted on mobility is not as easy as is a study on a non-mobile component. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to research it. This study required certain conditions for writing on the questionnaire, necessitating a writing position that was free from jerking in order to perform the task. Because of the nature of bus mobility, the survey took place during the time when passengers were resting, having breakfast or lunch along the journey. Therefore, the information was collected using the questionnaires during these times.
To ascertain the total number of operators, it was necessary to determine the number of buses that are dispatched from or to the terminal. It was found that there are between one hundred and one hundred and twenty large buses departing from the terminal, and a similar amount enters the terminals, each day. Out of these buses, 6 % were selected (sixty four). This amount is sufficient for this study, because the information is homogeneous. This meant that on each route, about eight buses were selected from both out-going and in-coming buses along four routes. 8*4*2=64 buses. Therefore, sixty-four drivers and operators were selected for this study. It was felt that this was sufficient for analysing the condition of the industry. Moreover, from the sample of sixty-four bus operators, only sixty-two questionnaires were fully utilised for this study; the remaining two were rejected because they were incomplete.
With regard to the selection of passengers, it was necessary to determine the estimated total population of the LDB commuters; this ranged from a minimum of two hundred passengers, which multiplied by each LDB occupying sixty passengers, multiplied again by four terminals and multiplied by a two-way flow or trip, equals ninety-six thousand. This calculation in short, 200*60*4*2=96, 000, gives the minimum total population of informants. The maximum range of total population is 240*60*4*2=115, 200. However, the minimum number of the passengers (100 000) selected was sufficient for this study. Out of these, the researcher took 10 % of passengers from each bus and asked these individuals to fill in the questionnaire. Six passengers from each sampled bus multiplied by eight buses and again multiplied by four routes at two survey seasons, i.e. 6*8*4*2=384. In this survey, three hundred and eighty-four of total passengers were addressed. Of these, only 241 questionnaires (63%) were fully completed and used for this analysis and the rest 37% were rejected because they were uncompleted. The target population or users of buses, operators and passengers, are homogeneous in their nature but heterogeneous in other aspects, such as age, sex, income and profession, which helps the reliability and validity of data. Therefore, a sufficiently sized sample was drawn for homogeneity of information.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Background of Study Area and Sites
1.3. Research Background
1.4. Problem Statement
1.5. Aim and Objectives of the Study
1.6. Research Questions
1.7. Significance of the Research
1.8. Scope of the Study
1.9. Limitations of the Study
1.10. Organisation of the study
1.11. Summary
CHAPTER TWO LONG DISTANCE BUS TRANSPORT: RATIONALE ISSUES AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE 
2.1. Introduction
2.2. Intercity Bus or Road Passenger/Public Transport
2.3. The global importance of intercity bus transport
2.4. The theory of transport and its importance for development and reducing poverty
2.5. The Roles of Passenger Road (Long Distance Bus) Transport
2.6. The Nature and Structure of Passenger Road Transport
2.7. Intercity bus transport for linkage of metropolitan area and development
2.8. Supply and Demand of LDB Transport (Service Adequacy)
2.9. Major Difficulties of the Sector
2.10. Conclusions
CHAPTER THREE  RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Research Approach and Paradigm
3.3. Sites Selections and sampling techniques
3.4. Sampling Techniques to Select Total Population of Buses, Operators, and Passengers
3.5. Data Collection Sources and Instruments: Qualitative and Quantitative
3.6. Data Analyses
3.7. Variables of the study
3.8. Ethical Consideration
3.9. Validity and Reliability of the study
3.10. Pilot study
3.11. Conclusions
CHAPTER FOUR  STRUCTURE OF THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY IN ETHIOPIA 
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Growth Rate of Formal Passenger Road Transport (FPRT) and LDB in Ethiopia
4.3. The General Dispatch of LDB by Levels and Its Major Factors
4.4. Estimated Condition of LDB by Levels and Service Year
4.5. Average Distance, Total Time Employed, and Reasons of Mobility
4.6. Conclusions
CHAPTER FIVE SERVICE ADEQUACY, STIMULATING FACTORS AND THE FUTURE THREAT TO THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY 
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Service levels of LDB Transport
5.3. Service levels on the Supply Side
5.4. The Passenger’s Reflection on Service levels of the Service (Demand sides)
5.6. The possibilities of other modes of transport for intercity travel
5.7. The Reflection of Operator on the Supply-Demand Situation of the Industry
5.8. Factors Stimulating the Variance of Supply and Demand
5.9. Future Threat for the Supply and Demand of the Industry
5.10. Conceptual Model of service levels’ (S & D) of the industry
5.11. Conclusion
CHAPTER SIX MAJOR ROLES OF LONG DISTANCE BUS TRANSPORT AND ITS EFFECT ON LINKING THE CORE TO THE PERIPHERY
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Regional LDB Transport and their Roles in Metropolitan Linkage
6.3. Dispatch and its Contribution to Urbanisation along the outlets
6.4. The Roles of LDB Transport
6.5. LDB/PPRT Nexus Local Economic Development and Poverty Reduction
6.6. Conceptual model of the Roles of LDB at Origin, Transition and Destination Towns
6.7. Conclusion
CHAPTER SEVEN MAJOR CHALLENGES OF THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY
7.1. Introduction
7.2. The Challenges of LDB Transport
7.3. The challenges and Solutions Model
7.4. Conceptual model of Major sides of challenges of LDB Transport
7.5. Conclusions
CHAPTER EIGHT  POLICY GAPS OF LONG DISTANCE TRAVELING BY BUS IN ETHIOPIA
8.1. Introduction
8.2. Policy of Long Distance Bus (LDB) Transport in Ethiopia
8.3. The Dispatch System of LDB Transport
8.4. Bus Safety and Service Policy
8.5. Internal and External constraints of the organisation from Policy Viewpoints
8.6. Prominent Alternative Strategies for Policy Maker
8.7. Conclusions
CHAPTER NINE  SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATION OF THE THESIS, AND FUTURE AREAS 
9.1. Introduction
9.2. Summary of the Major finding
9.3. Theoretical Implication
9.4. Implications of the Study
9.5. Future Areas of Study
6.6. Concluding Remarks
10. References
11. Appendix
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Long Distance Bus Transport: It’s Structure, Service Adequacy and the Role It Plays In Linking the Core to the Periphery of Ethiopia