Chapter 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This chapter presented the methods that were used in this study.

The discussion includeed the research design, population and sample, research instruments and their validation procedures, data gathering procedures, and the statistical treatment of data. Research Design A descriptive research design was used to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomena to describe "what exists" with respect to variables or conditions in a situation (Key 1 !".

According to #huttleworth ($%%&", the sub'ect is being observed in a completely natural and unchanged natural environment. A good example of this would be an anthropologist who wanted to study a tribe without affecting their normal behavior in any way. True experiments, whilst giving analy(able data, often adversely influence the normal behavior of the sub'ect. )escriptive research is often used as a pre*cursor to more statistical research designs, the general overview giving some valuable pointers as to what variables are worth testing +uantitatively. This study assessed the management practices of local water district employees in ,angasinan. -t also determined the customer satisfaction rating of its concessionaires and finally, the problems encountered and the recommended solutions were loo.ed into. Population and Sa ple

=% The first group of respondents were the concessionaires of the 0ocal 1ater )istricts in ,angasinan. The other group of respondents were the employees. The number of

concessionaires totalled Three 2undred 3ighty #even (4&!" and the employees wor.ing in the 1ater )istricts in the /th district of ,angasinan totalled 5ifty #even (/!". The representative sample of the concessionaires and employees were determined using the #lovin formula (,arel, 1 &6". The formula is shown as follows7 n 8 999999:999999999 1 ; : e$ 1here7 n 8 sample : 8 population e 8 margin of error The concessionaires and employees were randomly selected using the simple random sampling techni+ue. 3ach group of respondents was oriented on the purpose and mechanics of the survey after which, they were as.ed to answer the +uestionnaire. The +uestionnaire was self*administered and retrieved as soon as these were accomplished. 5or the computation of the sample si(e for the concessionaires and employees, a ten percent margin of error was used. The sample si(e for concessionaires and

employees as determined using the #lovin<s formula was Two 2undred 5orty #even ($6!".

=1 Table 1 on the next page showed the population and sample concessionaires and employees of local water districts in ,angasinan who served as respondents.

Table 1 ,opulation and #ample >espondents >espondent Concessionaires E plo%ees Total ,opulation 3!" &" ((( #ample #$" &' )("

Research *nstru ents and their +alidation The ma'or data gathering tool was the +uestionnaire. Two sets of +uestionnaires were constructed by the researcher who was guided by the ob'ectives of the study and assistance of her adviser and the members of the panel. The first set of +uestionnaire was intended for the concessionaires of the 1ater )istricts in ,angasinan which has one part. -t included the survey +uestionnaire in which +uestions were as.ed to determine the +uality of services provided by the employees of the water districts. 0i.ewise, the second set of +uestionnaire was intended for the employees which was divided into three parts. The first part was on the profile of employees and the second part was on their honest conviction?perception that best describes the management

=$ practices of local water district employees in ,angasinan. The last part identified the problems encountered by the water districts and the recommended solutions of the identified problems. The +uestionnaires were pilot tested to randomly selected ran. and file employees, @ustomer #ervice #upervisors?@ommercial )ivision Aanagers and Beneral Aanagers of nearby 1ater )istricts in ,angasinan who were not respondents of the study. @omments and suggestions by the respondents were used to improve the items in the instrument. After determining the content validity, it was submitted for physical and ocular examination to a pool of five (/" experts in order to determine the ade+uacy and suitability of the items to the age and behavioral patterns, vocabulary level and experiential bac.ground of the intended respondents or sub'ects of the study. Data Gathering Procedure The researcher sought permission and approval from the Beneral Aanagers of the 1ater )istricts to get their full cooperation and support in the collection of data from the respondents. The +uestionnaires were personally administered by the researcher with the help of the 1ater )istrict #taff and Beneral Aanagers with the end in view of early retrieval of response from the respondents. Cut of the two hundred forty seven ($6!"

+uestionnaires for the sample population, the researcher was able to collect 1%%D of the answered +uestionnaires. Statistical Treat ent o, Data

=4 The data gathered from the +uestionnaires were organi(ed, processed and eventually computed and analy(ed using the #tatistical ,ac.age for the #ocial #ciences (#,##". The data was organi(ed, analy(ed and interpreted with the use of basic descriptive statistics. To describe the profile of the employees, which was the concern of ,roblem :o. 1, fre+uency count was used. 5or problem :o. $ on the management practices of local water district employees in ,angasinan, 1eighted Average Aean was used. To interpret the results, point values and descriptive values were used as follows7 Point +alues / 6 4 $ 1 Mean Scale +alue 6.$1 E /.%% 4.61 E 6.$% $.=1 E 4.6% 1.&1 E $.=% 1.%% E 1.&% Descripti-e +alue Fery 2igh 2igh Aoderate 0ow Fery 0ow

The formula in computing the 1eighted Arithmetic Aean was7 G 8 H fx f where7 Hx 8 weighted arithmetic mean Hfx 8 sum of all the products of f and xI where f is the fre+uency of each weighted mean and x is the weight.

=6 Hf 8 sum of all the sub'ects?respondents. 5inally, to answer ,roblem :o. 6 and /, corresponding ran.s was used.