The Unobtrusiveness of the Research

Some of the research methods used in the study were unobtrusive since they were 'undertaken in society without affecting society' (Babbie, 2004). The content analysis of secondary-source survey resuits is an example of unobtrusive research.

40 The cross-disciplinary and cross-boundary nature of international development project management was pointed out to at the theoretical framework section 4.3.

rJuv

5.2.3 Content Analysis in the Research

The content analysis was applied when analyzing data of the secondary-source survey conducted among the program staff of UNDP at the country office level on their perceptions of resuits culture within their organization.

5.3 Research Questions

The research was organized around the following research questions that guided the research process.

Research Question 1:

How well does the RBM as the managerial system support management-for-resuits

as the overarching objective of international development project management?

Research Question 2:

Does RBM, and namely its project design component, require any major

modifications to better serve the management-for-resuits function?

The answers to those questions present the major contribution of the study to the body of knowledge on international development project management as well as the link to the preceding and the future research in this domain.

5.4 Assumptions

The following assumptions have been made to conduct the study.

1. The development agencies do their best to adhere to their corporate performance management guidelines and programming manuals.

2. The 'resuits chain' (outputs-outcomes-impact) relationship does lend itself to bringing resuits of higher level over time.

3. The project environment is conducive to reaching resuits at ai! levels (i.e. with the resuits culture in place).

Given the above assumptions the conclusions and findings 0f the study can provide for better projects' design and contribute to effectiveness of development aid.

91

5.5 Logical Séquence of the Research

The logical sequence of the research phases is presented in figure 4.

Figure 4. The logical sequence of the research.

Literature review Challenges

and problems Theoretical

facing RBM Framework

•.•:'%•':.

Preliminary Research Interviews, Survey(s)

Analysis of the RBM's design comportent alignment with the Management -for-Resuits ^function

Model suggested Model verified

Suggestions for further research -> direct links

feedback links

The starting points for the research were: literature review; the interviews conducted with development practitioners and thecx

findings 0f the findings of the secondary-source survey conducted within UNDP. That revealed the major problems facing RBM (those, as the author concluded, were in project design) and allowed to construct the theoretical framework for the research which was based on the performance management and the development studies theoretical concepts. With a help of the theoretical framework the alignment of the RBM's design component with its management-for-resuits function was analyzed. To address the drawbacks of the RBM's project design component, the Management Per-Resuit Project Design Model was suggested. The next step was the model verification, which has been donc based on the WHO real-life feasibility study (Hutton and Haller, 2004). The 'model verified' provided the feedback and an opportunity to revisit the 'mode! suggested' (that has been done iterative!y in a course of the model verification process tul the initial model fit the verified mode!).

5. 6 Data Collection Strategy

The data collection strategy for the study reflects the sources of information and the subject selection for the study.

5.6.1 Sources of Information

The sources of information for the study were as foliows.

1. Publications and documents on development assistance and its effectiveness, international development project management, project management.

2. Normative (prescriptive) documents (manuals and guides of CIDA, OECD, UNDP etc.) on the RBM use for the development assistance programming purposes.

3. The development aid experts and practitioners (interviews conducted).

5.6.2 Subjects for the Study

There were two types of subjects used for the study: (1) projects; (2) project management and development practitioners from selected development agencies.

The choice of agencies as well as the choice of professionals for the interviews and how they were accessed is discussed at length in the Preliminary Research Interview section (3.1).

In general, the candidates selected for the interviews were selected to be the subject matter experts in: (1) development aid methodology and its practical application; (2) project management, including the 'field' experience of managing international development projects in different regions of the world; (3) RBM application methodology, including monitoring of, evaluation of and reporting on the output-outcome-impact relationship. Five experts/development aid practitioners were chosen for the interviews to comply with the principle 0f 'triangulation' when two opinions, in case they are the opposite ones, do not lead to any conclusion. Considering the qualitative nature of research, the small pool of interviewees (five) was selected.

92

The choice 0f project for the model verification is discussed in the Resuits section (6.2).

93

The ethical aspects of the research are addressed in the Preliminary Research Interviews section (3.1).

5. 7 Data Collection Methods

The following data-collection methods were used for this research: document studies;

in-depth interviews.

(1) Document Studies. The method of document studies is chosen because it provides a wide range of opinions and in-depth experience on the RBM theory and its practical applications. Given that the document studies as a qualitative research method is available locally or through Internet, not time-consurning, unobtrusive, it was used as the main data collection channel complemented by the in-depth interview method. The in-depth interviews confirmed the preliminary conclusions anived at as a resuit 0f the document study process.

(2) In-depth Interviews. The interview method is chosen for the sake of getting first-hand insights into the RBM's practice, the possibility 0f clarifying issues by posing various questions and minirnizing the possi.bility of misinterpretation of som.e facts.

All that made the investigation of the subject matter more effective. The insights could have been obtained through publications, but in general the interview method, providing for the greater confidentiality 1 gave more insights into the situational

analysis and practice. The two data collection methods complemented each other.