1

CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY


3.1 Introduction
This chapter presents the method utilized in the execution of this study.
This chapter gives a clear picture of an overview of research method, the research
design, the sample of the study, research procedures as well as data analysis and
processing. The first section describes the steps involve, follows by dataset
representation. The third parts discuss and analysis of the topic of the research
study. This research study was conducted based on the methodology. This
methodology plays an important role in implementing this research study
accordingly. The details of the methodology are explained in detail in this chapter.

3.2 Overview of Research Methodology
Research methodology is used to give a clear cut idea on what the
researcher is carrying out his or her research. In order to plan in a right point of time
and to advance the research work methodology makes the right platform to the
researcher to mapping out the research work in relevance to make solid plans.
Ideally, comprehensive research should try to incorporate both qualitative and
quantitative methodologies but this is not always possible, usually due to time and
financial constraints (Williams, 2011).
Research methodologies are generally used in academic research to test
hypotheses or theories. A good design should ensure the research is valid, i.e. It
clearly tests the hypothesis and not extraneous variables, and that the research is
reliable, i.e. It yields consistent results every time. Part of the research methodology
is concerned with the how the research is conducted. This is called the study
design and typically involves research conducted using questionnaires, interviews,
observation and/or experiments (Vaccaro, 2012).
2

3.3 Research Design
Quantitative Research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating
numerical data or data that can be transformed into useable statistics. It is used to
quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviours, and other defined variables and generalize
results from a larger sample population. Quantitative Research uses measurable
data to formulate facts and uncover patterns in research. Quantitative data collection
methods include various forms of surveys such as online surveys and paper
surveys.
Qualitative research is also used in this study to reveal valuable attitudes and
perspectives that can hardly be accessed through a traditional quantitative
approach. The exploratory character of qualitative market research permits the
gathering of new information on specific areas of research, very often through
intensive dialogue between the interviewer and respondent (Broda et al., 2006).

3.3.1 Primary Data
Primary data are the data that obtained directly from the individual or
personal. The responses are gathered in a standardised way, so
questionnaires are more objective, certainly more so than interviews. . The
structure of the questionnaire guide allowed respondent to address a specific
range and provide straight forward answer. Furthermore, interview with home
developers also had been done to acquire their perception and
understanding of green home.

3.3.2 Secondary Data
Literature review was conducted to gather relevant information that
exists in the research by going through all necessary materials and sources
of information. The information for secondary data was obtained from the
company records, archives, government publications, industry analysis and
can be obtained from the journal or conference proceedings and etc.
However, in the new era of technology, the data can be obtained from the
internet.
3

3.4 Research Method
3.4.1 Questionnaire
In this study, the researcher has selected the questionnaire
for the instrument. This is because it saves time and enables more studies
are being made to the respondent without holding public interviews.
Questionnaire is a form containing questions for the purpose of gathering
information from respondents.. In this questionnaire, it uses the setting five
stages according to the Likert scale as shown below. This study uses the
Likert scale as follows:




Figure 3.1 : Likert scale
Source: Ray (2003:285)

Table 3.1: Sections in Questionnaire
Section Item
A
Demographic Data
- Basic background of respondents
B
Features
- Development of the green home
C
Economic benefit
- Save various cost
D
Price
- Willingness to buy
E Obstacles In Implementing

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5
4


Total scoring based on Likert scale shown in the table 3.2 below. Each
statement is given the total value of similar scale and scores of strongly
disagree (scale = 1; score = 1), disagree (scale = 2; score = 2), neutral (scale
= 3; score = 3) agree (scale = 4; score = 4) and strongly agree (scale = 5;
score = 5).
Please refer Appendix D for the questionnaire sample.

3.4.1.1 Process

Step 1: Information and objectives from questionnaire must be
figured out first followed by information from respondents to meet the
objectives. The questions are not redundant and must be specific to
the topic.

Step 2 : Introduction questionnaire is written. This should explain a
little about the questionnaire. The introduction should be kept brief but
also engage the target audience. Attention span probability should be
thought, and coordinate the questionnaire based on that estimate.

Step 3 : Closed questions for questionnaires are used. A closed
question is one that can be answered with a word or a phrase. This
makes it easy for the respondent to give their answer without having
to think of an articulate way to word it. Closed questions also
beneficial because it makes it easier to classify and group answers
together.


5

Step 4: Questions are ordered in a way that is meaningful and
easy to follow. Questions that are easy to understand and easy to
answer are started first. Opening with harder questions is off-putting
and may scare respondents off before they complete your entire
survey. Easy questions help encourage participants to want to finish
answering the rest of the questions. The rest of the questions should
flow in some sort of order that sounds natural and does not skip
around too much.

Step 5: Important questions are put at the beginning of
questionnaire. Often, participants can lose interest by the end,
especially if the survey is rather lengthy. If there are any questions
that are of more importance and that require respondents to focus on,
questionnaire are placed toward the beginning.

Step 6: Questions are added a little variety . While closed
questions are best for ease of answering and analyzing purposes,
adding in a couple of open ended questions helps keep respondents
from becoming bored. Open ended questions require respondents to
write out their answers and include some detail.


3.4.2 Interviews
In this research, interviews are conducted with respondents which
are the green home developers in Klang Valley. Two of the most established
developers had been chosen to be the respondents, which are Sime darby and
Naza TTDI. Interview is another method of collecting data regarding information
on issues of interest. This method of collecting data could also be structured
and unstructured; it is done either face-to-face or via telephone
calls. Structured interviews, with specific goals and questions set before
commencement, are prepared and managed before conducting the interview.
6

The collected is related, which gives more detailed information for further
research.


3.4.2.1 Face-to-face interviews
In this research, during face-to-face interviews with the
green home developers, the interviewer can adapt the questions
when necessary, be able to clarify doubts, and ensure the
respondents understand the questions properly by repeating and
rephrasing the questions. It also allows exchange of other
information, apart from the questions set, between interviewer and
respondents, for instance the developers might give their brochures
and other beneficial data for references.
However, as travel is involved, this method of data
collection is the least inexpensive and the most time consuming since
the developers might cancel the appointment as they are so tight with
schedule of the current projects. Moreover, interviewers have to be
well trained in order to avoid biases, as interpretation of respondents'
responses may differ from different interviewers. Therefore, it is
essential to research some information regarding the developers'
company and every detail of their green home projects. Respondents
are sometimes reluctant to be interviewed in persons, and feel
uneasy about the anonymity of their responses.
Please refer Appendix C for the interview questions.





7

3.5 Sampling
Surveys are useful and powerful in finding answers to research questions
through data collection and subsequent analyses. The process of selecting the right
individuals, objects, or events for study is known as sampling. A sample is a subset
of population, which refers to the entire group of people, events, or things of interest
that the researcher wishes to investigate. A sample comprises some members
selected from population. In other words, some, but not all, elements of the
population would form the sample.
Sampling is the process of selecting a sufficient number of elements from the
population, so that a study of the sample and an understanding of its properties or
characteristics would make it possible for us to generalize such properties or
characteristics to the population elements. The reasons for using a sample, rather
than collecting data from the entire population, are self-evident. In research
investigations involving several hundreds and even thousands of elements, which
refers every member within the population, it would be practically impossible to
collect data from, or test, or examine every element. Even if it were possible, it
would be prohibitive in terms of time, cost and other human resources.
The purpose of this research is to determine the perception of green home
development among home buyers; the sample was chosen to be a group of people
who are working and has income with affordability to buy houses. It is because the
purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between home buyers'
perception of green home and their demographic background.
The sample size is 100 people, a random selection from those home buyers
that attended property exhibition and property launching. To investigate interactivity,
a survey instrument was designed which reflected the literature, and sought
responses particularly with regard to the home buyers' perceptions. A rating scale
of one to five was used, where one represented strongly disagree with the question
asked and five represented strongly agree. The constructs were developed from the
literature. For this study, interview also has been carried out with the green home
developers in Klang Valley, who shared their valuable insights and knowledge on
green home features, benefits and obstacles in implementing.
Refer Figure 3.1 below for the overall conceptual operating framework study
8























Goals, Objectives and Scope of Study
Review of Early & Collect Information
Sources
Questionnaire
Determine the study
sample
Sufficient Data
No
Identify the study design
Determine the research instruments
Data Analysis
Quantitative Analysis
Conclusions
Recommendation
Final Report
Figure 3.2: Overall Conceptual Operating Framework Study
9

3.6 Limitation of the Study
There are several limitations experienced in the process of preparing the
questionnaire and asking feedback from the respondents. There were several of the
respondents that not willing to cooperate and giving answers blindly without even
reading the questions. In order to complete the number of respondent, the writer
needs to find more respondents,. Moreover, there were also respondents who did
not return back the questionnaires, and this situation is frustrating since the writer
has to put effort to find more respondents. On top of that, some of them did not
complete answering all questions and this would be a waste in terms of time, effort
and money to the writer. In terms of interview, there are some developers company
who were not being cooperative and therefore had to find other companies.

3.7 Method of Data Analysis
Data obtained from the questionnaire will be analyzed using the Statistical
Package software for Social Science (SPSS). After all data were gathered, a
spreadsheet was created using Microsoft Excel, and each variable was labeled. The
responses for each of the variables were then entered. All responses are numerical.
In the sequence, the data were exported to the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS), which was used for data analysis.
A non-probabilistic process that relied on snowball sampling was employed.
it is expected that the study yields important aspects of home buyers perception
towards green home and towards other concepts associated with them.

3.8 Summary
In this research methodology, it involves several methods to collect and
analyze the data to achieve the objective of the study. The selection method of data
collection is to obtain information about the analysis. Quantitative analysis is made
of primary data and secondary data obtained. The purpose of this analysis is to
forecast, to predict the performance of the description and the results obtained.