Institutional Change and Power Asymmetry in the Context of Rural India by Amar Patnaik

Author:Amar Patnaik
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9789811313011
Publisher: Springer Singapore

4.10 Validity Issues

Validity refers to measuring that which is intended (Warwick 1973; Baker 2002; Silverman 2000, 2001). Yin (1994) emphasizes on construct validity, internal validity, external validity and reliability in case study research.

Triangulation helps confirming validity of the measure or instrument and the data that is collected using them. But triangulation can be done even for investigation, theories and methodologies (Snow and Anderson, cited in Feagin et al. 1991). Stake (1995) stated that it improves accuracy and provides alternative explanations.

Yin (1994) suggested using multiple sources of evidence as the way to ensure construct validity. As described above, this research uses multiple sources of evidence, i.e. archives, interviews, observations and FGDs . All the actors identified were interviewed individually with a well prepared questionnaire at least two times which was further validated during FGDs. Also, same questions were put at different intervals of time to establish validity. All this process helped in data triangulation . The interviews were repeated several times with the same actors following the same questionnaire to establish the authenticity and genuineness of data in the form of small stories and anecdotes narrated by various actors including the institutional champion (s).

Internal validity ensured by specifying the unit of analysis. The emerging theories are tested by subsequent data collected and analysed, on an iterative basis.

External validity is more difficult to attain in a single case study. Yin (1994) asserted that external validity could be achieved from theoretical relationships and from these, generalizations could be made. Accordingly, this study has attempted to establish fit of data with conceptual understanding, data analysis and interpretation by cross-verifying unifying with several secondary cases that recognized the role of power in the overall village dynamics. Possible incongruities were specifically debated and resolved to improve the external validity of the emerging theory.

Valid measurement is achieved when scores can be considered to capture meaningfully the ideas contained in the corresponding concept. The degree to which this has been achieved cannot be assessed objectively but is an outcome of argumentation (Dul and Hak 2007). In an exploratory and explanatory case study such as this, the causal relations established can be generalized theoretically by applying across similar cases and even by increasing the scope and boundaries of the research programme. In this study, a single case analysis was extended to three more cases, one after the another, thus learning from each of the cases as one went along and observing the process of convening in comparatively different settings with different actors and the issue/problem at hand in the community being different at different case sites/locations. Thus, the case study fieldwork followed an iterative trajectory, learning at every stage on the way in build up to the emerging theory.

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