Slide 7.

Chapter 7
Selecting Samples

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.2

Selecting samples
Population, sample and individual cases

Source: Saunders et al. (2009)

Figure 7.1 Population, sample and individual cases

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.3

The need to sample

Sampling- a valid alternative to a census when

• A survey of the entire population is impracticable

• Budget constraints restrict data collection

• Time constraints restrict data collection

• Results from data collection are needed quickly

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.4

Overview of sampling techniques

Sampling techniques

Source: Saunders et al. (2009)

Figure 7.2 Sampling techniques
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.5

Probability sampling

The four stage process

1. Identify sampling frame from research objectives

2. Decide on a suitable sample size

3. Select the appropriate technique and the sample

4. Check that the sample is representative

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.6

Identifying a suitable sampling frame

Key points to consider

• Problems of using existing databases

• Extent of possible generalisation from the sample

• Validity and reliability

• Avoidance of bias

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.7

Sample size

Choice of sample size is influenced by

• Confidence needed in the data
• Margin of error that can be tolerated
• Margin of error (also called The confidence interval ) is the plus-or-minus
figure usually reported in newspaper or television opinion poll results. For
example, if you use a margin of error of 4 and 47% percent of your sample
picks an answer you can be "sure" that if you had asked the question of the
entire relevant population between 43% (47-4) and 51% (47+4) would have
picked that answer.
• Types of analyses to be undertaken
• Size of the sample population and distribution

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.8

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.9

The importance of response rate

Key considerations

• Non- respondents and analysis of refusals

• Obtaining a representative sample

• Calculating the active response rate

• Estimating response rate and sample size

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.10

Selecting a sampling technique

Five main techniques used for a probability sample

• Simple random

• Systematic

• Stratified random

• Cluster

• Multi-stage

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.11

Simple random sampling

• Number each of the cases in your sampling
frame with a unique number.
• Select cases using random numbers until,
actual sample size is reached.
• Computer aided telephone interviewing
(CATI) software

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.12

Systematic Random Sampling

• Number each of the cases in your sampling frame with a

unique number.
• Select the first case using a random number
• Calculate the sampling fraction
• Select subsequent cases systematically using the
sampling fraction to determine the frequency of
selection.
• Sampling fraction = actual sample size/ total population

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.13

Stratified random sampling

• Choose the stratification variable or variables
• Divide the sampling frame into the discrete
strata.
• Number each of the cases within each
stratum with a unique number
• Select your sample using either simple
random or systematic random sampling

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.14

Cluster sampling
• Choose the cluster grouping for your
sampling frame.
• Number each of the clusters with a unique
number.
• Select sample of clusters using random
sampling

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.15

Multi-stage sampling

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.16

Non- probability sampling (1)

Key considerations

• Deciding on a suitable sample size

– Data saturation

• Selecting the appropriate technique

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.17

Non- probability sampling (2)

Sampling techniques

• Quota sampling (larger populations)

• Purposive sampling
• Snowball sampling
• Self-selection sampling
• Convenience sampling

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.18

Quota Sampling
• Divide the population into specific groups.
• Calculate quota for each group based on
relevant and available data
• Collect data from each quota

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.19

Purposive sampling
• Extreme case/deviant sampling: unusual or
special case enable to learn the most about the
RQ.
• Heterogeneous or maximum variation
sampling: representing different subgroups
• Homogeneous sampling: One subgroup.
• Critical case sampling:
– If it happen there, it will happen everywhere.

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.20

Snowball sampling
• Make contact with one or two cases in the
population.
• Ask these cases to identify further cases.
• Ask these new case to identify further new
cases.
• Stop when either no new cases are given or
the sample is large enough.

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.21

Self select sampling

• Publicize your need for cases
• Collect data from those who respond

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.22

Haphazard sampling
• Also called purposive or availability
sampling.
• Select case based on ease or convenience.

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.23

Summary: Chapter 7

• Choice of sampling techniques depends upon the

research question(s) and their objectives

• Factors affecting sample size include:

- confidence needed in the findings
- accuracy required
- likely categories for analysis

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.24

Summary: Chapter 7

• Probability sampling requires a sampling frame and

can be more time consuming

• When a sampling frame is not possible, non-

probability sampling is used

• Many research projects use a combination of

sampling techniques

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 7.25

Summary: Chapter 7

All choices depend on the ability to gain

access to organisations

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009