CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.1. Introduction
This chapter showed various methods used in data collection,
research design i.e. how data were collected, population, sample selection,
research instruments, methods of data analysis, and limitation to the study.
3.2. Population, sample, and
the sample determination
3.2.1. Population
The population of our study was composed of 480 traders who
used a bank loan from BPR S.A KADUHA Sub-Branch to carry out and develop their
businesses working in five sectors: KIBUMBWE, MUGANO, MUSANGE, MUSHUBI and
KADUHA; the area in which this bank extends its activities. Because the study
is aiming at `assessing the role of commercial banks in promoting trade in
rural areas' the research was carried out referring to the data of period from
2006 to 2010.
Due to the time and resource constraints, and the nature and
size of the population, it would not be possible to make a study of the whole
population but rather to select a sample representative of the entire study
population. The sample was picked among the retailers of food crops not
requiring industrial transformation such as beans, sorghum, potatoes, etc.,
food processed products in which are classified rice, vegetable oil, and
cereals flour. Also participated the traders of animal products such as milk,
skin and flesh meat. The merchants of tree derivative products such as charcoal
and boards were not let aside. The study finally involved the traders of
industrial products and those who sell services such as bar and restaurant,
transport and commercialization of airtimes.
3.2.2. Sample and sample
selection
From the information provided by the office of commercial
officer of BPR SA KADUHA Sub-Branch relating to loan application and granting,
1495 customers received the loan to support their economic activities from
January 2006 to December 2010. Among these people who got the loan, 480 are
traders or requested the loan to finance commercial activities. The researcher
considered this number of loan granted for commercial transactions (480 people)
as the population of the study.
As their names are written in computer by software of Excel,
to determine the sample, the researcher selected among the electronic list of
loan granted to finance trade during the stated period 48 people (1/10 of the
whole population) randomly, by ticking the names corresponding to the number
which is multiple of 10 (10, 20, 30, 40,............, 480 and the total was 48
people), hoping that they could give the information relating to the whole
group. To reach their residence, the researcher followed their identification
recorded in the book of granted loans. Therefore the researcher used to visit
them and distributed the questionnaires in order to collect the relevant
information.
3.3. Source of data
In conducting the research study the required data were
gathered from both primary and secondary data sources. The information required
helped the research to achieve the set objectives.
| 
