Research Paradigm: Ontology, Epistemology And Methodology In Comparing The Poorest Southern Hemisphere And Richest Northern Hemisphere Countries

Positivism and Constructivism Research Paradigms

The research paradigm involves the use of a philosophical framework that guides the research (Nückles, 2021). In this context, the research will be based on the ontology, epistemology, and methodology of the Southern hemisphere’s poorest countries versus the Northern hemisphere’s richest countries. In regards to the ontology of the research, the main questions that will be answered are:

• Do the Southern hemisphere’s poorest countries and Northern richest countries really exist?
• What are the factors contributing to poverty in Southern Hemisphere countries?
• How can this drift be discovered and best explained?

The research strategy that will be used depends on the information that needs to be obtained to prove the ontology, answer the epistemology, and finally identify the methodology that will be used in validating why the Southern hemisphere has the poorest countries, whereas the Northern hemisphere has the richest country. The research paradigm will entail the combination of both positivism and constructivism, which leads to the pragmatism approach. Since there are chances that there is a single entity that can help in the discovery of the reality of the facts behind why the Southern hemisphere has the poorest countries whereas the Northern hemisphere has the richest countries, then there is the quantitative method in the research in which statistical information will provide more information regarding the analysis of this theory. Since there are two variables involved in the subject matter, which entails a comparison of countries that exist both in the Sothern and Northern hemisphere in terms of poverty and wealth, then using statistical methods would be valid in proving the relationship between these two hemispheres. Again, there is a matter of approving and disapproving the proposed hypothesis using statistical methods, and thus the application of positivism will be very useful in this case (Tualaulelei and McFall-McCaffery, 2019).

On the other hand, the use of constructivism is also useful in this case as there is possible continuity of the truth in multiple realities regarding the subject matter (Pidgeon, 2019). There is a greater need to understand that interpret the meaning that is attached to the subject matter by devoting time to investigating the possible scenarios. For this purpose, qualitative methods of research will also be used in this study to explain the various perspective of the subject matter. The advantage of the qualitative method is that it seeks to give reasons behind the relationship between the two variables involved in the study rather than just establishing the relationship (Majeed, 2019). The merging the research paradigms of positivism and constructivism, in this case, can be very useful, and it will help in obtaining quality outcomes that can provide a better understanding of the subject matter and it also increase the chances of good valuation (Rapport and Braithwaite, 2018).

 The main purpose of the research strategy in this context is to provide information behind the existence of certain gaps between the knowledge and comprehension of why Southern hemisphere countries are poor whereas Northern hemisphere countries are richer. These two phenomena have a significant relationship in the study, and therefore establishing a good strategy will enable the direction of thoughts, ideas, and efforts to be organized in a systematic manner that will help in obtaining quality information with details that will form a good report (Saeed et al., 2021). The main aim of the strategy is to provide a platform for benchmarking and also provide a point of reference that can be used for further research regarding past and current information (Walsh, 2019).

Qualitative and Quantitative Methods of Data Collection and Analysis

The strategy of this research will be based on a survey that will be conducted to establish the reason why southern hemisphere countries are poorer whereas Northern hemisphere countries are richer. The use of a survey in the research will require the collection of information from a sample population size in order to evaluate the findings that will be analyzed to provide answers. The advantage of surveys is that it allows the use of various methods to be used in the collection of data (Žukauskas et al., 2018). In this case, the use of questionnaires will be of great benefit in collecting the data that will be required. The data that will be collected through the use of the survey method will be primary data. This is first-hand data that is directly obtained from the primary source. The survey method that will be used in this research will entail the use of a qualitative method, which will involve the use of open-ended questions, and also the use of a quantitative method, which will entail the use of numerically rated questionnaire items (Østern et al., 2021). Since the subject matter involves variables and the study requires entails psychological and social aspects. The use of both methods in combination will lead to better exploration of the behaviors that explain the aspect of poverty in countries in the southern hemisphere and the aspect of wealth in countries that are in the Northern hemisphere.

The nature data that will be collected will be statistical and factual information regarding the state of the economy of people in the countries that exist in the southern and northern hemispheres. Their demographic information will also be collected.  

The questions that will be used in the questionnaire will be structured as follows:

Please tick where it is appropriate to select only one response per question.

Which reason explains why people are poor in the countries that belong in the southern hemisphere?

• Lack of education
• Mismanagement of resources
• Lack of technology
• Political instability
• Laziness
• Unemployment
• Natural disasters

Do you agree that countries in southern hemisphere are able to depend on foreign aid from countries that are richer in the northern hemisphere?

• Strongly agree
• Somewhat agree
• Not sure
• Somewhat disagree
• Strongly disagree

The reason why most countries are poor in the southern hemisphere is that they lack the necessary resources that can make them reach?

• Strongly agree
• Somewhat agree
• Not sure
• Somewhat disagree
• Strongly disagree

Do you think that overpopulation is the main reason why countries in the southern hemisphere are poor?

• Strongly agree
• Somewhat agree
• Not sure
• Somewhat disagree
• Strongly disagree

Do you think that the reason why most countries in the northern hemisphere are richer is that they have the latest technology that contributes to their wealth and the economy?

• Strongly agree
• Somewhat agree
• Not sure
• Somewhat disagree
• Strongly disagree

Do you think that poverty is a result of political instability and greed among political leaders?

• Strongly agree
• Somewhat agree
• Not sure
• Somewhat disagree
• Strongly disagree

Do you think that education contributes to the growth and success of the economies of the countries in the northern hemisphere?

• Strongly agree
• Somewhat agree
• Not sure
• Somewhat disagree
• Strongly disagree

The method of sampling that will be used in the research survey will be non-probability sampling, in which the convenience sampling method will be used. This method will be the most preferred method of sampling for this research as this method only requires the participants in the study to be willing and ready to volunteer or take part (Kaushik and Walsh, 2019). The method is also the preferred method as it will be easy when dealing with a large sample population size which appears to be the case in this study.

Survey Method and Non-Probability Sampling

The following will be the inclusion criteria that will be used in the selection of the participants in the study:

1. The participant must be of legal age, most preferably from the age of 18 and above
2. The participants must provide formal documentation with written consent, which has legal agreement to participate in the study and also allow permission to use the information collected for research purposes
3. The participants must have a basic college education, which means that they will demonstrate specific skills regarding economic issues
4. Must live in countries that experience richness or poverty states

The following are some of the ethical considerations that will be taken into account during the collection of data in the study:

1. The information that will be collected will be kept confidential.
2. The participants will be compensated for their time in the study.
3. A neutral state will be maintained during the data collection process to avoid personal preconceptions.
4. Participants will be made aware of any potential harm that might arise prior to participating in the study, and they will also be protected from these harms either emotionally or psychologically.
5. Permission will be obtained from the participants, and they will be made aware of their voluntary rights to participate in the study in which they will have a right to withdraw in case they would like to discontinue participating in the study.
6. When data analysis is over, the participants will be made aware of the results.

There will be various techniques that will be used in data analysis and interpretation, such as descriptive and exploratory analysis. A descriptive method of data analysis will be used in the initial stages to describe the statistical summary regarding the samples and the data that is collected. Exploratory analysis will be used in establishing the relationship between the various variables that were identified (Fusch et al., 2018). The exploratory analysis provides a correlation between two variables but does not explain the cause. To explain the cause, the causal method of analysis will be used, and it will help explain the mechanisms that will be discovered hidden between the two correlational variables and the effect behind them (Kamal, 2019). The use of a combination of these methods will help in providing quality information that will provide a solution to the problems identified in the research, which will achieve the goals and objectives of the research (Humphries et al., 2020).

The research will help in understanding the relationship between two variables which are poverty in countries that exist in the southern hemisphere and the wealth in countries that exist in the northern hemisphere. Finding the correlation between these two variables will help in understanding the cause and the effects much better (Boyack et al., 2018). The information obtained in the analysis will help in providing solutions that can be applied practically to help the countries in the southern hemisphere to eradicate poverty and also to have knowledge of why countries in the northern hemisphere have plenty of riches. This information matters as it can be used in making informed decisions regarding the best strategies that can be used and the kind of practices that can be adopted in eradicating poverty (Choi et al., 2018). The information that is obtained can also be used for benchmarking for future references in which comparisons can be made regarding past and present issues that affect the economies of countries in the southern and northern hemispheres (Chen et al., 2021).

The following is the Gantt chart that is used for conducting the research with an appropriate breakdown of the timeline and corresponding activities:

References

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Chen, Y., Wu, X., Hu, A., He, G. and Ju, G., 2021. Social prediction: a new research paradigm based on machine learning. The Journal of Chinese Sociology, 8(1), pp.1-21.

Choi, P.J., Tubbs, R.S. and Oskouian, R.J., 2018. The current trend of the translational research paradigm. Cureus, 10(3).

Fusch, P., Fusch, G.E. and Ness, L.R., 2018. Denzin’s paradigm shift: Revisiting triangulation in qualitative research. Journal of social change, 10(1), p.2.

Humphries, B., Mertens, D.M. and Truman, C., 2020. Arguments for an ‘emancipatory’research paradigm. In Research and inequality (pp. 3-23).

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Pidgeon, M., 2019. Moving between theory and practice within an Indigenous research paradigm. Qualitative Research, 19(4), pp.418-436.

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