**3. Methods**

#### **3.1 Area of the assessment**

The assessment was conducted in "Aleta Wondo" which is one of 19 "woredas" of "Sidama" the newly established region, which was previously under Southern nation nationalities and people's regional state (SNNPRS), city administration.

The data about population of "Aleta Wondo" city administration according to [23] census results and the latest official projections is: population census of 1994 is 11,321; population census of 2007 is 22,093; population projection in 2015 would be 42,200 (**Figure 1**).

There are 23 offices available in "Aleta Wondo" city administration. Enterprises and industry development is one of the public service offices among them. In the office, there are 13 directorates. From these directorates, the infrastructure and cluster institutions directorate (ICID) is responsible for monitoring and supporting micro- and small-scale enterprises. Solomon metal and woodwork micro-scale Enterprise (SMWM-SE) is a selfinitiated enterprise working on metalwork and woodwork. Two females and three males total of five individuals established it. Its members saved as a group 20,000 Ethiopian birr after they established the enterprise; they got 100,000 Ethiopian birr loan from "Omo" microfinance. Currently, they are in a good condition and they are paying their loan. The Enterprise is producing metal works and wood works such as buildings doors, windows, drawers, tables, chairs, sofa, bed, and other home and bureau furnitures.

#### **3.2 Method applied for the study**

A mixed approach was applied to the study.

**Figure 1.** *Map of Ethiopia, SNNPR, Sidama region and Aleta Wondo Woreda.*

#### **3.3 Selection of the organizations and sample size**

A purposive sampling technique was applied to select the sample for the study. "Aleta Wondo" city administration was selected for its convenience to conduct the study. From the enterprises and industry development office, the infrastructure and cluster institutions directorate (ICID) was also selected by the researcher through purposive sampling method as it monitor and supports micro- and small-scale enterprises. All the employees (nine male and six female) working in ICID including their head manager of the office were included in the study. From the private organization, Solomon metal and woodwork micro-scale enterprise (SMWM-SE) was purposively selected as the study was on small- and micro-scale enterprises and for its convenience, because the enterprise was working in the small industry shade and all members of the association (three male and two female) were available at the time of the assessment and all members of the enterprise was included in the study.

#### **3.4 The development of data gathering tools**

Interview questions and the self-administered questionnaires were developed by the researcher from [15], the self-administered questionnaire for the conflict resolution styles was adapted from shell as cited in [15], developed in order to collect the data, self-administered questionnaire for the assessment of team effectiveness also adapted from "mind tools" at [24].

The qualitative data was gathered through interviews and the quantitative data through a self-administered questionnaire. To make the interview an appointment was arranged with each participant. After that, the interview was conducted with each participant of the study. And the self-administered questionnaire was also filled out by the participants.

#### **3.5 Data gathering procedures**

First, the researcher got a letter from the university provided for the Enterprises and Industry Development office in "Sidama' region "Aleta Wondo Woreda" and explained the objective of the study to the office head, discussed and agreed on the date for starting data collection. Then, the researcher interviewed employees who were working in the infrastructure and cluster institutions directorate (ICID) which is one of the directorates under the enterprises and industry development office. The interview was audiotaped and the researcher took note of what has been said by the interviewees.

#### **3.6 Methods of data analysis**

The data was analyzed by following the six steps described by [25].

Step 1. Organize and prepare the data for analysis.

Step 2. Read or look at all the data.

Step 3. Start coding all of the data.

Step 4. Use the coding process to generate a description of the setting or people as well as categories or themes for analysis.

Step 5. Advance how the description and themes will be represented in the qualitative narrative.

Step 6. A final step in data analysis involves making an interpretation in qualitative research of the findings or results.

*Assessment of Employees' Group Behavior, Interpersonal Influence, and Stress… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108612*

The quantitative data collected through a self-administered structured questionnaire was also described and presented by number and percent on tables along with the qualitative data according to its categories.

#### **3.7 Validity and reliability**

The issue of validity in this study was substantiated through member checking. Member checking was held during data collection by asking the interviewees for further clarification whenever there were vague statements and by repeating their idea for themselves to get their comments. Additionally, the validity was also held at the end of the process of the study by sharing the result with the participants of the study to get feedback. This technique of insuring validity in the qualitative study is stated by Gray (2018) and Beuving and de Vries (2015) as cited in [26]. Member checking determines the accuracy of the qualitative findings by taking the final report or specific descriptions or themes back to participants and determining whether these participants feel that they are accurate [25].

The technique applied in this study to ensure reliability is the triangulation technique. Triangulation compares results from two or more different methods of data collection and/or two or more data sources since consistent findings from different data sources or collection methods are also likely to better evidence the integrity of the research conclusions [26]. In this study, the data was collected through both qualitative and quantitative methods, and the data were also collected from two sources (ICID and SMWM-SE).

### **4. Results**

#### **4.1 Result of the ICID**

#### *4.1.1 Socio-demographic characteristics of participants of the ICID*

As indicated on **Table 2** fifteen participants were included in the study and all of them were interviewed and filled self-administered questionnaire. Their response to


#### **Table 2.**

*Socio-demographic characteristics of the participants from ICID.*

the interview question is classified into four themes which are group formation and teamwork and spirit, conflict resolution styles, types of power, and employee stress management.
