Phenomenological research in compulsory land acquisition and compensation

Abstract

SUMMARY Generally, academic research is conducted within paradigms, which represent a researcher’s particular way of thinking about a subject matter and which are shared with other like minds. When an area of inquiry is in its infancy and there are no scientific theories from which to hypothesize, such research can only begin by induction. Knowledge in this case begins with collecting facts and then trying to find some order in them in a process known as inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning begins with observations and measures, detects patterns and regularities, formulates some tentative hypothesis that can be explored and finally ends up developing some general conclusions or theories. It is open-ended and exploratory and where the knowledge sought is inseparable from the situational and personal aspects of those involved, some degree of generalization can be achieved by making allowances for local and personal influences. This paper outlines a number of research problems associated with compulsory land acquisition and compensation in Nigeria and describes an innovative methodological approach to research in this field. It discusses various philosophical and theoretical orientations underlying the study, explains the qualitative nature of the research and elaborates on the research strategies and data collection protocols. An account is also given on how the nature of a research problem can influence the choice of a research methodology; how data collection protocols are applied in empirical data collection; including an explanation of how all the major parts of the research design worked together to address the identified research questions. The study is based on constructionist and interpretive research paradigms, phenomenological and empiricist epistemologies, and ontological assumptions that reality is subjective and multiple. This orientation is based on the premise that human experience makes sense to those who live in it prior to all interpretation and theorizing (Creswell, 2003) and as such it determines what is studied and the methods used to study them. The methodology also links the philosophy to the research methods that were used. This is an innovative approach which opens new challenges for real estate research by applying phenomenology in data collection, and doing phenomenological analysis and interpretation resulting in information rich findings.