A ripple in development? - Channel Research

dating information. The team combines a wide range of experiences,
from the academic to the operational, and comprised five men and nine
women.
Visits (including methods of direct observation, individual and
group qualitative interviews) were undertaken along the entire coastal
belt from Trincomalee to Colombo, and from Banda Aceh to the south,
Nias, and three islands in the Maldives (maps of the areas are provided
in the text). Sampling was based on the degree of impact of the tsunami,
geographical spread, and our ability to access villages (which has
excluded populations in the north of Sri Lanka, due to the presence of
war). The main method of analysis was then to detect patterns of
responses to questions, which led to the identification of key findings.
To organise the information more efficiently, the evaluation resorted
to Case Study methodologies. This includes in particular:
• A causality or theory of change, in other words a statement of cause
and effect in an intervention. This “theoretical proposition” can be
a visual map or causal narrative;
• A few case studies, carefully selected to test/challenge (not to vindicate)
the theoretical proposition, which then allows an assessment of
change (has it happened? If yes, why, if not, why not?); the number
of case studies in each thematic area has been three (for capacity) to
nine (for livelihoods).
We focused on those questions which the available literature partly
answers, eliminating some, and used our professional judgment to make
the final selections. The case studies do not assess results nor the performance
of individual actors, but rather the efficiency and relevance
of linkages as they lead to evolution in conditions over time.
To avoid circumstancial evidence, the qualitative sampling was
purposive and based on the following criteria:
• For the economic and social themes, the criteria was maximum variation,
in other words selecting case studies based on demographic
variables that are likely to have an impact on populations. The evaluation
team selected geographical areas on the basis of differences
in extent of tsunami damage and socio-economic characteristics,
particularly differences between conflict and non-conflict affected
areas. By studying the same geographical areas as LRRD1, the first
analytical question of what has changed and the second question of
what that change can be attributed to, could be answered. Within
the communities selected, multistage snowball sampling was used.
• For the state and civil society and for the capacity themes, the criteria
was typical case/intensity sampling, where greatest attention was
given to some of the institutions that were most involved in relief,
rehabilitation and development tasks: for state and civil society this
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