Social Media and the Decision to Migrate: A Study among African Migrants in Finland
Michael Tandoh University of Eastern Finland Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies Master’s thesis in Sociology
Supervisor: Professor Laura Assmuth and Associate Professor Tiina Sotkasiira May 2022
Abstract
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Department
Department of Social Sciences, Master’s Programme Border Crossings: global and local societies in transition
Author
Tandoh Michael Ewusi
Title
Social Media and the Decision to Migrate: A Study among African Migrants in Finland
Main Subject Sociology
3 Master’s Thesis
Date 19/05/2022
Number of pages 60
Abstract
This thesis addresses the role of social media in the migration process among West African migrants in Joensuu to critically examine how the information they obtain from social media impacts their pre-migration decisions and, finally, their resolve to travel to Finland.
This master’s thesis employs qualitative data collection using structured interviews among seven West African migrants in Joensuu.
The findings from this study demonstrate that social media impacted migrants’ pre-migration understanding and gave them the essential information they looked for before they left their different domestic countries. In their decision-making stage, social media moreover played a critical part in making choices. It is, however, exceptionally crucial to state that, despite its massive commitment to migrants' pre-migration data and decision-making process, it was not the sole figure known to have affected migrants' choice making. Social media acted as a synergistic impact within the whole migration process but was not a sole contributor/influencer for these migrants from West Africa studying in Joensuu.
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Table of Contents
1 Introduction ... 1
2. Literature Review: Social Media and Migration ... 8
2.1. Brief History of Social Media ... 8
2.2 Defining Social Media in the Context of Migration ... 11
2.3 Migration among West Africans to Finland ... 19
2.3.1 West Africa and Migration ... 20
2.3.2 Migration to Finland ... 21
2.4 Pre-Migration Information and Migration Decision Making ... 23
2.4.1 Migration Networks, Social Ties, and Social Media ... 24
2.5 Influence of Social Media on Migration ... 26
3. Methodology of the Study ... 28
3.1 Description of the Interview Process ... 29
3.2 Data Analysis ... 30
3.3 Ethical Considerations ... 32
4. Presentation of Findings and Discussion ... 33
4.1 Influence of Social Media on Migrant’s Pre-Migration Information ... 33
4.2 Social Media and Pre-Migration Information ... 36
4.3. Influence of Social Media on Migrant’s Decision Making ... 41
5. Conclusion and Recommendation ... 45
List of References: ... 48 Appendices ...
Appendix 1 ...
Informed Consent...
Appendix 2 ...
Interview Guide for Respondents ...
Appendix 3 ...
Ethical Sheet ...
Appendix 4 ...
Letter of invitation to participate in research ...
1 Introduction
This research evaluates social media's role in the migration process among West African migrants in Joensuu, Finland. I conducted qualitative research to interview West African migrants to understand the study's aim. The participants (West African migrants) were students who studied in various educational institutions in Joensuu.
Migration is a topic people are interested in because it affects almost everyone, either directly or indirectly. It impacts many aspects of life, including social, economic, and political, making migration study essential and challenging. Many people, for example, politicians and researchers, associate migration with immigration because of recent influential immigration experiences in Europe and the United States.
For centuries, people have migrated for various reasons throughout the world, and this practice has steadily increased, especially in the 21st century. However, at the threshold of decision making, many factors are taken into consideration, most of which are devoid of personal benefits but take into consideration the social, economic, or political factors and in return for the safety, prosperity, and better standards of living for an individual’s family/ own future. Africa is one of the world’s most populated continents, where many people migrate to most European countries, including Finland, for varying reasons. Most of the migration into Finland is for educational reasons, considering its advanced educational system. Until recently, in the evolutionary phase of a multi-centered interactive communication/information platforms known as social media, people, especially in the West African countries, migrated based on a one-way form of information for their decision making, most of which
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are family and friends related recommendations, direct communication from schools/ organizations for school or work. Education is one of the reasons young people from developing countries migrate. They are mainly for tertiary studies. Even though there are universities in their home countries, they find them to be of a poor standard and inadequate to provide them with the knowledge and know-how to land them good jobs/careers in various work fields. (Samuel Hall Consulting, 2015; Syed et al., 2007.) Most societies in developing countries consider studying abroad in developed countries a vital part of their development as societies and a sign of young people transitioning to adulthood along with qualifications.
The requirements of immigration impact educational choices, such as a preferred study language and subjects to enroll in to expedite later migration. (Ali, 2007.) The need to obtain better jobs in their home countries or destination country also affects travel and educational choices (Samuel Hall Consulting, 2015).
Some higher-educated people also travel abroad to receive training in their career field. A section of highly educated migrants migrate for work purposes but realize their qualifications, even though they were good enough to gain entry, couldn’t land them jobs (Bloch, 2005.). Unfortunately, most developed countries do not consider qualifications from developing countries to be on par with theirs; hence migrants may have to enroll in an educational institution in the destination country to be able to acquire the qualifications required to land a good job (Banerjee & Verma, 2009; Bloch, 2005). Education wasn’t the main reason for their migration, but it became necessary after arriving. Some young people consider studying the most convenient route to obtaining residence permits/visas. Higher educational institutions in countries like the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia make the application process less laborious and the travel process easy to encourage more international applicants to study. The desire for freedom from family members, especially parents, and expectations from society is also a motivating factor for young people migrating to study abroad. Since education isn’t the driving force, it provides easy and legitimate access to the destination country. (Rutten & Verstappen, 2014.).
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The availability, expansion, and continuous inventories for more global communication, loads of readily available information even as they happen to live through the social media world on the migration process and decision making have been less explored, especially among Africans. As a native of West Africa, this gap in research motivated me to conduct this study among West African migrants in Finland.
In the earliest days of the 21st century, when most modern-day technologies were yet to be birthed, getting information was a complex process due to poor road infrastructure (even if any), distances people had to cover, and unavailability or delayed delivery of information systems such as posts and printing presses. These have evolved in the light of the fast-expanding technology environment. The pervasiveness of digitalization (ICT) in today's culture has undoubtedly developed a sense of diminished space and time. Furthermore, the rapid advancement of these modern technologies resulted in establishing a fully worldwide capitalist economy. The technical revolution linked with the internet and the digital economy and the distribution of economic strength from the industrial West to the fast industrialization nations of other countries are examples of these international capitalist economy trends.
The way we interact, work, or live is shaped by internet broadcasting, satellite televisions, and mobile telephone systems, which have gone a long way to change international migration experiences and make it possible for migrants to maintain resilient ties between their home country and host society.
(Charmarkeh, 2013).
Even though academics presume an inherent understanding of the concepts based on existing technology, there is no widely accepted description of what social media is/are in mass communication, both theoretically and functionally (Carr and Hayes, 2015). Various reasons have been provided, all of which are based on an individualistic view of its importance, available technology, and benefits to a globalized world.
According to the 2020 World Migration Report, there were 272 million international migrants worldwide in 2019, accounting for 3.5 percent of the global population. Due to increased migration, the
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trends and drivers underlying mobility have become more diverse. The locations are likewise more worldwide and diverse than they were previously, and the reasons for shifting are many and complicated.
(2000, International Organization for Migration).
Before and during migration, social media usage by migrants before and during migration has increased dramatically in recent years. According to academics, social media has become a well-known interaction platform for improving migration goals and decision-making and informing potential migrants about migration options and locations (Dekker et al., 2016). According to Dekker and Engbersen (2014), social media facilitates international migration in four ways. It improves the chances of keeping good bonds with friends and family. Second, the media solves the unavailability of knowledge critical to the migration and incorporation process, and third, the media creates a new infrastructure based on dormant ties. Finally, it provides a rich supply of unauthorized and disconnected insider migration knowledge.
Dekker and Engbersen (2014) claim that this renders potential migrants "smart" when considering migration. They also noted that social media sites are reshaping mobile networks and, as a result, lowering the migration barrier.
Instead of robust and credible information, most opinions regarding migration are based on selective observation, assumptions, or media perceptions. Some academics support the notion that African migration is primarily focused on Europe and is motivated by desperation. On the other hand, recent research has underlined the variety of African migration. (2016, Flahaux and De Haas). Numerous studies (Schoumaker et al., 2015; Sander & Maimbo, 2003) have revealed that most African migrants are aimed toward Europe and neighboring African countries. More specifically, a fraction of migrants leaving Africa choose the Gulf countries and America as their host societies (Bakewell & De Haas, 2007).
Other academics disagree with the widely held belief that African emigration entails criminal measures such as the use of forged documents. Meanwhile, past research has revealed that most Africans migrate
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out of their home countries with proper passports, visas, and other necessary travel documents. (See Heering, Esveldt, Groenewold, van der Erf, Bosch, de Valk, and de Bruijn, 2000.) Almost every day, new information emerges demonstrating that most Africans travel to reunite with family, find work, or improve their education, as is the situation in other global areas (Schoumaker et al., 2015; Bakewell &
Jnsson, 2011).
In the context of e-diasporas, Dominescu (2012) stated that migrants must be understood as numerous (transnationally) related rather than "double absent" (from the country of origin and the host country).
Information devices impact every part of a migrant's experience, both before and after arriving. 2014 (Diminescu and Loveluck). The migration journey usually begins by traversing an informational frontier comprised of databases and identification systems to gather information on the intended destination.
Migrants must quickly acquire modern communications to find work and stay in touch with family and friends once they arrive in their destination country. (Loveluck and Diminescu, 2014). When these various forms of presence are combined, they provide a rich platform for analyzing migration patterns and migrant connections (Diminescu and Loveluck, 2014).
Social media usage may enable passive observation of others through the circulation of text, voice, photographs, and videos, which preserves a shared sense of mutual consciousness (watching) and fosters a distributed community of affinity. This oversight of others augments and strengthens distant communities by adding to bonding capital. (Komito, 2011.) Komito (2011) defines binding capital as an individual's relationships with friends and family or with a group/community marked by high levels of similarity. Taking a more significant place toward new media, fresh evidence from Gillespie et al. (2016) and Wall et al. (2017) confirms that emerging innovations are vital in planning and navigating the dangers of a migration voyage, as in migrant safety and independence after arrival. However, they caution that the smartphone can be handy. It can be used to make translations, communicate with family and friends, and obtain essential services like legal counsel, medical assistance, and shelter (Gillespie et al., 2016).
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Traditional components to pinpoint a migrant's sense of belonging, such as country of origin or intended destination, no longer hold in the continuation world of aesthetics, according to Leurs and Ponzanesi (2011). Instead, in the digital diasporas they populate, migrant youth show common standards and thought by incorporating national or "ethnic" affiliations with other, essentially transnational, youth subcultures, resulting in a blend based on culture connectedness and hypo (Leurs & Ponzanesi, 2011).
Some studies on the usage of social media by migrants have been undertaken, focusing on various migrants worldwide. Only a few studies (if any) have concentrated on the relevance in the West African context in Finland in their pre-migration and decision-making process. This study, however, endeavors to fill gaps by contributing to the improvement of knowledge by exploring the impact of social media on migration among African migrants in Finland. In this context, “social media” refers to primarily new media, including WhatsApp, websites, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
This thesis evaluates the role of social media on migration. For many years, Finland has been a destination for many West African migrants for various purposes, including quality education, and still attracts a lot each year. Due to Finland's extraordinary relationship with African migrants, this research aims to find out social media’s role in the migration process among West African migrants in Joensuu, Finland. The thesis seeks to answer one main research question, which is:
What is the role of social media in the migration process among West African migrants in Joensuu, Finland?
Two specific questions will be further answered to help answer the main research question. The specific research questions that this study expects to seek answers to include:
How did social media influence the pre-migration information of West African migrants in Joensuu, Finland? And
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How did social media influence the migration decision-making of West African migrants in Joensuu, Finland?
I believe these research questions have a good representation of the study’s aim. Social media and its influence on migration have been an exciting topic. As Europe is struggling with the migration crisis, I deem it vital to research more on the medium of communication (social media) that encourages and influences Africans to leave for Europe and investigate the negative and positive impact this medium has on migrants. Deep-rooted political, social, and economic conditions in most African countries, such as poverty, unemployment, and corruption, can be argued as domestic factors that encourage the youth mainly to travel to Europe in search of a better life for themselves and their families (Kirwin and Anderson, 2018.). The main concern of this research is not to delve so much into the domestic triggers for migration. But instead, it will focus much on social media's influence on migrants.
Findings from this study will serve as a reference point for understanding the specific reasons for migration among people from different African countries, the role social media played in their pre- migration information, and the migration decision-making process. The thesis also serves as a reference point for further research in social media in the African migration context.
The research comprises five chapters. The first chapter deals with the introduction, the problem statement, objectives, questions, and sub-questions of the study. The second chapter includes the literature review of existing literature on the issue of social media and migration and the theoretical and conceptual framework. The next chapter explains the methodology under which the study was organized.
The fourth chapter deals with findings and interpretation/discussion. And the last chapter comprises conclusions and recommendations.
8 2. Literature Review: Social Media and Migration
This literature review discusses social media broadly within West African migration. The discussion is divided into the following subcategories: Influence of Social Media on Migration; The Process of Migration; Pre-Migration Information; Migration Decision Making; West African and Student Migrants.
However, it is understandable that I may not be able to cover every detail of this literature, but careful objective-oriented findings are presented.
2.1. Brief History of Social Media
Only the human brain and its desire to communicate with one another, which advances in information technology have propelled, has allowed social media to evolve. Edosomwan (2011) defines social media as an online mode of speaking that incorporates online platforms and microblogging. Users create a virtual world of communication through these routes and means, adding information, ideas, and media to social networking websites. The story of social media is about creating and fostering significant human relationships. In a short period, social media has progressed from direct electronic information sharing to virtual reality, from social bonding to a trading platform. It has quickly become the preferred platform for marketers, small company owners, artists, and professionals.
As cited in the Miami University (2021) article on the evolution of social media, they explained the development of the telegraph machine on May 24, 1844, checked the starting of social media.
Samuel Morse carried a message from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. With the dispatch of the
ARPANET in 1969, social media started to require off
(Advanced Research Projects Agency Network). Researchers from four significant universities could associate and share their program, equipment, and other offices, whereas sitting in their workplaces much appreciated a recently built-up advanced network. NSFNET, an energetic, quick, and progressively advanced organization was propelled by the National
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Science Establishment (NSF) in 1979. A decade afterward, the
primary genuine social organizing location was made. (Invention of the Telegraph: History &
Overview, 2013.). (2011) Edosomwan. CompuServe, Prodigy, and America Online blazed a new trail for faster and more reliable internet access. People were exposed to the true meaning of digital communication through these services. They allowed consumers to send an email, chat online, and use bulletin board communication services through the internet. In 1977, the short-lived "Six Degrees"
kicked off the early period of new social media networks, which Friendster followed in 2001. The revolt began after that, enabling millions of people to sign up for email addresses and online chat rooms.
Weblogs, or blogs, another early frame of advanced social communication, started to pick up notoriety with the 1999 dispatch of the LiveJournal distributing site. This coincided with the dispatch of the Blogger publishing stage by the tech company Pyra Labs, which Google acquired in 2003. (Maryville University, 2018.).
The actual amusement started in 2002 when LinkedIn was shaped explicitly to supply ease to career- oriented shoppers. It has almost 700 million dynamic clients worldwide, agreeing to one gauge. At that point came Myspace, which propelled in 2003 and went on to end up the leading well-known site of all time in 2006, permitting clients to transfer music specifically to their sites. In 2008, Facebook obscured Myspace as the central social location in such a brief sum of time, after only two years. When Google+ was established in 2012, it made an impression on the social media industry. By this time, everyone had heard of social media, its importance, and advantages. (Tim, 2017.) In today's modern world, several social media websites provide various services in various specializations. They have captured the attention of a record 5 billion cell phone users worldwide. The following are some of the most prominent social media networks in 2021.
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Mark Zuckerberg founded it in 2004, and Facebook now has over 2 billion active users globally. This platform has access to various functions, including online chatting and media sharing, marketing and page creation, and fundraising. All of these services are provided at no cost. (Crowe, 2012.).
It was founded in 2005 by Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian as a news-sharing website. Things have steadily changed, and thanks to its 300 million active users, it has evolved into a news and social commentary platform. It is becoming so popular because users may upvote and downvote the messages they submit on the internet. (Crowe, 2012.)
It was founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams as a microblogging platform.
There are over 1 billion active Twitter users, according to statistics. It is popular because it has a retweet option that enables users to access the complete message without restrictions. (Crowe, 2012.).
Kevin Systrom discovered it in 2010, and Facebook eventually acquired it in 2011. It began as a photo- sharing website but has since evolved into the world's most frequented photo and video-sharing platform.
It has become the preferred method for marketers to engage with their target audience without physically meeting them. Getting famous on Instagram has its advantages, and purchasing Instagram likes and comments is a must for everyone. It's popular these days, and who doesn't want to be famous? Is this correct? Buy Instagram likes today and suddenly get famous! (Crowe, 2012.)
Ben Silberman founded this website in 2010 as a virtual pinboard. Since then, it has attracted the attention of over 400 million members globally and became a publicly traded corporation in 2019.
Snapchat
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Snapchat is another popular software founded in 2011 by three Stanford students. It was initially a video- sharing site in the form of stories that expired after a certain period. This social media app has a plethora of customizable filters that are generally praised and popular among its users.
Tiktok
Tiktok is a futuristic social networking platform developed in 2016 by ByteDance, a Chinese technology business. This app, which was merged with musical.ly in 2018, allows users to share short films. It has acquired popularity in nearly every country on the planet. This platform's user base has topped 1.5 billion people.
2.2 Defining Social Media in the Context of Migration
Bowman and Willis (2003) interpret Kaplan & Heinlein's (2010: p. 61) concept of social media as “a platform which allows users, and groups of users, to create and exchange content; it can be defined as
“a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0,” and the applications of social media including Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Microblog and WeChat. Any kind of information that reaches many people, such as television, newspapers, and radio, is referred to as media (Bowman and Willis, 2003). It can be used as a singular or plural noun. Bowman and Willis (2003) define it as activities in which individuals spend time chatting with one other or doing good things for each other. As a result, social media can be defined as media delivered through social relationships. Individuals, organizations, and businesses all have cybernetic and virtual connections.
Texts, pictures, and other symbols create, exchange, and distribute information. It's also the social connection in which people use online teams and networks to create, share, and transact information and ideas. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, LinkedIn, Reddit, Instagram, and Pinterest are fair many of the numerous social media destinations increasing at a higher rate (internet source).
According to Hauben, Hauben, and Truscott (1997), Geocities was the first social networking site that
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allowed users to communicate through chat rooms, rudimentary online publishing, and blogs.
This cleared the way for developing different destinations and social media stages, such as Americaonline.com, but SixDegrees.com, which permitted clients to put through and send messages, was the primary to pick up far-reaching acknowledgment SixDegrees.com pulled in millions of clients.
Still, it could not turn itself into a beneficial organization and subsequently fizzled in 2000. (Popesku J.
April 2014.). Social media may be an effective transformation that has radically changed our lives. It has changed how we socialize, trade, participate in legislative issues, make callings, and publicize work openings. Because of destinations like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, people's social lives have changed massively. It has streamlined real-time communication with our family, companions, and relations. Individuals can utilize social media to share photos and recordings with their companions and family. This has reinforced bonds and brought families together in already incredible ways. Sharing and picking up modern abilities can offer assistance to families, companions, relatives, and businesses alike.
People can moreover make and show their possessed merchandise. (2013, Whiting and Williams.) Social media is a broad and evolving area of study where gaps in definition, operation, coverage, and limitations still exist. However, the most relevant subcategories concerning this paper are discussed. I present a prior view of digitalization and media and then link it with the context of the understanding of social media.
In recent times, the prevalence of internet technology and interactive and communicative platforms and tools has caused a shift in the way social contacts are established and sustained. The definition of the media in the back and transmission of messages and answers, but with a broader sociological and worldwide reach. All assets that serve or are utilized for communication, counting social, formal, and casual structures and the person himself are included (Guillermo H, 1984; Pg 90-91; Membiela-Pollán et al., 2021, 23–26). On the other hand, media development can be separated into two epochs: broadcast and interactive. During the broadcast period, media dissemination was nearly entirely concentrated, with
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a single entity—a radio or tv station, a daily paper organization, or a generation company messages to an enormous number of individuals. This made it difficult for people to provide direct and timely feedback to media outlets. As a result of the rise of computerized and portable innovations, person engagement on an expansive scale became generally more straightforward than it had ever been; as a result, a new media age developed, with inclusion at the center of new media exercises. Multiple interactions may coincide, with quick feedback being a possibility. Individuals from all over the world can now share their experiences with an infinite number of others, obtain knowledge from various sources, and discuss it with anybody else via comment sections. As a result, social media is at the center of this ongoing transformation (Manning 2014, 1158-1162).
Every kind of social media, whether mobile or fixed, employs a digital platform. Yet, not every digital data is social media. Social media has two distinct qualities. To commence, social media allows for some form of communication. Although social networking sites such as Facebook enable users to passively read what anyone else publishes, social media has never been entirely passive. At the very least, a profile that supports the creation of participation must be created. That aspect alone distinguishes social media from conventional media, which lacks social accounts.
Moreover, social media facilitates participation due to its participatory aspect. This kind of interaction can happen with old friends, family, or coworkers and unfamiliar people with shared interests or who are members of the same social circles. Although many social media sites were/are regarded as unique at first, as they become increasingly incorporated into people's professional and personal lives, they are becoming less apparent and much more predictable. (Boyd D. 2008, 13-20.).
Because of the rapid growth of social media in recent years, it has become a whole reality in the lives of the citizens and organizations, with both benefits and drawbacks for education, social relationships, and well-being (Membiela-Pollán et al., 2021, 23–26). Even though scholars presume an implicit understanding of social media based on current innovation, there is no universally accepted operational
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or conceptual definition of social media in communication studies (Carr & Hayes, 2015). The various descriptions by different authors are presented in this paper. After conducting a comprehensive evaluation of social media, I found two definitions. Carr & Hayes (2015, 46-65) provide the first definition, which defines social media as "world wide web, permanent channels of mass/personal communication encouraging perceptions of connections among users, deriving value primarily from user-generated material." "Social media are World wide web channels that allow users to interact unscrupulously and selectively self-present, either in real-time or asynchronously, with both broad and narrow viewers who derive value from consumer content and the impression of interplay with others”
(Membiela-Pollán et al., 2021, 23–26) says the second, which is more thorough and approachable (Carr
& Hayes, 2015, 46-65). The following can be deduced as inseparably connected parts of social media from these definitions: a) the use of the internet and technology such as smartphones; b) the presence of a channel; c) human engagement; d) the creation of content and value for users and groups; and e) a relatively broad or smaller "audience" (Membiela-Pollán et al., 2021). Coyle and Vaughn (2008) further elaborated on social media as a collection of people linked together through engaging linkages to establish online communities. Social media occasionally denotes a group of online applications that permit the creation and exchange of user-generated content (Oladopo et al., 2021).
The social media categories presented here are a hybrid of those discussed by three authors: Manning (2014) and Kaplan and Haenlein (2010). Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) segmented their study results into five categories: collaborative projects, including the widely known Wikipedia, also categorized as work or professional; blogs or microblogs, including Blogger and Twitter, of the kind classified as professional and personal connections; content communities, for example, YouTube content communities (in the professional and recreational category); social networking sites including the commonly known Facebook (also categorized as personal connections) and finally virtual gaming or social worlds such as HumanSim (under the recreation category). It's helpful to realize that mobile applications (Apps) aren't usually focused on social media; nonetheless, consumers can often connect
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with apps through other forms of social media. A blog, sometimes known as a weblog, is a web website that allows a person or group to share information or thoughts with many people via the internet (Manning, 2014).
In the preceding decade, social media has emerged as one of the most innovative and disruptive commercial entities (Oladopo et al., 2021). Edosomwan et al. (2021) argued that conversation is critical to social media's success. Social media helps subjects reach a wider audience by utilizing the "long tail"
concept proposed by (Bae 2019, 93-99), which refers to discussions that can be carried to multiple forums. When we look at the mediating role of social connectivity, we find that social media has a mixed influence on happiness. It has a good side that includes knowledge exchange and collaboration (Oladopo et al., 2021.). People may use social media to gather information or share ideas. This data can consist of information on migration, political campaigns, local issues, disaster relief, and education, among other things. People can also provide ideas or examine the opinions of others through social media, which is typically in line with knowledge sharing. A social medium such as a website can amuse users (Manning, 2014.).
Individuals can utilize social media to care for their associations in various ways. Indeed whereas open talk regularly depicts social media stages like Facebook and Twitter as egotistical and shallow, social media empowers individuals who wouldn't something else be able to communicate to do so. Individuals have too said that computer-mediated communication stages have made a difference in meeting a few of their closest companions and now and then indeed accomplices. Since it is helpful to extend the normality of communication, reliability, and a feeling of belongingness with near relations, all of which are necessary for individual fulfillment, additionally important for instrumental reasons such as choice making on movement forms back and offer assistance. (Varela-Candamio et. al., 2014.).
People can use social media to work on their identities. When someone creates a profile for themselves, they must reflect on who they are. Individuals will evaluate themselves in a better perspective when they
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witness reactions to their internet community presence. They will note that online engagement allows them to feel empowered about their thoughts, ideas, and queries - whether better or worse. This, in turn, can affect their decision-making. They can also use social media to execute work duties. When a prominent blog or someone with a substantial social network is paid to advertise an event, that social media platform can sometimes be their job. Other times, people communicate with coworkers through social networking sites or, more commonly, email and handle most of their professional contact through the social media platform. (Manning, 2014.). Relating to the implications involving cohabiting persons, the inference can be unfavorable when the physical quality of face-to-face interaction is harmed owing to excessive Internet usage (Membiela-Pollán et al., 2021).
Whiting and Williams (2013) wanted to gain a more in-depth understanding of why people utilize social media. They conducted an exploratory study with twenty-five adults who use social media using in- depth interviews. The study discovered eleven advantages and applications of using social media. The ten applications and gratifications described are social engagement, information gathering, keeping occupied, amusement, relaxation, linguistic and cultural utility, convenience utility, exchange of opinions, information distribution, and monitoring other individuals for personal/unknown motives.
The development and maintenance of an online community have many dimensions, and user participation is essential. According to Ray et al. (2014), user involvement enhances the likelihood of a user returning to an online community. Butler and Wang (2012) discovered that modifying material in an interactive online group had sound and adverse effects on member dynamics and possible contributions. Early research on online community engagement found that different community commitments have distinct effects on behavior (Bateman et al., 2011).
Ray et al. (2014) argue that active participation in these distinct social media contexts requires engagement, a concept rarely vaguely mentioned in information systems literature. Therefore, they developed and tested a model that incorporates engagement, where it emerges from, and how it
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effectively clarifies knowledge contribution and word-of-mouth. They found that social media users or participants contribute to and revisit social media platforms primarily because of a sense of participation.
In online communities/social media platforms, engagement and satisfaction seem to be simultaneous facilitating dynamics at play. Both reasons of communal identification and knowing self-efficacy are facilitators, but engagement in a social media community/platform is also a result of self-identity affirmation. The most knowledgeable users' contributions stem not only from engagement but also from a competing feeling of self.
Social media is widely utilized for social interaction, access to news and information, and decision- making. It can communicate with people locally and globally and share, create, and disseminate information. Social media can impact clients' choices through assessments, showcasing techniques, and publicizing. In brief, social media encompasses a significant impact on our capacity to lock in, form connections, learn and share information, and make the most good judgments. (St Lukes & Penn Foundation 2022.).
Yonghwan et al. (2013) explored how people's use of social media influences their conversation network heterogeneity and civic involvement. They also examined the role of personality qualities (such as extraversion and exposure to new encounters) in this relationship. The findings back up the idea that using social media promotes the diversity of civic discourse networks and practices. Extraversion and receptivity to situations were found to impact discourse system heterogeneity and civic participation positively. Social media's contribution to boosting network heterogeneity and civic engagement is substantially more outstanding for withdrawn and less open persons. (Yonghwan and colleagues, 2013.) Zolkepli and Kamarulzaman (2015) analyzed the relationship between social media use and gratifications while considering the moderating effect of social media improving technology. A qualitative method with 48 respondents in focus group discussions (FGDs) and a quantitative approach with 428 participants in online survey questionnaires are part of the strategy. Finally, the findings suggest
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that social media adoption is influenced by three types of needs: personal (such as delight and amusement), social (such as social influence and participation), and stress relief (consisting of belongingness, companionship, and playfulness). These requirements are driven by the properties of social media innovation (performance expectancy, reliability, and adaptability), which raise the possibility of adoption. (Zolkepli and Kamarulzaman, 2015.)
Zhan et al. paper (2016) examines how two restricting illustrative instruments influence people's life bliss when they utilize social media. The discoveries recommend that using social media can offer assistance individuals get social benefits, coming about in expanded life fulfillment. Shockingly, whereas social media utilization can have negative repercussions (e.g., social over-burden), social overload does not show a decline in life fulfillment. (Zhan et al., 2016.)
The social media industry is constantly changing. New social media platforms, services, and applications are developed rapidly. Many attract media attention, and others gain a strong foundation, but the majority fade and vanish before reaching most users. The ones that remain are constantly changing their interfaces and terms and conditions of service and integrating new features and functionality. However, these are sometimes dependent on countries’ policies, political and security reasons, and assumed benefits or risks to persons (especially children). (Oladopo et al., 2021.)
Given the broader sense of social media as presented earlier, it is exciting to know the advance made in the technological world using social media in the migration process of some present-day migration. I, therefore, present the concept of migration in the context of social media and how they are related in the below discussion.
19 2.3 Migration among West Africans to Finland
Since the beginning of time, humanity has been on the move. The temporary or permanent migration of people from one part of the world to another is human migration. A few individuals move in to look for superior work openings, be closer to family, or pursue their education. Others move to escape savagery, abuse, fear-based oppression, or human rights infringement. Others relocate in response to the detrimental effects of climate change, natural catastrophes, or other environmental issues. Different types of migration exist. Internal and international migration, for example, can be distinguished. Internal migration refers to people and families moving from one location to another within a country (for example, from rural to urban areas). In contrast, external migration refers to people and families transferring from one country to another. (Migration International Organization, 2022.)
Scholars have created a difference between enabling the development and lengthy migration due to the range of reasons for the two scales, albeit it is impossible to define what is a continually shifting dynamic in practice. The degree and severity of migration vary with the continuous spatial scale when migration is characterized as a border crossing: the more geographical units there are, the higher the movement level. This makes it challenging to develop comparable migration measurements between countries, except for migration at the most minor scales of all residence shifts (Rees, 2020). Internal migration intensities, migration lengths, migration linkages, and migration consequences or impacts, according to Bell (2003), should all be represented through metrics that may be used to compare internal movement between countries. (Bell, 2003.)
It is conceivable to migrate deliberately or automatically. The lion's share of intentional versatility, whether residential or universal, is persuaded by the craving for way better financial or housing openings. The only common casualties of constrained relocations are individuals who have been persuasively transported as enslaved people or detainees or who have been launched out by governments amid war or other political turmoil. In between these two categories are unconstrained movements of
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individuals escaping military struggle, starvation, or common calamities. (2021, Britannica.) Across many nations, internal migration has transitioned away from large cities and toward smaller towns and rural villages. Internal migration occurred 69 percent for economic reasons, 14 percent for familial reasons, and the balance for other reasons. Due to the pressures of underemployment and poor pay in rural areas, employees shared occupations, encouraging migration from rural areas to major cities and even internationally. (Rees, 2001.)
Migration can sometimes be considered a significant behavioral change, especially when migrants choose to leave their home countries, according to Milfont & Tabor (2011). Unfortunately, few academics have looked at the pre-departure phase as crucial for comprehending the background of the migration process beyond the research of forced migration. The migration process contains four main phases: the pre-contemplation stage, where intrapersonal factors and familial ties are significant; the contemplation phase, where macro and micro variables are also taken into account; the action phase, where elements such as stress and coping are taken into account; as well as the acculturation phase where factors such as psychological adjustment and sociocultural acclimatization are also taken into account.
Individuals in the pre-contemplation stage do not strongly consider migrating and are uninterested in any migration process. While in the contemplation stage, people are increasingly aware of migration plans and spend a lot of time contemplating them. People who believe they have the potential to migrate are constantly involved in taking measures to move to utilize a range of tactics during the action stage.
The acculturation stage is the perceived adaptation to the host's environment when the potential migrant migrates. (Milfont & Tabor 2011, 818–832.)
2.3.1 West Africa and Migration
In this document, a West African is defined as citizens of any West African countries. It is regarded as Africa's westernmost region. According to the United Nations, Western Africa consists of 17 countries:
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Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. 2001 (Masson & Pattillo.) West Africa has a long-term history of migration to the neighboring countries and outside the West African geography. Migrants from more developed coastal countries, such as Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal, are migrating outside of the West African region. In the last three decades, the number of Western African migrants in Europe has increased dramatically. Although many people migrate for varying reasons, most of these are for educational purposes. (Olsen, 2011.)
2.3.2 Migration to Finland
The number of persons living in Finland who are not locals has risen dramatically over two decades. In 2008, there were 143 256 foreign residents in Finland, compared to 26 255 in 1990. Over the last 18 years, the number of foreigners living in Finland has increased by 117 001. Foreign-born Finns make up about 2.5 percent of the workforce (figures from 2006). Foreign refers to those who do not speak either national languages, Finnish or Swedish, or Sami's minority language as their first language. Russian is the most common language spoken by foreign workers in Finland, followed by Estonian and English.
Non-Africans make up the minority of the immigrant population, while Africans continue to make up a large proportion of Finnish immigrants. The majority of African immigrants come from West Africa.
Statistics Finland (2009) and Statistikcentralen (2006). These immigrants improve their socioeconomic level by obtaining many degrees to increase their employment in Finland. This decision was made because of the generally recognized high quality that the Finnish school system has attained in recent decades. The achievement of Finnish educators using foreign metrics and comparisons such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), in which Finland has ranked highly since its introduction in 2000, has drawn appreciation and earned a good reputation for the Finnish educational system. Every year, Finland invites delegations known as "educational pilgrims" from around 50 nations, whose primary goal is to discover and understand the underlying principles/secrets behind Finland's
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educational success. According to research, Finnish teachers are happier than their counterparts in other nations, explaining why Finnish students perform so well. Dahlskog (2010) says In the immigration debate, an immigrant's worth is usually measured by their ability to benefit and enrich their host country.
The economic effects of immigration to Finland are challenging to assess. Despite this, numerous studies have demonstrated that immigrants helped Finland in various ways and that the country has benefited from immigration. In today's global marketplace, college-qualified immigrants contribute to Finland's competitiveness. (Li, 2008.)
2,297 Africans migrated to Finland in 2020 (Statistics Finland, 2022). Migration to Finland is a small percentage of the more considerable West African migration worldwide. Still, recently, many West- African people have migrated to Finland for varying reasons, such as work or further studies. Student migration refers to students studying for 12 months or longer outside of their place of citizenship or nationality.
International students in Finland have increased significantly from 6000 (2% of all students) in 2000 to over 21,000 (7% of all students) in 2016 (Mathies & Karhunen, 2021). It has been recognized that the problem of international student mobility and migration is a contentious issue in policy discourse not only in Finland but across Europe. In Europe, there has been a considerable movement toward limited international student immigration and increased efforts to improve their stay chances. This is partly due to worries about declining or low birth rates and an aging population; luring international students is considered a means to raise the number of qualified workers needed. (Mathies & Karhunen, 2021.) The Finnish government has recently proposed a more flexible visa extension for international students to be able to overstay their previous permits after their education. This has attracted many people, especially the West African continent, to study and work in Finland. (Study International 17.04. 2022.) A student migrant in this context is a West African student who has succeeded in learning outside of their home country.
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2.4 Pre-Migration Information and Migration Decision Making
Intensive and spatially stretched patterns of internet community engagement could potentially affect people's migration decisions in various ways (Thulin & Vilhelmson, 2017). As Thulin & Vilhelmson (2017) writes in their article, Tabor and Milfont (2011) argue that motivations for social migration could be bolstered, such as a desire to be closer to friends and relatives live abroad. People's comprehension, awareness, and interest in other locations could be advanced through geographically and socially enhanced online interactions with peers, relatives, and acquaintances, widening their geographic perspectives and bringing the world within reach (Bakardjieva, 2005; Thulin and Vilhelmson, 2016).
According to Thulin & Vilhelmson (2017), authors such as Fischer and Malmberg (2001) believe that online social technology is becoming increasingly valuable for supporting the transfer process both pretty nearly and psychologically becliterause intimate knowledge of places and their local supposed benefits are essential in migration decision-making for example, by helping in the search for an apartment or work opportunities (Komito, 2011; Dekker and Engbersen, 2014).
Literature also establishes a relationship between pre-migration information and decision-making.
Migration decisions are complicated, comprising both financial and non-financial factors, and they are frequently undertaken in situations that differ significantly from several models' idealized information projections. (Balá et al., 2016.)
There is evidence that the Internet is increasingly interconnected with the various stages of the migration evaluation process (Thulin and Vilhelmson, 2014; Tabor and Milfont, 2013; Dekker et al., 2016), as well as that Internet-based knowledge about labor, housing, and education opportunities in foreign areas enhance migration readiness (Stevenson, 2009; Vilhelmson and Thulin, 2013) and diminish young people's place-boundness (Thulin & Vilhelmson, 2017).
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In further studies, for example, De Jong (2000), he claims that migration expectations and family traditions are critical determinants of migration decision, which is an indirect driver of migration behavior. However, other researchers (including Fujishiro, 2015; Tabor and Milfont, 2013; Stevenson, 2009) suggest a lot of disagreement about what units of analysis should be used in migration decision research. Personal and personal level variables (e.g., demographic traits, developmental stage, connection to the location, social status, environmental aspect, etcetera) drive migration decisions. The microeconomic models of migration presume that people travel because they believe they would be better off somewhere else. People, and only people, make migration decisions. Another argument is that the family is the most rational decision-making unit (DaVanzo 1981) because family members frequently move collectively. Tunali (2000), for example, stated that examining income implications on migration should focus on family earnings rather than personal earnings. According to Mincer (1978), migration decision research should be undertaken at the family level than at the individual level because overall family benefit, not net personal financial gain, drives household migration.
Using 24 participants to analyze the migration decision-making phases with the questionnaire, Hoppe and Fujishiro (2015) intended to discover person-level elements that determine migration decision- making and ultimate migration instead of economic circumstances. The researchers found that expected employment rewards and career ambitions predict all migration stages.
2.4.1 Migration Networks, Social Ties, and Social Media
Tilly (1990: 84), in Dekker and Engbersen (2012), states that ‘the effective units of migration were (and are) neither individuals nor households but sets of people linked by an acquaintance, kinship, and work experience.’ According to sociological study, these transnational networks are what drive and maintain migration (Tiemoko, 2004). Migrants are people who choose to relocate across countries, not only objects of the macro-processes that drive migration. Pioneer migrants, motivated by reasons unrelated
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to networks, generally build links between sending and receiving locations. Other migrants will follow, traveling less used routes if early ties are established. Within migration networks, social capital helps lower the costs and risks of movement (MacDonald and MacDonald 1964). As a result, migrants prefer to settle in areas where they already have relationships. Even when other factors have faded in prominence, migration networks may become the main reason people remain to migrate. (Massey et al.
1998.).
Migratory patterns become identity once they are established. Black (2011) coined the term "cumulative causation" to describe how migration alters the social and economic context in which subsequent relocation decisions are made. According to the migration network concept, every migratory process is built on a multidirectional flow of information. This contains details such as the destination's context and the route's arrangement. The social capital of the networks is used to obtain this information. "The sum of actual or potential resources connected to the ownership of a persistent network of more or less structured mutual friend or recognition relationships," according to Wikipedia. (Chib, 2013, 10-11).
These networks are often defined in migration literature as a set of "strong links" (Vaske, 2011) that connect migrants and non-migrants through relatives, friendship, or a shared origin group (Vaske, 2011).
Every media comes with its own set of social benefits.
For numerous years, transient systems depended on mail for communication. Since the message was conveyed days or weeks before it was received, this communication was nonconcurrent. Letters have the advantage of not only serving as implies of contact but too of being put away and prized as images of long-distance solidarity. Sound cassettes can be taped over and utilized a few times, giving more extensive affordances for ignorant people than composing. Moreover, this communication fashion passes the talked voice's enthusiastic quickness Data on approaching rounds of liberalization, availability of casual employments and lodging, or illegal ways of crossing borders, for illustration, can travel
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quickly through vagrant systems, changing migrants' transitory techniques. (Thomas and Znaniecki 1918-20.).
2.5 Influence of Social Media on Migration
For such an extended period, transnational migration meant being cut off from one's native community.
(Dekker and Engbersen, 2012). Migrants were labeled forcefully evicted because their connections had been broken. Lengthy communications have radically revolutionized the circumstance. Early migrants used the mail to communicate with their families and friends. This could take months, and some people may never get there. Scholars such as Dekker et al. (2016) and Thulin & Vilhelmson (2017) have recently highlighted how the rise of low-cost international phone calls acted as a social glue, bringing migrants and non-migrants from all over the world together. In today's digital age, the speed and intensity of information and communication flows have increased considerably, and they are rapidly affecting our daily lives, particularly those seeking to migrate. (Castells 1996; Wellman 2001.).
In general, social ties limit interprovincial and transnational migration and encourage people to stay put, partly because the costs of relocation are perceived to be too high in terms of distance and the risk of losing connection and commitment to their current area. (Fisher and Malmberg, 2001; Mulder and Cooke, 2009). Increased options to remain virtually tied, on the other hand, may encourage geographical flexibility in social life, as social media offers creative tactics of rapid, unexpected, and regular social engagement at a distance at a cheap cost (Thulin & Vilhelmson, 2017). Several authors (such as Licoppe, 2004; Rheingold, 1992; Urry, 2007) have recommended that such practices make the digital world, or what has been referred to as an online founder about relatives and friends in other locations, improve thorough social understanding, time, and dedication, and allow individuals to experience 'being there together' (Schroeder 2006, 438-454). This may encourage people to relocate and promote a lifestyle associated with more mobility, such as multi-local living and dispersed family lives (Schroeder 2006).
In mobile networks, digital media are now essential communication avenues. Accessibility of migratory
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network linkages is also critical: having more social connections enhances the possibility of accessing digital media. Online communication is mostly between established social relations, but it can also develop new 'latent' bonds. The use of online platforms to connect with migrants in European nations is clarified by non-migrants relocation penchant, meaning that online communication in movement systems expands relocation desire and decision-making. (Dekker and colleagues, 2016.).
From a broader perspective, the internet's primary benefit as a social medium was that interaction became more general and less one-to-one. We can communicate with a more significant number of individuals through social media, even if we only have a shaky connection with them. Individual- and neighborhood social networking sites cross paths and overlap. As a result, social media, unlike traditional mass media and communication media, can be used to connect individuals and activities.
(Dekker and Engbersen, 2014; Dekker et al., 2016).
To supplement the resources available through personal contacts, social media can occasionally be accessed by anybody, allowing for sharing information in the public domain. It also disseminates swiftly and delivers current information. As a result, social media provides an additional source of reliable data.
Information about forthcoming legalization processes, the availability of informal housing and jobs, and illegal border crossing methods, for example, can spread quickly through migrant networks, influencing migrants' migration decisions. As a result, it is expected that social media would boost people's ability to move and their willingness to do so. Individuals are also concerned that accessing social media may present unrealistic or erroneous information. Social media may dupe migrants by promises of work or partners that do not exist or are very different from what they thought. There are considerable differences in (possible) migrants' access to social media and the quality of their social media usage. 2014 (Dekker and Engbersen).
28 3. Methodology of the Study
After carefully considering the best methodological option for this thesis, I decided on the qualitative approach to be adopted for the entire study. This type of method involves purposely enrolling respondents for the study. I found from numerous sources, including that of Pathak et al. (2013). After careful explorations of various methodological options, qualitative research adds to the scientific body of knowledge, making significant distinctions that come about by getting closer and intimate with the phenomena under study. I chose this strategy since qualitative inquiry is about a humanistic or optimistic approach to comprehending a survey. This means it's used to learn about people's ideas, experiences, attitudes, behaviors, and interactions. It allows the complete participant freedom to respond to the research questions in any way they see fit, and it will help the researcher uncover more than the planned study conclusions. This type of study does not generate numerical data. Another advantage of using qualitative research methods is that, for example, interviews give voice to the participants in the research and enhance the involvement of everyone related to the study. (Pathak et al., 2013.)
For a good representation of the study, there is no doubt a definite study setting is a key to unleashing the most appropriate and or readily available participants for the study. Therefore, I settled for Joensuu, Finland, for my studies. This setting was chosen due to the high number of international students, especially Africans. Joensuu, also known as "the student city," is the vibrant capital of North Karelia, Finland. Joensuu is the second biggest town in Eastern Finland, with over 77 000 people (25 percent of whom are under 25). It is the largest city in North Karelia and is home to numerous higher education institutes.
Because of the strong interest, consideration for availability of participants, COVID 19 protocols, and some other personal factors such as time, I decided that the population for this study would be West African migrants in Joensuu, Finland. Before I had considered all other options of involving the whole
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of African migrants, but that would have been too broad for my study. I, therefore, narrowed it to get the best details possible, and I believe this set of people (respondents) was the best for my study.
Only West African migrants who consented to be part of the study and were available during data collection were the respondents I included in the study. Before the interview, various prospective participants were served information sheets about the study (available in the appendix), scheduled times according to their schedule. It turns out only a few people made themselves available for the interview.
After reading the information sheet, others opted not to continue the study. Eventually, I conducted interviews with seven individuals.
According to Creswell (1998), the qualitative research topic necessitates a deep comprehension of human experiences shared by a group of people, and the investigated group should have 3 to 15 members. I believe that the seven respondents I had were adequate for a single researcher-led study.
Getting participants to partake in the survey has been a significant challenge. However, in the end, seven participants were recruited to participate. Two of which were females, and the remaining were males.
To get the data that reflects different experiences and opinions and to avoid gender bias, efforts were still made to recruit more females, but this turned out to be complicated. So I had to proceed to analyze what I had. For example, I resent emails to various female respondents who had been contacted earlier.
I also met new people through other friends I had in the city- all in attempts to recruit more people, especially females. Still, they never availed themselves for the interview despite meeting their conditions and times.
3.1 Description of the Interview Process
It will be worth detailing my efforts in data collection because, in as much as I tried to employ more respondents with varying professional backgrounds living in Joensuu to be included in the study’s data collection (interview) process, all attempts failed despite continuous efforts such as trying to meet them
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via online or sending them emails. Those that responded and scheduled interviews at their convenience within the expected period for the discussion were included in the study. I initially only had six participants within the formally allocated period for the data collection and one other after the official scheduled time frame, about two weeks. Some others declined to be engaged in the study even after scheduling appointments giving reasons beyond our capacity. Finally, I included seven persons in the study, of which all of them happened to be students studying various programs in Joensuu, Finland. Out of the seven individuals with whom I conducted the interview data, only two of them were females. I initially scheduled about six females for the interview, but only two of them were available, consented, and made time for the discussion. The remaining five individuals included in the study were males. The participants were, however, aged between twenty-seven years and thirty-four years. It was not my intention to have most participants from a particular country more than the other, but this happened because they were the ones that availed themselves for the study despite numerous efforts, as stated earlier.
3.2 Data Analysis
A semi-structured interview was used as guidelines to conduct face-to-face interviews (via video or audio calls) with the interviewed participants. These were the only means since participants were not close by and fell in line with COVID 19 protocols. The various interviews I conducted had a minimum time of thirty minutes per respondent and a maximum of an hour and quarter minutes. Also, the total transcribed data was thirty-one pages in total after transcription. Finally, I used the various pages from the thirty-one transcribed data to deduce the results for my study. I would have had more than the said (thirty-one) pages if I had considered using all the verbatim transcribed data (including repetitions of some respondents’ statements which were excluded).
I chose West African migrants in Joensuu, Finland, for the study using a purposive sample technique.
Purposive or judgemental sampling is an approach in which particular circumstances, individuals, or
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occasions are intentionally chosen to offer critical data that cannot be assembled through other implies.
It's when an analyst decides to incorporate cases or members within the test since they're curious.
(Maxwell, 1996.) The West African migrants I selected were to narrow the scope of my study, which I believed was the best to answer the research questions I sought answers. After contacting prospective participants for the study, we, the participant, and I had agreed on the times they (the participants) were available where the interviews were scheduled online in their comfort zones.
I developed and used a structured interview guide (available in the Appendix) for data collection. All eligible West African migrants who were within reach during the data collection period and willing to participate in the study were interviewed by me. The interviews were recorded life, while notes were also taken simultaneously. All interviews were conducted in English for easy verbatim transcription all by myself. At the end of each day of data collection, the interviews were transcribed and compared with the notes taken. This was to ensure that I captured all relevant data needed and not miss any necessary data that would be crucial for my results.
Interviews were transcribed verbatim. I played audios and videos of the recorded interviews where I typed all statements made by participants as it was from in their constructs without alterations or trying to correct a sentence. To ensure accurate data representation, these were repeated three times. A thematic content strategy was used to capture key material linked to the research goal. The transcriptions were initially verified to improve dependability to ensure that the content accurately mirrored each interview.
I reanalyzed the data after the initial assessment to eliminate any potential bias or personal motivations.
Firstly, I read the complete data set independently and became familiarized with it. Afterward, I identified the vital information and recurrent topics and patterns in reading the transcripts I had already printed from the study interviews I conducted. I then grouped the data into themes to accurately reflect the participants' responses.
