3. METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research Design and Case Selection The research was designed as a set of case studies complemented by key informant interviews. The starting point was a sampling frame consisting of established garment firms assembled for a study undertaken by The Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi in 2000 (McCormick et al. 2001, 2002). By 2002, when the present study was initiated, respondents from a number of these firms had been interviewed two or more times by the researchers. Twenty firms were selected on the basis of their known market reach and their likely technological know-how with respect to the use of data communication. Of the original sample of 20 firms, 12 agreed to participate in this study. 3.2 Data Collection The data collection phase of the study involved a short survey (see Appendix 1) and more indepth interviews designed to probe for explanations for the answers given to the structured survey questions. The sample firm profiles are presented in Appendix 2. Data were also gathered using key informant interviews with respondents from Internet Service Providers, government officials and others who were likely to be knowledgeable about the garment industry and/or the use of data communication and ecommerce. Further background information was obtained from interview notes prepared for a related study (Kane, 2002). The sample for the present study included medium and large-sized garment enterprises in Nairobi and the nearby towns of Athi River, Ruiru, Thika, Nakuru and Mombasa.2 Basic information was collected about the study firms including date of establishment, employment, turnover, principal markets, sources of inputs and the use of ICT network applications. Data were also collected to provide a basic business profile, a profile of the use of ICTs in the company, and to establish the extent to which any form of B2B e-commerce was in use. An indepth interview guide was used to elicit information about the use of the Internet, whether firms had registered at websites, and the reasons for their use or non-use of B2B e-commerce (See Appendix 2). The firm level interviewees were senior management officers (four were directors, five were managers, one was an accountant, and one was a plant engineer and system analyst). 2 Data collection involved telephone calls to the sample firms to establish appropriate contacts. A letter of introduction was hand delivered or sent by e-mail to potential respondents, followed by a telephone call to set a date for an interview. Of the 12 firms, two responded to the questionnaire by e-mail. 11