Research Sample Saturation in Irish Tech SMEs: A Practical Case Study

Abstract

Small and medium-sized companies significantly influence global and regional economies, providing a positive business climate and strengthening economic competitiveness. This research study explores the importance of purposive sampling, which has become a research strategy targeting business owners of technological start-ups and small companies, employees in tech giants, and representatives of digital educators and governmental bodies. A comprehensive Bibliometric - Systematic Literature Review (B-SLR) was conducted to identify common practices in the field, aiming to identify potential research gaps and enhance practices that support the development of qualitative research studies. The findings show that methodological choices for research in entrepreneurial development are supported by literature reviews and quantitative approaches. However, there is a lack of samples based on empirical qualitative data. Small purposive samples give valuable insights to researchers, policymakers and academia into an investigated problem despite all limitations and constraints in getting the interviews with CEOs and business owners.