Case study research

1
Case study research

• Jennie Carroll
• OASIS Aug 2003

2
The research process
Research question or theme

• Research paradigm
• Positivist
• Interpretivist
• critical

Research design

• Research purpose
• Theory building
• Theory testing
• Theory refinement

Research approach
Research methods
3
Paradigm wars

• Paradigms reflect assumptions about knowledge and
  how it can be obtained
• what is valid research?
• which research methods are appropriate?
• Positivist reality is objectively given and can
  be described by measurable properties independent
  of the researcher
• Formal propositions, hypothesis testing,
  generalising
• Interpretivist we can access reality through
  social constructions such as language, shared
  meanings
• Rich descriptions of IS in context
• Critical social reality is historically
  constructed, thus the aim of research is
  emancipation

4
3 levels of understanding of social reality (Lee
1991)

• That of human actors in their natural
  environments
• That of the researcher trying to interpret what
  is happening
• Researchers conceptualisation the general
  theoretical significance of the observations

5
Case studies

• A research approach? (Yin)
• investigates a contemporary phenomenon within
  its real-life context,especially when the
  boundaries between the phenomenon and context are
  not clearly evident (Yin 199413)
• A method for data collection? (Galliers)
• A unit of study analysis? (Stake)

6
Case studies

• An in-depth study of a few people, events or
  organisations
• According to Yin (199414) need not always
  include direct, detailed observations as a source
  of evidence
• Qualitative data, analysed qualitatively
• Fieldwork notes, videos, interviews, documents,
  researchers notes
• Different degrees of engagement in research
  context
• Role of the researcher
• Tendency to rely solely on interviews has been
  noted criticised (Silverman 1998)

7
Literature-based scrutiny
Research themes
Knowledge
Literature
Theory
Insights
Series of Conceptual frameworks
Theoretical foundations
Reflect
Plan
Analyse
Collect data
8
Plan

• Plan the data collection
• What cases?
• In what organisations?
• Access?
• Standard forms, interview protocol, equipment,
  recording data
• Plan the analysis
• What method of analysis
• Forms, structure, software to help

9
Access

• To the case (organisation)
• Case selection
• Observation document analysis
• To the people
• Participant selection
• Access to their views actions (interview
  observation techniques)
• what it is to be rather than see a member of the
  organisation
• Participants opinions and stories, not analysis
• Verify your understanding

10
Collect data

• Use the plan as a guide
• Things will change in the field
• Close interrelationship between collecting data
  and analysing it
• Analyse
• Coding concepts in the conceptual framework
  provide initial codes
• any other code to include unexpected outcomes
• Ties the data analysis to the research themes

11
Reflect

• Deliberate and conscious thought about your
  research
• What do these findings mean?
• Implications for the conceptual framework?
• Reflection either validates or revises and
  extends the conceptual framework
• Keeps the researcher honest
• Look for disconfirming evidence
• Look for alternative explanations
• Review your research methods

12
References

• IS World at http//www.qual.auckland.ac.nz/
• D. Silverman, Qualitative research meanings or
  practice?, Information Systems Journal, vol. 8,
  pp. 3-20, 1998.
• W. J. Orlikowsky and J. J. Baroudi, Studying
  information technology in organizations research
  approaches and assumptions, Information Systems
  Research, vol. 2, pp. 1-28, 1991.
• K. M. Eisenhardt, Building theories from case
  study research, Academy of Management Review,
  vol. 14, pp. 532-550, 1989.
• A. S. Lee, Integrating positivist and
  interpretive approaches to organizational
  research, Organization Science, vol. 2, pp.
  342-365, 1991.
• R. E. Stake, Case studies, in Handbook of
  Qualitative Research, N. K. Denzin and Y. S.
  Lincoln, Eds. Thousand Oaks, CA Sage, 1994, pp.
  236-247.
• A. S. Lee, A scientific methodology for MIS case
  studies, MIS Quarterly, vol. 13, pp. 32-50,
  1989.
• H. K. Klein and M. D. Myers, A set of principles
  for conducting and evaluating interpretive field
  studies in information systems, MIS Quarterly
  Special Issue on Intensive Research,, 1998.
• G. Walsham, Interpretive case studies in IS
  research nature and method, European Journal of
  Information Systems, vol. 4, pp. 74-81, 1995.
• R. K. Yin, Case study research Design and
  methods. Beverly Hills, CA. Sage, 1984.
• E. G. Guba and Y. S. Lincoln, Competing
  paradigms in qualitative research, in Handbook
  of qualitative research, N. K. Denzin and Y. S.
  Lincoln, Eds. Thousand Oaks Sage, 1994.