Case Study Innovative Economic Development Practices

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Case StudyInnovative Economic Development
Practices

• Jan YoutieEconomic Development InstituteGeorgia
  Tech
• jan.youtie_at_edi.gatech.eduwww.edi.gatech.edu

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What is a case study

• "A case study is a method for learning about a
  complex instance, based on a comprehensive
  understanding of that instance obtained by
  extensive description and analysis of that
  instance taken as a whole and in its context."
  GAO, 1990, p. 14.

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When to use case studies

• Our professional standards, theories and models
  don't provide a useful map for understanding what
  it is we are experiencing.
• Inputs and outputs cannot be easily or accurately
  related to one another.
• Often there are more variables of interest than
  available data points.
• The goal of the case study is to obtain as
  complete a picture as possible of what is going
  on and why.
• Case studies tend to be most effective on how and
  why questions.
• Context matters in case studies because we want
  as complete a picture of alternative explanations
  as possible.
• The data comes from a variety of sources
• Thick, rich descriptions of events as told by
  participants.
• Archival records and documents
• Unobtrusive measures
• The analysis compares data sources, looks for
  agreement, and assesses alternative explanations
  for the results

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Elements of a Case Study

• Research Design
• Define what the case is to be studied
• Develop a case selection strategy
• Develop a logic model for creating a chain of
  evidence
• Case selection
• Data collection using interviews and collecting
  other forms of evidence
• Case study report writing
• Comparing the cases

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Types of Case Studies

• Illustrative
• Critical instance
• Program evaluation
• Cumulative

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Selection
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Rationale for Innovative Practices Project

• Share quality information
• Publicize successes
• Improve local programs without reinventing the
  wheel
• Jump start local economic development
• Establish cooperative linkages
• Develop and publicize capabilities (center of
  excellence in economic development benchmarking)

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Innovative Practices Design

• Focus on practice
• Not whole organization
• Define what is not the service
• Define buckets of best practices
• Policy changes
• Technology changes
• New organizational patterns
• Example Innovation Local Economic Development
  Programs project (1999) http//www.doc.gov/eda
• Brownfields redevelopment
• Sustainable development
• Workforce development
• Targeting new economy industries
• Regional economic development initiatives
• Automation of economic development functions
• Innovative partnerships

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Innovative Practices Case Sources, Selection

• Develop a database of programs
• Source
• Call for nominations (Web postings, newsletters
  of national ED organizations, email)
• Secondary sources (Web, EDR, EDQ, Site Selection,
  EDA publications, USDA, HUD)
• Survey of local or statewide developers
• Database
• Name, organization, contact, info, geography,
  type of practice, long description, year started
• Some issues
• Lack of awareness
• Modesty
• Lack of time
• Proprietary information (vs. desire to publicize)
• Negative reactions to nominated case not being
  included

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Innovative Practices Screening

• First round secondary analysis
• Innovative vs. Non-innovative
• Geographic dispersion
• Diverse group of practices
• Second round phone, electronic, in-person
• Nominee could explain why practice innovative
• Ongoing program
• Willingness to participate
• Diverse programs
• Outcomes?
• Tools
• Maps
• Categorization

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Innovative Practices Case Selection
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Logic model

• A logic model is used to create a chain of
  evidence linking best practices to impacts.
• The evidence is organized temporally so that
  causes precede effects.
• This enhances the validity and reliability of a
  case study by giving the reader a clear
  understanding of the path you took in writing up
  the case study.
• The logic model is the guide for your case study
  protocol used during interviews.
• It is also a framework for comparing interview
  data with other archival, documentary, and
  unobtrusive evidence that may have been
  collected.
• Using this approach you also can create a case
  study database, separate from the case study
  report, for comparing cases.

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Preliminary Logic Model Innovative Practices
Economic Development Practice
Inputs
Short-Term Outcomes
Long-Term Impacts
6a
Attraction of new businesses
5a
Changes in economic development organizations cap
acity
4a
Workforce development
1
Conditions initiating need for practice
Enhanced existing businesses
6b
Improved quality of life
4b
7a
Innovative Partnerships
6c
Growth of new businesses
6c
2
DOC EDA funding
5b
Changes in economic development organizations ope
rations
4c
Improved sustainability of communitys
economic health
Technology Related (targeting, Automation)
7b
6d
Decreased unemployment
3
Other funding sources
6e
Sustainable development and brownfields redevelopm
ent
4d
Increased business support for community activitie
s, facilities
5c
Changes in community capacity
6f
4e
Regional development programs
Improved physical environment of community
8c
8a
8b
Rival explanations
Rival explanations
Rival explanations
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Community Contextual Conditions
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Interview techniques

• What is an interview?
• Data Collection Event
• The Interview Begins The Moment You Make Contact
• It Ends With The Completion Of The Case Study
• Informed Consent and Confidentiality
• Questionnaire design
• Preparation Question Design
• Review key factors and results in your logic
  model
• Be sure you understand the objective of the case
  study. If you don't, then ask someone.
• Compose Questions Appropriate to Respondent
• Structured and Unstructured Questions
• Prompts
• Clarity
• Lengthy, cluttered questions
• Double-barreled questions
• Bias
• Question Layout and Record-Keeping
• Pretest

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Interviews

• Interview Preparation Logistics
• How Many Interviews Can Be Done In A Day?
• Record-Keeping Techniques
• Preparation Record-Keeping
• Individual v. Team
• Taking Notes
• Computers
• Tape Recorders
• Preparation Creating a Setting for the
  Interview
• For face-to face interviews, if possible, use a
  conference room
• No Phones, No Messages, No Meals, No Drop-Ins
• For phone interviews, schedule a time.

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Interviews

• Be early enough to set up your record-keeping
  system.
• Begin with simple, comfortable questions.
• To start you should briefly remind the person of
  the purpose of the interview.
• You might start with "How is this practice doing
  now?" or "How did this practice come about?
• Let them tell their story. Keep your talking to
  a minimum. Make sure you understand the terms
  and jargon they use.
• Give the person a reason to participate
• Avoid biasing discussion (body posture, word
  choice/emphasis)
• Prompt Selection
• Obtain sufficient answers.
• Ask for permission to call with follow-up
  questions.

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Case studies are more than interviews

• Types of Documents
• Promotional material
• Plans
• Meeting agendas
• List of Clients
• Budgets
• Contracts
• Organizational Charts

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After the interview

• If you have taken notes, begin writing them up
  immediately.
• Complete writing them up within 24 hours.
• Include all unobtrusive measures in notes.
• If you have follow-up questions, try and get them
  answered as soon as possible.
• Organize a debriefing session if you are working
  with a case study team.

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Reporting

• One of the unique aspects of case study research
  is that you do the data analysis at the same time
  you write up your findings. As a result, case
  studies are vulnerable to partiality and bias.
• We can limit the bias by doing three things
  during the case studies
• To the extent possible compare and contrast your
  interview data with other types of data.
• Use the logic model to create a chain of evidence
  that others can follow. You should try to
  describe each box from the logic model in the
  case report.
• Submit your report to the people who you
  collected data from and print there critiques
  along with your study.
• We can facilitate our analysis by following a
  standardized case study format.

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Innovative Practices Case Report Structure

• Overview and why best or innovative
• Context and history
• Organization, partners, budget
• Practice in operation
• Results to date
• Conclusion key elements
• Key milestones, documentary material
• Contact information

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Innovative Practices Case Report Structure

• Why best or innovative
• First to practice or implementation (not just
  plans)
• Has results
• Low cost (relative to results)
• Is representative of many practices (e.g., has
  all elements, including results)
• Different approach than usual (e.g., bottom up
  rather than top down) to solve a common problem
• Is replicable
• Models, performance standards used by other
  programs, organizations
• Unique lead organization or partnership
• Difficult problem (e.g., very poor region)

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Innovative Practices Case Report Structure

• Conclusions
• Key success factors
• Lessons learned
• Mitigating factors (for replicability)
• Fast growth
• Large city
• IT advances and acceptance
• Other organizational initiatives outside the
  practice
• Obstacles to future implementation

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Innovative Practices Milestones
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Sample References Listing
Reference Material Net Results Vallejo Hopes
Web Site Lures Businesses, The Wall Street
Journal, California section, front page,
Wednesday, June 24, 1998. Web Site Aims to
Attract Businesses, Daily Republic, Fairfield,
Calif., front page, Sunday, July 26,
1998. Vallejos Fresh Approach, The Reporter,
Vacaville, Calif., front page of MarketPlace
Section, Saturday, July 18, 1999. California
City Offers High-Tech Marketing Tool, American
City County, Issues and Trends section, June
1998, p.14. Web/GIS Application Gives Small City
Big Help, Government Technology, November
1998. Web/GIS Application Gives Small City Big
Help, Government Technology, December 1998. The
City of Vallejo, VEDIS (from Web site) Internet
GIS for Economic Development, by Anatalio
Ubalde. Presented at the 1998 Congress of Cites,
Kansas City, Mo. Web Site http//www.ci.vallejo.ca
.us/ed.html is the Web site for VEDIS.
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Innovative Practices Lessons Learned Cross-case
Analysis

• Attention to local conditions is critical
• Several practices used external consultants, but
  some used in-house capabilities
• Local funding sources were vital, although a
  broad range of federal and private funding
  sources were used
• Partnering
• Significant for workforce and local enterprise
  development
• Sometimes involves citizen participation
• Sometimes driven by a single or small group of
  partners
• There is a remarkable range of diversity and
  innovation in local economic development!

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Innovative Practices Fundamental Questions

• How do we know what is a good or innovative
  practice?
• Define what is and especially what is not a best
  or innovative practice
• Focus the case on the practice rather than the
  whole organization or unrelated initiatives
• How do we find good or innovative programs?
• Use multiple sources
• Develop larger database or listing
• Screen to confirm and elicit participation
• How do we show that a program or practice is best
  or innovative?
• Explain why the practice was chosen
• Link practice and outcomes
• Replicability factors