Industry Problem Business Management Case Study

Part A, selecting three original studiesPrepared by Alexia Maddox for the unit team
For your second assessment task you will need to analyse three original studies. Here are some tip s on how to
go ab out selecting them.
1. The original studies you review need to inform your case study design.
2. They should come from your literature review related to the top ic.
3. First focus on identifying your case study context and then develop your key words for searching for relevant
literature.
4. Use the key words to find relevant articles.
5. These articles can b e ab out related research to the top ic you will b e drawing together to do your research
p rop osal.
6. They can demonstrate how a p articular method has b een used to p roduce insights that are relevant to the
client identified outcomes.
7. They can b e p roviding a methodology that you will follow for your own case study.
8. You need to identify how each article will contrib ute to your case study design.
Case studies
Prepared by Alexia Maddox for the unit team
Learning outcomes
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b e ab le to describ e what a case study is and what it can b e used for
understand the difference b etween a descrip tive, exp loratory and exp lanatory case study
consider how this top ic can assist you in develop ing a case study research p rop osal for AT2
b e ab le to articulate the p urp oses of a case study datab ase for managing data.
Required reading
Gray, DE 2018,”C hap ter 11, Designing case studies”, Doing research in the real world, London ; Thousand Oaks,
C alifornia : SAGE Pub lications, p p . 265-294.
W eerakkody, N 2015, “C hap ter 14: C ase study Research”, Research methods for media communication, South
Melb ourne, Vic. Oxford University Press, p p 250-269.
Synopsis
In the unit textb ook, Gray suggests that case studies are a suitab le methodology for student research p rojects,
were an organisation, for examp le, can b ecome their case study. Keep this tip in mind for your own research
p roject when the time comes!
What is a case study?
The term case study refers to b oth a method of analysis and a sp ecific research design for examining a
p rob lem. C ase studies are b ased on an in-dep th investigation of a single individual, group or event to exp lore the
causes of underlying p rincip les. This sp eaks to C lifford Geertz’s (1973) notion of thick descrip tion as an
underlying ap p roach within case studies. C omb ining the insights of Gray (2018, p . 267) and W eerakkody (2015,
p . 250) the unit of analysis of a case study can b e of an individual or a role, a group of p eop le (a community or a
nation for examp le), an organisation, an event, a p rocess or an issue or camp aign (advertising, p olitical, p ub lic
relations or marketing), the economy of an nationa, p ub lic agencies, regional p lanning or the arc of a b usiness,
from its estab lishment to its demise. Thus the sub ject or unit of analysis within a case study can b e a
p erson, p lace, event, p henomenon, or other typ e of sub ject of analysis. Emmel (2013) argues that their p urp ose
is to describ e what is going on in a p articular setting. W eerakkody (2015) exp resses the p articularity of the setting
and context in a more nuanced elab oration as follows:
A case study uses just one or a few cases, instances or ‘objects of interest’ to analyse a complex, contemporary
phenomenon within specifc limits of time (when?) and space (where?), and examines it from various viewpoints
to understand the multiple realities or diverse perspectives of the informants or research participants
(Weerakkody 2015, p. 250).
A case study encomp asses a p rob lem contextualized around the ap p lication of in-dep th analysis, interp retation,
and discussion, often resulting in sp ecific recommendations for action or for imp roving existing conditions. A case
study outcome may:
1. extrap olate key themes and results that help p redict future trends;
2. illuminate p reviously hidden issues that can b e ap p lied to p ractice;
3. result in sp ecific recommendations for action or for imp roving existing conditions; and/or
4. p rovide a means for understanding an imp ortant research p rob lem with greater clarity.
Why, when and how are they applied?
C ase studies may b e conduced as a single case study (dep th) or to incorp orate multip le case studies
(comp arative). Gerring (2004, p . 341) in his definintion case studies are an intensive study of a single unit with
the aim to generalise across a larger set of units. Thus case studies are generally used to illustrate and critique a
larger p oint b eyond the case itself and must b e situated in a theoretical context and directed b y a research
question. Gray argues that the case study method is ideal when a ‘how’ or ‘why’ question is b eing asked ab out a
contemp orary set of events. C ase studies however are not p urely descrip tive works, they may also try to attrib ute
casual relationship s and tend to focus on collecting up -to-date information.
There are three typ es of case studies, suggests W eerakkody (2015, p 253), exp loratory, descrip tive and
exp lanatory, however as she ob serves, a single case study may carry out all three functions.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Exploratory case studies are p reliminary studies that define the research questions and hyp otheses
or identify areas for more detailed examination.
With an exploratory research question, researchers select cases that maximize the opportunities for
developing hypotheses or theories that explain the social phenome non at stake.
Descriptive case studies describ e what was ob served, in detail and in dep th, within its context.
With a descriptive research question, the cases selected should give maximal information about the
specific features and characteristics of a particular social phenomenon.
Explanatory case studies p rovide cause-and-effect relationship s b etween variab les and exp lain
why events hap p ened. They p rovide multip le interp retations of the same ob servations and events,
and may use several theories or models—sometimes those that comp ete with each other—to
exp lain the course of events that took p lace within the case and to p rovide answers to why each
p arty in the setting did what they did.
With an explanatory research question, the selection of cases is based on theoretical
considerations.
7.
How do you identify a case to study?
The selection of cases is an essential p art of the case study research design. C ase selection is the rational
selection of one or more instances of a p henomenon as the p articular sub ject of research. The reasons for
selecting a case or cases vary from interest in the p articular case to theoretical considerations. The relevance of
the case or cases for the research ob jective is the most imp ortant criterion for sele ction. Mills et al (2010) ob serve
that the selection of cases should b e b ased on the research question, whether descriptive, exploratory,
or explanatory (which we discussed ab ove), and may b e driven b y emp irical or theoretical considerations.
Mills et al (2010) describ e the use of a single case study as a dep th ap p roach in which researchers look for an
average case; a case that is a typ ical examp le of a sp ecific p henomenon. They may also select an extreme case;
a case where the social p henomenon is visib le in a very p ronounced way or under extreme circumstances. By
investigating such a case in dep th, a detailed and elab orate descrip tion of the p henomenon is reached.
The comp arative case study examines in rich detail the context and features of two or more instances of sp ecific
p henomena. This form of case study still strives for the “thick descrip tion” common in single case studies;
however, the goal of comp arative case studies is to discover contrasts, similarities, or p atterns across the cases.
These discoveries may in turn contrib ute to the develop ment or the confirmation of theory. A multip le-case study
design offers the b est ab ilities for testing theories or hyp otheses b ecause it allows researchers to systematically
comp are variation b etween the cases.
Emmel (2013) p ragmatically notes, however that even p urp oseful selection of a case study is not always rob ust.
He suggests that it can b e a matter of making do with whatever is availab le and using it creatively and to b est
advantage.
How do you collect data for a case study?
Because of the intensive data collection methods in case study research, the numb er of research units can b e
very limited. Single-case designs examine one unit of a social p henomenon, while multip le-case designs
comp are 2 to 10 cases. This relatively limited amount of research units p laces an emp hasis on the researchers’
justification of the selection of cases.
The methods used to study a case can rest within a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed -method investigative
p aradigm. C ase studies typ ically comb ine data collection methods and focus the ap p lication of these techniques
to gain insight into a single setting or case. W eerakkody (2015, p . 250) ob serves that a case study research
method is usually a comb ination of data collection methods – b oth qualitative and quantitative. These methods
can b e surveys, content analyses and exp eriments (quantitative) or interviews, focus group s, field studies and
document and archival analyses (qualitative).
Emmel (2013), drawing on the work of Rob ert S take (2008), p rovides further insights on the sources of contextual
information drawn up on in a case study ob serving the need for historical b ackground, p hysical setting, economic,
p olitical, and legal p rocesses thought b y the researcher and informants to imp act on the p henomenon under
study. As Seawright and Gerring (2014) note, p ractical considerations such as time and access to information
can influence case selection, b ut these issues should not b e the sole factors used in describ ing the
methodological justification for identifying a p articular case to study.
Limitations of case studies
Possib le limitations of case study research are two fold: can they b e generalised from and what is the case
examined actually a case of? This second question was asked b y Howard Becker (Ragin and Becker, 1992),
however he argued that it was reasonab le to keep this question constantly op en and never comp letely
answered. Regardless, the selection and samp ling strategies are imp ortant to consider. C ase selection must
undergo a logical p rocess which ensure cases examined can sup p ort ob servations b eyond sp ecific
instances. Emmel (2013) argues that b y p roviding thick descrip tion of that which has b een investigated and the
context in which the case was collected, the reader can b oth p rob e for internal consistency and make judgements
ab out the transferab ility of the case through evaluation and comp arison with what they know. Drawing from the
work of Daymon & Holloway (2002) W eerakkoddy argues that the main disadvantages of the case study method
relate also to the costs involved, issues of accessib ility to settings and data, and p rob lems related to defining the
time and sp ace b oundaries for the case or cases examined
Ethical considerations for case studies
The ethical considerations for case studies are linked to the unit of analysis selected and the data collection
methods emp loyed. The thick descrip tion generally p rovided in case studies and alignment of information drawn
from multip le sources, may raise unintended consequences.
Case study stages
Gray suggests that the initial stages for develop ing a case study include identifying a theoretic stance, formulating
research questions, deciding on a unit of analysis, selecting cases, designing data collection tools and p rotocols
and taking step s to ensure data quality. Eisenhardt (1989, p . 533) p rovides a convenient tab le classifying the
p rocess of b uilding theory from case study research. W e will use a version of this as a check list of activity. It
would b e help ful for you to review the discussion p resented in W eerakkody (2015, p p . 254-262) that elab orates
on each of these areas. This tab le of step s and considerations comb ines these ideas to illustrate the stages that
need to b e undertaken and the activities/considerations you may encounter that are associated with them.
Case study steps and considerations
Step
Activity
C onsiderations
Is this a significant top ic of national imp ortance or services the p ub lic inte
C hoosing a suitab le top ic Identify your unit of analysis
C ould this top ic b e useful in theory develop ment or have p ractical ap p lica
society?
Is the case likely to b e ‘comp lete’ in the sense that b oth its b oundaries (w
and demarcation of the p henomenon to b e studied (such as time and p lac
Is the research question a descrip tive, exp loratory or exp lanatory style of
Focusing your case study Define your research question
C an the question b e answered through the ap p lication of case study meth
W hat theoretical frame will you b e drawing from to exp lain and contextuali
Selecting cases
Estab lish your samp ling
ap p roach
W ill you b e focusing on one case to p roduce thick descrip tion or multip le
comp arative analysis?
How many cases can you viab ly analyse within the research timeframe an
considerations (this is a question of feasib ility).
W ill the cases selected b e excep tions to or examp les of a p henomenon?
W ill you b e using research methods to develop data surrounding your sel
W ill you ap p ly one method or use a mixed-method ap p roach?
C rafting instruments and
Design your data collection
If you are using a mixed-methods ap p roach how will you ap p roach triangu
p rotocols
methodology
W hat existing data sources will you draw from to illustrate asp ects of you
How will you gain up -to-date information surrounding your case(s)?
W hat kind of ethical considerations will your methodology raise and how w
W hat are the limitations of the case study ap p roach to your research sub
How will you go ab out creating a case study datab ase and maintaining a
Data collection
Gathering emp irical evidence
W ill you conduct a p ilot study p rior to full data collection?
How will you manage the b readth of data that you have collected or will co
How have you gone ab out p rogressively focusing your work through induc
data?
Analysing data
Triangulating your analysis
W hat relationship s and contrasts have you found across your cases or b e
single case you have selected?
Is your analytical ap p roach ab out p attern matching, exp lanation b uilding o
W hat conclusions or assertions will you make from your data?
How may researcher sub jectivity influence your analysis?
How do your findings relate to the intended outcomes of your case study?
C an you generalise from your findings?
Ap plying findings
Define the outcomes of your
case study analysis
W hat theoretical contrib ution will your case study make?
W hat actions or recommendations can b e made from your case study ana
W ho is the audience for your case study findings and how will you write th
in mind?
Further reading
Extension
Your tutor will p rovide you with additional readings to sup p ort dep th engagement with this top ic. However, you
could review the following case study research on the localisatio n of TV formats and series to read how the case
study ap p roach is ap p lied to a real world examp le.
Kristin C . Moran (2006) “The glob al exp ansion of children’s television: a case study of the adap tation of Sesame
Street in Sp ain” , Learning, Media and Technology, 31:3, 287-300, DOI: 10.1080/17439880600893333
Study questions
For discussion
1. In selecting case studies, what would b e the advantages in choosing cases that were divergent in terms of
their features?
2. How many cases is enough?
3. Must a case study make a theoretical contrib ution?
4. Is a case study of a successful social media camp aign equivalent to b est p ractice?
References
Eisenhardt, Kathleen M. “Building Theories from C ase Study Research.” Academy of Management Review 14
(Octob er 1989): 532-550;
Emmel, Nick. Sampling and Choosing Cases in Qualitative Research: A Realist Approach . Thousand Oaks, C A:
SAGE Pub lications, 2013;
Gerring, John. “W hat Is a C ase Study and W hat Is It Good for?” American Political Science Review 98 (May
2004): 341-354;
Mills, Alb ert J., Gab rielle Durep os, and Eiden W ieb e, “C ase selection” Encyclopedia of case study research,
Thousand Oaks, C alif. : SAGE Pub lications, p p . 61-63, 2010;
Seawright, Jason and John Gerring. “C ase Selection Techniques in C ase Study Research.” Political Research
Quarterly 61 (June 2008): 294-308.
W eerakkody, N 2015, Research methods for media communication, South Melb ourne, Vic. Oxford University
Press, 2015.