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Case Study Research

MSc by Research in Leading, Learning and Change. Case Study Research. Dr Heather Skipworth Research Fellow, Supply Chain Research Centre heather.skipworth@cranfield.ac.uk. Who am I. 1989 BSc Mechanical Engineering, Leicester University 1989 – 1991 Project Engineer, Metal Box

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Case Study Research

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  1. MSc by Research in Leading, Learning and Change Case Study Research Dr Heather Skipworth Research Fellow, Supply Chain Research Centre heather.skipworth@cranfield.ac.uk

  2. Who am I 1989 BSc Mechanical Engineering, Leicester University 1989 – 1991 Project Engineer, Metal Box 1991 – 1995 Technical Manager, Field Packaging 1995 – 1996 MSc Manufacturing Systems, Cranfield University 1996 – 1998 Senior Manufacturing Systems Engineer, BICC Cables Limited 1998 – 2003 PhD Programme, Cranfield University Application of Form Postponement in Manufacturing Industry 2004 to date Research Fellow, Cranfield University

  3. Survey of Cranfield Doctoral Thesis Submissions • Out of 156 thesis submissions between 1987 & 2007, • 65 were case-based, • 32 used statistical methods, • 10 used repertory grid • We major on ‘in-depth’ research that’s relevant to practice

  4. What Case Study Research is not... • an aid to teaching • an interesting story • promotion of a new fad • a basket of unconnected observations • your views with illustrations • someone else’s views with illustrations

  5. What is a Case Study? • investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real life context... • ...when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident Yin, 2003

  6. Prejudices... • lack of rigour • biased views, data collection, link conclusions to evidence • lack of generalisability • n = 1, narrow relevance, context specific • too complex • data asphyxiation

  7. Case Studies in Operations M. Research Modelling, Experiments Abstraction Large Population Surveys Case Studies, Action Research Accuracy / Repeatability

  8. Charles Ragin

  9. Variable-oriented Research • a true statement about a population... • may not apply to any individual case • generalising impedes true understanding • properties shared by all organisations are obvious • averages show how organisations are the same • what matters is how they are different • large samples & ‘statistical significance’... • generate ‘significant’ findings that have no meaning • large sample statistics... • deflect from individuality, complexity & variety Bill Starbuck

  10. How Case Studies can be Used... • explore social processes as they unfold • understand social processes in context * internal, external • explore new processes or behaviours • explore extremes • capture emergent properties • explore informal or secret behaviour • cross-national comparative research Hartley, 1994

  11. Applications of Case-Based Research Exploratory Descriptive Explanatory Testing Theory Generation Testing

  12. INDUCTIVE METHODS DEDUCTIVE METHODS Theories Forming concepts developing & arranging propositions Deducing consequences making predictions THEORISING Empirical generalisations Hypotheses Tests Inducing generalisations estimating population parameters Drawing samples & devising measuring instruments DOING EMPIRICAL RESEARCH Observations Wallace, 1971 in Blaikie, 1993 Research Strategy - induction v deduction?

  13. Research Design Considerations • research questions • not just a journey into the unknown • hypotheses • balance between induction & deduction • data collection • triangulation (data source, method, investigator) for construct validity • researcher involvement, identity and biase • data analysis • within case and cross-case analytic strategies for internal validity (Yin’s research designs and Pettigrew’s framework) • interpreting the observations • explaining variation

  14. Can we learn anything from a sample of one?

  15. The case of Phineas Gage…

  16. Single-case designs Multiple-case designs CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT Case Case Case Holistic (single unit of analysis) CONTEXT CONTEXT Case Case CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT Case Case Case Case Embedded Unit of Analysis 1 Embedded Unit of Analysis 1 Embedded Unit of Analysis 1 Embedded Unit of Analysis 1 Case Embedded (multiple units of analysis) Embedded Unit of Analysis 2 Embedded Unit of Analysis 2 Embedded Unit of Analysis 2 Embedded Unit of Analysis 2 Embedded Unit of Analysis 1 Embedded Unit of Analysis 2 Yin, 2003

  17. Pettigrew’s ‘meta- level’ analytical framework CONTEXT Business environment, product/manufacturing process types CHANGE CONTENT Reasons for applying FPp & its application in a MTO and MTS environment OUTCOME VARIABLES MTS Unit of Analysis Internal Variables MTO Unit of Analysis External Variables Internal Variables FPp Unit of Analysis Internal Variables Skipworth 2003

  18. Example of Case Study Scope Production Equipment Product Specs. Process Specs. Manufacturing Planning Production Scheduling Duration, frequency, capacity plan Bills of Material Production line schedules Process routings Product Data Project Boundary Project Boundary Replenishment factory orders Production line records Ex-works records Delivery schedule Customer Order Processing Stock Control Outbound Logistics Production Facilities Mode of transport Skipworth, 2003

  19. Selection in Case Study Research • Case selection for external validity & analytic generalisation - clarify domain - sampling using replication logic – theoretical or literal - extremes and polar types • Selecting the Unit of Analysis - differences in outcome - coming to terms with time - snapshot / longitudinal / retrospective • Selecting the data sources/methods - informants - opponents / supporters / doubters - methods - databases / documents / observations / interviews

  20. Example of different outcomes...

  21. Analysing Case Studies • data collection and analysis iterative process - theory data • within case analysis - between units of analysis or establishing links between observations - qualitative and quantitative data • cross-case analysis - search for patterns - similarities & differences

  22. Eisenhardt’s Roadmap – assumes inductive • getting started • selection of cases • selection of research methods • entering the field • analysing data • shaping hypotheses • enfolding literature • reaching closure Eisenhardt, 1989

  23. Eisenhardt’s Roadmap

  24. Analysing Case Study Evidence • Analysing case studies is always challenging because of the detail. It is helped by: • being clear about research objectives • being clear about the unit of analysis & study questions • coming to terms with time • making your research method explicit • making your meta level framework explicit • making your hypotheses explicit • identifying themes that cut across the data • using techniques of data reduction & display

  25. Cross-Case Comparisons

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