Casestudy Methods

1. Research Methodology :
Case Study Methods
MBA2216 BUSINESS RESEARCH PROJECT
by
Stephen Ong
Visiting Fellow, Birmingham City University, UK
Visiting Professor, Shenzhen University

2. • Introduction to Case Study
Methods1
• Case Writing2
• Case Analysis
3
Today’s Overview

3. 1.
INTRODUCTION TO
CASE STUDY METHODS
1 - 3

4. Figure 5.1 The research onion
Source: © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill (2008), reproduced with permission
Case Study as Research Strategy

5. Case Study
Definition: In a case study, a
particular individual, program
or event is studied in depth;
but findings may not be
generalizable.
(Leedy & Ormrod 2013)

6. Case Study as a Method
 Method : The researcher
collects extensive data on the
individual(s), program(s), or
event(s) on which the
investigation is focused.

7. Evolution of Case Study Method
 Roman Experience : Aristotle and Socrates used
to teach philosophy in form of cases. i.e., about each
Empire.
 Law Schools : Used cases extensively whether
civil or criminal in giving judgment.
 Harvard Business School : Pioneers in case
studies and use them extensively.
 Case Clearing Houses : Harvard Business
School has built more than 150,000 cases and they
periodically update all the cases.
7

8. Case Study : Benefit 1
The Development of Diagnosis Skills
 Solutions cannot be developed
properly until problems have been
identified.
 Case study enables researchers to
develop realistic solutions to the
problems and to understand crucial
nature of accurate diagnosis both
specifically and generally.
1 - 8

9. Case Study : Benefit 2
Subject and functional integration
 Case studies enable researchers
to pursue issues across subject
and departmental boundaries.
 This gives a much more integrated
view of management than might
otherwise be achieved.
1 - 9

10. Case Study : Benefit 3
Deep vs. Surface Learning
 Thorough analysis of a case study
and complex issues may facilitate
a deeper understanding, unlike
other surface learning methods,
i.e. listening to lecture on subject
matter etc.
1 - 10

11. Case Study : Benefit 4
Review of policy and practice
 If in-house cases are used in
client organizations, these may
lead to constructive debates
about appropriate policy and
practice.
1 - 11

12. 7–12
What Are Case Studies?
 Case Studies
 The documented history of a
particular person, group,
organization, or event.
 Themes
 Are identified by the frequency with
which the same term (or a synonym)
arises in the narrative description.

13. 1 - 13

14. 1 - 14

15. Types of Case Studies
 Intrinsic
 To understand a particular case
 Instrumental
 To provide insight into an issue or to
redraw a generalization
 Collective
 To study several cases to investigate
phenomenon, population, or general
condition

16. Specific Classification (1)
Classical Case
 Detailed
information
about
historical
personalities,
eg. Napoleon
Secondary Case
 Describing a
key event of a
major case.
16
Empirical Case
 Observation,
based on
empirical facts.

17. Specific Classification (2)
Decision Oriented
 Gives the pros
and cons of the
case.
 For example, a
client may ask the
researcher to
suggest the right
time for launching
their new product
Case History
 Historical
events, eg.
World War II.
17
Desk Type
 Collect all
available
information in
one place.

18. Specific Classification (3)
Development Oriented
 External
environment
analysis of current
issues and policy
recommendations
for future
progress or
transformation,
eg. Vision 2020
Sectoral Type
 Case study on
private or
public sectors.
18
Biography
 An account of a
person’s life
experiences
eg.My life by Bill

19. 7–19
Qualitative Research
Orientations
 Major Orientations of Qualitative
Research
1. Phenomenology—originating in philosophy
and psychology
2. Ethnography—originating in anthropology
3. Grounded theory—originating in sociology
4. Case studies—originating in
psychology and in business
research

20. TECHNIQUES USED IN CASE STUDY
RESEARCH
 Qualitative research techniques
used in Case Studies are:
1. Focus Group Interview
2. Depth Interviews
3. Free-Association and
Sentence Completion
Methods
4. Observation
 Quantitative research techniques

21. 7–21
EXHIBIT 7.2 Common Qualitative Research Tools

22. 7–22
Technique 1 : Focus Group Interview
 An unstructured, free-flowing interview with a
small group (6-10 people) led by a moderator who
encourages dialogue among respondents.
 Advantages:
1. Relatively fast
2. Easy to execute
3. Allow respondents to piggyback off each
other’s ideas – one respondent stimulates
thought among the others.
4. Provide multiple perspectives
5. Flexibility to allow more detailed descriptions
6. High degree of scrutiny – session can be
observed since they are usually conducted in a
room with a two-way mirror and are generally
tape recorded or videotaped for later
examination.

23. 7–23
1.1 Focus Group Interview - Focus
Group Respondents
 Group
Composition
6 to 10 people
Relatively
homogeneous
Similar lifestyles
and experiences

24. 7–24
Focus Group Interview - The
Focus Group Moderator
 Moderator
 A person who leads a focus group
interview and insures that everyone gets
a chance to speak and contribute to the
discussion.
 Qualities of a good moderator:
 Develops rapport with the group
 Good listener
 Tries not to interject his or her own
opinions
 Controls discussion without being
overbearing

25. 7–25
Focus Group Interview - Planning a
Focus Group Outline
 Discussion guide
 Includes written introductory comments
informing the group about the focus group
purpose and rules and then outlines topics
or questions to be addressed in the group
session.

26. 7–26
EXHIBIT 1.2 Discussion Guide for a Focus Group Interview

27. 7–27
1.3 Disadvantages of Focus Groups
 Focus groups:
 Require objective, sensitive, and effective
moderators.
 May have unique sampling problems.
 May not be useful for discussing sensitive
topics in face-to-face situations.
 Cost a considerable amount of money,
particularly when they are not conducted
by someone employed by the company
desiring the focus group.

28. 7–28
Technique 2 : Depth Interviews
 Depth interview
 A one-on-one interview between a
professional researcher and a research
respondent conducted about some relevant
business or social topic.
 Laddering
 A particular approach to probing asking
respondents to compare differences between
brands at different levels.
 Produces distinctions at the:
 attribute level
 benefit level
 value or motivation level

29. 7–29
Technique 3 : Free-Association and Sentence
Completion Methods
 Free-association techniques
 Record a respondent’s first cognitive
reactions (top-of-mind) to some
stimulus.
 Allow researchers to map a
respondent’s thoughts or memory.
 E.g. what is the No. 1 shampoo
brand?
 Sentence completion
 People who drink beer are
 A man who drinks light beer is
 Imported beer is most liked by
 The woman drinking beer in the
commercial

30. 7–30
Technique 4 : Observation
 Observation
 Field notes
 The researcher’s descriptions of what
actually happens in the field.
 These notes then become the text from
which meaning is extracted.
 Advantageous for gaining insight into
things that respondents cannot or
will not verbalize.

31. 8–31
Secondary Data Research
 Secondary Data
 Data gathered and recorded by someone
else prior to and for a purpose other than
the current project.
• Advantages
 Available
 Faster and less expensive
than acquiring primary data
 Requires no access to
subjects
 Inexpensive—government
data is often free
 May provide information
otherwise not accessible
• Disadvantages
 Uncertain accuracy
 Data not consistent with
needs
 Inappropriate units of
measurement
 Time period
inappropriate (outdated)

32. Data Analysis
Data Analysis: involves :
1. organization of details about the
case,
2. categorization of data,
3. interpretation of single instances,
4. identification of patterns, and
5. synthesis and generalizations.

33. Research Report
Research Report: includes
 a rationale for studying the case,
 a detailed description of facts related to
the case,
 a description of data that was collected,
 a discussion of patterns found, and
 a connection to the larger scheme of
things.

34. 2.
CASE WRITING
1 - 34

35. Writing Cases from REAL WORLD
situations
 Cases are best written about
actual situations.
 Facts which may appear to be
of minor importance based on
real situations can turn out to
be of crucial importance.
35

36. Source material
 There are many sources for a case
study :
 experience of the author is very
important,
 issues that are reported in media, news
papers also give valuable information.
 Sometimes they can be adopted from
existing materials.
 Cases developed for a client organization
can be adapted for use elsewhere.
36

37. Making a Start – Sources of data
Primary Sources
 Observation
 Questionnaire
 Interviews
 Focus Groups
Secondary Sources
 Archives
 Museums
 Personal files
 Newspaper
reports
1- 37

38. Case Writing Process
1. Planning - What to write ?
2. Writing the case itself
3. Cooling off Period
4. Revision, refinements etc.
5. Ornamentation
38

39. 10 Points
While Writing a case
1. Anchor - Focus
on issues
2. Fairness &
Objective
3. Compactness
4. Personality and
leadership
5. Length & Jargon
6. Data confirmation
with the company
7. Past tense
8. Acknowledgements
9. Evidence and
facts
10. Exhibits & Accounts
39

40. Business Case Format
1. Introduction -
Company
Background
2. Industry Analysis
3. Current Vision,
Mission &
objectives
4. Organisation
structure
10. Competition
11. Personalities
12. Environment, Sustainability,
Governance, & Globalisation
13. Events, Issues & Problems
14. Company’s Future plans
40
5. Marketing - 4P
6. Operations/ Production - Product
Design, Production Planning &
Control
7. R & D
8. Accounting & Finance
9. HRD

41. 3.
CASE ANALYSIS
1 - 41

42. Introduction
Case Study method- provides the
opportunity to move from a narrow,
specialized view that emphasizes
functional techniques to a broader,
less precise analysis of the overall
corporation

43. Responsive Treatment
 Read the case, recognize problems/prospects
 Environmental Analysis - PESTEL Analysis
 SWOT Analysis
 Preliminary edit of SWOT
 Organizational Diagnosis
 Name the reasons for Weaknesses & Threats
 Strategies
Vision - Mission - Objectives - Strategies
 Implementation of Strategies
 Visualization of Implementation plan
 Evaluation and control
R
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S
P
O
N
S
I
V
E 43

44. Researching the Case Situation
 Determine the time periods of the case
in your research
 Sources of information:
 Company annual reports
 Stock analyst reports
12-44

45. Business Case Analysis : A
Financial Analysis Approach
Ratio analysis- the calculation of ratios
from data on financial statements
 Liquidity ratios
 Profitability ratios
 Activity ratios
 Leverage ratios
 Equity/stock ratios
12-45

46. Financial Ratio Analysis :
Liquidity Ratios
12-46

47. Profitability Ratios
12-47

48. Activity Ratios
12-48

49. Leverage Ratios

50. Equity/Stock Ratios

51. 12-51
Analyzing Financial Statements
 Review historical income statements and
balance sheets
 Compare historical statements over time
 Calculate changes that occur in
individual categories form year to year
 Determine the change as a percentage
 Adjust for inflation

52. 12-52
Financial Analysis
Common size statements- financial statements in
which the dollar figures have been converted into
percentages
Altman’s Z Value bankruptcy formula- calculate the
likelihood of going bankrupt. Compare historical
statements over time
Index of sustainable growth- used to determine
whether a company embarking on a growth strategy
will need to take on debt to fund the growth

53. 12-53
Useful Economic Measures
Constant dollars- dollars adjusted for
inflation
Prime interest rate- the rate of interest
banks charge on their lowest risk loans
Gross domestic product- measures total
output of goods and services within a
country’s borders

54. 12-54
Economic Indicators

55. Strategic Audit

57. CONCLUSION
―Whether you consider case study as a
way of conceptualizing human social
behaviour or merely as a way of
encapsulating it,
…its strategic value lies in its ability to
draw attention to what can be learned
from the single case.‖
(Schram 2006)

58. Core Reading
 COOPER, D.R. AND SCHINDLER, P.S. (2011) BUSINESS
RESEARCH METHODS, 11TH EDN, MCGRAW HILL
 ZIKMUND, W.G., BABIN, B.J., CARR, J.C. AND GRIFFIN,
M. (2010) BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS, 8TH EDN,
SOUTH-WESTERN
 SAUNDERS, M., LEWIS, P. AND THORNHILL, A. (2012)
RESEARCH METHODS FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, 6TH
EDN, PRENTICE HALL.
 SAUNDERS, M. AND LEWIS, P. (2012) DOING
RESEARCH IN BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT, FT
PRENTICE HALL.
 LEEDY, P.D. AND ORMROD, J.E. (2013) PRACTICAL
RESEARCH, 10TH EDITION, PEARSON
 GLESNE, C.(2011) BECOMING QUALITATIVE
RESEARCHERS, 4TH EDITION, PEARSON

59. Business Case Study : Reading
 Johnson, Gerry, Whittington, Richard &
Scholes, Kevan (2011) Exploring Strategy,
9th edition, FT Prentice Hall/Pearson UK.
 Grant, Robert M.(2010) Contemporary
Strategy Analysis, 7th edition, John Wiley
 David, Fred R.(2013) Strategic
Management, 14th edition, Pearson
 Wheelen & Hunger (2011) Essentials of
Strategic Management, 5th edition, Pearson
 Porter, M.E., (2008). On Competition,
Harvard Business Press.

60. QUESTIONS?