The Case Study Approach

The case study approach chosen is an embedded single case. Yin (2003) distinguishes case study strategies on two dimensions: firstly, whether they are based

on a single case or comparison of multiple cases and secondly on whether they are

“holistic” or “embedded”. On the first dimension, single cases, Saunders et al (2007) argue that they may be more appropriate where the case is “typical or because it provides you with an opportunity to observe and analyse a phenomenon that few have considered before”. The typicality o f the case will be assessed in the next section when the representativeness of the case and its generalisability potential are discussed.

In short, care must be taken not to over generalise the findings to the wider population.

In terms of the second point made by Saunders et al (2007) this is an embryonic area of research and no previous empirical case study on the phenomenon of the logistics triad has been found to have been undertaken.

Taking Yin’s (2003) second dimension if the research considers an organisation as a whole then a holistic study would be appropriate. This would particularly apply when the researcher is employed by that organisation. An embedded case study is defined as researching, “a number o f logical sub-units within the organisation” (Saunders et al, 2007) and is an accurate summary of this study. A summary of the positioning of the research within Yin’s typology o f case studies is shown in Figure 37.

Multiple Case Studies

Single Case Study

Embedded Holistic

Case Study Case Study

Figure 37: Position o f the Case Study Research Strategy adopted in this Research Study within Yin’s (2003) typology o f Case Study Research Approaches

The case study is a research strategy. It is not a research methodology. The methodologies deployed in the case study element of the research were various and

Position o f this research study

were derived from an umbrella methodological approach derived from Quick Scan (Naim et al., 2002).

The Quick Scan method is a supply chain orientated business diagnostic which has been developed by the Logistics System Dynamics Group at Cardiff University over a number of years. Over fifty Quick Scans have been carried out primarily on individual companies or on their dyadic relationships with their customers and/or suppliers in a variety of settings (e.g. in the automotive sector - see Towill et al, 2002). In principle it sets out through a triangulated method to assess the capabilities, competencies and weaknesses of an organisation or supply chain through a well structured procedure based on four stages: understand - document - simplify - optimise (USDO) (Watson, 1994). The interpretation o f these four stages adopted in this research is detailed below.

A Understand - develop a vision of market, business strategy, business processes and business capabilities;

A Document - capture a record o f understanding through a range of triangulated techniques including business process mapping, data analysis, feedback to questionnaires and interviews and so on;

A Simplify - distil the understanding to the critical components in the business diagnostic which if focussed upon and improved through forward process engineering could lead to the greatest possible return;

A Optimise - execute the forward process engineering design and ensure changes made are fully integrated into legacy systems and thinking

On of the main advantages o f the Quick Scan method is that it is based on the deployment of a range o f quantitative and qualitative research tools and thus allows a greater degree of depth and rigour to be gleaned compared to the information obtained from surveys. This use o f triangulation methods is very useful in being able to attribute causes to effects, a key issue in theory building research (Gill and Johnson, 1997), which will be reflected in the validity discussion in the next section. A brief description of the research tools deployed on the Quick Scan is set out below.

Interviews: A number of applicable personnel from each of the members of the logistics triad were interviewed through the longitudinal case study. These included operators and managers. These interviews conducted face to face and over the telephone were semi-structured in nature and aimed at:

A validating any performance data obtained;

A seeking out explanations for changes in performance;

A developing a richer understanding of the contextual issues and influencing factors

At the nine month review a more formal collective interview/meeting was chaired by this researcher and included a senior representative from each of the triad entities.

They were:

A The Managing Director o f the Logistics Service Provider and his Senior Manager for Logistics Service Provision in the Division of focus.

A The Managing Director of the Division of the Customer Company A A Senior Supply Chain Manager o f the Supplier Company

Again a semi-structured format was followed.

Further semi-structured interviews were also carried out at the end of the two year period by the researcher with key personnel from each of the three participating companies. Personnel had moved on so it was hard to obtain perfect continuity but a number of participants who had been promoted in the intervening period also contributed to the earlier stages o f the research. For each organisation at least one of the interviewees was also involved in earlier stages of the research as follows:

A The new Managing Director of the Logistics Service Provider (who replaced his predecessor who had retired had previously been the Senior Manager of the Division of Focus

A The new Managing Director of the Division of the customer had previously been the site manager and consequently had been involved in the research from the outset

A The Senior Supply Chain Manager of the supplying company was still in post

As well as interviews two further methods of data collection were used. Firstly archive data and information about the actual delivery performance and delivery data was obtained and assessed. From this actual progressive delivery on time figures for set periods were calculated. An example of the new performance measures and delivery data is appended in Appendix 6 and the associated graphs and visual displays of data is shown in Appendix 7. Delivery data after the commencement of the new aligned measurement system also contained information on reasons why deliveries had been missed and which party was at fault.

Secondly, an on-going survey questionnaire was carried out through the research of the participating companies’ personnel. The questionnaire was developed to ascertain the level of collaboration present in each of the dyadic relationships across the three logistics triad’s dyadic inter-relationships. This was carried out at the outset of the case study and after 24 months with the managers and directors of the triad organisations. The five principal questions were arrived at through a multi-stage process. First an initial draft of the questions was produced with reference to relevant Literature Review. Trial runs o f the questions were tested with colleagues and on studies with other companies which had looked at the dyad rather than the triad. The responses were scored on a 5-point Likert scale with 5 = highest level of collaboration and 1 = lowest or loose collaboration. The mean average was calculated for each group of participants and this was converted into a categorising rating of Low (below 2.0), Medium (2.1- 3.0) or High (3.1 and above).

The questions used and the supporting references used to provide content and construct validity are given below:

1. To what extent is the relationship with Company X adversarial (low) or