CASE STUDY RESEARCH

phenomena (Yin, 2009). Case study research is a way of researching an empirical topic by following a set of pre-specified procedures while reviewing the logic of design, the data

collection methodology, and specifies a unique data analysis approach (Yin, 2009). This research used the exploratory case study as a methodology to study how the Viable System Model (VSM) can be used for the analysis of project management structure. This case study research allowed the analytic generalization of the research proposition that the Viable System Model (VSM) can be adapted for analysis of project management structures following the case study methodology provided by Yin (2009). The Case Study research methodology used in this research is described in the following sections.

CASE STUDY RESEARCH

Case Study Research (CSR) has developed over the years as a proven method for social science inquiry but has captured the least attention and guidance in contrast to other methods. (Yin, 2003). Case study research is often used when the phenomenon to be studied is not clearly distinguishable from the overall context (Yin, 2003). The present study used case study research

to guide deployment of the VSM framework as the rigorous research tool for the analysis of a project management system within select organizations.

The problems of establishing the construct validity and reliability of case study research can made by using the six sources of evidence and following the three principles of data

collection suggested by Yin (2009, p. 114). The three Principles of Data Collection are: 1. Use Multiple Sources of Evidence.

2. Create a Case Study Database. 3. Maintain a Chain of Evidence.

The first principle, using multiple sources of evidence, is an established characteristic of case study research where multiple sources of evidence are using to triangulate or converge on the phenomena of interest (Yin, 2009). The idea of triangulation of data sources allows the sources of data to converge on the facts of the case as can be seen in Figure 12 below:

Documents

(email, reports, etc.) Archival Records

Observations

(direct and participant) _{Structured interviews} Focus _Interviews and surveys Open-ended Interviews Convergence of Evidence (single study) Fact

Figure 12: Convergence of Evidence: Single Case Study {Adapted from (Yin, 2009, p. 117)}

The second principle of data collection involves the creation of a case study database to organize and document the data collected for the case study (Yin, 2009). The case study database is different from the report of the researcher and should not be confused with the reporting of results (Yin, 2009). Yin (2009) points out four significant problem areas for developing the case study database in Table 5 below:

Table 5: Data Element Sources and Problem Areas to Consider (Yin, 2009)

The third principle of maintaining a chain of evidence is to allow the reader to follow the path of evidence from the initial research question to the presentation of results for this case study research (Yin, 2009). The idea of traceability is said to be from both directions; i.e. from research questions to conclusion or from conclusion to research question (Yin, 2009). The need to preserve the sources of evidence as they are found is characteristic of the methods used to gather this information (Yin, 2009). A way of maintaining a chain of evidence can be accomplished by observing the following steps as suggested by Yin (2009, p. 123) below:

1. The report should have sufficient citation to the relevant portions of the case study database.

2. The database should reveal the actual evidence and circumstances under which the evidence was collected.

Database elements Sources Problem area

Interviews Stored so that they are retrievable

Observations Completeness

Document analysis Organized according to major subject Categorized

Large amount of physical storage or memory Varying importance

Readily retrievable

Interview notes cite the documents Collected from the site being

studied Organization

Created by the research team Stored and Retrievable Survey and quantitative data

Linking pertinent issues to specific evidence through adequate citations

Notes

Documents Bibliography of documents

Tabular materials

3. These circumstances should be consistent with the specific procedures and question contained in the case study protocol, showing the data collection procedure was accomplished by the stipulated protocol.

4. Reading the protocol should show the reader a link between the content of the protocol and the initial research question.

Visually, this can be seen in Figure 13 below:

Case Study Report Case Study

Database Citations to Specific Evidentiary Sources in the Case Study Database

Case Study Protocol (linking questions to protocol topics)

Case Study Question

Figure 13: Maintaining a Chain of Evidence {Adapted from (Yin, 2009, p. 123)}

The Data Analysis and Interpretation is focused on the process of data analysis and involves the “making sense out of the text and image data” (Creswell, 2009, p. 183). During the analysis

phase the activities described below are examples of what may be occurring (Creswell, 2009, p. 184):

1. Ongoing process about the data, asking analytic questions, writing memos throughout the study.

2. Data is reported in journals (Case study research involves a detailed description of the setting or individuals, followed by analysis of the data for themes or issues. (Stake, 1995).

3. Often qualitative research uses a general procedure and convey in the proposal, the steps in data analysis. An ideal situation is to blend the general steps with the specific research strategy steps.

Raw Data

Organizing and Preparing Data for Analysis Reading through all the data Validating

Accuracy of the information

Coding the Data

Themes Description

Interrelating Themes and Descriptions Interpreting the meaning of

Themes/Descriptions

Figure 14: Data Analysis in Qualitative Research {Adapted from (Creswell, 2009, p. 185)}

This section explained how a structured case study research approach could be effectively used for research based on its methodical and rigorous design (Yin, 2009). The three Principles of Data Collection for case study were discussed (Yin, 2009), including: (1) Use of Multiple Sources of Evidence; (2) Creating a Case Study Database; and (3) Maintaining a Chain of Evidence. The development of themes and descriptions were described as stemming from the data collected. The making sense of the data is part of the research design which is discussed in the next section.