Methodology and Methods Used in the Study

Marshall (1998) defines methodology as the general empirical research approach or design associated with a particular discipline through which knowledge of the world is gained and methods as the actual techniques used in the investigative process to generate data. Methods therefore, are embedded as intrinsic components of research approaches (Marshall 1998). Differences and the range of methodologies reflect the differences and range of academic disciplines (Tesch 1990; Zaharlick 1992). The adoption of a particular research methodology reflects a researcher’s epistemological and theoretical positions (Gray 2004), the nature of research questions as well as the practicality of an approach especially in the case with some qualitative research (Tesch 1990).

The methodology adopted for this study was informed by two of the more common qualitative research approaches of ethnography and case study (Mertens 1998). The ethnographic approach is associated with anthropology whilst the case study design is associated with phenomenological research (Gray 2004). In drawing from these two approaches, the researcher was influenced both by the purpose of the research as well as the nature of the subject under investigation, organizational culture. Wolcott (cited in Wilcox 1982, p. 458) defines ethnography as “the science of cultural description” which translates literally into “writing about people” (Burns, BR 1990, p. 246). This link with culture makes the ethnographic methodology relevant for this study. Besides, it is the approach specifically designed to investigate culture (Mertens 1998; Spradley 1979; Wilson, S 1977). Originally associated with anthropology this descriptive methodology has been adopted by educational as well as organizational

researchers (Eisenhart 1999; Tesch 1990; Wilcox 1982, p. 457; Wilson, S 1977). The specific components of ethnographic approach this study used were its three data- generating tools of the interview, the participant observation and documentary source analysis.

Besides drawing from the ethnographic methodology, the researcher was also

informed by the case study approach. This approach helped to define the focus of the study. However, defining the case study approach is problematic. Yin (1994) on the one hand treats it as a discrete methodological approach and therefore, like other research designs, it has its own way of investigating an empirical topic by following a set of pre-specified procedures. On the other hand, Stake (1994, p. 236), Sommer and Sommer (2002) and Langenbach, Vaughn and Aagaard (1993), in contrast to Yin (1994), define case study as an in-depth [holistic] investigation of a single case which may include an individual, a community or a region. Langenbach, Vaughn and Aagaard (1993), go so far as to suggest that the case study is but one type of ethnographic research.

Nevertheless, Stake (1994) and Gray (2004) identify different types of case study designs with elements of intersection amongst them. Gray (2004) identifies four types of cases studies: the single-holistic case study, the single-embedded case study, the multiple-holistic case study and the multiple-embedded case study. Stake (1994), on the other hand, identifies three types: the intrinsic case study, the instrumental case study and the collective case study. The differences between them reflect the

purposes of study, and the scope of focus of the study whether the interest is on the single phenomenon or on multiple phenomena. Another point of difference is whether the investigation is at the holistic level or at the embedded componential levels. Both the single holistic and intrinsic case studies aim to examine a single case or phenomenon at a holistic instead of the elemental level (Gray 2004). The single- embedded case study is also limited to a single case, such as a single organization. However, it differs from the holistic case study in that it contains embedded and identifiable subunits of analysis.

On the other hand, both the multiple-holistic and multiple-embedded case studies focus on multiple phenomena. Multiple-case study designs are adopted when the

researcher’s purpose is to improve reliability and generalizability (Gray 2004). The multiple-holistic case study design, however, is adopted when subunits are not identifiable and the multiple-embedded case study design is adopted when sub-units are identifiable (Gray 2004). Stake’s collective case study serves the same purpose as Gray’s multiple-holistic case study as both seek to understand a common

phenomenon among multiple cases. Stake’s (1994) instrumental case study seeks to gain insight or refine theory.

In the context of this study, the purposes that multiple case studies as well as

instrumental case studies serve were outside the concern of this study. The purpose of this study was to understand a single organization’s culture for its intrinsic worth rather than to verify theory or to generalize across cases. The single case or unit of analysis for this study was DWU’s culture and the level of analysis was holistic. However, to facilitate analysis of the data, the larger unit of analysis was segmented into subunits that translated into organizational functions of decision-making and HR.

Drawing from multiple approaches to inform the methodology adopted for this study also reflects what Gray (2004) has observed is the status of organizational studies as a discreet field of study. Gray (2004) states that organizational research does not constitute a discreet area of research as such and organizational researchers draw from multiple fields, which include sociology, anthropology, philosophy, communication, economics and statistics.

4.2.1 Selecting the Case

In selecting the case for this study, the researcher was further informed by Stake’s (1994) distinctions between three types of cases: the intrinsic case study, the

instrumental case study and the collective case study. Therefore, this study’s aim was aligned more with the aim of the intrinsic case study which seeks to better understand a particular case for its intrinsic worth. DWU culture was therefore, the particular case that was the concern of this study. The aim of this case study was to explore the organizations culture for its own intrinsic worth. Additional factors of time, resources and accessibility also influenced the choice of the case of study. Restrictions on

length of fieldwork, course completion timelines, limited resources in terms of funding and challenges of organizing multiple case studies in the PNG context worked against the ability to conduct a collective case study.