Proposed Research Strategy for Current Research

Upon considering several research strategies, a case study approach is selected for this study as it allows researcher to conduct an extensive and in-depth research of an organization (i.e. banking industry in our case). Benbasat et al., (1987) believes that in IS research, an interpretive case study research strategy is considered as a well- established qualitative research method that allows the researcher to “examine phenomena in its natural setting, employing multiple methods of data collection to gather information from one or a few entities such as people, groups, or organizations”.

Similarly, Hartley (2004, p.323) describe that: “a case study research strategy consists of a detailed investigation, often with data collected over a period of time, of phenomena, within their context. It is particularly suited to research questions which required detailed understanding of social or organizational processes because of the rich data collected in context”. In the context of current research, understanding of organizational processes can be seen as the current use of CRM within the banking sectors of Pakistan and UK whereas social processes can be referred as how bank employees collaborate and communicate with each other using CRM system.

Furthermore, this study is based on multiple-case studies approach i.e. CRM operation in the banking sector of Pakistan as case study one, and CRM operation in the banking sector of UK as case study two. Yin (2009, p.60) in his latest work discussed that a case study research includes both single- and multiple-case studies. The author proposed the advantages of using multiple case studies as:

Although all designs lead to successful case studies, however, if the researcher has a choice and resources, “multiple-case studies” are preferred over “single-case” designs because, the conclusions arising from the multiple

cases (independently) are usually more powerful than those coming out from a single case alone.

Therefore, the current study is based on multiple case studies (using two cases) and several data collection techniques that fall under the multiple case study approach are discussed in the following sections.

4.5

Data Collection Techniques for Qualitative Case Study Research

There are several data collection techniques that can be used to conduct a qualitative research. Particularly, for a case study research, multiple data collection techniques are used to support the research findings (Benbasat et al., 1987). According to Yin (2003), for conducting a case study research, the preparation for data collection can be complex and difficult. If they are not handled well, the entire case study investigation can be jeopardized, and all of the earlier work.

According to the same author, there are six sources of evidence available that are most commonly used in doing a case study research. These are: documentation, archival records, interviews, direct observations, participant-observation, and physical artefacts (Yin, 2003, 2009; Oates, 2006; Myers, 2009). McNamara (1999) presented a table containing most of these techniques and proposed another two techniques i.e. questionnaires and focus groups as shown in the following table 4.1. Therefore, in this section, we first discuss these available data collection techniques and then, highlight some of these techniques that are used for the current research.

Method Overall Purpose Advantages Challenges

Questionnaires, Surveys, Checklists

When need to quickly and/or easily get lots of information from people in a non threatening way

-Can complete anonymously -Inexpensive to administer -Easy to compare and analyze -Administer to many people -Can get lots of data -Many sample questionnaires already exist

-Might not get careful feedback

-Wording can bias client's responses

-Are impersonal -In surveys, may need sampling expert - Doesn't get full story

Interviews

When want to fully understand someone's impressions or experiences, or learn more about their answers to questionnaires

-Get full range and depth of information

-Develops relationship with client

-Can be flexible with client

-Can take much time -Can be hard to analyze and compare

-Can be costly

-Interviewer can bias client's responses

Documentation Review

When want impression of how program operates without interrupting the program; is from review of applications, finances, memos, minutes, etc.

-Get comprehensive and historical information -Doesn't interrupt program or client's routine in program -Information already exists -Few biases about information

-Often takes much time -Info may be incomplete -Need to be quite clear about what looking for

-Not flexible means to get data; data restricted to what already exists

Observation

To gather accurate information about how a program actually operates, particularly about processes

-View operations of a program as they are actually occurring

-Can adapt to events as they occur

-Can be difficult to interpret seen behaviours

-Can be complex to categorize observations -Can influence behaviours of program participants -Can be expensive

Focus Groups

Explore a topic in depth through group discussion, e.g. about reactions to an experience or suggestion, understanding common complaints, etc.; useful in evaluation and marketing

-Quickly and reliably get common impressions -Can be efficient way to get much range and depth of information in short time - Can convey key information about programs

-Can be hard to analyze responses

-Need good facilitator for safety and closure -Difficult to schedule 6-8 people together

Table 4.1: Basic Methods for Data Collection (Source: McNamara, 1999).

4.5.1 Documentation

Documentary information is likely to be relevant to every case study topic. This type of information can take different forms and should be the object of explicit data collection plans. There are a wide variety of documents such as:

letters, memoranda, e-mail correspondence, and other personal documents such as official publications, letters, dairies, journals, branch literature and

agendas, announcement and minutes of meetings, and other reports of events;

news clippings and other articles appearing in the mass media or in community newspapers (Yin, 2009, p.101).