Qualitative research

In this section qualitative research will be reviewed. In the first part qualitative research in

general is presented, while the next section reviews case studies.

3.3.1 The conduct of qualitative research

Qualitative research is typically characterised by a data collection of non-standardised data

with analyses conducted through the use of conceptualisation (Saunders et al, 2009). Further, “qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world” (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005, p.3), and “the research builds complex, holistic pictures, analyses words, reports, detailed views of informants, and conducts the study in natural setting" (Creswell,

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2009, p.15). Finally, qualitative research covers “detailed descriptions of events, situations

and interactions between people and things, providing depth and detail", (Patton, 1980, p.12).

The ideal type of qualitative study has thus several key attributes. One of the most important

ones is flexibility in design. It is normally impossible to specify the details in advance, but

instead an indication may be noted in the design, reporting at what point further decisions will

be made (Robson, 2002). This absence of clear rules and recommendations for qualitative

research means that the researcher can be tempted to work in an ad hoc rather than planned,

systematic manner (Mason, 1996). However, since the data are collected close to the

researcher in a defined context, the possibility of observing details as well as latent and

underlying factors is typically present. The data collection is also normally conducted over a

period of time, which is especially important when observing processes (Bryman, 1996).

Another advantage is the opportunity the researcher has got to be flexible, since the

theoretical and purposive sampling and data collection can be adjusted during the study

(Mason, 1996; Silverman, 2001). The specific relevance lies in the ability to understand

processes, participants’ experiences, complexity, and to address context, emotions, values and

cultures (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005).

Furthermore, some researchers argue for the desirability of mixing qualitative and quantitative

methods within a study, provided the contribution of each is recognised (Creswell & Plano-

Clark, 2007; Eisenhardt & Graebner, 2007). The thesis will thus follow the view and advice

from Creswell and Plano-Clark (2007) and Eisenhardt and Graebner (2007) by mixing the two

methods. The quantitative analysis will deduct existing, if any, causal connections between

presence of knowledge and skills, absorptive capacity and board task performance. However,

absorptive capacity is a dynamic and not a static variable which is related to processes

(Todorova & Durisin, 2007; Zahra & George, 2002). The qualitative analysis contributes by

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intention of the qualitative part will further be to collect several explanations of the concept

and its importance in a specific empirical setting. These might not be clearly observable by

quantitative research.

Further, qualitative research can be conducted by several methods. Depending on the methods

of information collection and the contexts, Creswell (2009) described five different subgroups

of qualitative studies: case study, grounded theory study, phenomenological study,

biographical study and ethnography. While a biographical study is related to one specific

person's life, a phenomenological study "describes the meaning of the lived experiences for

several individuals about a concept or a phenomenon" (Creswell, 2009, p.51), and the

grounded theory study is a study directed towards theoretical explanations of a case or a

situation. Further, ethnography is an interpretation of cultural or social systems, while a case

study, which will be conducted in this thesis, is a "bounded system or a case (or multiple

cases) studied over time through detailed, in-depth data collection involving multiple sources

of information» (Creswell, 2009, p.61). The case study in this thesis will be based on data

from Healthy. Healthy is presented in section 3.12. An inductive approach will be applied

since the data will first be collected and then explored and analysed (Saunders, 2009).

The case study approach will be further reviewed in the next section.

3.3.2 Case studies

The case study is a “research strategy which focuses on understanding the dynamics present within single settings” (Eisenhardt, 1989b, p.534). Case studies may further be multidimensional, covering a case from several different sources. The case study design in

this study will mainly follow the recommendations by Yin (2009) and Eisenhardt (1989b).

Yin (2009) described four parts of a case study:

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2. Collect the case study evidence,

3. Analyse the case study evidence

4. Develop the conclusions, recommendations and implications

Single cases may be used to confirm or challenge a theory, or to represent a unique or extreme

case, and they are also ideal for revelatory cases where an observer may have access to a

phenomenon that was previously inaccessible (Yin, 2009).

This study will be based on one single case. The information will be collected from a public

Regional Health Company in Norway (Healthy). This company is responsible for specialist

health services for 2.7 million people. With 70,000 employees and a total budget of NOK 58

billion in 2012, this is a big business unit in Norway. There are 14 members in the board, with

5 of the members elected by and from the employees. A case study with data source

triangulation (Yin, 2009) will be conducted. Further, the data will be collected by

observations at the board meetings, interviews with the board members and analysis of

existing documents. These documents will be internal ones such as strategies, planning

documents, protocols etc. and external, mainly based on articles in media. Healthy will be

detailed presented in section 3.12.

For data collection, Yin (2009, p.102) listed six sources of evidence in the case study

protocol: documentation, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant

observation, and physical artefacts. Not all of them need to be used in every case study (Yin,

2009). In this actual case study the four first ones will be applied. Further, documents could

be letters, memoranda, agendas, study reports, or any items that could add to the data base.

The validity of the documents should be carefully reviewed to avoid incorrect data being

included in the database. One of the most important uses of documents is to corroborate

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the interviews need to be founded in existing documentation. The potential for over-reliance

on document as evidence in case studies has however been criticised (Yin, 2009).

The process of collecting qualitative data and finally develop a systematic overview which

may build conclusions related to the case, is crucial to deduct valid and well explained results

from a case study. The volume of data in case studies is often large, and a ”huge chasm often

separates data from conclusions” (Eisenhardt, 1989b, p.539). Normally, it is not possible to

follow how a researcher moves from the full number of pages to the final conclusions (Miles

& Huberman, 1994). However, within-case analyses might be a tool to partly remediate this

issue. In these analyses detailed write-ups are made for each site, which improves the insight

of the researcher (Eisenhardt, 1989b). The interactive nature of data collection and analysis

allows the research to recognise important themes, patterns and relationships as data are

collected (Saunders et al, 2009). With more than one researcher involved, sharing of data

based on data source has further been recommended, because this tactic improves insight and

detects evidence conflicts (Eisenhardt, 1989b). However, I will conduct this case study on my

own, which makes this option impossible.

When the data collection is finished, the next step in the analyses will be to collect

impressions, themes and concepts before conducting an interpretative process in where findings are compared with other findings and with theory, “iterating toward a theory which closely fits with the data” (Eisenhardt, 1989b). Thomas (2011) described this process by a method which is referred to as the constant comparative method, being applied to case studies

related to interpretative inquiries. The constant comparative method suggests that the data are

read, analysed and discussed again and again, comparing each element, phrase, sentence or

paragraph with all the other elements. The elements are further emerged into themes (Thomas,

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comparative method in the analyses. This analysis is similar to explanation building as

described by Yin (2009, p.143).

When the analyses are finished, the results will need to be controlled. All research results, in

quantitative and qualitative analyses, should be validated. Next section reviews how to

validate the studies.