RESEARCH STRATEGY

Research  strategy  according  to  Saunders  et  al  (2009:  600)  is  “the  general  plan  of  how  the   researcher   will   go   about   answering   the   research   questions”.   On   a   similar   note,   Bryman   and   Bell   (2007)   explain   research   strategy   as   the   general   orientation   of   conducting   a   research.   Saunders  et   al  (2009:141)   assert   that   having   a   research   strategy   helps   the   researcher   in   addressing   the   research   questions   in   order   to   achieve   the   study’s   objectives.  They  add  that  “the  choice  of  research  strategy  will  be  guided  by  the  research   questions  and  objectives,  the  extent  of  existing  knowledge,  the  amount  of  time  and  other   resources   available,   as   well   as   the   researcher’s   philosophical   underpinnings”.   While   for   Yin   (2009:5),   choosing   an   appropriate   research   strategy   entails   considering   three   conditions:  

a) The  type  of  research  question  posed  

b) The   extent   of   control   the   researcher   has   over   actual   behavioural   phenomenon   and  

These  conditions  are  tabulated  based  on  different  research  designs.   Table  4.3:  Characteristics  of  different  research  strategies  

Strategy   For   of   research  

question   Required   control  over   behavioural   events  

Focuses   on  

contemporary   events  

Experiment     How,  why   Yes     Yes  

Survey     Who,   what,   where,  

how   many,   how   much    

No   Yes  

Archival  analysis   Who,   what,   where,   how   many,   how   much  

No   Yes/No  

History   How,  why   No   No  

Case  study   How,  why   No   Yes  

Source:  Yin  (2009:8)  

Based   on   the   above   conditions,   researchers   may   choose   the   research   strategy   appropriate  for  their  studies  from  a  number  of  strategies.  Acknowledging  this  point,  Yin   (2009)   stressed   that   although   various   research   strategies   exist,   they   tend   to   overlap.   Researchers   should   therefore   select   the   most   advantageous   strategy   for   a   particular   study.  These  research  strategies  according  to  Collis  and  Hussey  (2009),  Saunders  et  al   (2009)  and  Yin  (2009)  include  survey,  case  study,  grounded  theory,  experiment,  action   research,   ethnography,   archival   research.   This   study   seeks   to   adopt   the   case   study   research  strategy  as  the  appropriate  strategy.  The  case  study  is  briefly  described  below   with  justification  for  the  preference.      

Case  Study  Strategy  

 Case  study  is  one  way  of  doing  research,  especially  when  it  is  social  in  nature.  This  is   because  the  research  aims  to  understand  people  in  a  social  context  by  interpreting  their   actions  as  group,  community  or  an  event  (Thomas,  2010:309).  This  strategy  deals  with   the   investigation   of   phenomena   to   answer   research   questions   by   seeking   evidences   from   the   case   setting.     Yin   (2009:17)   defines   the   case   study   strategy   “as   an   empirical   inquiry   that   investigates   a   contemporary   phenomenon   within   its   real-­‐life   context,   especially   when   the   boundaries   between   the   phenomenon   and   context   are   not   clearly   evident”.   In   essence,   case   study   is   considered   suitable   when,   phenomenon   under   investigation   and   the   context   are   non-­‐distinguishable.   It   is   a   strategy   used   in   understanding   the   dynamics   present   within   a   setting.   Some   of   the   strengths   of   case  

study  strategy  according  to  Wedawetta  et  al  (2011a)  are;  firstly,  case  study  is  capable  of   accommodating   different   research   techniques   and   methods;   thus   allowing   the   researcher  gain  a  rich  mix  of  data  for  the  research.  Secondly,  it  is  a  strategy  suitable  for   obtaining  in-­‐depth  knowledge  of  events  or  phenomena.  Along  the  same  line,  Saunders  et   al  (2009)  present  that  the  case  study  strategy  is  considered  suitable  if  the  researcher   desires   to   gain   rich   understanding   of   the   research   context   and   the   processes   being   enacted.   In   this   research,   the   case   study   strategy   has   been   chosen   to   gain   in-­‐depth   information   necessary   to   identify   and   understand   OLMs   facilitating   organisational   learning   and   elements   shaping   organisational   learning   in   selected   universities   in   Nigeria.    

Yin  (2009)  further  indicates  that  the  case  study  strategy  is  fit  to  be  employed  when  the   study  involves  the  “how”  and  “why”  questions  as  it  helps  the  research  determine  how   the  phenomenon  occurs  and  why  it  does  occur  in  that  manner  in  the  organisation.  This   strategy   could   also   take   account   of   the   “what”   question   in   establishing   what   the   phenomenon  is  before  knowing  the  “how”  and  “why”.  Additionally,  he  recommends  this   strategy   when   the   study   concentrates   on   contemporary   matters   or   events,   and   the   researcher   exercises   no   control   over   the   event.   This   research   looks   at   contemporary   events,  as  it  intends  to  answer  questions  pertaining  organisational  learning  in  selected   universities   in   Nigeria,   how   organisational   learning   is   facilitated,   what   and   how   environmental   and   organisational   elements   shape   organisational   learning   in   these   universities;  and  the  researcher  has  no  control  over  the  learning  in  these  universities.   According   to   Yin   (2009)   and   Eisenhardt   (1989),   case   studies   can   involve   single   or   multiple   cases,   arguing   that   there   are   certain   misunderstanding   of   the   strengths   and   weaknesses   of   the   case   study   strategy,   which   poses   the   need   to   develop   a   different   perspective.   For   instance,   Voss   et   al   (2002)   argue   that   single   case   study   provides   greater   in-­‐depth   understanding   of   the   case,   but   it   tends   to   be   limited   in   the   generalization   of   conclusion   drawn,   and   it   also   leads   to   bias.   However,   one   way   of   minimising  these  limitations  is  to  use  multiple  case  studies  (Wedawetta  et  al,  2011a).   The  use  of  multiple  case  studies  can  provide  a  rich  picture  of  life  and  behaviour  within  a   context   (Easterby-­‐Smith   et   al   2008:97).   According   to   Collis   and   Hussey   (2003)   and   Easterby-­‐Smith  et  al  (2008)  single  and  multiple  case  studies  have  been  used  in  various   research  investigations.  Baxter  and  Jack  (2008)  distinguished  between  a  single  case  and  

multiple  case  studies.  A  single  case  study  enables  the  researcher  explore  units  or  events   within  a  case  with  no  room  for  comparison,  while  the  use  of  multiple  cases  promote  the   examination   of   several   cases   to   better   understand   the   existing   similarities   and   differences   between   cases.   Moreover,   evidences   and   results   obtained   from   the   use   of   multiple   cases   could   be   argued   to   be   robust   and   reliable   because   of   the   ability   to   compare,  that  which  is  not  obtainable  in  single  case.  Yin  (2009)  also  notes  that  multiple   case  studies  may  be  preferable  than  single  case  study  because  when  multiple  cases  are   used  they  predict  similar  or  contrasting  results  based  on  their  selection.  However,  Perry   (1998)  argues  that  there  are  no  guides  in  selecting  the  number  of  cases  for  study;  rather   Voss  et  al  (2002)  opined  that  smaller  numbers  of  cases  offer  better  opportunities  for  in-­‐ depth   investigation   than   large   numbers.   Based   on   this   discussion,   three   case   universities  have  been  selected  to  enable  the  researcher  gain  robust  evidences,  conduct   in-­‐depth   investigation   and   for   comparison   purposes.   Additionally,   the   researcher   selected  three  universities  based  on  the  classification  of  universities  in  Nigeria;  and  they   are  sufficient  to  fulfil  the  aim  and  objectives  of  the  study.    

Justification  for  the  choice  of  case  study  organisation  

The  choice  of  case  studies  is  an  important  decision  for  researchers  and  as  such  must  be   considered.   There   are   a   number   of   reasons   why   universities   in   Nigeria   are   chosen   as   suitable   cases   for   this   research.   Firstly,   Universities   are   increasingly   becoming   more   relevant   to   societies   than   ever   before.   Most   Universities   are   known   to   create   positive   impacts  that  make  them  engines  of  social  and  economic  growth  through  their  roles  in   education,  business  research,  the  development  of  legal  instruments  that  provide  better   incentives   to   innovation   and   finally,   the   forming   of   minds   able   to   participate   in   the   creation  and  discovery  of  knowledge  in  all  aspects  of  the  society  (Meyer,  2002:539).     Secondly,  majority  of  research  on  organisational  learning  in  developed  and  developing   nations   are   centred   on   private   and   for-­‐profit   organisations   with   little   reference   to   service  organisations  like  educational  institutions.  Substantiating  this  claim,  (Patnaik  et   al   2013:   159)   identify   that   research   on   learning   in   universities   is   scanty   compared   to   those  of  business  and  industrial  organisations.  If  organisational  learning  is  to  flourish  in   universities,   it   is   critical   that   the   concepts,   the   mechanisms   that   sort   to   encourage   learning  be  better  understood.  

Thirdly,   accessibility   is   relevant   in   a   researcher’s   choice   of   case   studies,   because   accessibility   enables   the   research   gain   the   data   required   for   the   research   (Silverman,   2002).   For   this   purpose,   universities   have   been   selected   as   case   studies   as   they   are   easily  accessible  than  most  private  organisations  in  Nigeria.  This  access  was  achieved   by  the  researcher  meeting  and  discussing  with  either  the  chancellor  or  registrars  of  the   universities   about   the   research,   some   of   which   directed   that   the   researcher   be   introduced   to   interviewees   and   make   them   relaxed   to   attend   to   the   researcher’s   questions.  

Justification  of  Case  Selection  

Denscombe  (2010:57-­‐58)  suggests  four  instances  for  case  selection  and  justification  for   suitability.   These   are   typical   instance,   extreme   instance,   test-­‐site   for   theory   and   least   likely  instance.  

Typical  instance:  on  this  basis,  selected  case  is  similar  in  crucial  respects  with  the  others   that  might  have  been  chosen,  and  that  the  findings  from  the  case  study  are  therefore  likely   to  apply  elsewhere.    

Extreme  instance:  A  case  might  be  selected  because  it  provides  something  of  a  contrast   with  the  norm.  This  could  be  selecting  either  smaller  or  larger  than  usual  cases.  

Test-­‐site  for  theory:  The  logic  for  the  selection  of  a  case  can  be  based  on  the  relevance  of   the  case  study  for  previous  theory.    

Least  likely  instance:  Following  the  idea  of  test-­‐sites  for  theory,  a  case  might  be  selected   to  test  the  validity  of  ‘theory’  by  seeing  if  it  occurs  in  an  instance  where  it  might  be  least   expected.    

In   this   study,   case   organisations   have   been   selected   based   on   their   similarities   and   differences.   In   terms   of   similarities   or   the   typical   instance,   these   organisations   are   all   universities,  set  up  for  a  similar  purpose-­‐  education-­‐,  and  operate  similar  structures.  On   the   other   hand,   case   universities   have   been   selected   due   to   their   differences   in   classification  and  governance–  that  is  federal,  state  and  private  universities  (see  chapter   two).   This   is   in   line   with   Denscombe   (2010)   argument   in   the   extreme   instance   that   cases  could  be  chosen  because  of  their  contrast.    The  case  classification  is  summarized   below:  

• Case  Alpha  is  classified  as  a  Federal  public  university  established  within  twenty  

years  of  independence  and  termed  “First  Generation  University”  and  is  governed   by  the  Federal  Government.  

• Case   Beta   is   classified   as   a   State   public   university   established   between   twenty  

first  to  forty  years  of  independence  and  termed  “third  generation  university”  and   is  governed  by  both  the  Federal  and  State  Government.  

•  Case  Cairo  is  classified  as  a  private  university  established  between  the  forty  first  

to  fifties  of  independence  (present)  and  termed  “fifth  generation  university”  and   is  governed  by  a  proprietor.    

Selecting  these  universities  has  helped  the  researcher  in  gaining  a  broader  perspective   on  organisational  learning  in  the  above  universities.  It  has  also  permitted  the  researcher   make  comparisons  with  regards  to  age,  school  composition,  structures  and  control.     Issues  related  to  case  study  strategy  

Yin  (2009)  argues  that  the  case  study  strategy  as  a  research  strategy  is  often  considered   as   offering   insufficient   objectivity   and   providing   little   basis   for   rigour.   In   minimising   these   weaknesses,   this   study   worked   with   a   frame   of   reference   developed   from   the   literature   in   investigating   OLMs   and   elements   shaping   OL   in   selected   universities.   Additionally,   the   researcher   triangulated   her   data   and   method   as   a   means   of   overcoming   the   above   issue.   In   achieving   this,   different   methods   for   data   collection-­‐   interview,   observation,   document   review-­‐   were   utilised   in   the   study   as   one   form   of   triangulation.  Secondly,  through  the  four  classes  of  respondents  (key  players,  academic   staff,  administrative  staff  and  student  representative)  established  from  pilot  study,  data   was   triangulated,   similar   to   the   argument   of   Crowe   et   al   (2011)   that   triangulation   addresses  the  limitation  of  the  case  study  strategy.  

Crowe  et  al  (2011)  further  drew  attention  to  the  challenge  of  case  study  strategy,  that   the  strategy  involves  the  collection  of  large  volume  of  data  in  understanding  an  event  or   a  case.  In  most  instances,  the  data  collected  tends  to  be  irrelevant  or  of  little  value  to  the   case.  In  managing  this  challenge,  data  was  collected  for  this  study  in  line  with  research   questions/objectives,   while   the   researcher   still   remained   flexible   allowing   different   paths   to   be   explored   but   she   ensured   her   focus   was   on   the   research   objectives.   With  

regards  the  issues  of  case  study  strategy,  Flyvbjerg  (2006)  argues  that  with  case  study,   generalisation   is   impossible   and   social   science   research   is   all   about   generalisation.   However,  Bell  and  Bryman  (2007)  counter  this  view  by  presenting  that  generalisation   may   be   enhanced   when   multiple   cases   are   studied.   In   as   much   as   this   study   utilised   multiple-­‐case   studies   (three   universities)   in   its   investigation,   generalisation   does   not   constitute   an   objective   of   this   study,   rather   the   uniqueness   of   learning   in   case   universities  has  been  presented.