Selection of cases

There are many ways to select cases, depending on the research purpose and constraints such as budget and time. The selection of cases and participants in this research was directed by the emerging analysis and the theory being developed from data was

subsequently modified by data collected from subsequent participants. The scope of any study is never just a question of ‘how many?’ but must also include: ‘who?’; ‘where?’; ‘which settings?’; ‘what ways?’; ‘by whom?’; ‘for how long?’; ‘what can be asked?’; ‘what can be answered?’ and ‘is it feasible?’

In scoping this project, it was important to remain responsive and allow the research shape to emerge as data was collected and analysed. This required several strategies for collecting the data.

In this research, four primarily undergraduate universities in Ontario were selected from which to interview key individuals in each to capture their perceptions of globalisation and its impact on their area of work in the university. The following experts agreed to

contribute to the research and to help determine the universities to be case studies:

1. Dr Svava Bjarnason, Formerly Director of Research and Strategy, Association of Commonwealth Universities, London and Director of the Observatory of Borderless Higher Education

2. Dr Robin Farquhar, Professor and Former President, Carleton University, Ottawa

3. Pari Johnston, Director of International Relations, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), Ottawa

4. Jim Fox, President of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), Canada's only organization dedicated exclusively to international education 5. Dr Jane Knight, adjunct Professor at the Comparative, International,

Development Education Centre, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.

It was important in this research, that the case studies were drawn from one particular type of Ontario university, not one that was representative of Ontario as a whole. Randomisation was therefore not considered an appropriate method of case study selection. If randomisation was used the study would have run the risk of missing important cases.

Each expert gave their opinion on which, of the seven primarily undergraduate,

universities in Ontario should be selected as cases in this study. Due to funding, time and human resource constraints, the selection was limited to one province in Canada -

Ontario. Ontario was chosen as this was where the author was based. The experts were asked to select primarily undergraduate universities with ‘interesting’ approaches to globalisation and institutional distinctiveness in this area in order that a range of

was where the author was employed. The President of Lakehead was also asked for his opinion on which three other universities would be appropriate to study, to show a range of responses and approaches to globalisation, along with the experts who had previously been interviewed. Each suggested three universities in addition to Lakehead and gave reasons for their choices, as shown in Table 3-2.

Table 3-2 Suggested Case Study Choices from the Experts and Lakehead University President

1st choice 2nd choice 3rd choice

Dr Fred Gilbert

(Lakehead President)

Trent typical liberal arts

with some outreach

Brock rapidly growing, many

demands Laurentian President active in WUSC Francophone and Anglophone linkages Dr Robin Farquhar

Brock large with much

research

Nipissing addressing

globalisation issues – new President

Trent has an international

focus

Jim Fox Trent has always been very

global

Nipissing newest and

somewhat remote in rural Ontario -has had globally oriented leadership likely trying to catch up

Brock probably in the

middle and also representative of the southern Ontario region

Dr Svava Bjarnason Brock participated in ACU/CUSAC benchmarking program in internationalisation and therefore they have put a fair amount of thought into their position

Laurentian as a

Francophone institution

Pari Johnson On maternity leave Jane Knight* Trent reworking their

Internationalisation Strategy

*As Pari Johnson was unavailable, Jane Knight, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, was included.

Therefore, ranked in order of selection, with the number of ‘votes’ in parentheses, the case study universities were:

1. Trent (4) 2. Brock (4) 3. Laurentian (2) 4. Nipissing (2) 5. Ryerson (1) 6. Wilfred Laurier (0).

Having considered where the universities were located in Ontario, and with a view to getting the widest geographical spread, the resultant case study university selections, in order of priority, were:

1. Lakehead 2. Brock 3. Trent

4. Laurentian 5. Nipissing 6. Ryerson 7. Wilfrid Laurier.

This selection covers a range of locations across Ontario, disciplines and sizes of primarily undergraduate universities. It takes into account several (control/background) variables to prevent bias in selection and to ensure the research aims will be achieved. The final case study selection was:

1. Lakehead 2. Brock 3. Trent 4. Nipissing.

Laurentian University declined to be part of the study hence Nipissing University was approached instead and agreed to be included. Laurentian stated that they had ‘a lot on’ and would therefore decline being a part of this study due to time constraints and the fear that their staff were already feeling over-burdened. It is interesting to note that Laurentian and Lakehead were in direct competition in southern Ontario and this could have been a contributory factor in their decision not to be part of this study.

Figure 3-1 shows the various locations of the case study universities in Ontario indicating their relative locations, proximity to the US and to Toronto which is in the southeast of Ontario.

Figure 3-1 Map Showing Locations of Case Study Universities in Ontario