Study Design, Criteria for Case Selection and Their Numbers

This section began with the sampling strategies, unit of analysis and the number of case studies that are undertaken for this research.

Source: Bloomberg & Volpe (2012)

4.4.1 Sampling Strategies

The concept of purposive sampling was employed for the study because the researcher selected individuals and sites for the study. “The decision needed to be made about who and what will be sampled, what form the sampling will take and how many people or sites need to be sampled” (Creswell, 2007; Kumar, 2011; Zikmund et al., 2010). Since this study was conducted on the oil and gas industry, gaining in- Figure 4.1

Road Map for the Process of Qualitative Data Analysis: An Outline Review and Explore Data

Identify “Big Ideas”

Revise Coding Scheme Add, Eliminate, and/or Collapes Codes

Re-read and Examine Data Code Data

Place Coded Data in Categories

Report Findings

1. Formulate Findings Statements 2. Provide Participant Quotations

3. Summarize Key Findings

Interprete Findings

Analyze and Synthesize Findings by linking to Experience, Insight, and Literature

Memo/Journal Data Summary _Tables Inter-Rater _Reliability Step I Step IV Step II Step III Data Knowledge Information

depth insights into advanced practices which will later set the ground for the generation of proposition (Foerstl et al., 2010). The population was taken from the MOGSEC (Malaysia Oil and gas Services Exhibition & Conference 2012) Directory. The snowball or chain case selection technique were employed with the procurement and supply chain function as the unit of analysis (Creswell, 2007).

4.4.2 Unit of Analysis

The uniqueness and difficulty of “processes in a SCM suggested the used of an interpretive approach, which was appropriate where the subject area to be investigated are complex and not well understood” (Ritchie & Brindley, 2007). The objective were to identify what is firm’s capabilities dimensions in the context of oil and gas industry in Malaysia; to identify what are dimensions of the dynamic supply chain capabilities, as defined in the context of strategic resources in Malaysia; to identify is there any relation between firm’s capabilities and dynamic supply chain capabilities in oil and gas industry in Malaysia; and, to explore how environmental uncertainty factor influence dynamic supply chain capabilities in oil and gas industry in Malaysia.

In the oil and gas industry, “supply chain comprised the upstream activities (exploration, development and production of crude oil or natural gas) and downstream activities (tankers, pipelines, retailers and consumers) which were two significant activities in the petroleum industry.”

Four service’s contractors companies were selected on the basis that they seemed to be changing most rapidly towards upstream supply chain. “This permitted literal replication between the four cases (where similar results are predicted)” (Yin, 2009). The other two service’s contractors companies demonstrated the downstream supply

chain would thus permit theoretical replication, where different results were obtained but for predictable reasons. The next three service’s contractors companies were selected since they represented prima facie two extremes of downstream and upstream supply chain of the focal organization (Dixon et al., 2007). Finally, one production sharing’s contractor demonstrated as the focal organization. Table 4.1 details the profile of informants.

Table 4.1

Table Details of the Informants

No. Informants Job Title Experience Company Nature of Company Supply Chain 1. Mrs. Weda Managing

Director

18 year 1 SC – Upstream & Downstream 2. Mr. Nicky Chief Executive

Officer

25 year 2 SC – Upstream 3. Mr. Man Chief Executive

Officer

25 year 3 SC – Upstream & Downstream 4. Mr. Jay SCM Manager 15 year 4 SC – Upstream &

Downstream 5. Mr. Khay SCM Executive 15 year 5 SC – Upstream 6. Mrs. Hally General

Manager

30 year 6 PSC – Upstream 7. Mr. Nizal SCM Executive 15 year 7 SC – Upstream

8. Mr. One SCM Manager 22 year 8 SC – Upstream

9. Mr. Daus SCM Manager 12 year 9 SC – Downstream

10. Mr. Shah Managing Director

10 year 10 SC – Downstream

Note: SC = Service Contractor; PSC = Production Sharing Contractor

4.4.3 Number of Cases

In order to better utilize a variety of research paradigms, many aspired to expand and grow their experiences and knowledge with qualitative design. Qualitative and quantitative research design differs in several aspects but they do have commonalities.

“One of the common aspects is the need to collect data. Data collection can be derived from a number of methods, which include interviews, focus groups, surveys, telephone interviews, field notes, taped social interaction or questionnaires” (Heaton,

2004). Yin (2009) refered to “six forms: documents, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participation observation and physical artefacts’. Data can be gathered from a number of sources including written documents, records, workplaces, the Internet, surveys, or interviews. In order to collect data, the researcher should be able to access the data that needs to be collected for the study.”

The interview was “probably the most widely employed method in qualitative research” (Creswell, 2007; Kajornboon, 2008; Turner III, 2010). Ethnography usually

“involved a substantial amount of interviewing and this factor undoubtedly contributeed to the widespread used of the interview by qualitative researchers. However, it was the flexibility of the interview that makes it so attractive. Since ethnography required an extended period of participant observation, research based more or less exclusively on interviews was a highly attractive alternative for the collection of qualitative data. Like ethnography, case study data collection involved a wide array of procedures as the researcher builds an in-depth picture of the case” (Creswell, 2007). Of all the data collection, interviewing and observation deserved special interest because they are commonly used (Creswell, 2007).