THE VALUE OF THE CASE STUDY AS A RESEARCH STRATEGY: A

The research strategy is a plan of how the researcher will go about answering the research question; and according to Saunders et al. (2012) this should be directly linked to the data collection method. This research relied on qualitative research approach design (as discussed in the Section 3.4), which is aligned to the realism paradigm (Healy & Perry, 2000; Perry et al., 1999; Robson, 2011; Sobh & Perry, 2006).

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According to Saunders et al. (2012) there are eight types of research strategies, namely; experiment, survey, archival analysis, action research, grounded theory, narrative inquiry, and case study. Different research strategies are suited to certain research approaches, and are therefore mainly used within certain settings. According to Yin (2009), the choice of research strategy is based on the type of research questions that are posed; the extent of control that an investigator has over actual behavioural events; and the degree of focus on contemporary as opposed to historical event. Table 3.6 presents a list of research strategies and the possible research questions that might be answered under each strategic choice. Thus, for example, the qualitative research is more suited to grounded theory and case studies; while the quantitative approach is applicable to experiment and survey (Creswell, 2014).

Strategy Research Questions Required of Control of Behaviour Events? Focused on Contemporary Events Implement to this Research

Experiment How, why? Yes Yes No

Survey Who, what, where, how many, how much?

No Yes No

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

No Yes/no No

History How, why? No No No

Case study How, why? No Yes Yes

Table 3.6: Choice of research strategy (Source: Adapted from Yin, 2008, p.8)

Case studies are used to explore/investigate a research topic or phenomenon within its context; or to explore/investigate a contemporary problem within a number of real-life contexts (Saunders et al., 2012; Scholz & Tietje, 2012; Yin, 2009). This is more-so when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident. Case studies are more relevant if the researcher is aiming to gain a rich understanding of the context of the research (Saunders et al 2012). It should be considered mainly when the

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researcher is aiming to answer ‘how’, ‘why’ (Yin, 2009), and ‘what’ questions (Saunders et al, 2012).

In stressing the differences between constructivism and realism, Healy and Perry (2000, p. 120) drew attention to ‘intrinsic’ and ‘instrumental’ case research. They argued that in an intrinsic case study, the case itself is the focus, while in an instrumental case study; the case is being used to understand something else. These concepts are shaped by the philosophical approach that is adopted. Thus, for example, the intrinsic case research is usually associated with Intepretivism, while the instrumental case study is associated as with Realism. The instrumental case study world is made of “abstract things that are born of people's minds but exist independently of any one person” (Magee, 1985, p. 61, as cited in Healy and Perry, 2000, p. 120).

This research aims to critically investigate how the term talent is being defined and identified within the context of hotels in the hospitality industry in Thailand especially in view of the introduction of the AEC; more so how the hotels manage talent (those that are labelled as talent). The aim is to gain in-depth understanding of the concept of talent (phenomenon) within the context of the hospitality industry and in particular within the context of Thai hotels during the introductory of AEC (the condition of transitioning to freer labour market under the new scheme of AEC). This will allow the researcher to understand the phenomena of defining, identifying and managing talent within the context of the hospitality industry. In relation to the overall research aim and objectives, the case study will be utilised.

Yin (2009) proposed four types of case studies; the single case study (type 1 and type 2) — studying a case in its totality (holistic) and studying unit/units, process/processes, or project/projects. That is the same single-case may involve more than one unit (single- case embedded) of analysis. However, the finding of single case study both type 1 and 2 are interpreted holistically. Multiple case studies (type three and type four) in contrast are aimed at studying and comparing cases in their totality (holistic). That is, it studies various units within identifiable cases (embedded). These are presented in Table 3.7 below.

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Single case design Multiple case design

Single unit of analyse

Single-case (holistic) design — type 1 Multiple-case (holistic) design— type 3

Embedded case Single-case (embedded) design — type 2

Multiple-case (embedded) — type 4

Table 3.7: Types of case studies (Source: Adapted from Yin, 2009, p. 46)

According to Yin (2009) multiple cases (more than one case) offer better opportunities for generalisation, and this is due to the fact that there is more evidence from more than one case. Thus, the results of multiple cases are more robust than single case (Voss, Tsikriktsis, & Frohlich, 2002; Yin, 2009). Yin (2009) also argued that the single case is only applicable in the following circumstances: critical case; extreme/unique case; representative/typical case; revelatory case; and longitudinal case (see Table 3.8). This research is only focused on hotels in Thailand. In a single unit case study the aim to increase theoretical replication; while in the multiple case study the aim is more on generalisation of results (Tellis, 1997; Yin, 2009).

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Rational Characteristic Implement in this research

Critical case Testing the well-formulate theory No

Extreme case/ unique case Rare case, common occur in the clinical psychology

No

Representative/ typical case It captures the circumstances and condition of everyday/common place situation

Yes

Revelatory case Exist when an investigator has the opportunity to access the phenomenon which no previously accessible

No

Longitudinal case Study 2 or more different point in time to see how certain conditions change over time.

No

Table 3.8: Rationale of Single Case

(Source: Adapted from Yin, 2009, pp. 47-50)

For the reasons discussed above, this thesis adopted the embedded single case study as the most appropriate type of case study. The embedded single case study was chosen because it will represent the phenomenon of the hospitality industry in Thailand, within the context of the AEC. Yin (2009) recommended that this type of case study should be used when investigating a typical case within the same industry, school, or village. The single case study investigated the definition, identification and management of talent among hotels that are members of the Thai Hotel Association (THA). The 29 sub units (hotels) of this single case are the hotels classified according to ownership and the classification is as follows: Thai-branded (individual and chain management) and International branded (chain management) hotels. Furthermore, the different level of management — CEO/general manager/ owner; human resource department managers; and line managers are considered as sub unit in each hotel.

It is widely believed that case studies are useful in the study of human affairs because they are down-to-earth and attention-holding. However, it is also acknowledged that they are not a suitable basis for generalisation. Case studies will often be the preferred

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method of research because they may be epistemologically in harmony with the reader’s experience and thus to that person a natural basis for generalisation.

This current research is interested in general or population phenomenon (that is, generalisation) rather than the individual cases per se. However, we cannot understand about the general phenomenon without knowing about other cases (Stake, 2000). Resource constraints mean that we can concentrate on limited cases in order to understand the general complexities. While, we may simultaneously investigate more than one case study, each of the case studies essentially merge into a single case. Furthermore, in this research we will not study comparison cases.