Introduction to: Interpretive research grounded theory case study

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Introduction to Interpretive researchgrounded
theorycase study
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Interpretive research

• Assumption access to reality (given or socially
  constructed) is only through social constructions
  such as language, consciousness and shared
  meanings

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Interpretive research

• Interpretive studies generally attempt to
  understand phenomena through the meanings that
  people assign to them
• Interpretive research does not predefine
  dependent and independent variables, but focuses
  on the full complexity of human sense making as
  the situation emerges

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Interpretive research in IS

• interpretive methods of research in IS are "aimed
  at producing an understanding of the context of
  the information system, and the process whereby
  the information system influences and is
  influenced by the context" (Walsham)

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Interpetive research use of theory

• Initial guide to design and data collection
• Initial theoretical framework
• Sensibility to data
• Danger of not-seeing
• Part of an iterative process of data collection
  and analysis
• Being open to field data
• Modify initial assumptions and theories
• A final product of the research
• Concepts
• Conceptual framework

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Interpretive research empirical work

• Access to other peoples interpretations
• Own role as researcher
• Outside observer not direct involvement
• Involved researcher (action r, participant obs.)
• Evidence interview as primary data source
• Styles of interview
• Reporting media
• Reporting fieldwork
• Credibility document your process of data
  collection
• Importance of details (research site, motivation
  for choices, num of people, data sources, ... and
  theory-data iterations)

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Types of generalizations from interpretive case
study (Walsham)

• Development of concepts
• Generation of theory
• Drawing of specific implications
• Contribution of reach insight

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Principles for conducting and evaluating
interpretive research Klein and Myers 1999, MISQ

• The fundamental principle of the hermeneutic
  circle.
• The principle of contextualization.
• The principle of interaction between the
  researchers and the subjects.
• The principle of abstraction and generalization.
• The principle of dialogical reasoning.
• The principle of multiple interpretations.
• The principle of suspicion.

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Grounded Theory

• Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss (1967)
• They criticized the "overemphasis in current
  sociology on the verification of theory, and a
  resultant de-emphasis on the prior step of
  discovering what concepts and hypotheses are
  relevant for the area that one wishes to
  research
• "(...) we are also trying, through this book, to
  strengthen the mandate for generating theory, to
  help provide a defense against doctrinaire
  approaches to verification (...). It should also
  help students to defend themselves against
  verifiers who would teach them to deny the
  validity of their own scientific intelligence"

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Grounded Theory as Theory

• It is inductively derived from the study of the
  phenomenon it represents.
• It is discovered, developed, and provisionally
  verified through systematic data collection and
  anlysis of data pertaining to that phenomenon.
• Data collection, analysis and theory stand in
  reciprocal relationship with each other.
• One does not begin with a theory, then prove it.
• One begins with an area of study and what is
  relevant to that area is allowed to emerge.
• Strauss and Corbin (1990) Basic of Qualitative
  Research, Sage.

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Grounded Theory as a methodology

• Emphasis on empirical material as basis for
  conceptualization.
• Gathering reach empirical material from a variety
  of sources.
• Open data collection
• Recording data systematically
• the emphasis is on exploring the nuances of the
  data by constantly asking, 'of what is this an
  example?'
• Develop dense and grouded concepts and categories

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Defining Grounded Theory

• grounded theory methods are a set of flexible
  analytic guidelines that enable researchers to
  focus their data collection and to build
  inductive middle-range theories through
  successive levels of data anlysis and conceptual
  development
• Charmaz, K. (2005) Grounded Theory in the 21st
  Century in The Sage Handbook of Qualitative
  Research

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Grounded Theory data analysis

• Open coding
• concepts, categories, properties, code notes
• Memo writing
• Axial coding
• Focus on relations
• Connections between categories
• Causal conditions, intervening conditions...
• Selective coding

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Grounded Theory

• Conflicting principles
• Emergence
• Of categories from data
• Theoretical sensitivity
• Researchers ability to see relevant data
• To identify theoretical relevant phenomena
• Strauss/Glaser discussion

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Case StudyYin, R. (1994) Case Study Research,
Sage

• A method of research/a research strategy (not
  linked to part. method of data collection)
• Advantages/disadvantages depending on
• Type of research question
• Control over behavioural events
• Focus on contemporary as opposed to historical
  phenomena
• Preferred when
• How and why questions
• Little control over events
• Focus on contemporary phenomena within real-life
  context

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Defining Case study

• Distinguishing characteristics
• It attempts to examine a contemporary phenomenon
  in its real-life context
• Expecially when the boundaries between phenomenon
  and context are not clearly evident
• Different from experiment and historical
  analysis.

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• Exploratory case study
• To develop pertinent hypothesis and propositions
  for futher inquiry
• what are the ways of making schools effective?
• Descriptive case study
• To describe the incidence or prevalence of a
  phenomenon
• Es. Political attitudes
• Explanatory case study
• To trace operational links over time

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Case study design

• five components of research design
• A study's questions
• Its propositions, if any
• Its unit(s) of analysis
• The logic linking the data to the propositions
• The criteria for interpreting the findings

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Case study required skills for data collection

• Ask good question
• Be a good listner
• Be adaptive and flexible (new opportunity not
  always as planned)
• Have a firm grasp on the issue (relevant events
  and information)
• Not mechanical recording
• Recognize deviations, contradictions
• Be unbiased by preconceived notions
• Be open to contrary findings

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Sources of evidence

• Documentation
• Archivial records
• Interviews
• Direct observations
• Participant-observation
• Physical artefacts (technological devices, tools
  or instruments, a work of art)

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Three Principles of data collection

• Principle 1Use multiple sources of evidence
• Single source problems of accuracy and
  trustworthiness
• Triangulation rationale for using multiple
  sources of evidence
• Construct validity
• More expensive/time consuming/need different
  skills

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Three Principles of data collection

• Principle 2 Create a case study database
• Need to separate between collected evidence and
  final report
• Increases reliability
• Contents notes, documents, quantitative data,
  narratives
• Other people should be able to access data

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Three Principles of data collection

• Principle 3 Maintain a chain of evidence
• To allow an external observer to follow the
  derivation to any evidence
• Trace steps
• From conclusions to research questions
• From research questions to conclusions
• Final report ? database ? evidence and
  circumstances ? procedures and questions in
  protocol ? initial research questions

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Key characteristics of case studies (Benbasat et
al.(1987) The Case Research Strategy in Studies
of Information Systems, MIS Quarterly)

• Phenomenon is examined in a natural setting
• Data are collected by multiple means
• One or few entities (person, group or
  organization) are examined
• The complexity of the unit is studied intensively
• The investigator should have a receptive attitude
  towards exploration
• No experimental controls or manipulation are
  involved
• The investigator may not specify the set of
  dependent and independent variables in advance
• The results derived depend heavily on the
  integrative powers of the investigator
• Changes in site selection and data collection
  methods could take place as the investigator
  develops new hypotheses
• Useful to study how and why questions
• The focus is on contemporary events