Examining case studies as a research method

Article Assignment : CASE STUDIES

Abstract :

Case Study one of the approach of methodology to get result and also get data collection. Case study are famous in the social science field. This field give big explanation in many things include the social behavior. Case study also can have or perform in information management / knowledge management or library science field. This article also explore about the category of the case study, the advantages and disadvantages, weakness and also the applicability of this case study method in term of information management.

Keywords

Case Study, Academic Library, Research, Quantitative, Qualitative, Information Management

Introduction

Research can be defined as a process of systematic method to enquiry and investigate of the field. By doing the research, it can help to solve problems, increase knowledge to the researcher. Beside that the research can be part of the researcher to get now or most interesting features, then it can helps the researcher to have an opportunity to clarify, follow and confirm the new things with their interested in the topic or subject.

Collis , Hussey, (2003) had stated the use of research which is to :

Analyze and explore the general issues
To appraisal and produce the new and obtainable knowledge
To identify and investigate the problems and situations that existing
To gain and generate the new ideas or knowledge
To explain and state the new phenomena
To develop and create the system, procedures and policies

Definitions of Case Study

Case study is the one of the research method and methodology. Case study is an applying an exhaustive approach which is the researcher focuses on only one specific instance of the phenomenon to be studied. Itâ€™s also only a instances in order to study the original or phenomenon in depth. From the article case study as a research method by Zaidah Zainal, (2007), stated that case study allows the exploration and understanding of complex issues. It can be considered a robust research method particularly when a holistic, in-depth investigation is required. Gulsecen & Kubat, (2006) stated that case study recognized as a tool in many social science studies, the role of case study method in research becomes more prominent when issues with regard to education. A case study offers an opportunity to study a particular subject, example one organisation, in depth, or a group of people, and usually involves gathering and analyzing information; information that may be both qualitative and quantitative .

The American Heritage Dictonary of the Engish Language , (2000) defines case study as a detailed comprehensive study of a unit such as a business or a business division that stresses factor contributing to its success or failure. Another definition is a detailed analysis of a person or group, especially as a model of the medical, social phenomena, psychiatric and psychological.

Yin ( 2009) believes that relative samples used in either large or small, cannot change to one or more research into the macroscopic study. Single case can be accepted by meeting challenge objectives case studies.

Beside that, Yin (2002) defines the case study research method â€œas an empirical study that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context which is when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident; and in which multiple sources of evidence are used. Besides that he is also mention that a a design of the case study should be considered when first is the focus of the study is to answer â€œhowâ€ and â€œwhyâ€ questions; second, the reseacrher cannot manipulate the behavior of those involved in the study; third, the reseacrher want to cover contextual conditions because you believe they are relevant to the phenomenon under study; or fourth, the limitations are not clear between the phenomenon and context. Other than that, Zaidah (2007) also stated that the past literature show the application of the case study research and method in many areas and disciplines in all types of media.

Category of the case study

The category of the case study are being categories by three, first is exploratory, descriptive and explanatory case studies. The exploratory case study can be explain as case studies set to explore any phenomenon in the data which serves as a point of interest to the researcher. For an example, a researcher conducting the exploratory a case study and the case study include the all data collection, research question and etc.

The second category is descriptive case studies. This category of this case study explains about natural phenomena which happen within the data in question. For an example, the question like what different strategies use. The descriptive case studies may use in the narrative form like using the pattern matching procedure and so on.

The third category is explanatory case studies. This examine the data deeply in level to explain the phenomena of the data in order. The explanatory case studies investigate the complex and multivariate cases. This complex theory explain the three theories of the phenomenon and study.

Case study is one of the offers an opportunity to study of the particular subject. For n example, the case study can do the research at organization , the target group of people which usually involves collect, gathering and analyzing the data and information. And the information can be gets from qualitative or quantitative.

Quantitative

Qualitative

The consequence of the quantitative research by collecting and analyze the numerical data in the case study. In focus on the measuring the frequency, the range and also the scale. The example that are use in this type of case study is phenomena. Besides that, this kind of the study are develop and design and structured so that the results and the data can be easily collected and presented perfectly.

Quantitative research can include the reflective and reflecting on the physical aspects and tangible aspect in the research. The example of the physical aspects in qualitative research like perceptions, attitudes and also the values that are being measured. Even thought this type of this research is difficult to analyze and have challenged in on the findings.

Basic types of the case study design.

Figure 1 : Types of Case Study

Strength and Weakness of the Case Study

Weaknesses

Case studies include and involve the small sets of data for an example as one or two companies. that may conduct the researcher to get and gain some insights about the trends or viral in the relevant industries. For example, the case study about the Honda Company might be used to generalize about similar companies in the automobile industries. The data or information is a reasonable to the company that chosen as a source of data. But the case studies involve small data and so that conversational empirical techniques cannot be used or where they are used.

Strengths.

The case study method involves detailed, holistic , futuristic investigation in all aspects and can utilize a range of different measurement techniques such as a methodological tool. The data can be collected over the time and related to the industries. The histories or the stories that can be told about the company are also somethingâ€™s that can be assessed and documented not just empirical data.

There are 8 steps to conducting a case study:

1) set up the broad case to investigate

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2) set up the research questions

3) Select the particular cases to be used

4) Determine data gathering and analysis techniques

5) Prepare to collect of the data

6) Collect the data

7) Analyse the data

8) Prepare the report

Methodology Review :

Title	Personalization in library database:not persuasive enough?	Social media marketing and communications strategies for scholl superintendents.	Use of web technology in providing information services by south Indian technological universities as displayed on library websites.	Facebook as an edutainment medium to engage students in sustainability and tourism	The impact of change management on attitudes of Turkish security managers towards change
Author	Jean E,McLaughlin	Danial D, Cox Scott McLeod	Preedip Balaji B, Vinit Kumar	Annica Isacsson, Ulrike Gretzel	Safer Yilmaz Huseyin Ozgen Recai Akyel
Objective	To explain the communication in terms of academic library database personalization features, persuasive technology and student research	The objective of this article to understand, evaluate and explain the using of social media in term of marketing and communication on the experience of school supervisor.	The objective of this article is to explain and discuss the web tehnology,web 2.0 and social media in term of new generation. Besides that, this article also observe the quantity of library website that are providing information services in effective.	To explain the international joint venture learning project that involves facebook as the best perform in edutainment	To present and describe that homeland security manager or supervisor on their considerable implantation and the understanding the methods managerial that can be used during the change of the process and improvement of changing management.
Methodology	This article use case study as methodology	The authors using case study methodology to conduct this study	This article use case study as methodology	This article use case study approach as methodology	This article use case study approach as methodology
Data Collection	This article using usage statictics from database in academic library.	The data are being collect by using the qualitative interview.	Using stratified sample of 40 institute library websites	Sample from 38 student	Questionnaire survey method
Findings	In this article, the authors have victorious combination research skill and also the new technology that are using in the academic library. Commonly that preference and personalization of the current database such as the features include the personal research and so on. So that Mostly of the research student are using the website and also the database to get the information.	The authors in this article are set up 12 quantitative interview with the school supervisor regarding the using of social media by internet data. Beside that in the findings also the having the contact/communication with the supervisor about the searching. So that , reader can have two side of view. Furthermore, the reader can know the impact and application in the budgeting.	In this article, the authors establish the using of the current web development technology and locate the web information service. The web information are not broad to helping in academic library. The authors also mention that most of the library in the university working are in conservative library settings.	In this study, the authors found that the sharing and posting on the facebook by student and faculty can reflect the success on the project so that it will give the success for the involvement of student.	In this article, the author suggests the way or methods that employee can be use to informing about the change, contribution of the workers. Means that, organization can give or modify the advice to the employee. Other than that, this study also mention the vital in area of homeland organization in Turkey.
Limitation	There are the limitation in this study, the authors founded the limitation on the material that are published in the library	The limitation on the awareness of the school supervisor which usually using two type of social media such as facebook to interact with the stakeholder in school. Besides that, this study did not include that thoughts and perceptions on the supervisor.	This article does not stated any limitation while doing the research	This article does not stated any limitation while doing the research	This article does not stated any limitation while doing the research

Applicability of case studies method in context information management

In term of the applicability in context information management, as we know, information management nowadays is developing to manage the information. To understand what information management is, the researcher nowadays interest to more case study in this field or area. Nowadays there are lots social scientist do the research. The information management are include the how to manage the information. By doing the research or case study in this area, the researcher must know the trend of the current research or issues . Itâ€™s important to know the trend because it making easier to the future study.

For example, if the researcher do the research or case study on the impact of use the media social, the researcher must know about the previous research and need to suggest he future reading to the reader. Besides that, by doing the case study, it allows the researcher to explore deeply the issues. Information management more to understanding how to manage the information, the type of the information and so on.

Case study have been use in information management research to suggest various types of findings. The approach of case study method also can develop many theory and model such as utaut model 1 and 2 , TAM models and so on. The case study can give comprehensive understanding on the phenomena or the specific field in information management. It is helps the researcher by doing the decision making.

Conclusion

In the nut, case study methodology are most important method to investigate deeply certain field. Nowadays, Case studies being speedily increasingly famous among the qualitative and quantitative researchers. This types of methodology provide the flexibility on the development, design and the methodsâ€™ technique in the case study. Moreover, case studies are consider to use I many research that can be the other alternative in qualitative or quantitative research because of case study is the best of methodology in research.

Moreover, case studies observe many variables or elements to complete the event or research. Case study using documents, observation and also the interviews as the main sources of the information. Most the case study assigns and allocate the point from the case study. Supporter or the researcher will hold which means that it is depends on the situations behavior. The good case study must have creativity, the design, innovation in the context of the research.

Yin (2009), also mention that case study can relies with many sources

Yin (2009), also mention that all handle with the technically in Case Study, characteristic situation where there will be a lot of variables of interest field than data points , and as one result. Case study also relies on multiple sources of proof, with data needing to converge in a triangulation as a result. The case study also give benefits to prior development of theoretical propositions to guide data collection and analysis

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