Examining case studies as a research method

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. It’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 qua ntitative . 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€Å"as 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€Å"how† and â€Å"why† 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. 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 something’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 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 : 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 . It’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 methods’ 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 1 | Page