Course Outline

This is a practical course in applying the theories of case study research methodology. Lectures will cover in-depth the advantages and pitfalls of conducting research with the case study approach. Emphasis is placed on actual hands-on experience. Students will design, conduct and present their case study research projects.

Along with theoretical discussions, students have to put theory to practice by conducting a sizable case study research project, with intensive work over a 3-month period. Students will form teams of 3 to 4 members to conduct the project. Each team will have a chance to present the research questions, to revised these questions and present a research plan of how evidence will be collected and analyzed, and to prepare the final report.

Teams are free to choose the topic. It can be something happening in the team’s company, or anywhere else. The project can be based on some event that is happening or that has already happened. Preferably the project will be on an IT related issue. Literature review on the research topic, formulation of the research questions, field data collection, interviews, field observations, data analysis and project presentation are important components of the module work.

This course's focus is on the use of case study research method for research on management information systems (MIS). The research method itself is applicable to other social science areas, such as education, social policy or societies. Students should have an interest in MIS research, or in applying the case study research method to other areas.

There are two required textbooks:
R Yin, Case Study Research, Sage Publications, 1994; and
Miles and Huberman, Qualitative data analysis, Sage Publications, 1994.
In addition, quite a number of journal articles form required readings.

Students who have not taken any IS research modules (such as IC4231 or CS4250 IS Research Methodology) should read the book Social Research Methods by D. Dooley before or at the beginning of the course. Chapter 4 on Theory is particularly important for project selection.

A note for potential students new to case study research: This module is not to be confused with the case study method of teaching. In case study teaching (in any topic), typically the case studies present stories of real life situations, and students are presented with questions to discuss. For example, a case study may require students to discuss how they will react to the situations presented, assuming they are managers in the scenarios. There is no element of research. In contrast, for case study research, the main objective is research. Students need to develop research questions, identify suitable cases, identify and collect relevant data from the situations that they personally observe, and analyse the data to answer the research questions.
 

Exam: 23 Apr 99, PM, open-book exam.
Marks
Course works: 50%; examination: 50%.
Course works include:
1. Project proposals: 5% (presentation + written paper)
2. Revised proposal + plan: 10% (presentation + written paper)
3. Analysis example: 5% (presentation + printed slides)
4. Final project report: 20% (written, no presentation)
5. Self-assessment of your own project: 10% (written, no presentation)

Examination format: to critically assess a case study article.

Course Schedule

Journal Articles:
1. Benbasat, I., D. K. Goldstein, and M. Mead, The case research strategy in studies of information systems, MIS Quarterly, September 1987, 369-386. (Benbasat et al. 1987).
2. Lee, A.S., A scientific methodology for MIS case studies, MIS Quarterly, March 1989, 33-50. (Lee 1989).
3. Straub, D.W., Validating instruments in MIS research, MIS Quarterly, June 1989, 147-169. (Straub 1989).
4. Todd, P. and I. Benbasat, Process tracing methods in decision support systems research: exploring the black box, MIS Quarterly, 493-512. (Todd & Benbasat 1987).
5. Rieman, J., A field study of exploratory learning strategies, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, September 1996, 189-218. (Rieman 1996).
6. Poltrock, S. E. and J. Grudin, Organizational obstacles to interface design and development: two participant observer studies, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, March 1991, 52-80. (Poltrock and Grudin 1994).
7. Robey, D. and M. Newman, Sequential patterns in information systems development: an application of a social process model, ACM Transactions on Information Systems, January 1996, 30-63. (Robey and Newman 1996).
8. Leidner, D. E. and S. L. Jarvenpaa, The information age confronts education: case studies on electronic classrooms, Information Systems Research, 4:1, March 1993, 24-54. (Leidner and Jarvenpaa 1993).
9. Wambach, J.A., Network politics in an educational organization, Behaviour and Information Technology, 1995, 14:3, 183-195. (Wambach 1995).