Article A3.2 Doctoral Summer School 2006: Case-Study Research Hemant Kumar Padhiari Doctoral Scholar, IRMA, Anand 388001, Gujarat, INDIA hemant_padhiari[at]yahoo.com In continuation of the research training initiatives at Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), a week-long Doctoral Summer School (DSS 2006) on case-study research was conducted during June 5-10, 2006. This year’s event was a follow-up of the last year’s summer school on research thinking and practice. DSS 2006 was aimed at doctoral scholars in management and related disciplines who are inclined to adopt a case-oriented research method. The event was also open to all research-minded persons, irrespective of their affiliation or background. [¶1] The overall objective of the school was to reflect on case study as a method of research and explore its application in a research area of one’s interest. The specific objectives of the summer school were: (a) to become aware of the challenges of doing research in applied disciplines, such as management, (b) to explore the distinctive features of case-study research followed in different situations, and (c) to practice the skills of doing case-study research. [¶2] The topics covered included the following: (a) the place of case studies in research, (b) methodological issues (traditions of inquiry, goals of research, etc.), (c) various contexts for case research, (d) case design, (e) skills and orientations relevant to case research, (f) writing case research, (g) typical case studies, (h) case-based thesis proposals, (i) examples of case research from different fields of inquiry, (j) issues in doing case-based doctoral work and defending successfully, and (k) the case researcher (self-understanding, sensitivity, authenticity, purpose, collaboration, etc.). [¶3] The 20 participants were from diverse academic or professional backgrounds, and came from various institutions and universities in India. Their expectations spanned a wide range: (a) understanding case-study research: its methodology, and its applications, (d) delineating it from other methodologies: comparisons, overlaps, (c) knowing the steps for doing case research, (d) knowing when to use, or not use, the case-study approach, (e) learning the methods of analysing case-study data, (f) exploring validity of case-study research, (g) getting tips on writing a case-study research report, (h) dealing with the philosophical issues of case-study research (ontology, epistemology), and (i) exploring the role of “self” in this kind of research. The expectations seemed too varied given the limited duration of the summer school. Nevertheless, a valiant attempt was made to address all these expectations, in some form or the other, through the various sessions. [¶4] The opening session was on images of research, in which the participants drew pictures representing their images of research. Many of us had not held a crayon since Kindergarten. It was a time to go back to our childhood days and recreate the fun of playing with colours. However, this time we had a purpose--to draw/paint the image of research we held in our minds. The participants then explained what they had painted. The explanation revealed the diverse images we held. The session facilitator then gave his comments on each of these images. This exercise brought out the fact that the word “research,” which seemed so ordinary, had in fact different meanings to different persons. [¶5] A session on film-making as research was led by the noted film theorist, Nirad Mohapatra, which added a novel dimension to our learning about research. The Black Road, a documentary film by journalist-turned-filmmaker, William Nessen, was screened and discussed. The film was about the protracted social conflict in the Aceh province of Indonesia. Issues in evaluating a film were discussed. Mr Mohapatra mentioned that he looked for organic unity in a film, i.e., whether the film had a beginning, middle, and an end--not necessarily in the same order! All parts need to exist to make the film meaningful. Sometimes, superfluous parts may be removed without diminishing the meaning. A detailed comparison was made between art film and commercial cinema. The discussion veered around how commercial cinema “spoon-fed” the audience and did not give them an opportunity to think autonomously and derive their own meanings. Likewise, in research too, the autonomy of the audience or the reader ought to be recognised. The reader is not just a passive recipient of knowledge but an active participant in the journey of research. [¶6] The sessions on process of case-study research, coordinated by Soumendra N. Bagchi of XLRI, Jamshedpur, gave a bird’s eye view of how case-study research is undertaken. He explained the process by giving examples from his own doctoral research work. This was the first time many of the participants had an opportunity to learn from someone who has done case-study research himself. We learnt how case studies have so much in common with journalistic reporting (the King/Drew case) and documentary filmmaking. Like research, these activities also follow traditions and conventions of their communities and are evaluated on criteria shared within those communities. Also within research, various forms of research have various quality indicators attached to them. The indicators for case-study research are viewed as different from those of survey research. The varieties of ways in which such studies can be done are also indicative of the diversity of how researchers approach problems. For example, we learned the difference between Robert K. Yin’s approach and Robert E. Stake’s approach for doing case research. Case-study researchers have to be alert to issues such as (a) interviewess acting from considerations of political correctness, (b) interviewees toeing the official line, (c) the so-called Hawthorne effect, (d) incongruent behaviour (i.e., mismatch between experience and expression), and (e) the influence of the researcher. Various measures were discussed to deal with these issues: for example, triangulation of data, spending enough time in the filed, and changing modes of data collection. [¶7] Incorporating the context into the analysis is crucial for case studies. While studying a critical incident, the organisational, political, and socioeconomic contexts need to be examined. It was suggested that case-study approach to inquiry is particularly meant for phenomena that cannot be separated from their contexts effectively. The choice of a research approach also depends upon the researcher’s personal orientation. Self-reflexivity and self-knowledge are extremely important for case researchers. An internal locus of control would enable researchers to be more effective. For many of us, many of the things we had read before and could not make any sense got clarified. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that we learnt more about case-study research in one week than what we had learnt before coming here. [¶8] The session case research in marketing, conducted by Jaydeep Mukherjee of XIMB, who had just defended his doctoral thesis, was insightful. Drawing upon his own journey of doctoral research, he deliberated on how to decide on a research topic. He also discussed the question of how to manage literature and how to choose research sites. He addressed the question of what to do if one is dissatisfied with the results. In all, he gave a picture of the institutional realities of doing doctoral work. This gave us a sense that doctoral work is not all that rosy; one has to be practical and take appropriate decisions at the right moments and aim to finish the doctoral project in time. This session also brought out the importance of time and financial resources in doctoral studies. His account supported the idea that research is an evolving process and, as one proceeds with research, one may have to rethink the research question and improvise so as to ask better (more defendable) questions. [¶9] The sessions on article review was very significant. All the participants were made to review a case-based research article during the session. After the review, there was a discussion on how to review research articles. There was a debate as to how the feedback should be given to the author. By reviewing others’ work, we can be in touch with the broader academic community and grow as researchers. This is an important aspect of doctoral education commonly ignored by most doctoral research training programmes. [¶10] The session on reflections of self in research was led by D. P. Dash, who started with a meditative session focusing our whole selves on the happenings of the past four days. The session took us through a journey of the event so far--how we came as individuals having different perceptions about research, our experience and learning from the various sessions so far. The session helped us to think of the changes we had undergone as a result of the interactions in the event. It made us realise that we have indeed reformed a bit in our journey towards becoming researchers. [¶11] The session on life-story methods in case research, led by Amit R. Basu, brought out the importance of doing life stories in case research and the intricacies involved in it. This mode of research is increasingly being used to great effect. It involved the thematisation of a character’s story and bringing to light interesting problems and little studied phenomena. There is also a critical angle to this enterprise as it strives to challenge the dominant stories. The learning from this session was that every case is a life-story--be it of an individual, organisation, or a process. [¶12] The grand finale to the event came in the form of a spectacular performance by the noted Odissi dancer and Padmashree awardee, Ileana Citaristi and her co-dancer, Saswat Joshi. They presented a lecture-demonstration on dance and research. With two choreographic examples, she demonstrated how she proceeds towards a new composition. She illustrated the making of the first item, called “Tantra,” as a journey which started from a concept and, through the interpretation of a classic text, reached the visualisation through dance. She also mentioned that, for this particular item, she did not use the usual way of visualising each word of the text through a mudra (hand gesture) as it is usually done in Odissi abhinaya, but she explored the dynamics of space and the interactions of the bodies of the two dancers for conveying the meaning. In this case, the meaning was the ascent and descent of the kundalini shakti through the seven chakras in the human body, as described in the two relevant slokas of Saundarya Lahari. In the second item, the research and creative journey started from the theme of nava-rasa (i.e., the nine basic sentiments in the ancient aesthetic framework commonly followed in Indian art) and she explained how she searched within the mythology related to Lord Shiva to find corresponding episodes which would suit each of the nine sentiments. [¶13] After the enthralling performance, the audience asked questions about dance as a systematic field of inquiry and about the correspondence between dance and research. Dr Citaristi said, dance has the precision and the exactness of a science, which also accepts the criteria of aesthetics. Comparing dance and science, she said that both needed to prove themselves to an audience before being accepted. Describing her journey, she said that in the first part of her life, which culminated in her doctoral degree in philosophy, she gathered knowledge through books. In the second part of her life, she found a form of self-expression through dance. So her creations were a synthesis of these two approaches: the intellectual and the expressive. Obviously, both dance and research require enormous dedication and the complete immersion of the self in the process. [¶14] On the final day, Amar K. J. R. Nayak of XIMB discussed his work on case-study research, highlighting the case research projects taken up by the Centre for Case Research at XIMB. In the closing session, the previous five days’ experiences were reviewed and compared with the participants’ expectations listed on the first day. Some loose ends were identified that needed to be addressed. The participants were asked to list their learning which they wished to take from the summer school and aspects they wished to leave behind. There was also a goal-setting process in which the participants were asked to write down their immediate goals and the timeline for achieving the same. [¶15] Participants’ Comments “DSS 2006 has really been a memorable experience for all of us and I could realise how meticulously the programme was designed. ... the general exposure to doctoral research has really been very useful. Am sure, I can make my next participation in DSS more meaningful with the experience of this one.” (Manas Sanyal, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur) “I would have liked to say that the doctoral summer school helped us think out-of-the-box on research. But we learned that we are always in boxes of one type or other. What is probably worth talking about is the process of transition from one box to another. What makes the process even more complicated is that the boundaries and dimensions of the boxes are constantly changing. This was a great insight.” (Jacob D. Vakkayil, Doctoral Scholar, XIMB) “Attending the DSS 2006 was an experience of a lifetime for me as I do not belong to the community of academicians. For a pilot who has been involved with throttle and stick throughout my life (the controls in an aircraft) and living a life of careless abandon, interacting with the academic world gave me a different perspective. A brief intrusion into academic life was during my doctoral research. ... this summer school helped me in getting a better and broader understanding of the way research could be done.” (Wing Commander Suryakant Sharma, College of Air Warfare, Secunderabad) “DSS 2006 has certainly changed my attitude towards research. Earlier, I felt it was a lonely journey with full of hurdles and tribulations. Now, I feel that connecting with the larger research community will certainly inspire my efforts and listening and learning from others who have been through or going through a similar process will make this journey a memorable one. I may be still alone in my effort, but I now see a larger group of people around me going through the same process. ... This experience has enhanced my image as a researcher and I feel much more responsible both to myself as well as the broader research community than before.” (Hemant Kumar Padhiari, Doctoral Scholar, IRMA) “DSS 2006 was a learning experience for me. I would mention two noteworthy thoughts I would like to take back and reflect upon: (a) A researcher’s awareness about the events that shape the research, and his involvement as an actor affecting the changes and changing the actor himself, is a necessary condition for research growth. (b) The success of a researcher lies not only in choosing the right tool for his dissertation but, more importantly, excluding the tools (that seem inviting at times) which might be used just for the sake of it.” (Adwait Govind Menon, Doctoral Scholar, XIMB) “My main objective of attending the DSS was to interact with a few people who have carried out case-study research. That purpose was fulfilled--I had the opportunity to interact with two scholars who have recently used this in their doctoral research. But I also received something unforeseen--a liberating view of case-study research in particular and ‘research’ in general.” (Pradeep Mishra, Doctoral Scholar, IRMA) More Comments (Taken from the Feedback Form) * (Adwaita) Learning through experience. Awareness through self-consciousness. * (Elizabeth) Was a good forum for understanding. * (Hemant) Satisfactory. * (Ibha) Very enriching!!! * (Jacob) Very fruitful and empowering. * (Jayanti) This experience was the first of its kind. So, it was really enriching. Once I attend a few more of these programs, I would be in a better position to give a comparative analysis. Secondly, for me to comment on this experience I should be experienced on the topic, which I am not. * (Kamal) (a) Gained vastly by the criticism of my case-study presentation, (b) confident that I will be able to do a more thorough job in future. * (K. Komala) Good learning experience! * (Kuruvilla) On the whole, DSS 2006 gave me a fair idea of the different aspects of the case-study method of research. The organisation of the individual components of the programme was well thought out by the coordinators. * (Manas) The general exposure to doctoral research has really been very useful. Overall rating: 9 on a 10-point scale. I thank you once again for your untiring efforts in building up this community. * (Manaswee) A pleasant experience, a memorable one (no cardinal scale, please). * (Pradeep) (a) I learned a lot, (b) I knew a number of people, (c) I got a set of good reading material that I can refer back any time. * (Pranab) It has been an eye-opener for my PhD research. My fears and hesitations for PhD work has somehow disappeared. * (Pravat) Simply great. * (Riaz) I came with an open mind to get a feel of research, so for me it was a bonus. Not only I got insight on basic research but also got exposed to case study, life story, and various other methods. * (Sai) It was an enriching experience. * (Shankar) A great experience with lot of thinking exercises, on and off the class. * (Suryakant) As an individual who has already completed his doctoral studies, I had expected to come and acquire additional knowledge. However the first day itself made me realise my limitations and the amount of knowledge that remained to be acquired and the inadequacies in me as a researcher. An enlightening experience which has made me more humble and receptive. But the positive aspect is that, I realised that I am on my way in getting there. * (Trishla) Great re-learning, reflecting experience. APPENDIX Programme Coordination [addresses updated on July 22, 2006] Abinash Panda, Tata Management Training Centre, Pune, INDIA; apanda[at]tata.com Amar K. J. R. Nayak, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, INDIA; amar[at]ximb.ac.in C. Shambu Prasad, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, INDIA; shambu[at]ximb.ac.in Debiprasad Dash (Convenor), Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, INDIA; dpdash[at]ximb.ac.in Florian Kohlbacher, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, AUSTRIA & Hitotsubashi Univ., JAPAN; florian.kohlbacher[at]wu-wien.ac.at P. Saravanan, Goa Institute of Management, Ribandar, Goa, INDIA, prof.saravanan[at]gmail.com Snigdha Pattnaik, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, INDIA; snigdha[at]ximb.ac.in Soumendra N. Bagchi, Xavier Labour Relations Institute, Jamshedpur, INDIA; s_bagchi[at]xlri.ac.in Participants 1. Kamal Krishna Mukherjee, XLRI, Jamshedpur, mkamal_k[at]rediffmail.com 2. Wg Cdr Suryakant Sharma, College of Air Warfare, Secunderabad, suryakantsharma[at]yahoo.com 3. Hemant Kumar Padhiari, IRMA, hemant_padhiari[at]yahoo.com 4. Pradeep Kumar Mishra, IRMA, mpradeep17[at]yahoo.com 5. Kashi Komala R. A., IIT Madras, komalakashi[at]gmail.com 6. Manas K. Sanyal, Bengal Engg and Sc. Univ., Shibpur, sanyal_manas[at]yahoo.co.in 7. Elizabeth Devasia, IIT Madras, elizabeth_iitm[at]yahoo.co.in 8. Shankar M., VISU International, Hyderabad, shankar.muralidharan[at]gmail.com 9. Jayanti Golchha, Cerebral Learning Solutions, Hyderabad, jayanti.ti[at]gmail.com 10. Sai Krishna Nanduri, IRMA, saikrissna[at]yahoo.co.in 11. Trishla Singh, IIT Kanpur, trishla[at]iitk.ac.in 12. Asmita Shukla, IIT Kanpur, asmitad[at]iitk.ac.in 13. Pravat S. Kar, RIMS Rourkela, coolpravat[at]yahoo.com 14. Riaz Khan, CEO, Sun Hospital, Cuttack, riazofficial[at]rediffmail.com 15. Manaswee Kumar Samal, IBAT, Bhubaneswar, manaswee[at]ibat.ac.in 16. Pranab S. Deb, ICFAI, Bhubaneswar, pranabdeb[at]ibsindia.org 17. Ibha Kumar, Faculty, XIMB, ibha[at]ximb.ac.in 18. Jacob D. Vakkayil, FPM Scholar, XIMB, jacobdvakkayil[at]yahoo.com 19. Adwaita Govind Menon, FPM Scholar, XIMB, agm_govind[at]yahoo.co.in 20. C. D. Kuruvilla, FPM Scholar, XIMB, cdkuruvilla[at]yahoo.co.in Copyleft Xavier Institute of Management, Xavier Square, Bhubaneswar 751013, India Research World (ISSN 0974-2379) http://www1.ximb.ac.in/RW.nsf/pages/Home |
