Suggestions of data types and sources.

Read all relevant case papers before attempting this assignment.

Case study research (CSR) has been used as a valid method of research by social scientists, educators, psychologists and anthropologists for many years because it provides more realistic responses than purely statistical surveys.

It is proposed to conduct a CSR focusing on the political, social and commercial life of a small compact region of a country. The objective of the research is to examine the use of a proposed electronic community network on the World Wide Web as a method of delivering and receiving information from the public and to determine whether such an electronic network would be beneficial to the community and what those benefits might be.

You are asked to prepare a working document for the guidance of conducting a Case Study Research (CSR) focusing on the political, social and commercial life of a small compact region of a country of your choice.
Your document should ensure that adequate demographic details of the selected country region will be taken into consideration its history and ancient roots, diversified culture, languages and multi-religious beliefs so that the subsequent report will be understood in context.
The objective of the research is to examine the use of a proposed electronic community network on the World Wide Web as a method of delivering and receiving information from the public and to determine whether such an electronic network would be beneficial to the community and what those benefits might be.
In The Economist, September 7th -13th 2013 pp25-27 is an article “multiplexed metropolis” which might be of interest to you. If of interest, look at Mustapha Coruh’s doctoral project was “The Effects of Municipal Wireless Network (MWN) and e-Municipality System for Effective, Efficient and Productive Usage of Local Resources in the Municipal Governments.”

Suggest how the CSR could be used as a learning medium stating the objectives you consider could be transferred to practical research operations.
(Note: You are not required to undertake a research but to prepare an instruction document for the CSR including whatever guidance you consider appropriate within the limited size of the assignment.)
Paper must include:
Executive summary: a very short literature review on CSR and its evolution. Then agree, challenge or support the use of CSR as a medium. State the objectives you consider could be transferred to practical research operations.
Your paper must include guidance on the following eight criteria:
1. Definition of the objective of the research outlining possible scenarios of results and plans of action under each scenario to ensure that the purpose of the CSR is understood before it commences. Objectives must be Real, Understandable, Measurable, Achievable and Agreed/ Time bound (SMART)

2. Advice on CSR design which is to be a descriptive research with longitudinal or cross-sectional studies, rather than an exploratory or causal research.

3. Suggestions of data types and sources. Secondary data that has previously been collected for other purposes but which can be used in the proposed CSR. Primary data, which may be obtained by observation or communication and involves questioning respondents orally or in writing.

4. The collecting of data and analytical techniques such as:
• Using available information.
• Observation and interviews.
• Questionnaires?postal or electronic.
• Focus discussion groups.
• Projective techniques, mapping, scaling.

5. Construction and size of the sample. The sampling frame must be representative of the whole region. Because CSR generates a large amount of data from multiple sources, systematic organisation of data collection and collation is vital.

6. Data collection. In addition to the inherent sampling error, the actual data collection process will introduce unintentional non-sampling errors owing to fatigue or insufficient understanding of the interview process, and intentional errors by a biased interviewer. A description of how non-sampling errors may be reduced.

7. Analysis and interpretation of the data. Raw data needs to be edited to eliminate errors, transformed into appropriate format and then coded to convert it into quantitative data, which is tabulated into various categories.

8. Preparation of the report. Typically, this should contain:
• Contents.
• Statement of research objectives.
• List of tables.
• Executive summary.
• Methodology.
• Results.
• Limitations.
• Conclusions and recommendations.
• Appendices containing copies of the questionnaires, etc.

9. References (at least 20).

10. Appendix

Histories and studies
The majority of those who write about case studies and case study analysis do so from a narrow viewpoint of their business experience and such observations are not exhaustive. Frequently, attempts are made to argue from a specific business case background to generalisations about cases as a whole. I differentiate among case material, histories, studies, projects and research

Case material
This is either in raw data format or analysed and edited into information. It is the substance, facts, processes, timings, and characters that form the basis for the preparation and description of an event or series of events in a framework with, or without, a related environment.

Case history
The crucial element in all case studies is the environment. A case history is a case study but a case study is not necessarily a case history?its environment conditions its analysis and synthesis. Case material is collated into its historical context, usually in time sequence. Events, situations, problems, conflicts, processes, results and conclusions are described post hoc and the whole thing is a fait accompli. The events are irreversible and the case history is used as a typical, good or bad example of the subject being studied.

Case study
A case study maybe a bit of history, taken or modified from real-life, fiction or ‘faction’ created by the author or a combination of several sources. A study also describes events in their environment and any problems or conflicts are not necessarily revealed; their discovery may be the reason for using the case. Conclusions are not necessarily reached and it is usually possible to ‘enter the case’ at an appropriate point and become involved in operations as an external adviser or from a designated position in the case.

Case project
The case project is an active case study relating to the contemporary real world; the substance of the project can be extended or expanded by actual research. I found Harvard cases at the time inadequate for the depth analysis needs of the final examination and for eleven years, I wrote two cases a year based on my business and consultancy experience. I was commissioned to write the first book on case analysis, Business Analysis for Marketing Managers, which, though dated, is still consulted in public libraries. Today, with the mass of data, information, research, reports and opinions availability on the Internet, the case project is becoming more popular.

Since then, a lot of academic attention has focused on case work and new methods have been, and are being sought to deal with the subject. R K Yin, a prolific writer of case work especially on case study research in the social services, has suggested different descriptions for the case history, which he classifies as an evaluative or descriptive case, and the case study, which he calls a decision-forcing or decision-focus case. He differs from me in his description of the latter saying that the author does not reveal the decisions made by the participants. Stakeholder and participant decisions are often a major topic.