Implications of Case Study Research in Information Systems in Supply Chain Management

Yi Wu Warwick Business School University of Warwick Coventry, CV4 7AL UK Telephone: (+) 44 (0) 24 7657 5816 Email: yi.wu05@wbs.ac.uk Supervisor, Name: Supervisor, Email: 16th EDAMBA Summer Academy Soreze, France July 2007 Abstract This research is concerned with Information System (IS) integration in the context of agile capability of supply chain management (SCM). Case study research has been carried out for empirical research. Interviews and survey were employed for data collection to provide comprehensive data on the role and impact of IS in relation to supply chain agility, and to reflect a range of perceptions from thick description of interviews and quantitative presentation. In conclusion, several strengths and weaknesses are discussed for each method, by highlighting the value of a mixed-methods approach in this study. Key Words Case study, interviews, survey, qualitative methods, quantitative methods

1 Introduction This research is concerned with the role of information systems (IS) in achieving agile capabilities in supply chain management (SCM), which includes customer sensitivity enhancement, process integration, network integration and virtual integration through the process of logistics, procurement and operations in supply chains. More specifically, it explores the value creation process from IS

integration in supply chain agility and how IS realizes values in several operational dimensions in supply chain. A conceptual framework has been developed in order to gain insights into the impact of IS on agility and to develop propositions which highlight the role of IS as a platform to various integration processes in supply chain agility. Empirical research is carried out through a pilot case study and follow-up multiple case studies1 along Chinese automotive supply chain. The initial case study is for modifying the research propositions and testing the overall research design, followed by case studies to provide an in-depth understanding of the conditions under which IS creates value along supply chainsSemi-structured interviews are deployed to IT professionals and senior managers from logistics, procurement and operation departments to gain an in-depth understanding and surveys will be handed out to test propositions. The paper is set out to gain an in-depth understanding of the implications of case study in this research. The paper is organized as following. Section 2 discusses the reasons to adopt case study. Section 3 is concerned with the pros and cons of the research techniques applied in this research and section 4 evaluate case study, while section 5 explores the issues needed to be addressed. 2 Reason to adopt case study I choose the case study design to explore the relations of IS integration and supply chain agility as many studies fall short on unraveling potential mechanism in which IS may affect supply chain agility According to Ritchie (2003), the use of methods is heavily influenced by the aims of the research and the specific questions that need to be answered. Case study approach is appropriate because it is a research strategy, focusing on understanding the dynamics present within single settings (Eisenhardt 1989). The research focuses on the contemporary phenomena, and in the context of IS research, the focus has been moved from technical to managerial and organizational questions, and as a consequence, the research will investigate how context interacts IS applications. In order to understand the phenomenon, the research focuses on organizational structures, the business processing taking places etc (Benbasat et al., 1987).

In this research, a case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary

phenomenon within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident (Yin 1994), usually combining data collection methods such as archives, interviews, questionnaires and observation (Eisenhardt 1989).

Case study research is one of the most common approaches applied in IS field (Alavi et al., 1992), because it has multiple perspectives which are rooted in a specific context and provides multiple data collection methods (Richie et al., 2003). Therefore, case study research is not exclusively concerned with qualitative methods as all evidence will go to the data collection (Gillham, 2000). In addition, a case study approach is well-suited to IS study because the nature of the discipline is the study of IS as the technology per se in the context of organizations (Myers, 1997). 3 Data collection
3.1 Interview

Semi-structured interviews2 with open-ended questions will help collect the field data concerning with the organizational patterns of IS and their relation to supply chain agility. The interviews have been carried out with IT professionals, senior managers from logistics, procurement and operation departments in companies. Each interview lasted around 40 minutes under the interview guide related with list of questions. Semi-structured interview has already focused on a particular subject; however, it is still free to build up the conversation within this subject area. Such flexibility makes the interview a good technique for exploration (Chein & Proshansky, 1959). In particular with the research objective to develop the way to maximize IS applications in supply chains, interviews can provide an in-depth understanding, insights on peoples experiences, and help to approach the research questions from different dimensions (Mason, 2002). Meanwhile, interviews also allow accessing a wider variety of people to achieve a greater breadth of coverage (Ryman, 2001). Another advantage is that with the interview guide, it can help me to carefully decide how best to use the limited time available in an interview and also to help to interview a number of different people more systematic and comprehensive by delimiting the issues to explore in advance (Mishler, 1996). On the other hand, there are limits of using interviews. First, it has the common problem of bias in the interview processes that interviewers can only
2

A semi-structured interview is that the researcher has an interview guide, but interviewees

have a great deal of leeway in how to reply. Questions may not follow the sequence listed in the guide. Questions that are not on the list can also be asked as they pick up on the answers from interviewees (Ryman, 2001).

hear what they want or interviewees give what interviewers want to hear (Yin, 1994). Second, the meaning of words sometimes can become ambiguous as the spoken word has always a residue of ambiguity, no matter how carefully we work the questions or how carefully we report r code the answers (Fontana & Frey, 2000). Third, there has possibility of reluctance of talking insides in an interview context along as they may concern on the interviewees with regard to how much the interviewer can be trusted (Ryman, 2001). In order to improve data accuracy, interviews will be recorded under interviewees permission so that I can be more attentive to the interviewees (Yin, 1994), and interview reports will be sent back (Myers & Newman, 2007).
3.2 Survey

In this research, I applied survey to evaluate propositions about the critical factors of IS and the relations to supply chain, using a 5 point Likert-scale, mainly answering the questions of the casual relationship, for instance, what the values are and to what degree the values have been achieved. There are relevant examples in the IS and SCM field supporting the methods (Goldman et al., 1995; Mondragon et al., 2004). Quantitative methods in social research are aiming to develop casual propositions between concepts (Bryman, 1988). Through being able to quantifying the data, it can help complement or extend the range of evidence (e.g. from interview) on the topics under study. The impersonal nature of q survey, e.g. standardized wording and sequence of questions, ensures some uniformity from one measurement situation to another (Chein & Proshansky, 1959), because a common pitfall in qualitative data collection is an bias in the selection of informants and in the evaluation of statements. Survey can help to correct bias in the interpretation of events. Replies to survey can also provide leads for later interviews and eliminate the need to ask routine background questions (Sieber, 1973). Furthermore, survey also contributes to qualitative data analysis. When qualitative method plays an important role in the theoretical structure, survey data become essential for buttressing the argument, and can help to verify the field interpretation (Seiber, 1973). However, on the other hand, the weakness of the survey lies on its incapacity to reveal covert and hidden activities (Bryman, 1995).

4 Mixed methods
4.1 IS Research traditions

Many studies have been carried out to examine the effects of one or more variables of applying IS. For example, they regard IS as an important factor or view organizations as acting in rational consort to achieve outcomes through IS application (Kaplan et al., 1988). Therefore, many researches are based on the quantitative outcomes such as technical, effectiveness and performance measurement. Such study treats organizational context, technology features, user applications as static, and objective instead of dynamic and interacting. These studies focused on the static constructs, but they neglect the aspects of social interaction that may influence outcomes (Lyytinen, 1987). Concepts or context may change over time according to how participants view and experience (Kaplan et al., 1988). For example, studies are concerned with IS with respect to organizational structures etc, and in these studies, IS is viewed as impact rather than a social construct (Danziger, 1985). However, with the recognition of qualitative research for conducting IS in the social context, interpreting IS in terms of social action and meanings is becoming popular, as evidence grows that IS development and use is a social, as well as technical progress that includes constructs related to social, organizational and conceptual aspects of the systems (Kling and Scacchi, 1982; Markus, 1983), for example, the research on the IS with the organizational change (Markus &Robey, 1988). In fact, each research method has its own appropriate uses, based on research questions and analytical assumptions (Markus & Robey, 1988; Weick, 1984). Although there is still disagreement concerning the use of approaches, it is possible to integrate the methods as combining the methods introduces testability and context into the research (Kaplan and Duchon, 1988).
4.2 Mixed methods in this research

Bulk of literatures has discussed the values of combining methods in social research as it is becoming increasingly common in recent years (Bryman, 2006). It helps us to think outside the box, to theorize beyond the micro-macro divide, and to enhance and extend the logic of qualitative explanations (Mason, 2006). Each of these two approaches provides a distinctive kind of evidence and when used together they can offer a powerful resource to inform and illuminate practice (Ritchie, 2003). I choose to integrate these methods in order to provide a full picture of the research. In fact, both methods are brought together to study the same

phenomenon but divided according to research objectives on what is explored, and according to which information needs collected, as this has been discussed by Ritchie (2003). Specifically in this research, the investigation will be needed (requiring for qualitative methods) for integration processes, accompanied by some measurement of outcomes (requiring quantitative methods). Quantitative data can indicate relationships which may not be noticeable to the researchers. It also keeps the researchers from vivid, but false impressions in qualitative data. On the other hand, qualitative data lies in the knowledge it provides the dynamics of social processes, change and social context so that it can answer how and why questions in these domain, and also the results can be strengthened by quantitative support (Eisenhardt, 1989; Mason, 2006). Therefore, these techniques can provide comprehensive data on the role and the impact of IS in relation to supply chain agility, and reflect a range of perceptions from think description of interviews and quantitative presentation to gain a fuller picture of the phenomenon under study (Byrman, 1995; Mason, 2002). Moreover, using multiple methods increases the robustness of results because findings can be strengthened through triangulation (Jick, 1979). That is the validation through different sources of data converge (Benbasat et al., 1987; Bonoma, 1985), or divergence when an explanation is developed to account for (Trend, 1979). Therefore the results can be based on convergence of different sources and methods. Mixed methods are followed the approaches of the logic of triangulation3 (Ryman, 1995).Denzin (1978) outlines four types of triangulation, including diverse sources of data, different investigators, perspectives to the same data and different methods. In this research, I will collect data mainly adopting interviews from different people in a company to obtain comprehensive information, and richer descriptions of phenomenon result on the processing of implementing IS integration among firms, the business objectives of applying IS and their understanding of using IS across departments. Meanwhile surveys were distributed to a random sample of employees quantifying the critical success factors of IS integration and the impacts from IS. Qualitative data from interviews play the main role in this research. It should be underscored that the quantitative results were used largely to supplement the qualitative data as the survey became more meaningful when interpreted in light of critical qualitative informationTriangulation can lead to a prominent role for qualitative evidence (Jick, 1979).
3

Triangulation is defined as the combination of methodologies in the study of the same

phenomenon (Denzin, 1978).

4.4 Quality of the research

Case study research has been advanced for information system research in order to understand the nature and complexity of the processes taking place (Benbasat et al., 1987; Kaplan and Dunchon, 1988). Although many scholars argue that one can not mix research methods across qualitative and quantitative paradigms due to the different philosophic premises, purposed and epistemic roots (Leininger, 1991; Lincoln and Guba, 1985), one can mix methods in each paradigm (Leininger, 1990) to achieve cross-validation, which is combining two or more sources to study the same phenomenon to gain a complete understanding (Denzin, 1970), and to achieve complementary results by using the strengthens of one methods to enhance the other (Morgan, 1978). Validity4 of Qualitative Data Collection In the qualitative research, the issue of validity isa question of whether the researcher sees what he thinks he sees (Kirk and Miller, 1986). In current study, I collected from various interviewees in one organization and also sent out the survey. During the interview process, the interview guide was used and interview was recoded under the permission or the note was taken when they did not allow the tape recording. Following the interview was the interview report sent back to interviewees. Theses procedures were intended to maximize the validity of interview as a data collection by ensuring that interview was not misunderstood or included my bias of interpretation as an interviewer. Silverman (2000) proposed two common responses to improve the data validity are data triangulation and respondent validation. Generalization Difficulty in generalizing from case studies has been considered a major shortcoming of the methods, no matter involving single case or multiple cases (Yin, 1999). Theoretical generalization is the rational for generalizing from qualitative research (Mitchell, 1983). On the other hand, generalization in quantitative research is based on choosing representative samples and using probability. However, in this research, interviews still tends to prevail as a major source of data collection. It is unusual to find examples of investigations in which qualitative and quantitative research have a roughly equal role (Bryman, 1995). Bryman (1995) outlined several ways in which the use of number can help qualitative research to establish the generalizability, such as combining survey
4

Validity is defined as the truth interpreted as the extent to which an account accurately

represents the social phenomena to which it refers (Hammersley, 1990).

with case study, or sampling within the case. For example, in Silvermans research (1984) of clinics, he used participant observation to obtain an in-depth understanding of patient behavior, and applied the quantitative comparisons of various indicators of interaction as evidence in the study. In this research, I mainly applied qualitative data to explore the IS in the context of organizations, employing the quantitative information to measure performances as a means of establishing the generalization. 5 Conclusions The study aims to use case study research to explore the IS integration in the context of supply chain agility. In terms of contribution to the literature, collecting qualitative data provides a rich description of IS integration processes and its relation to agile capability, and it can be supported by quantitative survey. Especially in IS field, it needs a variety of approaches to study as no one method can provide the richness that the information systems, as a discipline, needs for further advances (Kaplan & Duchon, 1988). However, there are several caveats with the application of mixed methods in the study of IS. For example, Replication is difficult, especially for the qualitative methods (Seale, 1999). It has been largely absent from most organizational study, but it is usually considered as an important step in scientific progress (Jick, 1979).