Page 341 - The Case Lab Book

simply about providing a solution to the case. If it were and if we believe that everything has a price, then
the solution to all cases is simply to sell the company. Finally, research is not a one off event, rather it is a
river at which we drink as the need and occasion demands. The case study simply provides the access
point to the water.

The diagram’s four quadrants also display the necessity for commitment, co-ordination, collaboration
and co-operation between the stakeholders in the development, production and use of the e-resource case
study.

DIAGRAM 2: E-RESOURCE CASE STUDY

The e-resource case method demands:

Commitment
If the objective is to produce effective teaching then commitment on the part of the lecturer to achieve
this is high, particularly if the approach is through the creation and development of blended learning which
calls for a greater input and maintenance of the resources. Furthermore, this has clear resource implications
for the institution which may need a clarification of the institution’s commitment to this approach. Likewise,
if the case study is a ‘live’ one the target company is likely to be heavily involved e.g. video interviews,
access to operational systems, use of past and current adverts etc.

Co-ordination
Each stage of the case study demands extensive co-ordination. Data collection with the target company
at first sight looks fairly easy but this can often be deceptive for complexity builds as case research develops
e.g. secondary data generation is inevitably extensive as this is the basis upon which most case studies
are built.