Business Informatics Case Studies: Doing a Case Study

Craig McDonald © UC 2005

Business Informatics Case Studies:

Doing a Case Study


Informatics is a broad field of study that considers the nature information (in its various forms including and data

and articulated knowledge).

Informatics examines the use of information by humans to achieve various ends; the technologies of its

management (how it is created, stored, processed, communicated and mobilised), the issues it raises

(validity, privacy, IP) and the repercussions of information for people, organisations and society.

What is Informatics ?


As an area of study, Informatics has both applied and basic aspects.

Applied Informatics examines the topics in relation to a particular knowledge domain. Health Informatics is the most advanced of the applied informatics disciplines.

Health informatics examines topics from the GP looking after patient records to expert systems for diagnosis,

remote medicine, to medical research.

Business Informatics examines the use of ICT in organisations.

What is Business Informatics ?


What is a Case Study ?

A ‘Case’ is a single, specific situation to be examined:

a legal case “the case of the Crown verses McDonald”

an occurrence of something"but there is always the famous case of the Smiths"

a special set of circumstances"it may rain in which case the picnic will be cancelled"

a problem requiring investigation"Perry Mason solved the case of the missing heir"

A ‘study’ is the disciplined gathering and assessment of evidence to produce reliable, usable pattern or theory.


What is a ‘Pattern or Theory’?

A Theory is a structure of concepts and relationships that can be applied to a case.

“theory that gravitation (agent concept) causes (relationship) objects (concept) to fall”

It can be used to:Explain an event,Predict the outcome of a proposed action.

It can be built, tested, discarded, …. based on evidence

It can be tested in a case study, or built by it.

Unlike experiments or surveys, case studies are situated


http://cis.gsu.edu/~rbaskerv/csar/sld004.html

Case Study or Consultancy?


“Action research aims to contribute both to the practical concerns of people in an immediate problematic situation and to the goals of social science by joint collaboration within a mutually acceptable ethical framework (Rapoport, 1970, p. 499). “

(http://www.qual.auckland.ac.nz/)

Investigators try to: 1. fulfill the needs of their study subjects and, 2. generate new knowledge.

As such, IS action researchers have to serve two masters: their immediate research clients, who directly benefit from the research while it is being conducted, and the IS academic community in general.

http://ww2.cis.temple.edu/kock/ICIS99/ISARpanel/PanelDescription/Default.htm

Case Study as Research


http://cis.gsu.edu/~rbaskerv/CAIS_2_19/CAIS_2_19.html

“Generalize Accordingly… General statements cannot be made on the basis of the number of observations (a statistical notion), but rather on a representative sample of one. Generalities must be tempered with an interpretation of the extent of similar settings to which the theory can be expected to apply.”

Generalisation


If the researcher does not have close ties with at least one organization, it is often hard to gain access to a site where the researcher can act as an agent of change.

The amount of time that has to be committed by the researcher is very large compared with other research approaches. And how do you manage open-ended methods ?

If the research is funded by an organization, conflicts of interest may detract from the credibility of reported findings.

The high involvement of the researcher with the study subjects can influence their perceptions and actions and therefore bias research findings.

Research projects may take too long to be completed, which may hinder the adoption of the research approach by doctoral students, particularly in programs that follow the American model.

Danger of Cancellation

In spite of their likely relevance to practitioners, it is hard to publish research results in top IS journals.


Case Study : Cons & Pros


The high involvement of the researcher with the research subjects allows for access to rich and in-depth research data.

Since the topic of the research is partly selected by the client (e.g. a company in a specific industry), its findings are likely to be of high relevance to at least a section of the practitioner community (e.g. the immediate research client and other companies in the same industry).

The real world orientation of the approach offers a singular opportunity to recruit part-time doctoral students who hold positions in organizations facing a problem whose solution can lead to relevant research findings.

The problem-solving orientation of the research increases chances of obtaining research funding.


Case Study : Cons & Pros


How do I conduct a Case Study?

Approach 1. “Grounded”

Go with little idea of what will result – let the ideas arise from the experience.

Approach 2. “theory-driven”

Go with a theory to test.

Approach 3. “Thematic” (blend of 1 & 2)

Go with a theme in mind, and some concepts, but not a theory.


Preparation for a Case Study

Strategy :why do you want to engage?is a case study appropriate ?is the organisation suitable ?what will you do with the results ?

Planning:negotiate with the boss (what are her interests?)confidentiality & accessculture


Evidence Collection

Review of documents recordsartefacts

Interviews structured, unstructuredqualitative, quantitativefocus groups

Observation

Participation

Iterate, test the evidence, keep a log of developing ideasbe alert to your own interference with the evidence (CSI)


Analysis & Presentation

What is the ‘structure of concepts and relationships’ that emerge from the case study ?

Test it against the evidence for:

Construct ValidityCategorical Analysis

Internal Validitycross-referenced evidence, triangulation

External Validityauditable, repeatable?

Write up & Present: to whom ? for what purpose ?


A Case : AusVit

AusVit Objective :

To achieve the transfer of scientific knowledge and industry best practice

in a way that meets the management needs of the grower toimprove efficiency, yield and quality

while

reducing environmental impact and the risk of crop loss.


Technology (knowledge) Transfer

Applied Research

user

Education

Extension

scientificpublication

courses,graduates

fact sheets,seminars



Applied Research

user

Education

Extension


courses,graduates


year 2 year 3 year 5 time



Applied Research

user

Education

Extension


courses,graduates


year 2 year 3 year 5 time

50% 10% 2% ?quantity



Applied Research

user

Education

Extension

ExpertSystem


courses,graduates



AusVit and the Grower

The Grower

planning and review

vineyard monitoring:weather, soil, pests and disease, vine development

decision making on:water use, chemical

application

information and explanation

AusVit supports :

AusVit


The Science

AusVit and the Science

AusVit

CRCV program 3

CRCV program 4

Published Literature

The Grower


Wineries

GrowerGroups

ExtensionOfficers

ChemicalCompanies

The Science The Industry

AusVit: Grower, Science & Industry

AusVit

CRCV program 3

CRCV program 4

Published Literature

The Grower


AusVit Architecture

weather monitor

field observations: (eg. pestcounts)

field actions: (eg. sprays)

water monitor databases:

vineyard profile action chemicals

AusVit

expert rule bases:

pest management cultivar susceptibility

simulations:

pest & disease models

vineyard profile: variety, aspect, soil,

grape use

User

irrigation


AusVit Architecture

weather monitor

field observations: (eg. pestcounts)

field actions: (eg. sprays)

water monitor databases:

vineyard profile action chemicals

AusVit

expert rule bases:

pest management cultivar susceptibility

simulations:

pest & disease models

vineyard profile: variety, aspect, soil,

grape use

User

irrigation


AusVit Components


AusVit Components


AusVit Components


AusVit Components


AusVit Components


AusVitDevelopment and Status

1990 AusVit defined as part of the CRC for Viticulture1991/3 Knowledge Engineering starts - Level 5 Object1993 Specification and programing starts1994/5 First prototype trialed 1995/6 Second prototype trialed1996/7 Chemical Database and spray components released.

1997 Full commercial release for the 1997/8 growing season

1998/9 Maintenance & enhancement

Developed with professional level Quality Assurance measures


AusVitPreliminary Evaluation

Sales : Currently ~450 in all grape growing areas.

Many evaluation and educational copies.Used in Integrated pest management workshopsPresented in grower group seminars & workshops Featured in Bug Match & Grapes CDROMArticles in Industry and Academic journalsUsed in University & TAFE courses

AusVit has helped in : Refinement of domain experts knowledge Transfer of expertise to growers Coordination between local and international researchers


Current Enhancements

Additional Decision Support Modules : Canopy and vineyard floor management Financial Management

WWW Information Service

Transparent Simulations for Scientific ModelsFuzzy logic

Grower Community / Enterprise Architecture

GIS integration

Knowledge Management


AusVit

The Literature The Users

From Decision Support to


The KMS

KnowledgeBases

MetaKnowledge

Base

Paper 1


AusVit




The KMS

KnowledgeBases

MetaKnowledge

Base

EducationInterface

Paper 1


AusVit




The KMS

KnowledgeBases

MetaKnowledge

Base

ResearchSupport

EducationInterface

Paper 1


AusVit




The KMS

KnowledgeBases

MetaKnowledge

Base

ResearchManagement

ResearchSupport

EducationInterface

Paper 1


Case Study Exercise

What Case Study might you do on AusVit ?

How might you organise it ?

Documents

Business Informatics Case Studies: Doing a Case Study