International Issues in Case Studies

Carolyn LuttrellSTC-PMC Annual ConferenceMarch 28, 2009

What is a case study?

Story about something unique, special, or interesting One way of doing research One way of marketing a product Way to add credibility to sale One method of presenting a situation One way to relate your needs to someone else’s

needs One way to show problem, solution, and results

Who does them?

Corporations Non-profits Non-governmental organizations Educational institutions Students (dissertations)

Where are they used?

Professional trade shows Professional publications Magazines Textbooks

Advantages

Documented information In scholarly papers, present data from

multiple methods (surveys, interviews, document review, and observation)

Thorough, complete story (generally) Real-life examples (more memorable/

tangible because they are a story)

Disadvantages

Can be shallow Can be biased Can lack rigor (academic point of view) Overgeneralization (few examples without

evidence that they are representative of the population)

What are the characteristics?

Focus on one issue! Real life situation/study Present a picture Illustrate theory and application in classroom

setting

What formats do they take?

Brochures Articles Dissertations/theses

Why are they important?

• Present documentation about a particular subject

How are they done?

Identify the problem Identify the steps undertaken to address the problem Discuss results What were the challenges and how were they met? What was learned? Are results sustainable (why or why not)? Conclusion

Data collection

All data about the case is gathered Data is organized into an approach to

highlight the focus of the study A case study narrative is developed The narrative might be validated by review

from program participants Case studies might be cross-compared to

isolate any themes or patterns

Who writes them?

Marketers Technical writers Sociologists Scientists Students

What makes a good case study?

Pictures/graphs/charts Well-written text (clear, to the point, persuasive, no

jargon) Appropriate length (four pages maximum for

commercial case studies) Color Professional looking If from an organization, uniform design Good layout

What are some international case study issues?

Translation Cultural taboos Cultural relevance Cultural concern Appropriateness of document for audience Might need to localize for audience (get a localization firm to do

this)– Note: No matter what part of the world you’re in, a client will be

interested in something if he/she can relate to it. For example, a petrochemical company with a particular problem will be interested in reading about a petrochemical company with a similar problem and solution, no matter where in the world it happened.

Activity

Some examples of international case studies What makes them good or bad case studies? Will they work in another culture? Why? Why not?

Issues

Consent forms Signoffs Multiple reviewers – fraught with peril especially if reviewers

are not working in their native language Translation Localization Intellectual property – may require a signoff from the legal

department Use of taping Confidentiality Units of measurement

Questions?