The Burgelman Case Study - Essay Example

The Burgelman Case Study The Burgelman case study is a simple, single-case holistic study, since it just studies one single firm. The authors of the study had concerns about external validity, which they were willing to sacrifice in order to gain insight and raise new research questions. The ICV process is what the case study focuses on, in terms of efforts that are shown to depend on the initiative of the individual company employee, and also, “on the ability of middle-level managers to concep-tualize the strategic implications of these initiatives in more general system terms, and on the capacity of top manage-ment to allow viable entrepreneurial initiatives to change the corporate strategy” (Burgelman, 2009). Descriptive research like this is based on observation, which is a generalization that can be made about descriptive designs, which have their respective advantages and disadvantages. For example, on the one hand, they tend to be more flexible towards theory generation; on the other hand, this type of research has limited empirical and general scientific value. Surveys and exploratory studies are examples of descriptive research designs, which are more quantitative than qualitative and have more aspects of this type of theory. Quantitative studies tend to rely on hard data and statistics that can provide generalizable results about a population, whereas qualitative studies could be more of a case example or subjective viewpoint. Burgelmann’s case study states having a qualitative method in place: “A qualitative method was chosen as the best way to arrive at an encompassing view of ICV…. project development has a ten- to twelve-yeartime horizon (Biggadike, 1979), and a truly longitudinal study was thus beyond the available resources” (Burgelmann, 2009). In terms of statistics, the single case study is not very representative. Another disadvantage in reference to flexible designs could be their lack of scientific credibility when compared to fixed designs using inferential statistics, which Burgelmann addresses explicitly as a possible drawback. Of course, it is fitting at this level of research for authors to be forward with possible limitations of the study; however, this admission does not make the study more statistically or empirically viable, just because of this admission. #2 Since this is a qualitative study, it tends to focus more on theory forming, rather than theory testing. “Exploratory studies are most typically done… to satisfy the researcher’s curiosity and desire for better understanding, to test the feasibility of undertaking a more careful study, and to develop the methods to be employed” (Huberman and Miles, 2002). In terms of data collection and analysis, the research gives subjective credence about what their attitudes and beliefs are regarding, and what they think of, things like employee motivation, and results from these perceptions can be compared to the data derived from existing literature on the subject. This is a qualitative methodology that seeks to measure attitudes and beliefs while forming theories about organizational effectiveness. The authors are more interested in raising new research questions, than they are in proving or disproving a more narrowly defined research question or hypothesis. Quantitative research designs serve the purpose of showing causal motivations, observing present conditions and longitudinal comparisons, and establishing relationships with evidence from a sample size that is generally large or, in some cases, deferred to a larger separate statistical research body. Prospective research determines questions to meet the challenge of the future. It is based on research that makes propositions and recommendations. For example, a pilot program may be monitored to see whether or not it will be successful policy implementation, and thus be prospective. Retrospective research looks back into the past. It is based on research that makes its assertions based on existing knowledge, or from a point of the present looking back and accessing the past. Retrospective research may take the form of a meta analysis or literature review. Overall, Burgelmann shows a qualitative mixture of retrospective and prospective research. The overall effect is one of theory formation, with testing being a possibility on the horizon longitudinally. Flexible designs tend more towards theory generation, whereas fixed designs are more about theory testing. This is a generalization that can be made about these different types of designs, which have their respective advantages and disadvantages. Surveys and experiments are examples of fixed research designs, which are more quantitative than qualitative and have more aspects of this type of theory. Quantitative studies tend to rely on hard data and statistics that can provide generalizable results about a population, whereas qualitative studies could be more of a case example or subjective viewpoint. This research is not very officialized and may even be somewhat vague in the framework which it is required to follow, and therefore could be generally defined as a qualitative, flexible research method. #3 Since this is a single case study, generalizability (external validity) is severely limited. The case study seems at some points to go into a great amount of detail about the single case study being examined, but it does not increase the general applicability of results. “In addition to the participants in the six ICV projects, I inter-viewed NVD administrators, people from several operating divisions, and one person from corporate management. All in all, sixty-one people were interviewed. Table 1 indicates the distri-bution of persons interviewed over job categories” (Burgelmann, 2009). Case studies are not infallible; there exist several threats to validity and reliability. Internal validity is important to all case studies, external validity, or generalizability, only affects multiple case studies. (Yin, 2002). External and internal validity can exist together and there does not really have to be one that is better than the other generally. Sometimes these designs are even used within the same study. In terms of disadvantages, however, there are disadvantages to both approaches. For example, if someone in management can’t decide on the problem, then no research is going to be done in the first place. External validity involves the research being compared to a wider body. The reliability of the research depends on how it can be applied to a larger and more general population. For example, if a survey is given, but only 5 people take the survey, the results are not going to be reliably applied to 5000 people in the same area. Reliability is important to research because it informs on the empirical value of what is being studied. This shows how this author tends to use case study examples to present information rather than perhaps obfuscating the issue with statistics based on an unclear definition. This also affects the article’s treatment of the links between ICV and above characteristics such as exploratory research and qualitative research. The effective organizational management program needs to focus on the presentation and comparison of a sample of professionals and based on extant literature about programs such as ICV and assessment. This should consist of studies chosen for their wide range of applications and their accessibility or non-accessibility in terms of fitting in with the hypothesis of the new diagnostic criteria, which can be more concretely tested according to real world conditions. REFERENCE Burgelmann, R (2009). A Process Model of Internal Corporate Venturing in the Diversified Major Firm Huberman, A and M. Miles (2002). The Qualitative Researcher’s Companion. New York: Sage. Yin, R. (2009). Case Study Reseach - Design and Methods : Fourth Edition. California: SAGE Publications, Inc. Saunders, M., P. Lewis and A. Thornhill (2007). Research Methods for Business Students. Essex: Pearson Educated Limited. Swedberg, R. (2003) Economics versus sociological approaches to organization theory. Read More