Valid from: Spring 2025
Decided by: Anders Gustafsson - FUN
Date of establishment: 2024-12-18
Division: Engineering Logistics
Course type: Third-cycle course
Teaching language: English
To provide PhD students with knowledge and understanding of how to conduct qualitative analysis relating to case study research, especially in the domain of supply chain management (SCM) and operation management (OM) research. While case study design will be initially discussed, focus is on case study analysis as that has shown to be both the most cumbersome part of case study research, as well as the part being less transparent described and reflected on in articles based on case study research in our domain. The course has the following objectives: to increase understanding of the importance and challenges with the analysis part (or lack of analysis) of case study research. to increase understanding of the importance of planning case study researchanalysis and how this corresponds to different kinds of case study researchapproaches. to inspire with different ways of coding qualitative data, displaying the data, and making sense and theorizing from the data. to provide classic articles that often are referred to in the SCM/OM domain when it comes to case study research, supporting students to better describe and motivate different choices they should be able to elaborate on. to facilitate students to start describing and reflecting on their planned or performed case study researchanalysis. to develop students to be able to reflect and describe how and why the analyzed their case studies as they did, using terminology aligned with their case study research approach.
Knowledge and Understanding
For a passing grade the doctoral student must
Competences and Skills
For a passing grade the doctoral student must
Judgement and Approach
For a passing grade the doctoral student must For a passing grade the doctoral student must be able to critically evaluate journal articles that applied case study research analysis, and be able to present their findings both orally in group and in written format.
The course is based on an introductory lecture and a seminar series that will include the following: (i) Introduction of case study research, including approaches often used in SCM/OM; (ii) Important aspects of case study research design and qualitative analysis; (iii) Data coding; (iii) Data display; (iv) Data sensemaking and theorizing; (v) case study research writing; (vi) Presentation of individual case study research analysis plan. The students will also examine and compare different articles, both related to methodology of case study research, and especially reflecting on 3 different SCM/OM-articles each that reports on case study research.
Qualitative Data Analysis. A Method sourcebook.
This is the main textbook in the course.
For many of the models there are also articles to read, in total about 20.
Types of instruction: Lectures, seminars, exercises, self-study literature review. The course will have an interactive design. Thus, the doctoral students are expected to be prepared, engaged and willing to explore and discuss a variety of approaches to case study research analysis. Student will also present the take-away of the assigned reading for each seminar, as well as stepwise reflect on their own research and start plan analysis. The course is based on an introductory lecture and a seminar series. The students will also examine and compare different articles, both related to methodology of case study research, and especially reflecting on 3 different SCM/OM-articles each that reports on case study research.
Examination formats: Written report, written assignments, seminars given by participants.
Mandatory participation at seminars. Presentation of participants (including written documentation as PPT), seminars given by participants (summarizing book chapters, including written documentation as PPT). Final written report (describing and motivating their planned qualitative analysis.
Grading scale: Failed, pass
Examiner:
Admission requirements: Any introductionary doctoral course in Methodology, Research methods, or Qualitative Research methods.
Assumed prior knowledge: Knowledge in Supply chain management/Operations management or related fields such as Production, Marketing, Risk management etc
Selection criteria: First students enrolled as doctoral students in Supply chain management/Operations management/Industrial Enginnering. Second students in related areas such as Production, Marketing, Risk management etc
Third, other students working with case study research, especiallt multiple case studies.
If needed, students will be prioritized (within the prioritization groups) based on if they are active in case study research.
The course can be given about every second or third year, given that there are at least 2 doctoral students from the Division of Engineering logistics and at least 5 students in total. Maximum number of students are 12.
Course coordinators: