Understanding qualitative techniques for multi-case analysis

The Centre for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility in Business (CSDCSR) organised a talk titled “Understanding Qualitative Techniques for Multi-case Analysis” on 1 October 2018 at Sungai Long Campus.

Assoc Prof Zizah

The invited speaker was Assoc Prof Dr Zizah Che Senik from the Faculty of Economics and Management of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The objectives of the talk were to identify the key elements in designing and implementing qualitative case study research projects, as well as to highlight some application of the multiple-case study designs that are used in identifying or investigating the consistent patterns of behaviour and to discover new and divergent themes.

After a short introduction about herself, Dr Zizah started the talk by defining qualitative research and explaining the basic differences between qualitative and quantitative research. She mentioned that qualitative research is rather theory-developing, not theory-testing. She also explained, “Developing a theory does not mean you have to come up with a new theory. You may enhance the existing theory or add up values, variables or more principles and knowledge about the theory. It is quite impossible to come up with new theories which are mostly developed by the scholars. This is the common mistake made by PhD students.”

“Previously, it was more difficult to publish using qualitative methods than it is to publish using quantitative methods because there are no generalisation and statistical analysis. But now, it is accepted by many scholars,” said Dr Zizah, adding that qualitative research also uses scientific procedures like quantitative research.

She also talked about the characteristics of qualitative research and explained the five types of qualitative research, which included the biography (life history and oral history), phenomenology (the lived experience), grounded theory, ethnography, and case study. She gave the explanation on how to distinguish the case study that is normally used in the classroom with the case study conducted for publication. She also shared about case study design and its five important components, including case study questions, case study propositions, units of analysis, logic thinking data to propositions and the criteria to interpret case study results. She also shared some qualitative research analysis techniques, explained single and multiple case analysis and presented the participants with some useful examples.

The talk ended with a presentation of souvenir from Faculty of Accountancy and Management Dean Dr Sia Bee Chuan to Dr Zizah, followed by a group photography session.

Dr Sia (left) presenting the token of appreciation to Dr Zizah

Dr Zizah (front row, fourth from right) with participants