Unearthing the hidden : the use of a critical hermeneutic case study approach

This paper details a research methodology used in a study of information systems decision making. The focus for this paper is not on the study outcomes; instead, I examine the challenges that led to the research design and discuss the effectiveness of the approach. The research problem required an approach that would integrate context with the possibility that the information sought would be deliberately obscured or hidden. This paper describes how case studies, combined with critical hermeneutic analysis and Eisenhardt’s theory building principles, were used to address the research problem and propose theory. The issue of case study generalisability is discussed and I argue that case study research combined with hermeneutic analysis techniques can explore phenomena in depth and generate valid theory. The paper concludes by describing how research integrity was maintained and discussing the benefits of the research design.