Descriptive Multiple Case Study Research Articles

Estratégias da gestão de resíduos têxteis na Região Metropolitana de Estocolmo

Resumo A indústria da moda produz mais do que a população necessita, o que conduz para o esgotamento de mananciais e para a geração de resíduos e poluição. Considera-se que a atividade de reúso de têxteis exige comportamento cívico, infraestrutura adequada e modelos de negócio inovadores. Este estudo buscou descrever as características estruturais do gerenciamento do descarte e do reúso de têxteis no intuito de mostrar as práticas que sustentam o comércio de produtos de segunda mão na Região Metropolitana de Estocolmo, Suécia. A metodologia adotada foi o estudo multicasos descritivo e exploratório. Os resultados indicam que as facilidades no manejo dos resíduos têxteis para coleta, triagem e distribuição e as políticas adotadas pela Suécia favorecem o crescimento de negócios sustentáveis ligados a essa cadeia produtiva.

Generation and Use of Data as Management Tools for School Social Intervention Programs: Non Transferred Resources

ABSTRACT The use of data in schools may contribute to reducing educational and social inequalities. This article seeks to examine the use of data in school intervention programs implemented within vulnerable schools in Chile and the transfer and use of this data by schools. Utilizing an exploratory descriptive multiple case study design. Results indicate that the data utilized by the programs could be used to have a greater understanding of childrens’ and families’ life contexts nevertheless this knowledge and expertise are not transferred to the schools.

Students’ Attitude Towards the Use of Information Communication Technology in College of Education, Ghana

This study investigated students’ attitude towards the use of ICT in the college of education in Ghana. This study was a triangulation mixed approach underpinned by pragmatic philosophical thought. It employed a descriptive survey and multiple case study designs, where data were collected in two phases using a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide. At the quantitative phase, a questionnaire was administered to students while the qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews for ICT tutors from the three colleges selected. The quantitative data were analysed and the results were presented using Independent sampled T-test, ANOVA, mean and Standard deviation. The qualitative data were thematically analysed to explain issues as they emerged from the quantitative data. The findings of the study revealed hypothesis 1 and 2 were all significant in terms of gender and colleges students’ attitude towards the use of ICT in education. Contrary to the hypotheses, interviewee tutors asserted, although students are mostly present in the ICT centre and have a positive attitude towards ICT the usage of ICT information is mostly for their personal chatting with friends, and not for academic purposes. Keywords: Students, Attitude, Information Communication Technology, College of Education and Tutors DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-9-18 Publication date :March 31 st 2019

The Distinctive Competence Development at the Firm Solving Problems of Competitiveness in the Socioeconomic System

Competitiveness results from factors beyond structural conditions and organizational boundaries, such as cooperation. Evidence gathered in credit unions suggests there is a social process in the firm for generating capabilities and economic goods to satisfy the needs established by social structures in charge of resolving market failures and structural deficiencies in the productive system. An exploratory and descriptive multiple case study with longitudinal qualitative data supported by a computer-based Process Tracing method leads to the refinement of a mathematical model of social phenomenon based on a set of decision-making rules of deterministic nature. Two case studies reveal that the firms maintain relations of cooperation and contribution with partners and social structures in their organizational and environmental surroundings every time their economic performance is constrained by competitive problems of systemic nature, for which there is no solution based on mechanisms of market price and state intervention.

Young families become mindful of their possibilities through the appreciation of their family life

Young families, as viewed through a multi-generational lens, provide the environment in which children can be nurtured and socialised. The purpose of the research is to explore and describe how the parents and grandparents of young families appreciate their family life. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual multiple case study design was used to conduct the study. Purposive sampling methods were applied to select families according to the sampling criteria, each family representing an individual case study. Appreciative inquiry interviews were conducted with the young parents and available grandparents, during which the participants were asked four open-ended questions. Data collection was enriched by means of reflective letters to participants, collages created by the young parents, and the researcher's field notes and journal inscriptions. The data collected from each individual case study was analysed and then synthesised by means of a cross-case analysis. A cross-case validation report was compiled. The themes and categories that emerged from the data were discussed. The research study concluded that when young families embarked on a journey of discovering their strengths and potential in the larger family system, they creatively envision and discovered the possibilities to transform their destiny in a purposeful and constructive way.

An investigation of postsecondary violin instructors’ remedial pedagogy: A case study

Applied violin instructors at the postsecondary level often implement remedial pedagogy with incoming first-year students in order to address technical/musical habits or deficiencies. As students strive to alter their technique, resistance to change and low self-efficacy often result. Using a descriptive qualitative multiple case study research design, 10 postsecondary violin instructors from across North America were interviewed to gain insight into their personal perspectives and experiences implementing remedial pedagogy with first-year violin students. The interview data and external data sources were analyzed through the theoretical framework of attribution theory and teacher attribution scaffolding theory. The results indicate that many participants address correction through effective communication, based on the individual physiological/psychological wellbeing of every student, their level of self-efficacy, motivation, resistance to change, and postsecondary expectations. The pedagogical expertise and applied experiences presented in this study should inform current and future violin pedagogues about how to effectively address technical/musical deficiencies so that the wellbeing of students remains a priority throughout the remedial process.

Innovation in health service management: Adoption of project management offices to support major health care transformation.

To explore the characteristics that influence project management offices acceptance and adoption in healthcare sector. The creation of project management offices has been suggested as a promising avenue to promote successful organisational change and facilitate evidence-based practice. However, little is known about the characteristics that promote their initial adoption and acceptance in health care sector. This knowledge is important in the context where many organisations are considering implementing project management offices with nurse managers as leaders. A descriptive multiple case study design was used. The unit of analysis was the project management offices. The study was conducted in three university-affiliated teaching hospitals in 2013-14 (Canada). Individual interviews (n=34) were conducted with senior managers. Results reveal that project management offices dedicated to project and change management constitute an innovation and an added value that addresses tangible needs in the field. Project management offices are an innovation highly compatible with health care managers and their approach has parallels to the process of clinical problem solving and reasoning well-known to adopters. This knowledge is important in a context where many nurses hold various roles in project management offices, such as Director, project manager, clinical expert and knowledge broker.

Lifestyle Approaches for People With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Multiple Case Analysis

BackgroundHealth care organizations supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) carry out a range of interventions to support and improve a healthy lifestyle. However, it is difficult to implement an active and healthy lifestyle into daily support. The presence of numerous intervention components, multiple levels of influence, and the explicit use of theory are factors that are considered to be essential for implementation in practice. A comprehensive written lifestyle policy provides for sustainability of a lifestyle approach. It is unknown to what extent these crucial factors for successful implementation are taken into consideration by health care organizations supporting this population. AimTo analyze the intervention components, levels of influence, explicit use of theory, and conditions for sustainability of currently used lifestyle interventions within lifestyle approaches aiming at physical activity and nutrition in health care organizations supporting people with ID. MethodsIn this descriptive multiple case study of 9 health care organizations, qualitative data of the lifestyle approaches with accompanying interventions and their components were compiled with a newly developed online inventory form. ResultsFrom 9 health care organizations, 59 interventions were included, of which 31% aimed to improve physical activity, 10% nutrition, and 59% a combination of both. Most (49%) interventions aimed at the educational component and less at daily (19%) and generic activities (16%) and the evaluation component (16%). Most interventions targeted individuals with ID and the professionals whereas social levels were underrepresented. Although 52% of the interventions were structurally embedded, only 10 of the 59 interventions were theory-driven. ConclusionHealth care organizations could improve their lifestyle approaches by using an explicit theoretical basis by expanding the current focus of the interventions that primarily concentrate on their clients and professionals toward also targeting the social and external environment as well as the introduction of a written lifestyle policy. This policy should encompass all interventions and should be the responsibility of those in the organization working with individuals with ID. In conclusion, comprehensive, integrated, and theory-driven approaches at multiple levels should be promoted.

Sport summer camp for children and youth with visual impairment: Descriptive case study of Camp Abilities

The purpose of this study was to describe the operational characteristics of Camp Abilities, an educational sports summer camp for children and youth with visual impairment. In this descriptive multiple case study, the data collected comprises interviews with seven adapted physical education faculty members, questionnaire, and document analysis. Camps were often run at university campuses, where undergraduate and graduate physical education students perform the role of instructing campers and eventually helping in the camp organizing process. These camps include a minimum of 30 to more than 120 participants (i.e. directors, campers, coaches, and specialist) each session, lasting from 4 to 7 days. In this scenario, although each camp has particular features, camps’ purposes, participants, activities, and schedules are very similar, showing that this is a feasible and reproducible approach, which can provide enriching opportunities for diverse groups.

Young families become mindful of their possibilities through the appreciation of their family life

Young families, as viewed through a multi-generational lens, provide the environment in which children can be nurtured and socialised. The purpose of the research is to explore and describe how the parents and grandparents of young families appreciate their family life. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual multiple case study design was used to conduct the study. Purposive sampling methods were applied to select families according to the sampling criteria, each family representing an individual case study. Appreciative inquiry interviews were conducted with the young parents and available grandparents, during which the participants were asked four open-ended questions. Data collection was enriched by means of reflective letters to participants, collages created by the young parents, and the researcher's field notes and journal inscriptions. The data collected from each individual case study was analysed and then synthesised by means of a cross-case analysis. A cross-case validation report was compiled. The themes and categories that emerged from the data were discussed. The research study concluded that when young families embarked on a journey of discovering their strengths and potential in the larger family system, they creatively envision and discovered the possibilities to transform their destiny in a purposeful and constructive way.

Land allocation, boundary demarcation and tenure security in tribal areas of South Africa

This study investigates land allocation processes, boundary demarcation, and associated land tenure security in tribal areas of South Africa. The research design is that of a descriptive multiple-case study to interrogate indigenous knowledge in this area. Four themes related to customary land allocation processes in South Africa have emerged from the data: Applicant, Authority, Acceptance and Allocation. These themes are used as the basis for comparison across the cases. The case studies are also used to test a published conceptual model of land tenure security. The results suggest that tenure in the study areas is secure overall. The study concludes that the processes of land administration and the systems used to demarcate boundaries are (mostly) suitable to protect land rights and thus provide security of land tenure. Also the tested conceptual model of land tenure security can be used to indicate the state of tenure security for a particular case, though improvements are suggested.

A social semiotic analysis of instructional images across academic disciplines

Framed in theories of social semiotics, this descriptive multiple case study examined the images used by six middle-school teachers during one school year as they each taught two different subject areas: earth science, language arts, mathematics, and/or social studies. Using Kress and Van Leeuwen’s visual grammar to analyze these images, this study identified discipline-specific patterns in how 1,132 images realized assumptions in regards to the ideational and interpersonal metafunctions of communication. A content analysis suggested discipline-specific differences in the presumed social distance between the content of the images and the students, as well as discipline-specific differences in assumptions about the subjectivity of knowledge. Instructional implications are suggested, such as encouraging students to critique the assumptions in images and selecting a wider array of image types in each discipline.

Interventions aimed at improving the ability to use everyday technology in work after brain injury

ABSTRACTObjective The aim of this study was to explore and describe how client-centred occupational therapy interventions may support and improve the ability to use everyday technology (ET) in work tasks in people with acquired brain injury (ABI). Method A qualitative, descriptive multiple-case study was designed, and occupation-based interventions were provided to three working-age participants with ABI. Multiple sources were used to collect data throughout the three intervention processes, including assessments, field notes, and interviews. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment were administered before the interventions, after the interventions and at a follow-up session 2–3 months subsequent to the interventions. Results The three intervention processes initially consisted of similar actions, but subsequently the actions took on a different focus and intensity for each case. All of the goals in each of the three case processes were achieved, and both perceived and observed abilities to use ET in work tasks improved. Conclusions Client-centred occupational therapy interventions might have the potential to improve the ability to use ET in work tasks in people with ABI.

Collaborative Practice in Secondary Schools in the Promotion of Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

Background: Among 12 to 17 year-olds, overweight and obesity rates have more than doubled in the past 25 years. In Quebec, the government initiatives that have been implemented to promote healthy behaviours among young people require the collaboration of many stakeholders. The objective of this study was to describe collaborative practice in secondary schools promoting healthy eating and physical activity.Methods and Findings: A descriptive multiple-case study was conducted in three Quebec secondary schools. The data collection methods consisted of a focus group, semi-structured individual interviews (21), observation of events involving collaboration among various school stakeholders (5), and document analysis (3). Qualitative analysis of intra-case and cross-case data carried out by more than one researcher helped identify emerging manifestations of collaborative practice.Conclusion: Committing to projects, accepting tasks, and consulting with colleagues are some of the actions identified in school-based activities promoting healthy lifestyles. This study sheds light on the importance of collaborative practice in the promotion of healthy lifestyles among young people in a school setting.

Corporate governance in an emergent economy: a case of Ghana

Purpose– The purpose of this study is to examine corporate governance practices in an emerging economy. It focusses on how ownership control and board control systems operate in corporate organisations in an emergent economy, assuming that these systems are essential for enhancing good corporate governance practices in emerging countries.Design/methodology/approach– The paper builds on descriptive multiple-case study with multiple units of analysis to divulge how ownership control and board control systems function to ensuring effective corporate governance in publicly listed corporate organisations in Ghana. A criterion-based sampling technique is used to select the companies. Thereafter, three techniques of data collection are used to gather data from the companies: archival records, semi-structured interviews and observation.Findings– By linking the gathered data to the paper’s theoretical propositions, the study highlights that all the companies are characterised by the presence of large shareholders, and, in consequence, they tend to exert extensive control over the activities of the companies through their involvement in the decision-making processes. However, whilst the presence of large shareholders has the tendency to solve the agency problem, it poses challenges in regards to minority shareholders’ interests in these corporate organisations. The study also reveals that boards of directors tend to exercise control over corporate organisations when majority shareholders stop interfering in their dealings. This implies that when major shareholders fully partake in corporate decision-making processes of companies, boards of directors seem to be sheer advisory bodies to management.Research limitations/implications– This is a paper to shed light on corporate governance practices in four large publicly listed corporate organisations on the Ghana Stock Exchange, so the observable facts do not apply to other emergent economies. In addition, the sample does not represent all corporate organisations in Ghana; thus, the empirical observations cannot be generalised to other organisations that have not been included in this study. However, the empirical results can be applied to other similar corporations in Ghana and other emergent economies in an analytical sense. With the application of inductive reasoning, the results can be applied to provide important appreciation in an effort to understand the structure of corporate governance practices in organisations in developing countries.Practical implications– A comparative analysis of the empirical observations from this study and the recommended guidelines of corporate governance of Ghana has been carried out, and aspects in which organisations need to reform and improve to fully comply with the guidelines are highlighted: director independence, director evaluation, introduction of new directors and board education. This could possibly be the foundation upon which corporate governance structures in these organisations can be restructured and further enhanced.Originality/value– The majority of the studies of corporate governance in emergent economies have used quantitative techniques to examine the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and firm performance. However, this study takes a different approach to examine corporate governance practice in an emergent economy by using a comprehensive and defensible qualitative analysis to examine relations between ownership structure and shareholder control, and board of directors and board control. In addition, it highlights how ownership and board control systems interact in corporate organisations in emergent economies.

Dig to Live: An Investigation of the Psychological Well-Being of Women Miners in Davao Oriental, Southeastern Philippines

This study aimed to determine the psychosocial health status of women artisanal miners in the Philippines. Their socio-demographic characteristics and psychosocial health status are described to formulate a self-efficacy enhancement program to respond to their needs. This study utilized a descriptive multiple case study design. Primary data were gathered via a simple questionnaire regarding the respondents' socio-demographic profile and psychosocial health status. Other primary data sources included key informant interviews, respondents' journal entries, observations and outputs during the structured learning exercises, focus group discussion transcripts, and a researcher's log. Documentary reviews also were utilized to obtain additional facts. The respondents were selected through a fishbowl method. Results show that the participants' coping process, attitude of perseverance and stress management have a moderate impact on their ability to manage life experiences. The study resulted in a proposal for a self-efficacy enhancement program to improve the psychosocial health of women artisanal miners.Keywords: women miners, psychosocial health, coping process, stress management, self-efficacyIn March 2008, the theme Babae, Yaman Ka Ng Boyan [Woman, You Are a Treasure of the Nation], emphasizing the worth of women in nation building, was bannered to celebrate Women's Month in the Philippines. In Barangay Puntalinao, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental, Philippines, active artisanal and small-scale magnesite mining activities are visible to the community and visitors. Banaybanay is the last municipality of Davao Oriental, bordering the municipality of the Pantukan, Compostela Valley Province. Women join men at tilling and extracting minerals from steep mountains. This site was visited in October 2007 for an environmental scanning and initial investigation. The idea of conducting a study was discussed with the artisanal miners and they showed interest in the benefits of the study.The southern part of Mindanao is rich in mineral resources. Nickel reserves are worth $215 billion (USD), copper reserves are worth $6.49 billion and gold reserves are worth $2.01 billion. Mindanao accounts for 48% of the country's gold and 83% of the nickel reserves. According to Ambassador Li Jinjun, investors believe that the mining industry is the ace of Mindanao. In agreement, former resident of the Republic and current congresswoman of the province of Pampanga, the Honorable Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has made the revival of the mining industry one of her key tools in sustaining the country's economic growth (Bautista, 2005).According to the United Nations Development Program (1999), women involved in mining are more likely to be family-centered than men and spend their earnings on food, clothing, education and agriculture. In the Philippines, women artisanal miners' daily routine involves direct exposure to sunlight, climbing difficult mountains, tilling and extracting minerals, and carrying heavy sacks of rocks, in addition to household chores and family obligations after work. Moreover, some women are undergoing the physiological discomforts of menopause.In a focus group discussion (FGD) on perseverance, the women artisanal miners reported that they can bear the heat of the sun, the hazards at work and the workload at home in order to preserve their families and provide what is needed. Their husbands' incomes are not enough for their families' basic needs, typical of the life conditions of the rural poor in the Philippines. According to the Barangay Captain [Puntalinao community leader], these women persist at low-paying quarrying activities to subsist. Women artisanal miners manifest the spirit to persevere in life through their backbreaking work hours. This labor includes quarrying the rocks with a hammer and wedge, hitting the rocks in succession to break them into small pieces, packing them in a sack (which generally weighs no less than 110 pounds), and carrying the sacks to the buyer's loading area. …

Impact of an Informal Science Program: Middle School Gifted Science Students

This research explores an informal science program (ISP) in fulfilling the needs of talented and gifted middle school students. Specifically, it discusses the need of teachers’ continued professional development and the unique challenges and opportunities inherent in instructing gifted middle school students. It further focuses on characteristics of successful teaching strategies and methods for identifying and training teachers. The study uses a constructivist framework to examine teaching methods and suggests that constructivism is an appropriate method for instructing gifted middle school students.The research reflects the results of an embedded descriptive multiple case study of six teachers in the informal science program, an initiative to provide middle school students in rural midwestern states with opportunities for accelerated learning in science.

Using an online Learning Management System to personalise learning for primary students

This paper reports on one aspect of a descriptive multiple-case study which set out to explore the role of a Learning Management System (LMS) in personalising learning for students from the perspective of three primary school teachers. The intention was to provide insight into the role an LMS could play in classrooms when personalising learning. The research project involved gathering multiple sources of data from interviews, observations and documentary information from the LMS. The findings suggest that an LMS has the potential to be a key part of a primary classroom environment which is built on the components of personalising learning. For the teachers in this project, one salient component of personalising learning involved ensuring learning was built around assessment for learning pedagogy and the use of the LMS as a tool to support learning. The findings highlighted the interconnected nature of personalising learning pedagogy, the LMS and classroom practice.

Experiences of Japanese University Students’ Willingness to Speak English in Class

English as a foreign language (EFL) in Japan is becoming a mandatory subject in all compulsory educational systems. Currently, the average Japanese student will study EFL for at least 8 years. Yet despite this period of time, Japanese continually score low on international English tests. Using a qualitative descriptive multiple case study method, the willingness to communicate (WTC) in a Japanese university setting was researched. Twelve student participants, ranging in age from 18 to 20, were interviewed in one Japanese university classroom. Data were gathered by classroom observations and post-class interviews. Data were analyzed by using qualitative software to aggregate the data into five themes. The results revealed that although the prior experiences with learning English has been mostly positive, students believe that the grammar-based learning has not been helpful in developing oral communication competency and what would help is an earlier start to oral English communication. Other findings revealed that the classroom environment has a severe impact on students’ WTC and the interaction with other students in the class. Recommendations for future research include gathering more case studies to compare and test students who have had an opportunity to start English learning earlier and the benefits of grammar-based learning.

Middle School Teachers’ Discipline-Specific Use of Gestures and Implications for Disciplinary Literacy Instruction

Framed in theories of social semiotics, this descriptive multiple case study examined six middle school teachers’ use of gestures during one school year as they each taught two different subject areas: earth science, language arts, mathematics, and/or social studies. The data, which included field notes and photographs from 354 lessons and 151 video-recordings of lesson segments, were analyzed using constant comparative methods and multimodal concordance charts. The analyses indicated discipline-specific differences in types of gestures, frequency of gestures, and centrality of gestures to the teachers’ messages. Earth science depended on a variety of iconic and deictic gestures, the latter of which was also common in mathematics. Communications in language arts and social studies commonly included non- essential action gestures that mimicked the movements of characters and historical figures. This study modifies existing claims of the importance of gestures in teaching, suggesting that gestures can play relatively central or minor roles in communicating disciplinary concepts. It concludes with implications for disciplinary literacy instruction that more rigorously accounts for the role that gestures play in disciplinary learning.