Exploring Service Innovation Practices Through a Longitudinal Ethnographic Case Study

Warren, Vessela ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6016-1821 (2015) Exploring Service Innovation Practices Through a Longitudinal Ethnographic Case Study. In: The 15th Qualitative Methods Conference, 3rd - 5th May 2016, Glasgow, UK. (Unpublished)

Abstract

Case study research has the advantage of investigating issues that are embedded within the context of the case. A novel approach to investigation of the implementation of service innovation process has been adopted through a longitudinal ethnographic case study. This approach was found useful, as the outcome of the study was intended to be an in-depth understanding of firm’s current innovation practices and its consequences with the implementation of a novel business process. In this applied research, an array of longitudinal data was generated chiefly through the technique of participant-observation. Participant-observation as a qualitative or naturalistic method has its roots in ethnographic research. Participant-observation involves “participating in the social world, in whatever role, and reflecting on the products of that participation” (Hammersley & Atkinson, 1983, p.16). This method offers a degree of understanding of the context under study that can come only from personal experience. In this presentation, I discuss the role of the researcher-practitioner as participant-observer and the usefulness of ethnographic case study methodology and participant-observation technique to investigating service innovation practices that are embedded within the context-specific setting of the case.

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