LibGuides: ORG 270: Organizational Communication (Ems): Home

Your Objective

Select a contemporary case study involving any form of organization (e.g., corporation, nonprofit, government agency) and analyze the situation using one or more theoretical or conceptual perspectives we discussed in class this semester.

The case study:

contemporary
research aimed at understanding the development of a particular organization, event, strategy or issue over a period of time
from a reliable academic source

Case Study Research

A case study is empirical research - based on observed and measured phenomena and deriving knowledge from actual experience rather than from theory or belief.

Case studies are not always defined under the same parameters. Sometimes these publications will classify themselves as a case study and clearly label themselves as such in their titles; other times, the content matches the definition of a case study but the term is not explicitly used. This can make locating these studies tricky. Don't worry - we will get you started today in class, and you can follow up with Joel if you are still not finding what you hoped for.

Even if it's not labeled as a case study, it may still qualify. Does it detail an actual situation involving some sort of problem? Does it include a methods section where they share the way they addressed the problem and assess their success? Look it over carefully and see if it would allow you to accomplish the assignment. Also, when in doubt, ask Dr. Ems!

Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
This is the primary communication database we have on campus. It doesn't have a case study limiter; however, after you click on "Advanced Search", you can enter "case studies" and select Subject from the Select-a-field drop-down to tailor your searches to this type of source.
Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
On the main page, click on Advanced Search, then scroll down to the Document Type limiter and select "Case Study." You can enter a search term or run an empty search with this limiter to see all case studies. Also suggested: applying the "Academic Journal" limiter and limiting to recent dates.
Google Scholar This link opens in a new window
Type "case study" or "case studies" along with your search term(s). Click on the "Find it at Butler Univ.!" link to go directly a library owned resource. There is no way to limit to just peer-reviewed sources, so do some research on the publication to verify that it is a scholarly/peer-reviewed journal.

BUSINESS CASE STUDIES

Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
On the main page, click on Advanced Search, then scroll down to the Document Type limiter and select "Case Study." You can enter a search term or run an empty search with this limiter to see all case studies. Also suggested: applying the "Academic Journal" limiter and limiting to recent dates.
SAGE Business Cases This link opens in a new window
SAGE Business Cases provides access to 1,700 business cases in national and international business. A source for discovering best practices and learning from unsuccessful ventures. Written in both short vignettes to long narrative form, and written using field research and publicly available sources, business case topics include marketing, operations management, small business & entrepreneurship, international business, human resource management, and more.
ProQuest One Business This link opens in a new window
Use Advanced Search and select Case Study from the Document Type field.

WorldCat - BROAD SEARCH (Including books and ebooks)

WorldCat doesn't have a case study limiter, but you can click on Advanced Search, choose Subject from the drop-down menu under Search Index, and type "case studies" (don't forget the quotation marks!) in the search box. On the search results page, choose the "Article" limiter under Format.

Case Studies in Organizational Communication : Ethical Perspectives and Practices
Publication Date: 2012
eBook
Crisis Management: The Art of Success and Failure
Publication Date: 2016
eBook
Risk Communication and Miscommunication: Case Studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, Government, and Community Organizations
Publication Date: 2016
eBook.
Responding to worker displacement : a collection of case studies
Publication Date: 2013
eBook.
Marketing Communications Industry: Entrepreneurial Case Studies
Publication Date: 2008
eBook
Intercultural Organizational Communication: Five Corporate Cases in Japan
Call Number: 2006
eBook
Communication best practices at Dell, General Electric, Microsoft, and Monsanto
Publication Date: 2003
eBook

Company Research LibGuide

AdAge This link opens in a new window
Butler users must register for a free personal account using the link provided to access Adage.com and DataCenter content. AdAge.com provides online access to breaking news, editorials, and special reports on marketing/media issues and trends.

PAID CASE STUDY REPOSITORIES

Today's assignment

You will be assigned to a group of 3-4, and I will assign each group a resource to search.

Group 1: Communication & Mass Media Complete

Group 2: Academic Search Premier

Group 3: Google Scholar

Group 4: Business Source Complete

Group 5: ProQuest Business

Group 6: WorldCat

Figure out how to find a case study that is
1. Contemporary (let’s say the last 5 years)
2. A reliable academic source. (Don’t worry, I will help you!)

Find 2 case studies that look like they could work for the topic of 2 different people in your group. or just 2 that look interesting. If you're having trouble finding something for your topic, don't worry. Not every resource is going to work for your topic!

After ~10 minutes, I will have one member of each group teach the class how to use their assigned resource.