Adventures in the Field: Conducting an Interpretive Case Study of Strategic Management Consultants

This paper presents the author's approach and experiences in conducting an interpretive case study [1] [2] of strategic management consultants. The purpose of the study was to understand how knowledge workers learn to use information technology in their work and to build theory related to this topic. The situated learning theory, legitimate peripheral participation [3], provided the basis for data collection and analysis. This paper discusses the research strategy and design; issues related to data collection, analysis and interpretation; ethical and validity considerations; and lessons learned, which confirm and extend those presented in texts about conducting field research. This paper is intended to assist other researchers interested in conducting indepth field studies in dynamic environments filled with information technology, especially when autonomous, highly educated, knowledge workers are involved. "...at base, all interpretive inquirers watch, listen, ask, record, and examine." Schwandt, "Constructivist, Interpretivist Approaches to Human Inquiry" [4]