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The method of building theories from case studies is an acknowledged research strategy that involves using one or more cases or lines of information to create theoretical constructs, propositions and theory from case-based empirical evidence (Eisenhardt & Graebner, 2007). It is considered by Yin (2009, p. 11) to be the preferred inquiry method when examining contemporary events within a real-life context and where the behaviours and issues cannot be manipulated. That is, the observations and raw data occur without interference. The strategy is specifically pertinent in this research, as it seeks to explain ‘how’ and ‘why’ the observed behaviour of process deviation during crisis response occurs. In this respect, the case study approach enables the researcher to deal with a range of evidence incorporating documents, such as the material from specialist interviews, and other artefacts including the tools and checklists, all of which are considered by Yin (Yin, 2009, p. 11) as material that extends beyond what might be available in a conventional historical study.
This case study focuses on the application of crisis response arrangements in the context of the TCCS and the leading role played by a key franchise bottling partner, CCHBC. TCCS specifically created a compelling research context for several reasons. These include the global reach of the company and its bottling partners with operations in over two hundred (200) countries; its high brand profile; an employee base of over seven hundred thousand (700,000);
producing twenty (20) brands each worth a billion-dollars; and delivering 1.9 billion servings of their products globally daily (TCCC, 2018). For the system’s consumers, product quality and brand reputation are of critical importance. Intentional product tampering, threats or accidental product quality issues have the potential to erode consumer trust and damage brand equity. As illustrated in the Belgian crisis (table 2), when a crisis is managed poorly it becomes high
profile with social, reputation and financial implications (US$103million in 1999 terms). The Belgium crisis indeed establishes further contextual
importance as it provided for the researcher a unique point in time from which the existing ostensive processes and routines were designed and implemented post crisis. These ostensive processes and routines have become the focus of this research as they are the routines from which deviation has occurred during crisis activation. This is reflective of the theoretical framework and the time- based nature of reviewing ostensive routines or altering processes as a consequence of a crisis.
With respect to CCHBC, as a major franchise bottling partner it has a franchise obligation to align with the crisis program and has been actively engaged in enhancing business resilience capabilities since 2014. The programs that have been implemented, including risk and crisis management elements have
received industry recognition in 2016 and 2018 (CCHBC, 2018). These multiple dynamics thus ensure that the case study context as it relates to TCCS and
CCHBC is compelling at multiple levels and is highly relevant as a mechanism for investigating the research question. That said, the nature of the research and its findings have applicability across all industry sectors.
Returning to the case study rationale, at the foundation of rigorous or credible empirical research lies a strong grounding in the related literature. This enables the identification of research gaps and, from there, the development of the relevant research questions that address the gaps. The construction of the case study therefore requires the researcher to justify why this specific research area is better addressed by theory building, rather than theory testing, and requires the researcher to frame the research in terms of the importance of the
phenomenon and the lack of relevant or plausible existing theory (Golden- Biddle & Locke, 2007). Having identified the gap through the literature review of crisis management material, for this is where the research can be fragmented, the decision was made to adopt a case study approach. While it was deemed the most appropriate approach, the challenge was to identify the number of cases and types of data sources that, when combined and analysed, contribute to
explaining the nature of the phenomenon. This required an expanded program for the collection of the empirical data, for while a single case study can richly describe the existence of a phenomenon (Siggelkow, 2007), a multiple case study strategy enables a ‘deep dive’ to occur, which provides a stronger basis for the theory building (Yin, 2009).
The decision to adopt a multiple case study approach in this instance was based less on the uniqueness of the given theory gap, but rather on the contribution to the theory development that will be extracted from the data through the
analysis of multiple cases and approaches and answering the research question. In this instance the multiple case study approach was used to replicate or
extend theory and to eliminate alternative explanations (Yin, 2009). Ultimately, the case study presents us with a ‘story’ to tell and the story is not a fictional account since it embraces real life data. At the front of the researcher’s mind were multiple questions including: what are the distinctive features of this study, how does the collected data relate to the research questions, have new insights emerged (Yin, 2011, p. 183), and have these new insights marked the entire analytic process?
It was decided that a multi-faceted approach be adopted, as it provided the opportunity to review multiple elements of crisis management response, both within and external to the TCCS, thereby presenting a combination of data sources to evaluate. In this research, with multiple data points, observational techniques were critical with exposure to specific performances and the ability to obtain data through participant observations in the actual operational
setting, be that a simulation or real case. There was also the opportunity to step back and look at the world from a critical realist perspective to further build the data repository. The unique ability to interview and question a range of subject matter experts provided the opportunity to deepen the understanding of what was occurring through close interaction with the researcher. The logic for this is that it is difficult to understand what contributes to the phenomenon if a researcher is not engaging with, or observing, the subjects. At the end of the day it is the performer of a routine that ultimately can paint the picture of what is
occurring and why. The following section of the thesis addresses the data collection process.