PhD Final Thesis April 2013.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

Thesis Keith Gale 20135.12 SummaryUse of a single case study method for this research is proposed following anexamination of practiced based appraisals where interaction between organisationalgroups is relevant. Awareness of researcher bias is a warning offered by someresearchers and this study aims to minimise this by use of impartial data collectiontechniques. Although it is recognised that a single case study has limited application,this is compensated by the quality of data captured in order to gain explanation ofrelationships between variables. Recent literature supports the use of single casestudies, especially where sociological phenomena is being discovered.Relevance of the research with professional practice by a contextual placement of thecase study with one large local authority (Hampshire County Council) is supportedby the alignment of organisational management controls with public procurementwith credence through an independent central government audit (Audit Commission,2009). Connections between the public authority and private sector supplyorganisations are constructed from observations made and a comparison withdifferent relationships used for discrete and framework agreement projects. Thisexamination is shown graphically at Figure 5.2. Interactions between participants tothe framework forum are shown at Figure 5.3 showing alignment of professionaldisciplines.Use of a FAST technique as enquiry to the functional management of the researchprocess provides a critical analysis ‘questioning’ method. The production of a casestudy timeline indicates key dates of the research at Figure 5.5 and clearly separatespre and post framework periods.The above parameters provide boundaries to this research in terms of placement,timescale, extent and methods. Alignment with a significant body of publishedresearch material provides confidence with use of a single case study paradigmallowing an examination of the source data to be undertaken.118