ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with longitudinal field studies, in-depth studies of change processes inside organizations. The longitudinal field study is a case study, since it seeks to study a phenomenon in its natural setting. However, the longitudinal field study has a number of features which requires treating it separately from case research, which we covered in Chapter 5. As a research strategy, longitudinal field studies are best used in the early stages of research programmes, for exploration and theory building. Longitudinal field studies are particularly useful for studying processes of change and development in organizations. This chapter will explain the nature of longitudinal research, particularly focusing on how it is different from case research. The chapter will also provide a description of how to design, execute and report longitudinal field studies.
