OMGC Case Study Repository

Aims and Scope

The OMGC Case Study Repository, as alternative academic product of open access journal Online Media and Global Communication (OMGC), aims to collect, store, cumulate and circulate academic case study research and industry practice case from scholars, students, practitioners and media organizations in the Global North and the Global South countries.

The OMGC Case Study Repository, hosted by the OMGC journal, is to be launched on the Ubiquity document sharing platform owned by De Gruyter, hopes to generate more research opportunities by leveraging on case study as a new form of academic and professional format for knowledge building between an academic paper and a professional report, while still keeping its focus on addressing a specific case or issue or question that should be solved but still remain unsolved in most Global South and North societies.

By so doing, the OMGC Case Study Repository aims to encourage comparative approaches for case studies submitted around the world, in an effort to better enhance OMGC’s goal to serve as an academic bridge between the Global North and the Global South countries.

Key Areas of Case Study

The OMGC Case Study Repository welcomes submissions from scholars, students and practitioners in and outside China and engages special institutional collaboration with and support from associations, universities, media and institutions of interest in and outside China.

In its initial stage, the OMGC Case Study Repository focuses on the two kinds of case studies in the following eight categories:

l  Case Study Research on (1) Applications of theories in international communications research; (2) International communication practices in both the Global South and the Global North contexts; (3) Social media uses and applications in international communications; (4) Media, advertising, public relations and corporate communications management; (5) International Cities Communications. 

l  Case of Media Industry Practices on: (1) Global Media Practices, 2) Social Media Practices, 3) AI Technology Adoption and Promotion Contexts.

Case Study Types

1. Case Study Research

2. Media Industry Practice

Languages in the Initial Stage

1.     English

2.     Chinese

Data Collection and Analysis

We welcome case studies that employ qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches. Authors are expected to explain the process and to discuss the rationale behind their data collection and analysis methods, ensuring that they align with ethical research standards, including obtaining informed consent from research participants. We also encourage authors to critically assess and openly discuss any limitations inherent in their data gathering and analytical techniques.

Case Study Structure

Each OMGC case study, with a word limit of 2000-5000 (excluding appendices and references), will be assigned a DOI after acceptance to the Repository. All submissions be peer reviewed by at least one of the editorial review board members. Citation style will follow the OMGC Mouton Style which includes family name and first name of the author (See De Gruyter Mouton Journal Style Sheet at https://www.degruyter.com/journal/key/omgc/html).

The review and decision process will be within 60 days. The author’s name(s) will be listed in the convention of the country such as CHEN Zhong if the author is in China, and Zhong CHEN if the author is in the U.S.A.

If the data contain proprietary information of the organization under study, authors should seek written consent from the sources before submitting the case and confirm if the organization and individual names can be identified.

The following structure mainly applies to Case Study Research while the Media Industry Practice structure will be available in a separate context.

A case study of research consists of the following sections and headings:

(1)  Title of the Case Study: summarize key concepts and questions to be addressed

(2) Author(s):  Full Names, positions, affiliations

(3) Abstract: The summary of a case study should be in 150-200 words with at least five keywords.  Keywords can include but not limited to: 1) key word related with case; 2) organization name under study; 3) industry/sector, if applicable; 4) country context/region/global; 5) one of the 5 topic areas.

(4) Introduction or background: provide an introduction or background information for a case study and explain why the case study

(5) Research questions: address 1-2 real questions of concern related with the topic or industry

(6) Description and data analysis: using the case study methods to analyze the collected data and other documentation regarding the case. For academic case study research, related theories on international communication, advertising, media management, public relations, advertising, management or others should be used in analyzing the case. For industry practice case, no theory is required but should have clear functions for guidance of industry practices and/or lessons learned for students in media and communication professions. It can be an exemplary case for future references. 

(7) Discussions: analysis with historical, social and industry perspectives in relation with the key concepts and perceptions.

(8) Conclusion and assessment: summarize key conclusions, major trends and discuss directions of future developments of a specific topic or industry.

Benefits of Publishing in the Repository

1.     Publication recognition and validation through the review process and DOI assignment.

2.     No fee to the author(s) and free open access to everyone around the world

3.     Readership metrics and impact report freely available to the author(s) in real-time author dashboard on the Ubiquity platform (Authors will be notified automatically quarterly on the update (check with ubiquity). See example attached.

4.     Free permanent online storage on the repository

5.     Search engine optimization through the ubiquity platform

6.     Knowledge sharing and building on the repository

Case Study Template and Launch

A case study template and submission guideline will be provided in the call for submissions.

The OMGC Case Study Repository will be launched on December 28, 2024 after the completion of case study platforms.

OMGC Repository Editorial Review Board (Proposed Composition by nomination and recommendation with case study research credentials)

1.     10 members from AEJMC MMEE division, International Communication Division, Advertising Division, PR division executive board members

2.     5 members from BEA MMP and International Communication Division executive board members

3.     5 members from ICA media industry interest group executive board members

4.     10 members from Chinese academic institutions and international media organizations

5.     10 members from Global South scholars.

Appendices

Case study writing resources:

1.   https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-write-a-psychology-case-study-2795722

2.  https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/assignments/casestudy#:~:text=A%20case%20study%20research%20paper,between%20two%20or%20more%20subjects.

Case Study Research References

Brown, P.A., 2008. A review of the literature on case study research. Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education/Revue canadienne des jeunes chercheures et chercheurs en education, 1(1).

Feagin, J.R., Orum, A.M. and Sjoberg, G. eds., 2016. A case for the case study. UNC Press Books.

Gerring, J., 2006. Case study research: Principles and practices. Cambridge university press.

Gillham, B., 2000. Case study research methods. London: Continuum.

Gomm, R., Hammersley, M. and Foster, P., 2000. Case study method: Key issues and key texts. LONON: Sage.

Hancock, D.R., Algozzine, B. and Lim, J.H., 2021. Doing case study research: A practical guide for beginning researchers.

Mills, A.J., Durepos, G. and Wiebe, E. eds., 2009. Encyclopedia of case study research. SAGE.

Rule, P. and John, V., 2011. Your guide to case study research. Pretoria: Van Schaik.

Stake, R.E., 1995, The Art of Case Study Research, CA: Sage.

Woodside, A.G. and Wilson, E.J., 2003. Case study research methods for theory building. Journal of business & industrial marketing, 18(6/7), pp.493-508.

Yin, R.K., 2009. Case study research: Design and methods. CA: SAGE.

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