The study utilized a qualitative methodology, and was based on in-depth interviews and the analysis of online participation records and other relevant materials. Phone or face-to-face interviews, followed up by e-mails and/or additional phone calls, were conducted in Russia, China, and Brazil, and at the US headquarters of Caterpillar. A total of 36 managers and
employees have participated. In interviews, the participants were asked a number of open-ended questions, which were intended to generate rich descriptions of knowledge sharing and problem-solving situations and strategies.
The data collected in each of the three countries were coded and analyzed by different researchers independently using the qualitative data presentation and analysis methods proposed by Miles and Huberman (1994), including development of summary sheets for each interview, coding of individual interview data, and coding of the overall data set. For each of the three countries, the lead researcher utilized help from one additional researcher who provided rating reliability checks by independently coding and analyzing samples of interview transcripts. At the final stage, data from the three countries were analyzed together, to detect commonalities and differences between the country sets.