CASE STUDY RESEARCH

When can case study be used ?

In exploratory research – to explore, discover

In explanatory research – to test, to

explain, or to compare
The purpose of case study research is to use empirical evidence from real people
in real organizations to make an original contribution to knowledge
 Bounded system
 Merriam -” Single most defining
characteristic of case study research lies in
delimiting the object of the study, the case.”

 The case could be a single

person, a program,
a group, a community, etc.

 Bound system is “fencing in” what is studied.

 Bounded system
“The unit of analysis, not the topic of
investigation, characterizes a case
study.”

“If the phenomenon you are interested

in studying is not intrinsically bound, it
is not a case.”
 Combining other types of studies
“No particular method for data collection or data
analysis.”

Use interpretative research.

“Design is chosen precisely because researchers are

interested in insight, discovery……rather that
hypothesis testing.”
 Case study
“No particular method for data collection or data
analysis.”

Use interpretative research.

“Design is chosen precisely because researchers are

interested in insight, discovery……rather that
hypothesis testing.”
 Case Study Defined
 The term ‘case study’ has multiple meanings.
It can be used to describe a detailed study of a
single social unit (e.g. a case study of a
particular organization).

 Merriam “An in-depth description and analysis of a

bounded system.”
 Case Study Defined
 Yin defines a case study as an empirical enquiry that:
– investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its
real-life context, especially when
– the boundaries between phenomenon and context are
not clearly evident" (Yin, 1994: 13).

 Yin’s approach to case study research is basically

positivist, since he recommends the use of hypotheses
and/or propositions
 Special Features
Particularistic-focuses on a particular situation,
program or phenomenon.

Descriptive-rich,thick description of phenomenon

under study.

Heuristic-illuminate the readers’ understanding of

the phenomenon.
 Knowledge Learned
Stake - claims that knowledge learned from
case study is different from other research
knowledge.
More concrete - vivid experience.
More contextual - rooted in context.
Readers’ interpretation - bring in own
experience.
 Positivist Case Study
•Yin (1994) suggests five components of good
case study design:
1. a study’s questions
2. its propositions, if any
3. its unit(s) of analysis
4. the logic linking the data to the propositions
5. the criteria for interpreting the findings
 “Interpretative” Case Study
“Process or actually carrying out the
investigation, the unit of analysis and the
end product.”
Intensive
Holistic description
Analysis of a single entity, phenomenon
or social unit.
Interpretative Case Study
• Interpretive case studies generally attempt to understand
phenomena through the meanings that people assign to them

• Interpretive case studies define quality in terms of the

plausibility of the story (narrative) and the overall argument
(not validity and reliability) why?

• Interpretive case studies focus on the social construction of

reality – how and why people see the world the way they do
•
• MY defensible understandings of other peoples’
understandings
 Critical Case Study
• Interpretive case studies generally attempt to understand
phenomena through the meanings that people assign to
them

• Interpretive case studies define quality in terms of the

plausibility of the story and the overall argument (not
validity and reliability)

• Interpretive case studies focus on the social construction

of reality – how and why people see the world the way
they do
 Multiple Case Studies
•Used to study a phenomenon, a population
or a general condition.

•Collective or multi-site
•“Individual cases share a common
characteristic or condition.”
•More cases = more compelling the
interpretation.
Strengths of using Case Studies
•Real-life situations
•Complex social units with multiple
variables.
•Expand the readers’ experiences
•Good for applied fields of study.
•Focus on a single unit, single instance
 Limitations of Case Studies
•May want rich description but lack
resources.
•May have too much information.
•Limited experience of the researcher
•Could cherry pick data to achieve a
desired outcome - News
•Lack of accurate representation.
 Misunderstandings
•Flyvbejerg Table 3.1

•Determining the value of case studies.

•No researcher is going to make a

recommendation based on the findings of
a single case.
 Good case studies must be….
• The case study must be ‘interesting’
• The case study must display sufficient evidence
• The case study must be ‘complete’
• The case study must consider alternative perspectives
• The case study should be written in an engaging manner
• The case study should contribute to knowledge
One case study is fine!
A common error: sampling logic
 In Summary
Encounter case studies with professional work.

The term “Case Study” is sometimes used as a catch-all

phrase.

“The process of conducting the inquiry, the bounded

system or unit of analysis selected for study, or the
product, the end report of a case investigation.”
(Merriam, p. 54)