Case Studies

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1. Designing Studies.
   
   
2. Case Studies.
   • Definition.
   • Designing case studies.
   • Types of evidence.
   
   
   
3. The Writing Process.
   
   
4. Features of Exemplary Case Studies.

Research Perspectives to Consider

• The degree to which the research problem has been crystallised.
  
  
• The method of data collection.
  
  
• The power of the research to produce effects.
  
  
• The purpose of the study.
  
  
• The time dimension.
  
  
• The topical scope.
  
  
• The research environment.

Topical Scope

Statistical Study

• Designed for breadth.
• Designed to make inferences about a sample.
• Hypothesis are tested empirically.
• Generalisations are based on the representativeness of the sample, and the validity of the design.

Case Studies

• Designed for depth.
• Designed to provide detailed insights about a few situations/individuals or events.
• Generalisations are made on data secured from multiple sources of information.

A Common Misconception

Research strategies should be arrayed hierarchically

1. Case studies - exploratory
2. Surveys/histories - descriptive
3. Experiments - Explanatory or casual inquiries.

A more appropriate view - each strategy can be used for all three purposes.

Each strategy has advantages and disadvantages depending on three conditions.

1. The type of research question.
2. The control the investigator has over the events.
3. The focus on contemporary or historical phenomena.

Definition

A case study is an empirical inquiry that

• Investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between the phenomenon and context are not clearly evident.
  
  
• Copes with a technically distinctive situation in which there will be many more variables of interest than data points.
  
  
• Relies on multiple sources of evidence benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions.

Types of Case Studies

• Explanatory.
• Descriptive.
• Exploratory.

Types of Evidence

• Documents.
  
  
• Archival Records.
  
  
• Interviews.
  • Open ended.
  • Focused interviews.
  • Formal surveys.
  
  
  
• Direct observation.
  
  
• Participant observation.

Two Principals of Data Collection.

• Use multiple sources of information.
• Create a case study database.

Possible Structures for a Case Study

1. Linear Analytic Structure.
   • Issue or problem.
   • A review of the literature.
   • Methods.
   • Findings.
   • Conclusions/implications.
   
   
   
2. Comparative Structure.
   • Case study repeated.
   • Purpose - to show the degree to which the facts fit each model.
   
   
   
3. Chronological Structure.
   • Present case in chronological order.
   
   
   
4. Theory Building Structure.
   • Argument where each section unravels a new part of the case.
   • Purpose - compelling.
   
   
   
5. Suspense Structure.
   • Direct answer given in initial section of paper.
   
   
   
6. Unsequenced Structure.

What Makes an Exemplary Case Study?

• Significance of findings.
  
  
• Completeness.
  
  
• Alternative perspectives considered.
  
  
• Sufficient Evidence.
  
  
• Writing style must be engaging.