Case Study - Chapter 7
Tips for success in doing case study research
- Find an interesting case - Make sure you have good people skills
Writing a research case requires different skills and knowledge from those needed when writing a teaching case. To write a research case, the author needs:
- To have a much higher and more detailed knowledge of the subject matter. - To be familiar with, and cite, the latest research on the particular topic in question. - To write up a case that directly relates to that research topic. - To write up a case in such a way that the story is plausible and convinces other researchers that the research article is indeed a new contribution to knowledge in the field. - To write up a case in an engaging manner.
Practical suggestions for case study
-Interesting cases "tell us something new" -Like for any research project, "one of the biggest challenges" is finding one or more research sites -" ... gather as much evidence as possible" -"Not everyone is suited to doing case study research" -'Key' informants -"A more in-depth case study will use other sources of evidence besides interviews. Written documents can be extremely valuable as they often provide evidence for things which people sometimes have difficulty remembering" " ... annual reports, newspaper clippings, reports, memos, organization charts, and minutes of meetings. In some cases, physical artefacts such as devices, tools, or systems might provide additional sources of evidence"
Can be used to "discover the relevant features, factors or issues that might apply in other similar situations" three examples are
1 Modify or suggest new theory 2. Build theory (more common) 3. Test theory (less common) " ... multiple cases can be seen as being like a series of experiments that replicate, contrast or extend an existing theory"
Advantages of case study
1. 'Face validity': it represents a real story that most researchers can identify with and the case documents one or more firms' attempt to deal with issues of current importance to other firms. 2. It allows researchers to explore or test theories within the context of messy real-life situations. These situations are never as neat and tidy as our theories.
Yin (2003) defines a case study in two parts:
1. A case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident. o It is nearly impossible to separate the phenomenon of interest from the context because the context itself is part and parcel of the story. 2. The case study inquiry: a. Copes with the technically distinctive situation in which there will be many more variables of interest than data points, and as one result. b. Relies on multiple sources of evidence, with data needing to converge in a triangulating fashion, and as another result. c. Benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions to guide data collection and analysis.
Disadvantages of case study
1. It can be difficult to gain access to the particular company or group of companies that you want to study. 2. The researcher has no control over the situation, which means if the company you are studying is suddenly taken over by another company halfway through your study, there is little that you can do about it. 3. It can be difficult for younger, inexperienced researchers, to focus on the most important issues.
The two most popular uses of case studies in business schools are in
1. Teaching: case studies are tremendously helpful to students in allowing them to understand better the theory and principles that are relevant to business. 2. Research case studies: can be used as empirical evidence to convince other researchers of the applicability of a particular theory or proposition.
The following criteria are offered as general guidelines for evaluating a research case in business:
1. The case study must be 'interesting': the case study should tell the researchers in a particular field something new that they did not know before. 2. The case study must display sufficient evidence: you need to include sufficient evidence (include citations) such that your argument makes sense and is plausible. 3. The case study should be 'complete': all relevant evidence to prove or disprove a particular theoretical point has been collected. 4. The case study must consider alternative perspectives: include considering different theories, alternative cultural views, or disagreements among the subjects. 5. The case study should be written in an engaging manner: the write-up requires some creative energy. 6. The case study should contribute to knowledge: emphasizes the contribution to scientific knowledge rather than the case's intrinsic interest value.
Research cases are for
1. Written primarily for researchers 2. Designed to contribute to a new theory or explore/test an existing theory 3. Published as part of a research article in a journal, conference or book.
Teaching cases are for
1. Written primarily for students 2. Designed to illustrate an existing theory or principle 3. Published on its own as a teaching case, often with notes for the instructor.
Why does prior theory guide case study data collection and analysis?
Assuming case studies are different from "grounded theory" studies, they are either meant to deduce or induce results based on existing theory. (Grounded theory is used when there is no guiding theory.)
In Chapter 7 Myers says that researchers without good people skills should choose a method different than a "case study". What could he mean by "good people skills"?
Myers specifies that doing case study research requires finding one or more research sites, and at each research site finding a sponsor and/or key informant. People skills include the ability to make "cold" calls and to develop a rapport with other people such that the person can convince the appropriate organizational contacts as to the value of the proposed study. People skills are also needed to conduct interviews. The interviewer must be able to make the interviewee feel comfortable in answering questions and discussing those answers.
How does positivist case study research differ from interpretive or critical case study research?
Positivist case study research tests theory through deduction. Interpretive or critical case study research may test theory through induction or it may lead the researcher(s) to modify theory. Typically, interpretive or critical case studies do not aim to build theory.
Case study is useful when
When "the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident"
One of the biggest challenges in doing case study research is to find
a company in which you can do the research.
Positivist research: requires a good case study design based on the five components (Yin, 2003).
a. A study's questions b. Its propositions, if any c. Its unit(s) of analysis d. The logic linking the data to the propositions e. The criteria for interpreting the findings.
Once you have been given access to an organization, then you need to gather
as much evidence as possible that is relevant to your topic.
Myers thinks Yin's definition is too broad in the sense that
case studies in business are usually restricted to studies of one or more business organizations. - A case study in business is almost always synonymous with a study of some business aspect of an organization.
Positivist case study research is
case study research is seen as a method for testing a redefining hypotheses or propositions in the real world. o Importance of propositions and defines quality in terms of construct validity, internal validity, external validity and reliability.
'Case study research in business uses
empirical evidence from one or more organizations where an attempt is made to study the subject matter in context. Multiple sources of evidence are used, although most of the evidence comes from interviews and documents.'
Another defining feature of case study research is its
focus on asking how and why questions. - The case study researcher seeks to understand how and why a particular business decision was made, or how and why a business process works the way it does. o In comparison to action research, the case study researcher does not intervene deliberately in a situation but seeks simply to describe it.
Instead of using sampling logic to justify case study research, which generalizes a sample to a population, it is much better to
generalize one or more cases to theory. o Using three or four cases is no better than using one case when it comes to increasing the confidence in your findings, which means using only one case is fine.
Interpretive case study is
generally attempt to understand phenomena through the meanings that people assign to them. o Defines quality in terms of plausibility of the story and the overall argument. o Focus on the social construction of reality: how and why people see the world the way they do.
Myers thinks Yin's definition is too narrow in the sense that
he advocates just one type of case study research. - This is perhaps best described as a positivist approach to case study research, because he recommends the prior development of hypotheses and has a focus on triangulation.
Other types of case studies are:
interpretative and critical case study research are also types of case studies.
Case study, even in-depth case study research, does not normally
involve participant observation or fieldwork. The empirical evidence comes from interviews and documents.
Critical case study is
involves critical reflection on current practices, questions taken for granted assumptions, and critiques the status quo based on the theories of one or more critical theorists. o Does not define quality in positivistic terms.
It is important to evaluate case study research according to
its fundamental tenets and not by the assumptions or tenets of some other method.
The two most common technique used for gathering data is the interview.
o The interview is particularly useful for finding out people's motivations, and their rationale as to why they did certain things. o It is possible to conduct a case study almost solely based on a few interviews with key people, however a more in-depth case study relies on interviews with many people in the organization, and these people will represent diverse perspectives.
Using the Kvasny and Keil article, identify the phenomenon and the context. Can you explain how the boundaries between the phenomenon and the context are not clearly evident?
phenomenon - The digital divide context - Atlanta Georgia and LaGrange Georgia § The digital divide depends, to a great extent, on the contexts in which it occurs (e.g., underprivileged populations).
The description of a particular case or situation is used to draw some conclusions about the
phenomenon more generally.
The case study can be conducted according to what three tenets.
positivist, interpretive or critical
A case study can be of a
social process, an organization, or any collective social unit. Example: A medical journal might describe the case of an asthma patient who showed certain symptoms after taking a particular medication. The particular case might be new and unique, but the case is still an example of a more general phenomenon.
Critical research additional case study criteria includes
the case should question taken-for-granted assumptions and open to scrutiny (analytical) possible hidden agendas, power centres and assumptions that inhibit, repress and constrain. (see principles Klein and Myers CH$4.4)
Interpretive research additional case study criteria includes
the plausibility of the case is far more important than its design. The plausibility is improved by many things such as multiple sources of evidence, and having a clear description of what you did and how. (see principles Klein and Myers CH$4.3)
The purpose of case study research in business and management is to
use empirical evidence from real people in real organizations to make an original contribution to knowledge.
The key defining feature of case study research is
what is studied. - The what are contemporary real-life situations where there is no control on the part of the researcher and where everything might be happen all at once. o Case study research uses empirical evidence from real people in contemporary real-life organizations.
An interesting case study is one,
which tells us something new: it tells researchers in a particular field something that they did not know before.
A more in-depth case study will use other sources of evidence besides interviews, such as
written documents. - Written documents often provide evidence for things which people sometimes have difficulty remembering (i.e. exact dates, attendee lists) and includes items such as annual reports.
How would modifying theory be different from building theory?
§ A definition of "modify" is: "make partial or minor changes to (something), typically so as to improve it or to make it less extreme". § A definition of "build" is: "construct (something, typically something large) by putting parts or material together over a period of time". § Given the above definitions, modifying theory entails making changes that make it better, whereas building theory entails constructing it (perhaps from the "ground up").
§ Myers Chapter 7 lists six criteria for evaluating case study research (also listed in the two previous slides). Three criteria begin with "must" and three begin with "should". Are the "must" items sufficient to be able to publish an article about the research?
§ If reviewers find the topic interesting, that the researcher(s) have supplied sufficient evidence, and that the researchers have considered alternative perspectives, I do not believe this will be sufficient for acceptance. First and foremost, the research must make a contribution to knowledge. § A paper that is not complete or is not written in an engaging manner can be revised as long as the research makes a contribution.
Could a case be used for both teaching and research? If not, why? If so, how?
§ It is possible. § However, the case would have to be based on a case study research design because it cannot be a research case if the research methods are missing. § The researcher(s) could write up the research case as a teaching case by rewriting it to "show that the theory has a practical application and bring the subject matter to life."
§ How can case study researchers know for sure that their research topic is interesting?
§ It is virtually impossible to know for sure if a research topic is interesting. Case study researchers can increase the odds that others will find their research interesting by "trying it out" on other researchers. § A doctoral student's committee will not accept the student's proposal if they do not find the topic interesting. This does not mean that researchers who are not on the committee will. § Conference papers are useful mechanisms for determining whether the topic is interesting.
§ According to Myers Chapter 7 a "case documents one or more firms' attempt to deal with issues of current importance to other firms, many of which are likely to be in the same boat." What single word would you use to describe the highlighted part of Myers' statement?
§ Phenomena or phenomenon. § Myers does not define phenomenon. This is a case study research term that is attributed to Yin. § A dictionary definition of phenomenon is "a fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, especially one whose cause or explanation is in question." § From the standpoint of researchers, the observation of a fact or situation must be important.
§ Students who have been exposed to quantitative methods via a statistics or quantitative research methods course find it difficult to understand why sampling logic is not relevant to qualitative methods. Can you state an elegant explanation that would easily convince naysayers?
§ Qualitative researchers who adopt an interpretive or critical approach believe that the positivist concept of generalizability is not applicable because understanding phenomena requires studying contexts and processes in depth. Thus, there is no value in sampling from a population, which means that sampling logic not appropriate for these researchers. Instead they aim to generalize to theory.
What is the extended case method?
§ The following is from the first paragraph of the article "Extended Case Method" in the Encyclopedia of Case Study Research. § "The extended case method (ECM) is an ethnographic research method that focuses on a detailed study of concrete empirical cases with a view to "extract" general principles from specific observations. Typically, a researcher would participate in and observe a number of related events and actions of individuals and groups over an extended period of time. The researcher would then construct his or her (ethnographic) story and theorize about a social phenomenon, rather than start with a theory to explain an empirical reality. ECM is at once a method of data collection, analysis, and theory building. Both the conceptualization and the application of the ECM have changed over time." § Note that the above definition links "ECM" to ethnography even though the title of the book from which it is taken refers to case study research.
How can triangulation be used in case study research?
§ Triangulation can be used in any type of qualitative (or even mixed) method. It enables the researcher(s) to use multiple (at least two) sources of data to corroborate conclusions. Triangulation could be applied by collecting different types of data and/or by having different researchers collect data. In case study research, interviews are typically the main form of data collection. Secondary methods include document analysis and observations.
