Case Study Research Method
Short Description
Download Case Study Research Method...
Description
CASE STUDY RESEARCH METHOD
LOGIC OF CASE STUDY
PREPARE
PLAN
DESIGN
COLLECT
SHARE
Based on R.Yin, 2009, Case Study Research, 4th Ed., SAGE
ANALYZE ANALYZE
LOGIC OF CASE STUDY
PREPARE
PLAN
DESIGN
COLLECT
SHARE
Based on R.Yin, 2009, Case Study Research, 4th Ed., SAGE
ANALYZE ANALYZE
WHEN TO USE? •
“How” and “Why” research questions
•
Researcher has little control over events
•
Focus is on contemporary phenomenon within real-life contex contextt
GOALS OF CASE STUDY •
Exploratory
•
Descriptive
•
Explanatory
CRITICISM •
Rigor of case study research
•
Little basis for scientific generalization
•
Too long, result in massive, unreadable documents
•
Can’t directly address causal relationships
DEFINITION (R.YIN, 2009, Case Study Research, 4th Ed., SAGE. p.18)
1. A case study is an empirical enquiry that •
•
investigates a contemporary phenomenon in depth and within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident.
2. The case study inquiry •
•
•
copes with the technically distinctive situation in which there will be many more variables of interest than data points, and as one result relies on multiple sources of evidence, with data needing to converge in a triangulating fashion, and as another result benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions to guide data collection and analysis.
NUMBER OF CASES •
•
Single vs. Multiple Comparative case method (distinctive form of multiple case study)
DESIGN
PREPARE
PLAN
DESIGN
COLLECT
SHARE
ANALYZE
RESEARCH DESIGN OF CASE STUDY •
Research design – logic linking data to be collected to the initial questions of study
•
Logical connection between questions and findings
•
Example: inter-organizational study
COMPONENTS OF RESEARCH DESIGN •
Questions of a study
•
Propositions
•
Unit(s) of analysis
•
Logic linking the data to the propositions
•
Criteria for interpreting the findings
ROLE OF THEORY IN DESIGN •
•
•
Theoretical framework for a study E.g., organizational theories (theories of bureaucracy, organizational structure and functions; excellence in organizational performance, and inter-organizational partnerships) Generalizations: statistical and analytic
CRITERIA FOR JUDGING THE QUALITY OF RESEARCH DESIGN •
•
•
•
Construct validity: identifying correct operational measures for the concepts being studied Internal validity: seeking to establish a causal relationship, whereby certain conditions are believed to lead to other conditions External validity: defining the domain to which a study’s findings can be generalized Reliability: demonstrating that the operations of a study – such as the data collection procedures – can be repeated, the same results
CONSTRUCT VALIDITY •
Problem: •
•
Operational set of measures: objectivity vs. subjectivity
Tactics: •
Use multiple sources of evidence
•
Establish chain of evidence
•
Have key informants review draft case study report
INTERNAL VALIDITY •
•
Problem: •
Mainly a concern for explanatory case studies
•
Making inferences in a case study
Tactics: •
Do pattern matching
•
Do explanation building
•
Address rival explanation
•
Use logic model
EXTERNAL VALIDITY •
Problem: •
•
Is this study generalizable? This is a major concern in case studies!
Tactics: •
Use theory in single-case studies
•
Use replication logic in multiple-case studies
RELIABILITY •
Problem: •
•
To minimize errors and biases in a study
Tactics: •
Use case study protocol
•
Develop case study database
PREPARING FOR DATA COLLECTION
PREPARE
PLAN
DESIGN
COLLECT
SHARE
ANALYZE
DESIRED SKILLS •
Ask good questions
•
Be a good ”listener”
•
Be adaptive and flexible
•
Have a firm grasp of the issues being studied
•
Be unbiased by preconceived notions
PROTOCOL OF INVESTIGATION •
Major way to increase the reliability of case study
•
Guides the investigator in the data collection
•
General content of a case study protocol: •
an overview of the project
•
field procedures
•
case study questions
•
a guide for case study report
COLLECTING CASE STUDY EVIDENCE
PREPARE
PLAN
DESIGN
COLLECT
SHARE
ANALYZE
SOURCES OF EVIDENCE •
Documentation
•
Archival records
•
Interviews
•
Direct observation
•
Participant observation
•
Physical artefacts
DOCUMENTATION •
Strengths: •
•
Weaknesses: •
•
•
Stable, unobtrusive, exact, broad coverage
Retrievability, biased selectivity, reporting bias, and access
Use of documents: to corroborate and augment evidence from other sources An Internet search prior to field visit
ARCHIVAL RECORDS •
•
Strengths: •
Same as for documents
•
Precise and usually quantitative
Weaknesses: •
Same as for documents
•
Accessibility due to privacy reasons
•
Often take a form of computer files and records
•
E.g., organizational records (budget or personnel records)
•
Usefulness of archival records vary: from essential to passive relevance
INTERVIEWS •
Strengths: •
•
Targeted, insightful
Weaknesses: •
Bias due to poorly articulated questions
•
Response bias
•
Inaccuracies due to poor recall
•
Reflexivity
DIRECT OBSERVATIONS •
Strengths: •
•
Weaknesses: •
•
Reality, contextual
Time-consuming, selectivity, reflexivity, and cost
Observations of meetings, factory work, classrooms, etc.
PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION •
•
Strengths: •
Same as for direct observation
•
Insightful into interpersonal behavior and motives
Weaknesses: •
Same as for direct observation
•
Bias due to participant-observer’s manipulation of events
PHYSICAL ARTEFACTS •
Strengths: •
•
Weaknesses: •
•
Insightful into cultural features and technical operations
Selectivity and availability
E.g., technological device, tool or instrument, a work of art
PRINCIPLE 1: USE MULTIPLE SOURCES OF EVIDENCE •
•
•
•
Use of multiple sources is a strength of a case study Triangulation -> findings are more convincing and accurate Convergence and nonconvergence of sources Prerequisites for using multiple sources: costs, knowledge in different data collection methods
PRINCIPLE 2: CREATE A CASE STUDY DATABASE •
Way of organizing and documenting the data collected
•
Increases reliability of research
•
Database includes: •
case study notes (e.g., results of interviews, observations)
•
case study documents
•
tabular materials (e.g., survey and other quantitative data)
•
narratives (open-ended answers to the questions)
PRINCIPLE 3: MAINTAIN A CHAIN OF EVIDENCE •
•
To allow an external observer to follow the derivation of any evidence from initial research questions to ultimate conclusions Not only the actual evidence but the circumstances of its collection
ANALYSIS
PREPARE
PLAN
DESIGN
COLLECT
SHARE
ANALYZE
GENERAL STRATEGIES •
Relying on theoretical propositions
•
Developing a case description
•
Using both qualitative and quantitative data
•
Examining rival explanations
1. PATTERN MATCHING •
•
•
•
Compare an empirically based pattern with a predicted one Can help to strengthen the internal validity A pattern might be related to the variables of the study Example of pattern analysis
2. EXPLANATION BUILDING •
•
•
Analysis of a case study by building an explanation about the case Mainly relevant to explanatory case studies Explanation building occurs most often in a narrative form
•
Reflect theoretically significant propositions
•
Iterative nature of explanation building
•
Potential problems with explanation building
3. TIME-SERIES ANALYSIS •
The ability to trace changes over time is a strength of case studies
•
Single dependent or independent variable
•
Statistical tests are used
•
Complex time series analysis
•
Chronologies
4. LOGIC MODELS •
The model stipulates a complex chain of events over an extended period of time
•
Repeated cause-effect-cause-effect patterns
•
Can be considered as a form of pattern matching
•
Matching empirically observed events to theoretically predicted events
5. CROSS CASE SYNTHESIS •
•
Applied specifically to the analysis of multiple cases Cases for synthesis might come from different studies
REPORTING CASE STUDY
PREPARE
PLAN
DESIGN
COLLECT
SHARE
ANALYZE
ISSUES IN REPORTING •
•
•
There is no any stereotypic form Targeting case study reports Structures for case study reports: •
Linear-analytic (for all types)
•
Comparative (for all types)
•
Chronological (for all types)
•
•
•
Theory-building (for explanatory and exploratory) Suspense (only for explanatory) Unsequenced (only for descriptive)
View more...
Comments
