Case study methodology in business research jan dul and tony hak amsterdam boston heidelberg london new york oxford paris san diego san francisco singapore sydney tokyo butterworthheinemann is an imprint of elsevier. Introduction a case study is a story about how something exists within a real world context that is created by carefully examining an instance. Stake 1994 describes two types of case study the intrinsic case study and the instrumental case study. Hence the tutor will specify a case study to be read, but additionally will specify that students need. The draft methodology developed in 20 and 2014, and the pilot study completed in early 2015, focused on phase 1 companies.
If there are different demographics involved with the entity, or there are different needs which must be examined, then the case study method becomes very inefficient. Research methodology applied to a comparative case study. Recognised as a tool in many social science studies, the role. The case study method requires a small sample size for it to yield an effective amount of data to be analyzed. Case study research method m e t h o d o l o g y r e v i e w prof. Case study methodology in business research 1st edition. Commonwealth association for public administration and management april 2010. The case study method often involves simply observing what happens to, or reconstructing the case history of a single participant or group of individuals such as a school class or a specific social group, i. This paper aims to investigate the usefulness and limitations of case studies as a research methodology in ib and propose several ways for using the method more effectively. Clearly a proponent for case study research, yin openly addresses its enduring criticisms as a methodology and urges the researcher to carefully consider whether a case study is the most appropriate method for. First, an abbreviated definition of a case study will help identify the circumstances when you might choose to use the case study method instead of or as a complement to some other research method. In our methodology, we further combine survey analysis with log analysis to bring context to the search behaviors. One case study if we take specific than prediction value is less while if the case is the representative sample then it. Want to learn the case study method and the careful construction of case study designs.
Yin, merriam, and stake abstract case study methodology has long been a contested terrain in social sciences research which is characterized by varying, sometimes opposing, approaches espoused by. The complete guide for how to design and conduct theorytesting and other case studiescase study methodology in business research sets out structures and guidelines that assist students and researchers from a wide range of disciplines to develop their case study research in a consistent and rigorous manner. Case study and qualitative methods introduction to graduate students and researchers unfamiliar with case study methodology, there is often misunderstanding about what a case study is and how it, as a form of. As international business phenomena are often dynamic, complex and multidimensional, scholars have called for more frequent use of qualitative methods sinkovics et al. A standardized case study framework and methodology to. Introduction it lies bare that the choice of the research method employed to conduct research is grounded strongly on what is sought to be known, the thrust from which it wishes to be known and the depth the issue is chosen to be. Case study enquiry has been recognised as a research methodology allowing for utilisation of a diverse range of design, data collection methods and analysis of multiple sources of quantitative and qualitative evidence hakim, 2000. Whereas it is correct that the case study is a detailed examination of a single example, it is wrong that a case study cannot provide reliable information about the broader class. This development has been advocated by, among others, michael quinn patton 1990. Three approaches to case study methods in education. Case study methodology in order to capture a broad range of innovative and successful bank strategies for serving the unbanked and underbanked, dove consulting and the fdic teams worked collaboratively to compile a list of prospective case study candidates. Cope 2015 states that case study research is often described as a flexible but challenging methodology that is most commonly used in social science research. Foundations and methodological orientations over the last forty years, case study research has undergone substantial methodological development. Case study research is an investigation and analysis of a single or collective case, intended to capture the complexity of the object of study stake, 1995.
Adb had 251 ta projects that were completed during 20072012 and for which a tcr had been completed. It clarifies the differences between practiceoriented and theoryoriented research. Case study design, case study research introduction case study methodology is becoming increasingly influential in psychotherapy research. Qualitative case study methodology in nursing research. A 50% sample 125 ta projects was considered to provide a. According to its design, case studies in business research can be divided into three. Case study methods in the international relations subfield. Comparation of both methodology is done in this study by using certain metric measurements. It recounts real life situations that present individuals with a. The extended case study a middleground approach an extended case study method of assessment is an approach whereby the printed case study is used as a starting point and not an end point in the students learning experience. Flexibility, rigour, and ethical considerations for the scholarship of teaching and learning abstract individuals and teams engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning sotl in multidisciplinary higher education settings must make decisions regarding choice of research methodology and methods. Case study leads to very novel idea and no longer limited to the particular individual. 36 describes methodology as coherent group of methods that. Definition of case study case study method enables a researcher to closely examine the data within a specific context.
In case study investigator tries to collect the bits in support of proposition. Case study and qualitative methods introduction to graduate students and researchers unfamiliar with case study methodology, there is often misunderstanding about what a case study is and how it, as a. Recommendations for using the case study method in. The intention of case study research is generally proposed as to gain an indepth understanding of the concerned phenomena in a reallife setting. Case studies are a popular research method in business area. Qualitative case study research, as described by stake, draws together naturalistic, holistic, ethnographic, phenomenological, and biographic research methods in a bricoleur design. A case study is a research design that entails the detailed and intensive analysis of a single case bryman, 2008. Consequently, the case study methodology still needs more systematic attention. Methodology and profile of case study countries 3 6.
Chapter three research methodology introduction the purpose of this research study was to identify and describe designated ohs practitioners and workplace managers perceptions of the implementation of ohs policy in the workplace within agencies of. Approaches to theory use in interpretive case studies a. Exploring participants experiences using case study. This paper builds on contributions to this debate by perry, alizadeh and riege 1997 and perry 1998 that describe the circumstances and paradigm that best argue for the use of case study method. A case study is a story about something unique, special, or interestingstories can be about individuals, organizations, processes, programs, neighborhoods, institutions, and even events. Whether its results can be generalised in other contexts remains an open question. Case studies aim to analyze specific issues within the boundaries of a specific environment, situation or organization. The complete guide for how to design and conduct theorytesting and other case studies case study methodology in business research sets out structures and guidelines that assist students and researchers from a wide range of disciplines to develop their case study research in a consistent and rigorous manner. Research on how the methodology should be adapted for phase 2 companies began in mid2014 and continues in 2015. Result is the vendor perspective slightly superior than the new generic. With over 90,000 copies sold of the previous editions the new third edition of the bestselling case study research has been carefully revised, updated, and expanded while retaining virtually all of the features and coverage of the second edition.
A case study method was applicable for this study because it represents an intensive analysis of a single unit with an aim to generalise across a larger set of units gerring, 2004. The course has a strong practical element because you will learn tricks and clues for avoiding common mistakes in empirical research, i. Although therapists tend to write case studies as part of their training, there is a definite need for the training of psychotherapists in case study research methodology. Yin 1994 offers a very straightforward protocol approach for case study emphasizing field procedures, case study questions, and a guide for the final write up. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. The main points of the methodology are the overall research strategy used, the procedure used to carry out the case study, the instruments used to collect and gather data, and the method that will be used in data analysis. Case study research methodology institutional repository. Of all the social science research methods the case study has the least attention and support, due to its lack of welldefined protocol. A very brief refresher on the case study method 5 different research methods, including the case study method, can be determined by the kind of research question that a study is trying to address e.
Rather than believing that one must choose to align with one paradigm or the other, i advocate a paradigm of choices. International business research has been dominated by quantitative methods, in particular questionnaire surveys yang et al. Renu susan thomas, little flower college of nursing, angamaly 2. This evolution has resulted in a pragmatic, flexible research approach, capable of providing comprehensive indepth understanding of a diverse range of issues across a number of. Case study methodology in business research jan dul. It is a characteristic of action research that the participants or practi. The use of mixed research methodology for my study included secondary analysis of an existing statistical data set. It can be considered a robust research method particularly when a holistic, indepth investigation is required. In most cases, a case study method selects a small geographical area or a very limited number of individuals as the subjects of study. Case studies are appropriate when there is a unique or interesting story to be told. Download limit exceeded you have exceeded your daily download allowance. Overview of case study models and methodology prepared by. Case study methodology has developed in the direction of eclecticism and pragmatism.
Besides discussing case study design, data collection, and analysis, the refresher addresses several key features of case study research. In action research, researchers test and refine principles, tools and methodologies to address realworld problems. A search to determine what is known about the cases is typically conducted. The extended case study method of assessment in marketing.
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