definition of case study

definition of case study

Importance of Case Studies in Research

1. Introduction

Case study is an extensively utilized tool in order to carry out a detailed and in-depth analysis of a phenomenon amongst existing studies. Case studies are extensively utilized in psychology and amongst the social sciences. This research work is also being used in the field of business, for instance here in Dell’s Graduate Development Programme as one of its key initiatives. It is imperative to be informed of the reasons as to why this research method is being utilized and what are the benefits and limitations of this method. This paper aims to clarify and explain the various determining factors when considering case study research. This work is an outline from Dell’s Graduate Development Programme, which has also supported the writer to understand case study research method as the programme has thoroughly utilized case study research for various initiatives and has been successful in doing so. This has been chosen as a good starting point to understand and write about this research method as the writer has a personal interest in the topic and can easily draw from the experience and information of Dell’s Graduate Development Programme. This work is designed for those who are studying research methods and/or are about to embark upon a research study using this method.

2. Definition of Case Study

A case study is a comprehensive study that is based on one or the other methodologies and it is also referred to as a specific person, group, policy, incident, or object, which is used to formulate generalizations or principles. Case studies usually do not have separate research questions. In the discipline of political science, case studies provide insight into the ways of formal theory, but the truth is that often the best case for theory is a good theory for a specific case raises questions about the implications of those findings for more general claims. Case study is also defined as an intensive, systematic investigation of a single individual, group, organization, or unit. It is a method of exploration in depth. At the heart of this definition is the understanding that the case study is a methodology.

3. Benefits of Conducting Case Studies

Throughout the conduct of the case study, the researcher works to ensure the study is on the right track. At all stages, the case study is set to be tested and re-tested. This can involve developing and re-assessing research questions, and continually checking the validity of the information to ensure that it is still on course. This policy is relevant to the phase of conclusion and generalization. By concluding, a case study researcher will make comparisons with the evidence of data interpretations to see whether they are valid. If the conclusions do not make sense, then the data will be re-looked at. Once the researcher is convinced he has a defensible argument, he can try to generalize the findings and check them out with others in the field (e.g. other teaching professors or colleagues at the company in question) to see if they are applicable to a broader context. The above can be seen to demonstrate that throughout the case study, there is repeated thinking and sloping of the next best step.

The key features in case study research that differentiate it from other methods is the in-depth and detailed nature of the data, and the fact that the researcher generally has more opportunity to analyse, understand or interpret the evidence. This being the case, it is very important for case study researchers to establish the trustworthiness and credibility of their work, by building what is referred to as a “chain of evidence”. This is essential because it adds to the reader’s confidence that the study is conducted rigorously, and has not been influenced by the researcher’s personal bias or agenda. This can be achieved by using precise and systematic methods to record information, analyzing the data and keeping the case study available to the client or other researchers to ensure that the conclusions drawn from it can be given in explanation. Scholastically and scientifically, it is rigorous and critical for case study researchers to provide evidence to establish its validity. This means…

4. How to design and conduct a case study 5. Criteria for judging the quality of a case study 6. Teaching case study method 7. References

4. Steps to Conduct a Case Study

Select a case. Collect data about the case to establish its background. Use various sources to gather the information, such as documents, artifacts, interviews. Often history is difficult to ascertain. If constituents are unavailable for interviews, the beginning of the case can become more of a commencement of a study and not an actual case study. Organize data. The same data may have different interpretations in different studies. Organizing helps to sort through the data in order to find relevant information. A method used by many is the comparison matrix. Elements are listed on the side and the information is displayed for easy comparison. Generalize the information found in the instances to theories or hypotheses. This step consists of either construing an idea that was formerly not explicit within the data or theorizing what generalizations can be made by the data gathered. More info on theory construction coming soon…

5. Conclusion

The conclusion reminds marketers that they must consider case study research in regard to validity and reliability, where there is an assumption that it is a weak research strategy to do this. The essay has claimed that case study research is corrective instead of exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory in nature and warrants additional attention and a compelling rationale from researchers in the discipline. Case study research, by its nature, is holistic. It is not fragmented by ontological and epistemological boundaries, which is a main feature of other research traditions. Case study research lacks the rigidly fixed protocol of other research traditions in some respects, but still, a case study is able to maintain a structure and a solid research plan.

Case study research has grown in reputation as an effective technique to investigate and understand complex issues in real-world settings. Case study layouts have been utilized through a variety of disciplines, variously to explore descriptive, explanatory, and exploratory research questions. In this essay, I am going to reflect on the significance of case study design, the way it has been described and used, with particular emphasis on the main methodological debates that have emerged. Throughout this work, the credits and limitations of case studies and case study research have been highlighted, and the diverse techniques case study businesses have used have been discussed, illustrating the diversity within this approach.