Case Study Methodologies - Case Study Research - Prof. L. K. Vaswani

7/31/2019 Case Study Methodologies - Case Study Research - Prof. L. K. Vaswani

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CASE STUDY METHODOLOGIESCASE STUDY METHODOLOGIESCASE STUDY METHODOLOGIESCASE STUDY METHODOLOGIES(Opportunities for Case Study Research)(Opportunities for Case Study Research)(Opportunities for Case Study Research)(Opportunities for Case Study Research)

Case Study ResearchCase Study ResearchCase Study ResearchCase Study Research

Prof.Prof.Prof.Prof. L. K. Vaswani

KIIT School of Rural ManagementKIIT University, Bhubaneswar,

Orissa, India


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QUALITATIVE RESEARCHQUALITATIVE RESEARCHQUALITATIVE RESEARCHQUALITATIVE RESEARCH

METHODSMETHODSMETHODSMETHODS


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Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is an interdisciplinary,

It crosses the humanities and the social andphysical sciences.

It is multi-paradigmatic in focus.

Its practitioners are sensitive to the value of the

multi-method approach.

They are committed to the naturalisticperspective, and to the interpretative

understanding of human experience.


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Application of Qualitative ApproachesApplication of Qualitative ApproachesApplication of Qualitative ApproachesApplication of Qualitative Approaches

the description and interpretation of

new or not well-researched issues; theory generation, theory

development, theory qualification, andtheory correction;

evaluation, policy advice, and action

research; and

research directed at future issues.


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Qualitative Methods & Theory BuildingQualitative Methods & Theory BuildingQualitative Methods & Theory BuildingQualitative Methods & Theory Building

Atheory tries to make sensetheory tries to make sensetheory tries to make sensetheory tries to make sense of out of the

observable world

Data describe the empirical patterns

observed, while theory explains why empiricalwhy empiricalwhy empiricalwhy empirical patterns are

observed or expected.

data dont generate theory onlyresearchers do that


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Research Process

The process starts with identifying the

research problem and framing of a researchquestion that demarcates the phenomenon

to be studied.

What is relevant to this question is allowed toemerge during the research process.

Sampling decisions evolve during theresearch process, and cannot be planned


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Research ObjectiveResearch ObjectiveResearch ObjectiveResearch ObjectiveOne can distinguish between mainly three objectives

orpurposeswith a research project:

To explainexplainexplainexplain the causality between different

observations or the reasons behind a certain

situation concerning the phenomenon

To exploreexploreexploreexplore a vague problem or a new area of

research

To describedescribedescribedescribe, i.e., observe and visualise thesituation of certain phenomena

The research objective does not automatically define

a quantitative or qualitative logic


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Research ObjectiveResearch ObjectiveResearch ObjectiveResearch Objective

The research questions implicitly determine the research

objective, and together they indicate quantitative vs.

qualitative research:

WHAT questions of descriptive nature in the sense how

much or how many call for a quantitative approach

WHAT questions of explanatory or exploratory nature call

for a qualitative approach

HOW questions and WHY questions call for a qualitative

approach

Qualitative research is needed when we want to come toterms with the meaning, not the right or wrong with the

phenomena under investigation


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What Is A Case Study Research?What Is A Case Study Research?What Is A Case Study Research?What Is A Case Study Research?

A case study research is an empiricalenquiry that investigates a contemporary

phenomenon within a real-life contextwhere the boundaries between

phenomenon and context are not clearly

evident, and in which multiple sources ofevidence are used.


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Positioning case method researchPositioning case method researchPositioning case method researchPositioning case method research


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Positioning case method researchPositioning case method researchPositioning case method researchPositioning case method research

Appreciation of the case method comes with

recognition that it fits within the traditions of qualitativeresearch.

In qualitative research the researcher is activelyinvolved in understanding the situation and, in

describing this understanding, creates knowledge. On recognizing these differences, one can appreciate

that the qualitative research is as scholarly anddemanding as quantitative research.

The benefit of using qualitative research is that it isbetter equipped than is quantitative research to tacklecertain problems.


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To explain the causal links in real-life

interventions that is too complex for the surveyor experimental strategies (explanatory study).

To describe the real-life context in which an

intervention has occurred (descriptive study). To evaluate an intervention that has already

occurred (evaluative study).

To explore those situations in which interventionbeing evaluated has no clear, single set of

outcomes (exploratory study).

12/06/2012 14I M Pandey


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Case Study is a Holistic Inquiry

The phenomenon and setting are a bound

system

Holistic inquiryHolistic inquiryHolistic inquiryHolistic inquiry involves collection of in-depth and detailed data that are rich in

content and involve multiple sources.

The multiple sources of information

provide the wide array of informationneeded to provide an in-depth picture.

Harling,2002Harling,2002Harling,2002Harling,2002


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A case study is a holistic inquiry thatinvestigates a contemporaryphenomenon within its natural setting.

The phenomenonphenomenonphenomenonphenomenon can be many differentthings: a program, an event, an activity, aproblem or an individual(s).

The natural settingnatural settingnatural settingnatural setting is the context withinwhich this phenomenon appears.


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Context is included because

contextual conditions areconsidered highly pertinent to thephenomenon being studied either

because many factors in the setting impinge on

the phenomenon or

because the separation between thephenomenon and the context is notclearly evident.


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Analysis & Interpretation

A key concept for this approach istheoretical sensitivity

Theoretical sensitivity as the attribute ofhaving insight, the ability to give meaning

to data, the capacity to understand, andcapability to separate the pertinent from

that which isnt

Pre-conceptions can get in the way ofcritical thinking and discovery.


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MYTH

RigourRigourRigourRigour

Case studies do not use standardmethodologies; hence, they lack rigour.

RealityRealityRealityReality: Case studies use multiple sources of

data collection like observation, interviews,

archives, and quantitative data. This ensures

triangulation and provides stronger

substantiation of constructs and hypotheses

(Eisenhardt, 1989).


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MYTH

GeneralizabilityGeneralizabilityGeneralizabilityGeneralizability

Case studies are subjective, lack rigour and notcapable of arriving at generalisation.

Reality:Reality:Reality:Reality:An investigator's goal is to expand and

generalise theories (analytic) and not toenumerate frequencies (statistical) [Yin,

1984].

For case studies generalisability is determined bythe strength of the description of the context.


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Case Study Methodologies - Case Study Research - Prof. L. K. Vaswani

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