Case Study Method

A case study is an in-depth examination of entities (individuals or organizations), processes, or activities that seeks to further theoretical understanding and practical knowledge of some phenomenon. This qualitative research tool relies on a variety of techniques to achieve context-rich, detailed information about a single group or issue. Historically, case studies reflect the postmodern view of research, which emphasizes inductive and subjective methods rather than deductive and objective approaches to assessing behavior within context. Case studies have been used extensively in the political science, sociology, and education literatures.

Because of the inherent flexibility of this method of study, case studies can be used to move beyond the extant empirical or theoretical literature to investigate creative and innovative solutions to organizationally relevant problems. There are many types ...