Case Study Methods

Definition and Types of Case Study Research

The case study is an empirical inquiry that explores a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, particularly when the boundaries between the phenomenon and the context are blurred. It is a research strategy that encompasses the design of a study, its data collection methods, and approaches to data analysis. Scholars may choose to conduct case study research when they want to understand complex social phenomena in a detailed and nuanced manner. In contrast to other forms of research, scholars using the case study method are not necessarily trying to generalize their findings. Instead, they seek to understand the specific nuances and thick, rich details of a specific phenomenon. Case study research can be particularly useful when asking how and why questions, when variables in a study are difficult to control, and when the focus is on real-world situations and the contextual dimensions of a contemporary phenomenon need to be understood.

The design and goals of a case study can vary. For example, some researchers distinguish between single-and multiple-case designs. A single-case approach can be used in a number of circumstances. First, it can be useful when a well-formulated theory needs to be tested by a critical case that is particularly relevant to the theory. A single-case approach is also appropriate when the case represents a unique case that is distinctive or unusual. By contrast, some scholars will use a single-case method when they want to explore commonplace situations, and as a result, they select a representative case. Additionally, a single-case approach may be informative when there is a need for a revelatory case to study a phenomenon that may have been inaccessible to researchers. Finally, a longitudinal case can be used to study a single case over a period of time.

[Page 42]Multiple-case designs are often described as a comparative case method, since the intent is to compare a phenomenon across several contexts, such as how the impact of multicultural training for employees may differ across organizations. Scholars may use the multiple-case design when they want to understand the degree to which the findings in one setting can be replicated in another. The intent in this approach, then, is to gather more robust and persuasive evidence for one’s findings. When findings differ across the multiple cases, researchers must take this information and reconsider their theoretical assumptions, their research design (e.g., they may decide to gather the data in a different manner), or their results.

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