Case Study as a Research Methodology - Coursework Example

Running Head: Case Study Case Study Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lecture Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date Introduction Case study as a research methodology is defined as a descriptive, explanatory, exploratory analysis of an event, group or person (Burgess, 2011). This defination points to three types of cases studies. The first type is reffered to as explanatory cases study that tries to establish a causation relationship between two variables. According to Saunders et al (2011) cases studies can be defined as a holistic analyisis of decisions, events, persons, periods, projects, intitutions policies or systems using one or multiple methods. The subject of the study is the case which is an instance or representative of larger phenomenon which the research seeks to understand. According to Rowley (2002) the case is an analytical frame of a class of phenonmenon which it illuminates and replicates. Yin (2003) refer to case study as “a research approach, situated between concrete data taking techniques and methodologic paradigms”. A case study can also be defined as a research strategy that studies a research phenonomenon in its real-life context (Rowley, 2002) . A single case study can be termed as cases study research but in some instances case study research consists of a collection of several case studies. Where case study are used to gather qualitative evidence they develop from prior theoretical propositions and they rely on multiple sources of evidence. Although cas studies are widely applied in gathering qualitative evidence, they can also be applied for quantitative research (Bryman, 2012). As an anlytical frame a case study provides a basis for positive form or negative form generalization. In business studies case studies are used as training tool where they can carry out a cases study analyses or they are required. The case study method of research is based on the basis that results from a single cases study can be generalized to provide a better understanding of the class of phenomenon under study. However, the mapping of results of a case study to the general situation is opposed in the natural sciences (Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2011). However, according to Burgess (2011) generalization has occured in other fields of research such as ethnography where multiple research results are used to come to a conclusion. According to Rowley (2002) generalization in case study research is not any different. According to Gomm, Hammersley and Foster (2000) observation has contributed to more discoveries about the behaviour of groups than statistics applied to these groups. In support of the validity of generalization of knowledge in case studies Wieviorka (1992) analyzes the case study research of John Goldthorpe in 1969 and 1968 which investigated dissolution of class identity among the working class when they reached middle-class status. The thesis of John Goldthorpe research in the 1960’s was proved right by another cases study in Luton on the same phenomenon (Denscombe, 2010). Even in Luton the class identity was dissolving once the the working class started earning high wages. Cases study research relies on the following assumptions (Burgess, 2011): a. The person conducting the research is knowledgable in research and the research topic. b. Description of the research must be coherent and complete. c. The people who will be presented with the results of the case study are knowledgable. d. The need for triangulation: Case study data will be supplimented by other sources of data on the case study including observational, historical and statistical data. To enhance the validity and security of data collected in case study research the researchers need to triangulate the data (De Walt and De Walt 2002). Triangulation reduces the effects of reactivity and circumstances changing on the data being collected. e. Reliability of life history data is ascertained before the case study is conducted. f. Methodological Triangulation refers to the use of various methods to collect information in the process of data collection (Denscombe, 2010). Time triangulation in case study research refers to the comparison of data taken from different years and different participants in similar research situations. The case study research design consists of five components: a. The research questions: The research questions in any study should be clearly formulated. Appropriate theory should be consulted in the formulation of research question to be used in the case study (Colley and Diment, 2001). Study questions should elicit general interest among practitioners and researchers in the area of interest. b. The study preposition: In case study research, a study proposition is a speculation based on earlier evidence and research on the topic area (Flyvbjerg, 2006). The proposition sets out the expected findings of the case study conducted. c. The research unit of analysis: A cases study should identify a unit of analysis and focus it research questions on this unit of analysis. Case studies should also define the boundaries of the unit analyses to avoid collecting information that is irrelevant to the study (Flyvbjerg, 2006). Case selection is crucial for the success of any case study research that is to be conducted. The most crucial consideration in selecting a case is its relevance to the purpose of the research. Other constraints that impact the which case is choosen for study include resource available for study, accessibility of information neccessary to answer the research questions, availability of time to conduct the research. Limitation of time in business research can be overcome by choosing smaller organization for analysis or analyzing units of a larger organization. d. Logic link of data to preposition: Data collected should be linked to the preposition of the research by comparing it to rival pieces of information (Gerring, 2007). should be clearly discussed an indication of how they link preposition to data clearly set out. e. The criteria for interpreting the findings: How data and prepositions iterate should be clearly set out to make sure people who read the findings are able to follow the interpretation (Gerring, 2007). Processes of carrying out case Studies The first processes in conducting case study is the selection of a knowledgable person about the phenomenon under investigation. The person should posses good listening skills and should be adaptive and flexible (Gomm, Hammersley and Foster, 2000). The second process involves coming up with the case study protocol which contains procedures, instruments and general rules for the research. It includes an overview of the research encopmpassing issues, objectives, literature, readings and study (Burgess, 2011). It outlines the procedure to be followed in the field, cases study question. It also provides a pointer to the likely sources of evidence and finally guidance on preparation of the case study report. Data collection is another crucial process in conducting cases study research. In case study research data is collected from the following data sources (Rowley, 2002): 1. Archival records including organizational charts, budgets or service records. 2. Direct observation which can be formal or casual, multiple observers give observation data more credence. 3. Documents such as agendas, progress reports and letters. 4. Open ended interview and in some cases structured surveys where neccesary. 5. Participant observation 6. Physical artifacts. The final process in cases study research involves analyzing the evidence collected. According to Gomm, Hammersley and Foster (2000) this is the most challenging and least developed stage of the case study research. It is important to have a general analytical strategy to assist in the selection of analytical techniques. Advantages of Case study Research 1. They assist in comperehing and analyzing complex relationships. The focus that is inherent of case study research means it results in in depth, detailed understanding of the phenomenon being studied (Gerring, 2007). 2. Case studies are grounded in lived reality in that they investigate phenomenon in a real life context as oppossed to the experimental approach of other methods of research (Gerring, 2007). 3. Cases studies also help in the discovery of unexpected and unusual knowledge because they deal with complex relationships and lived reality (Yin, 1994). 4. Statistical correlations indicated by conventional studies fail to address the processes through which causal relationship occurs (Bryman, 2012). As seen above case studies provide an in depth illumination of the abou t how various factors interelate. 5. Case study facilitate the development of theories/concepts about phenomenon that are used as a basis for further research on the phenomenon in question. Disadvantages of Case Study Research 1. Analysis of collected data is difficult as case study research collects too much data. The methods used to analyze cases study data are also contentious (Yin, 1994). 2. Case studies are difficult to generalize to the general population as they consider small samples of data and collect predominantly non-numerical data (Gerring, 2007). 3. Most of the data collected in case studies cannot be expressed numerically and where attempts to express findings numerically are made the richness of the qualitative information is affected (Gerring, 2007). Researchers applying the cases study method in their research must be ready to support their findings as case study finding are easily dismissed. People who do not agree with the results of case studies are likely to dispute and dismiss findings pointing to the inherent limitation of case study research discussed above. References Bryman, A. (2012). Social research methods. Oxford university press. Burgess, R. G. (Ed.). (2011). The research process in educational settings: Ten case studies (Vol. 168). Routledge. Wieviorka, M. (1992). Case studies: history or sociology. CC Ragin and H. S. Becker, eds, 159-172. Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education. Routledge. DeWalt, Kathleen M. & DeWalt, Billie R. (2002). Participant observation: a guide for fieldworkers. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. Colley, H. and Diment, K. (2001) Holistic Research for holistic practice: making sense of qualitative research data. Paper presented at the Learning and Skills Development Agency Conference, Research: Making an Impact on Policy and Practice. Cambridge, 5-7 December Denscombe, M. (2010). The good research guide: for small-scale social research projects. Open University Press. Flyvbjerg, B. (2006). Five misunderstandings about case-study research. Qualitative inquiry, 12(2), 219-245 Gerring, J. (2007). Case study research (p. 91). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Gomm, R, Hammersley, M. and Foster, P. (eds) (2000) Case Study Method (London, Sage). Rowley, J. (2002). Using case studies in research. Management research news, 25(1), 16-27. Saunders, M. N., Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2011). Research Methods For Business Students, 5/e. Pearson Education India. Yin, R. K. (Ed.). (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (Vol. 5). sage. Yin, R.K. (1994) Case Study Research: design and methods. 2nd. Edition. Read More