Is case study a valid research tool or is it constrained by insurmountable methodological handicaps? In the next few pages, we will consider the nature of the case study, in its various manifestations, the factors to be taken into consideration when designing case study research, and situations where the case study is an appropriate research tool.
Management studies and organizational theory rely heavily upon the case study as a form of data collection and even as a type of unstructured analysis: As a form of research, the case study is unparalleled for its ability to consider a single or complex research question within an environment rich with contextual variables. Observation, experiments, surveys and secondary information (archival) have the advantage of producing sets of independent and dependent variables suitable for quantitative analysis: The case study is best suited to considering the how and why questions, or when the investigator has little control over events. Its has significant limitations, and misapplication can produce incorrect or inconsistent findings. Suitable design of the case study is critical if the common pitfalls of this research strategy are to be overcome. Read More..
![]()