Case Study Research

Preeti Priyam Sharma,

NLuJAA, Assam
Session- 2013-14
Outline

1. What is a case?
2. Why case study research?
3. Designing case studies
4. Example 1: Examination of
the Dowry Death Cases
under IPC.
5. Summary
What is a case?
A person: ….
A site: an organization – a
country
An artefact: technology, product

Units of analysis in case studies:

◦ Events, activities
A case study is an empirical enquiry that: (This methodology has
been borrowed from legal studies methods)

Investigates a contemporary
phenomenon within its real-life
context; when
the boundaries between phenomenon
and context are not clearly evident;
and
multiple sources of evidence are used
(Yin 2003:13-14).
Outline
1. What is a case?
2. Why case study research?
3. Designing case studies
4. Example 1: Examination of
the Dowry Death Cases
under IPC.
5. Summary
Why case study research?

Emphasis on (societal,
historical,legal) context
Trying to reach a full explanation
of a phenomenon within a unit of
analysis
Interpret events, uncovering
processes (Mohr 1982)
‘how’ and ‘why’ questions
Problem solving: closeness to
practitioners (<-> abstract
variables in much quantitative
Why case study research?
Rule of thumb: more
variables than cases (<->
survey research: more cases
than variables)
Relevant mechanisms,
variables are not yet clear
Why case study research?
 Three important uses:
 Motivation of research (falsify
theories)
 Inspiration for new ideas (theory
building)
 Illustration: concrete examples of
theoretical constructs, show how the
causal relationships work
E.g. In depth study of dowry death cases under IPC 304 B, 498
A-
To understand the various intrinsic and situation specific factors
that cause the cases of dowry death.
The ‘triggering variables’ need to be understood for each specific
case
Example Cont’d…..
‘… this study can use the case study-method
because of the complexity of the phenomenon
studied. We can do in-depth interviews with key
actors in the issue.viz. the victim’s family, the
accused, the relatives of the accused, the
neighbours, friends, witnesses if any, the police
investigators, lawyers of the case, judges who
heard the case, media reporters and other stake
holders.. who covered the case etc. The court
proceedings also need to be examined in detail’
 Accusation:
Case study research is a
convenience research
strategy !!!!

Quick results:
 Too limited search in the literature
for similar studies, relevant theories
 Too limited efforts to select a proper
case / sample
Three types of case study
research
Research question

Observati Theory
on Proble
m
(Theory)

Theory Observation Observation

Theory building (Eisenhardt
1989)

unchartered waters, research as

a voyage of discovery
“grounded theory”: iterations
between observations and
emerging theory (Strauss &
Corbin 1990)
Theory testing (Yin 2003)
Social experiment
-internal (causal connections)
and
- external validity
(generalisability: stat-anal)
-reliability (inter-subjectivity;
protocols)
◦ Infanticide can be studied in
relation to dowry
◦ construct validity
A Diamond Model for Case Analysis
(Van de Ven 2007)
Problem/Question

n
io

M
at

od
ul

el
rm

Bu
Fo

i
ld
em

in
g
bl
o
Pr

Case Conceptual
Reality Model

n
Pr

io
o

at
bl

u
em

al
Ev
So

el
lv

od
in

M
g

Solution
1. Ground the problem & question in reality.
2. Develop a conceptual model to address the question.
3. Evaluate how well the model applies to the case.
4. Implement a solution that solves Case
the Study
problem/question.
Research
Research in practice

Problem solving

Theory
testing Theory building: existing / new
 Designing case studies
How many cases?
1. (Dyer & Wilkins 1991):
Talking pig
(exceptional case)

Multiple (Eisenhardt 1989=4-10)

Designing case studies
Sampling:

◦ Statistical generalization (cases are

representative for a wider
population: sample -> population)
◦ Analytical generalization (adequacy
of theoretical inferences): replication
logic of sampling (multiple case
studies)
◦ Select contrasting cases (independent/dependent
variables): counterfactual
◦ Select similar cases: saturation
Accusation:
‘Case study research is unscientific because of
limited generalizability

 Analytical generalization, not

statistical generalization

 Much statistical generalizations

are still no universal
generalizations
Designing case studies
Timeframe:
◦ Retrospective:
+: select on the dependent
variable
+: compress time (history)
◦ Longitudinal:
+: no ‘survival’ bias
+: measure the effect of
designed interventions
Designing case studies
Qualitative, quantitative
data:
◦ Triangulation in method
◦ N: survey (>40) – semi-
structured interviews (10-
40)– unstructured interviews
(1-10) – participant
observation (1)
Summary
Allresearch includes cases, but
not everything is case study
research
Focus on context: uniqueness +
analytical generalization
3 types: theory building, theory
testing, problem solving
Design choices: nr of cases,
timeframe, type of data
References
 Dyer, W.G. and Wilkins, A.L. ,Better Stories, Not Better Constructs,
to Generate Better Theory: A Rejoinder to Eisenhardt, Academy of
Management Review 16(3): 613-619, (1991).
 Eisenhardt, K.M. , Building Theories from Case Study Research,
Academy of Management Review 14(4): 532-550,(1989).
 Eisenhardt, K.M. Better Stories and Better Constructs: The Case for
Rigorand Comparative Logic, Academy of Management Review
16(3): 620-627, (1991).
 Strauss, A. and Corbin, J., Basics of qualitative research:
grounded theory procedures and techniques. Sage, London,
(1990).
 Van de Ven , A. Engaged Scholarship: A guide for
organizational and social research, Oxford University Press,
Oxford, (2007).
 Yin, R, Case Study Research: Design and Methods,3rd edition,
Sage: London,(2003).
 Stam, Erik, University of Cambridge, Research Methodology
Workshop, 2008.