What is a Case Study?
Is a type of research strategy based on one or few cases studying real-life approaches
· many variables but few units
· gathering and analysing rather than accumulating knowledge
Research Aims of Case Study (EDDDE)
Explanatory, Descriptive, Diagnosis, Design & Evaluative
What is a Commissioned Research? (Case Study)
The type of research in which the case study is already defined.
What is an Applied Research? (Case Study)
The type of research in which the researcher aims to solve a societal issue by looking at practical solutions.
Types of Qualitative Data in Case Studies (3)
- Ethnographic Data: studying humans. Long and detailed texts based on the observations.
- Grounded Theory: focus on theoretical generalisations to build or test theories.
- Participatory Action Research: the situation is studied for it to be improved.
When to do a Case Study? (5)
- When wanting to improve/solve situations
- When there are gaps in knowledge
- Paradoxes
- Anomalies studying extreme cases
- As part of mixed method
Case Selection
Homogeneous & Heterogeneous cases
Homogeneous: similar outcomes because there is a single case
*risk distinction between the case itself and the unit of study
Heterogeneous: different outcomes based on the effect of the INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Case Study Protocols
Organise the research based on
1. Procedure
2. Method
3. Analysis
Case Study Validity & Reliability (issues 2)
- Small number of units endangers v & r.
- Subjectivity & Bias with case selection.
Case Study Vality & Reliability (solutions 4)
- Use triangulation
- Case Study Protocol
- Standardise CS
- Ask other researchers
What is an interview?
A type of research method based on conversations to collect data.
The interview in DR & IR
DR: questions are based on the theoretical framework
IR: based on the research problem
Types of Interviews (2)
Open: the only structure is the introduction.
· questions are done as the conversation goes by
Structured: predetermined questions
Sampling in the interview, Types (6)
- Elite Interview: researcher looks for respondents with a high level of knowledge on the topic.
- Using informants: respondents are knowledgeable about the topic but aren’t part of it anymore (exemployee)
- Independent Experts: study independently the topic, knowledgeable
- Key Person: helps the researcher to select respondents (knows all people)
- Focus Group: the researcher interviews a group, and becomes the mediator. Responses are influenced by the group’s dynamics
- Delphi Study: asking experts/researchers about a topic and agree on the outcome of it
Validity & Reliability of the Interview (2)
- Replicability: The more structured, the more v & r the interview will be
- The more units the more reinforcement on v & r
