A case study is an empirical inquiry into complex phenomena in context, used to inform organisational decision making.
Using ‘Case Study’
Step 1: Decide whether a case study approach is appropriate. The technique is of value when the answers to ‘how’ or ‘why’ questions are sought, control over events is not required, and contemporary events are the focus.
Step 2: Next, the case study is designed. Its five components are the research questions, propositions, objects of analysis, the logical linking of collected data to propositions, and the criteria for interpreting the findings. The decision is made too regarding whether a single case study or multiple case studies are most appropriate. This is based on available funding, time, and the required data. Case studies are generally categorised into one of four groups: exploratory, explanatory, descriptive, or confirmatory.
Step 3: At this stage, theory is defined for the purpose of guiding the collection of data. It specifies the assumptions and viewpoints which underpin the research and provides direction regarding which data are important.
Step 4: Finally, the quality of the case study is evaluated. This is usually a determination based on confirmation that the study measured what it intended, how well it was conducted, the extent to which the results can be generalised to other contexts, and the trustworthiness of the results.
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