Case Study Research

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Program of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Peter Eberl (University of Kassel)

Date:
04.10.2010, 14:00 – 17:30
05.10.2010, 14:00 – 17:30

Room: n.s.

Max. number of participants: 20

Semester periods per week: n.s.

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English/German (depending on participants)

Contents:
Robert Yin a famous researcher in the field defines the case study research method as an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context; when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident; and in which multiple sources of evidence are used.

Case study research can be applied in a qualitative or quantitative research design. Therefore, it can be used for theory building or theory testing. However, case studies are the predominant research design for theory building in management research. Theory building can be either the development of a new theory or the refinement of an existing one. Thus, in the field of management case studies are commonly used as an empirical framework for a qualitative research approach. Accordingly, the workshop is focused on qualitative case study designs. The following issues are addressed:

  • Differences between quantitative and qualitative research designs
  • Research questions for case studies
  • Case selection and data gathering
  • Data analysis and generalization
  • Qualitative criteria for good case studies

Publishing case studies:
Students should prepare the following article for in-class-discussion: Ravasi, D./Schultz, M.: Responding to Organizational Threads: Exploring the Role of Organizational Culture, in: Academy of Management Journal 2006: 433-458.

Further recommended readings:

Eisenhardt, K.: Building Theories from Case Study Research, in: Academy of Management Review 1989: 532-550.

Flyvbjerg, B.: Five Misunderstandings About Case‐Study‐research, in: Qualitative Inquiry 2006, p. 219 ‐ 244

Yin, R.: Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Thousand Oaks, 3ed. 2003

You have to register for the 4th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.