Case study

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the social sciences and life sciences, a case study is a research method involving an up-
close, in-depth, and detailed examination of a subject of study (the case), as well as its
related contextual conditions.

Case studies can be produced by following a formal research method. These case studies
are likely to appear in formal research venues, as journals and professional conferences,
rather than popular works. The resulting body of 'case study research' has long had a
prominent place in many disciplines and professions, ranging from psychology,
anthropology, sociology, and political science to education, clinical science, social work,
and administrative science.[1][2]

In doing case study research, the "case" being studied may be an individual, organization,
event, or action, existing in a specific time and place. For instance, clinical science has
produced both well-known case studies of individuals and also case studies of clinical
practices.[3][4][5] However, when "case" is used in an abstract sense, as in a claim, a
proposition, or an argument, such a case can be the subject of many research methods, not
just case study research. Case studies may involve both qualitative and quantitative
research methods.

Another suggestion is that case study should be defined as a research strategy, an empirical
inquiry that investigates a phenomenon within its real-life context. Case study research can
mean single and multiple case studies, can include quantitative evidence, relies on multiple
sources of evidence, and benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions.
Case studies should not be confused with qualitative research and they can be based on any
mix of quantitative and qualitative evidence. Single-subject research provides the statistical
framework for making inferences from quantitative case-study data.[2][6] This is also
supported and well-formulated in Lamnek, 2005[page needed][6]: "The case study is a research
approach, situated between concrete data taking techniques and methodologic
paradigms."[this quote needs a citation]

Case studies in research may be mistaken for the case method used in teaching.[citation needed]

Contents
1 Case selection and structure
2 Marketing Analysis
3 Case presented
4 The best method
5 Advantages of surveys
6 Limitation of the method
7 Types of case studies
 8 Case Studies in Business
9 Generalizing from case studies
10 History
11 Related uses
12 See also
13 References
14 Further reading
15 External links

Case selection and structure

An average, or typical case, is often not the richest in information. In clarifying lines of
history and causation it is more useful to select subjects that offer an interesting, unusual or
particularly revealing set of circumstances. A case selection that is based on
representativeness will seldom be able to produce these kinds of insights. When selecting a
case for a case study, researchers will therefore use information-oriented sampling, as
opposed to random sampling.[7] Outlier cases (that is, those which are extreme, deviant or
atypical) reveal more information than the potentially representative case, as seen in the
cases selected for more qualitative safety scientific analyses of accidents for example (see
e.g. [8][9]). A case may be chosen because of the inherent interest of the case or the
circumstances surrounding it. Alternatively it may be chosen because of a researchers' in-
depth local knowledge; where researchers have this local knowledge they are in a position
to "soak and poke" as Fenno[10] puts it, and thereby to offer reasoned lines of explanation
based on this rich knowledge of setting and circumstances.

Three types of cases may thus be distinguished for selection:

1. Key cases
2. Outlier cases
3. Local knowledge cases

Whatever the frame of reference for the choice of the subject of the case study (key, outlier,
local knowledge), there is a distinction to be made between the subject and the object of
the case study. The subject is the practical, historical unity[11] through which the
theoretical focus of the study is being viewed. The object is that theoretical focus the
analytical frame. Thus, for example, if a researcher were interested in US resistance to
communist expansion as a theoretical focus, then the Korean War might be taken to be the
subject, the lens, the case study through which the theoretical focus, the object, could be
viewed and explicated.[12]

Beyond decisions about case selection and the subject and object of the study, decisions
need to be made about purpose, approach and process in the case study. Thomas[13] thus
proposes a typology for the case study wherein purposes are first identified (evaluative or
exploratory), then approaches are delineated (theory-testing, theory-building or illustrative),
then processes are decided upon, with a principal choice being between whether the study
is to be single or multiple, and choices also about whether the study is to be retrospective,
snapshot or diachronic, and whether it is nested, parallel or sequential. It is thus possible to
take many routes through this typology, with, for example, an exploratory, theory-building,
multiple, nested study, or an evaluative, theory-testing, single, retrospective study. The
typology thus offers many permutations for case-study structure.[citation needed]

A closely related study in medicine is the case report, which identifies a specific case as
treated and/or examined by the authors as presented in a novel form. These are, to a
differentiable degree, similar to the case study in that many contain reviews of the relevant
literature of the topic discussed in the thorough examination of an array of cases published
to fit the criterion of the report being presented. These case reports can be thought of as
brief case studies with a principal discussion of the new, presented case at hand that
presents a novel interest.[citation needed]

Marketing Analysis
Some issues are usually realised in a situation where marketing is concerned. One must,
therefore, ensure that he/she can fully understand these things. In a case where the market
of any organisation is in a messy state, the agency will always seek to find out some of the
reasons why the scenario is that way. They will have to gather information that may help
them in solving such issues. For this to be fully achieved, one must be able to carry out a
market research to establish where the problem is. This, therefore, calls for the different
methods which can be used in a situation where one wants to conduct a marketing
research.[14] Some ways can be used to come up with the purpose of study that is most
appropriate. The organisations have to choose one of the available techniques so that they
can thoroughly conduct their investigations. Some of the primary methods that would be
used included interviews, surveys, focus groups, observations and in some cases use field
trials.[15] These methods mainly depended on the amount of cash they organisation is
willing to spend in having this market research done and also the kind of data that is
required by the group.

Case presented
In our case, the British Airways company is undergoing some series of complications.
There have been some complaints from their client as about some issues.[16] Apart from
those, there have been some serious issues such as most of their members of staff engaging
in the strike as they demand their payments. There have also been significant delays in
some of the secured flights just because of the problems associated with their computers.
This has mainly sparked most of their clients who have, as a result, felt angered. Most of
their brands have also been damaged.

The best method

In such a scenario, it is usually significant that we research so that we can know what the
problem is. This can only be achieved through means that will enable us to find the suitable
information that will help in preparation of the action plan to solve these issues. The best
method to be used here is that of surveys. The organisation should be able to apply this way
because they will be able to get sufficient information which pertains to their brand image
from most of their clients. Most of the customers will also complete the survey by ensuring
that they give reasons for their various attitudes towards the companys brand.[citation needed]