Combining Case Study Designs for Theory Building A New Sourcebook for Rigorous Social Science Researchers
Book contents
- Combining Case Study Designs for Theory Building
- Combining Case Study Designs for Theory Building
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Chapter 1 Introduction to Case Study Research
- Chapter 2 Building Blocks of Case Study Research
- Chapter 3 Of Talking Pigs and Black Swans
- Chapter 4 Do It Again
- Chapter 5 The Natural Experiment, a.k.a. the Single Embedded Design
- Chapter 6 Do It Again (and Again)
- Chapter 7 Sequencing Case Study Designs
- Chapter 8 More on Sequencing Case Study Designs
- Chapter 9 A Parting Note, on an Optimistic Note
- Index
- References
Chapter 2 - Building Blocks of Case Study Research
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 February 2023
Book contents
- Combining Case Study Designs for Theory Building
- Combining Case Study Designs for Theory Building
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Chapter 1 Introduction to Case Study Research
- Chapter 2 Building Blocks of Case Study Research
- Chapter 3 Of Talking Pigs and Black Swans
- Chapter 4 Do It Again
- Chapter 5 The Natural Experiment, a.k.a. the Single Embedded Design
- Chapter 6 Do It Again (and Again)
- Chapter 7 Sequencing Case Study Designs
- Chapter 8 More on Sequencing Case Study Designs
- Chapter 9 A Parting Note, on an Optimistic Note
- Index
- References
Summary
In this chapter, we discuss the fundamentals of case study research. First of all, we discuss the research functions underlying research questions (i.e. exploratory and explanatory). Different types of explanatory research questions catering to the research functions are discussed next. Depending on the focal variable, these questions are termed X-centered (focusing on the independent variable X), Y-centered (focusing on the dependent variable Y), and X&Y centered (focusing on X and Y). The importance of the context (Z) is discussed afterwards. The logical reasonings underpinning case study research (i.e. induction, deduction, and abduction) are also discussed. The chapter also addresses some common (mis)conceptions regarding the research functions, research questions, research context, and logical reasoning.
Keywords
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Combining Case Study Designs for Theory BuildingA New Sourcebook for Rigorous Social Science Researchers, pp. 10 - 30Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023
References
Agee, J. (2009). Developing qualitative research questions: A reflective process. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 22(4), 431–447.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allison, G. T. & Zelikow, P. (1971). Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis. Boston: Little, Brown.Google Scholar
Åsvoll, H. (2014). Abduction, deduction and induction: Can these concepts be used for an understanding of methodological processes in interpretative case studies? International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 27(3), 289–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bacharach, S. B. (1989). Organizational theories: Some criteria for evaluation. Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 496–515.Google Scholar
Blatter, J. & Haverland, M. (2012). Designing Case Studies: Explanatory Approaches in Small-N Research. London: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Buchholz, K. (2021). Scandinavia Is Still the Happiest Region in the World. [Online]. Available at: www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/05/study-shows-scandinavia-is-still-the-happiest-place-in-the-world/ (last accessed July 13, 2021).Google Scholar
Buckley, J. H. (2021). Lewis and Clark Expedition. [Online]. Available at: www.britannica.com/event/Lewis-and-Clark-Expedition (last accessed July 13, 2021).Google Scholar
de Tocqueville, A. (1983). The Old Regime and the French Revolution. New York: Anchor Books.Google Scholar
Doyle, A. C. (1960). The Complete Sherlock Holmes (Vol. 1). New York: Doubleday Books.Google Scholar
Drake, N. (2019). First-Ever Picture of a Black Hole Unveiled. [Online]. Available at: www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/first-picture-black-hole-revealed-m87-event-horizon-telescope-astrophysics (last accessed July 13, 2019).Google Scholar
Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building theories from case study research. Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532–550.Google Scholar
Geertz, C. (1973). Thick description: Toward an interpretive theory of culture. In: Geertz, C. (ed.) The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books, 3–32.Google Scholar
Glaser, B. G. (1978). Theoretical Sensitivity: Advances in the Methodology of Grounded Theory. California: The Sociology Press.Google Scholar
Glaser, B. & Strauss, A. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Chicago: Aldine Press.Google Scholar
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J. & Minkov, M. (2005). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Lynd, R. S. & Lynd, H. M. (1929). Middletown; a Study in Contemporary American Culture. New York: Harcourt Brace.Google Scholar
Lynd, R. S. & Lynd, H. M. (1937). Middletown in Transition: A Study in Cultural Conflicts. New York: Harcourt Brace.Google Scholar
Marshall, C. & Rossman, G. B. (2006). Designing Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage.Google Scholar
Maxwell, J. (2008). Designing a qualitative study. In: Bickman, L. & Rog, D. J. (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods. London: Sage, 214–253.Google Scholar
Medawar, P. B. (2013). Induction and Intuition in Scientific Thought. London: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Michailova, S. (2011). Contextualizing in international business research: Why do we need more of it and how can we be better at it? Scandinavian Journal of Management, 27(1), 129–139.Google Scholar
Parkhe, A. (1993). “Messy” research, methodological predispositions, and theory development in international joint ventures. Academy of Management Review, 18(2), 227–268.Google Scholar
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods, 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage.Google Scholar
Peirce, C. S. (1931). Collected Papers of Charles Sanders Peirce. Boston: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Porter, M. E. (2008). Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Simon and Schuster.Google Scholar
Porter, M. E. (2011). Competitive Advantage of Nations: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Simon and Schuster.Google Scholar
Reichertz, J. (2014). Induction, deduction and abduction. In: Flick, U. (ed.) The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Data Analysis. London: Sage, 123–135.Google Scholar
Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C. M. & Ormston, R. (2013). Qualitative Research Practice: A Guide for Social Science Students and Researchers. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Robinson, J. A. & Acemoglu, D. (2012). Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty. London: Profile.Google Scholar
Robinson, S. L. (2019). What is a pre-theory paper? Some insights to help you recognize or create a pre-theory paper for AMD. Academy of Management Discoveries, 5(1), 1–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sætre, A. S. & Van de Ven, A. H. (2021). Generating theory by abduction. Academy of Management Review, 46(4), 684–701.Google Scholar
Siggelkow, N. (2007). Persuasion with case studies. Academy of Management Journal, 50(1), 20–24.Google Scholar
Umberto, E. & Sebeok, T. (1988). The Sign of Three: Dupin, Holmes, Peirce (Advances in Semiotics), 1st ed. Indiana: Indiana University Press.Google Scholar