CASE STUDY
By:
Gouri Srivastava
CASE STUDY
Case Study is an important part of
Qualitative Research
As a method it contributes significantly to
both our understanding of the world and also
adds to Social Science Theory
It is an intensive study of single group,
incident or community
Case studies are unique-dealt with
exception rather than representative cases
Case study methods involves an in-depth,
longitudinal examination of a single
instance or
Case study lies between “hard” rational
choice and statistical approaches that pay
little or no attention to the complexity of
spatial environment, and cultural
approaches that rely purely on the
inductive methods and stress the
uniqueness of the particular temporal and
spatial environment
Ultimate goal of case studies is to
contribute to the social science theory
Case studies seek to cut deeply into the
specific of time and place and to
phenomenon. It can contribute to different
bodies of theoretical literature depending
on how the case-study is framed
Case Study method is accurately
described as being a dynamic analytical
approach in which there is constant
movement back and forth
The case is a research approach, situated
between concrete data taking techniques
and methodological paradigms
Products of case studies are tendency
statements but usually not universal
generalizations or quantifiable
probabilistic generalizations
Results or findings of Case Study, in Essence
help identify both strengths and deficiencies of
the initial guiding theory in terms of
descriptive accuracy
Predict value
General applicability
Definition of Case Study
Robert Yin
Case study as being an empirical
inquiry that investigates
contemporary phenomena within
real life context, when boundaries
between phenomena and context
are not clearly evident
John Gerring
A case study is best defined as an in-
depth study of a single (a relatively
bounded phenomenon) where the
scholars aim is to elucidate features
of a large class of similar
phenomena.
Alexander George and Andrew Bennett
The case study method involves a
detailed examination of an aspect of
a historical episode to develop or test
historical explanation that may be
generalizable to the other events
Peter Evans
It (case-study) is work that draws on general
theories whenever it can but also cares
deeply about the particular historical
outcomes. It sees particular cases as the
building blocks for general theories and
theories as lenses to identify what is
interesting and significant about particular
cases. Neither theories nor cases are
sacrosanct. Cases are always too complicated
to vindicate a single theory…….At the same
time, a compelling interpretation of particular
case is only interesting if it points to ways of
understanding other cases as well.
UTILITY OF CASE STUDY
Case studies assists in the
identification of relevant explanatory
variables that is often omitted in
formal statistical models
Case study are considered to be
important for the derivation of new
testable hypotheses
Case studies are a central part of
exploratory or descriptive research
that provides the basis for
subsequent empirical, mostly
statistical analysis
Case studies helps in uncovering
potential causal mechanism and
processes that help explain the
specific social or political outcomes
of interest
Case studies are considered
important for analyzing situations of
complex causality in which
interactions of multiple variables
through time supposedly produce the
result in question
Case studies are seen as important
for describing both
-What happened and
-possibly why or how it happened
LIMITATIONS
Case study is sometime identified with the
use of less reliable research technique. It
is often thought of as a kind of intuitive
approach, derived from much participant
observation and using all sorts of personal
documents-such as diaries, letters,
autobiography without adequate sampling
design
Chances of creeping in of
biases ,distortions resulting from personal
view of social reality
Case study sometimes fails to
analyse the individual in all his
uniqueness.
Extent to which case studies can
produce valid generalization is
extremely limited and their major
usefulness is not as tools for testing
hypotheses but rather in production
of hypotheses
GROUP WORK
Statement of Problem
Causes/ Context
Solutions
Implications
Ministries/ NGO’s/ Individuals