chapter 12: case study method
DESCRIPTION
Chapter 12: Case study method . CONTENTS. Definitions Validity and reliability Merits Design Analysis Case studies in practice. Definitions. John Gerring : a case is: 'a spatially delimited phenomenon (a unit) observed at a single point in time or over some period of time' - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Chapter 12:Case study
method
CONTENTS
• Definitions• Validity and reliability• Merits• Design• Analysis• Case studies in practice
Definitions
• John Gerring:• a case is: 'a spatially delimited phenomenon (a unit)
observed at a single point in time or over some period of time'
• a case study is: 'the intensive study of a single case‘• with two or more cases: the study becomes cross-case• the more cases the less intensity per case• from single case study to large cross-case study forms
a continuum
A. J. Veal and S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge
What the case study method is not
• It is not only qualitative – within a case-study any research methods may be used
• It is not only exploratory• It is not only small-scale
A. J. Veal and S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge
Scale (Fig. 12.1)
Nation
PEOPLE/PLACES
Community/sub-group
Organisation
Family/friends
Individual
EVENTSNational/international sport/political event
Sport/cultural event
Centenary/ product launch
Birthday party/ wedding
Birthday/marriageA. J. Veal and S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge
Case-study research: theory and practice (Fig. 12.2)
• Descriptive research:– Identify characteristics of a phenomenon
• Explanatory research:– Testing single existing theory– Testing alternative/competing theories– Develop theory where none exists
• Evaluative research:– Testing effectiveness of a single policy– Testing alternative/competing policies– Establish need for policy
A. J. Veal and S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge
Validity and reliability
• Internal validity: use of multiple methods can achieve high level of validity
• External validity: strictly speaking, general-isation is a problem but: John Gerring:– To conduct a case study implies that one has also
conducted cross-case analysis, or at least thought about the broader set of cases. Otherwise, it is impossible for an author to answer the defining question of all case study research: what is this a case of ?
A. J. Veal and S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge
Merits
• Places subjects in social/historical context.• Treats subject as a whole. • Multiple methods – triangulation• A manageable data collection task when resources
are limited.• Flexibility in data collection strategy.• No necessity to generalise to a defined wider
population.
A. J. Veal and S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge
Design
• Define unit of analysis: what is the ‘case’?• Selecting cases:– Purposive– Illustrative– Typical/atypical– Pragmatic/opportunistic
• Data gathering– All data sources/data gathering methods may be used– Consistency in unit of analysis/definition of case– Temporal consistency
A. J. Veal and S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge
Analysis
• Analysis procedures as in Part III apply• Burns (1994) and Yin (2009) also refer to:
– pattern matching – relating case features to existing theory– explanation building – often an iterative process – time series analysis – explanations based on observing change over
time.• George & Bennett (2005):
– Logic models – 1. initial conditions, 2. needs, 3. problems, 4. resources, 5. action, 6. outcomes, 7. impacts.
– Cross-case synthesis– Congruence method – equivalent to correlation– Process tracing – explanation building
A. J. Veal and S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge
Case studies in practice
• 12.1: Activity profile: swimming – secondary data • 12.2: Nike, advertising and women – one company• 12.4: Leisure, Lifestyle and the New Middle Class –
one suburb and a sports club• 12.4: The Beckham brand – one sport celebrity • 12.5: Sport sponsorship – one company’s strategy
A. J. Veal and S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge