Case study research : principles and practices

Case Study Research: Principles and Practices aims to provide a general understanding of the case study method as well as specific tools for its successful implementation. These tools can be utilized in all fields where the case study method is prominent, including business, anthropology, communications, economics, education, medicine, political science, social work, and sociology. Topics include the definition of a 'case study,' the strengths and weaknesses of this distinctive method, strategies for choosing cases, an experimental template for understanding research design, and the role of singular observations in case study research. It is argued that a diversity of approaches - experimental, observational, qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic - may be successfully integrated into case study research. This book breaks down traditional boundaries between qualitative and quantitative, experimental and nonexperimental, positivist and interpretivist. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgments 1 The Conundrum of the Case Study The Paradox Situating This Book Foregrounding the Arguments Qualitative and Quantitative Experimental and Observational Case Studies and Cross-Case Studies Part I: Thinking about Case Studies 2 What Is a Case Study?: The Problem of Definition Definitions A Typology of Covariational Research Designs The N Question The Style of Analysis 3 What Is a Case Study Good For?: Case Study versus Large-N Cross-Case Analysis Hypothesis: Generating versus Testing Validity: Internal versus External Causal Insight: Causal Mechanisms versus Causal Effects Scope of Proposition: Deep versus Broad The Population of Cases: Heterogeneous versus Homogeneous Causal Strength: Strong versus Weak Useful Variation: Rare versus Common Data Availability Causal Complexity The State of the Field Part II: Doing Case Studies 4 Preliminaries The Evidence The Hypothesis Degrees of Falsifiability The Particular and the General Specifying a Population Cross-Level Reasoning 5 Techniques for Choosing Cases Typical Case Cross-Case Technique Conclusion Diverse Case Cross-Case Technique Conclusion Extreme Case Cross-Case Technique Conclusion Deviant Case Cross-Case Technique Conclusion Influential Case Cross-Case Technique Conclusion Crucial Case The Confirmatory (Least-Likely) Crucial Case The Disconfirmatory (Most-Likely) Crucial Case Conclusion Pathway Case Cross-Case Technique with Binary Variables Cross-Case Technique with Continuous Variables Conclusion Most-Similar Case Cross-Case Technique Conclusion Most-Different Cases Conclusion Conclusion Ambiguities Are There Other Methods of Case Selection? 6 Internal Validity: An Experimental Template An Experimental Template Dynamic Comparison Longitudinal Comparison Spatial Comparison Counterfactual Comparison Ceteris Paribus 7 Internal Validity: Process Tracing Examples The Nature of Process-Tracing Evidence The Usefulness of Process Tracing Conclusion Epilogue: Single-Outcome Studies Why Study Single Outcomes? The Argument Causal Logic Analysis Nested Analysis Most-Similar Analysis Within-Case Analysis Putting Cross-Case and Within-Case Evidence Together Conclusion Glossary References Name Index Subject Index Case Study Research: Principles And Practices Aims To Provide A General Understanding Of The Case Study Method As Well As Specific Tools For Its Successful Implementation. These Tools Can Be Utilized In All Fields Where The Case Study Method Is Prominent, Including Anthropology, Business, Communications, Economics, Education, Medicine, Political Science, Social Work, And Sociology.--jacket. The Conundrum Of The Case Study -- What Is A Case Study? The Problem Of Definition -- What Is A Case Study Good For? Case Study Versus Large-n Cross-case Analysis -- Preliminaries -- Techniques For Choosing Cases -- Internal Validity : An Experimental Template -- Internal Validity : Process Tracing -- Epilogue : Single-outcome Studies. John Gerring. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 219-255) And Indexes.