QUALITATIVE METHOD – CASE

STUDY
 Introduction
Case study is a form of qualitative descriptive
research that is used to look at individuals, a small
group of participants, or a group as a whole. This
qualitative method of study emphasizes detailed
contextual analysis of a limited number of events or
conditions and their relationships. Researchers have
used the case study research method for many years
across a variety of disciplines.
 Case Study - Definition
• It is a systematic inquiry into an event or a set of
related events which aims to describe and explain
the phenomenon of interest.
• It refers to the collection and presentation of
detailed information about a particular participant
or small group, frequently including the accounts
of subjects themselves.
• It is an in depth study of a particular situation
rather than a sweeping statistical survey.
 When is a case study appropriate?
According to Yin (2003), a case study can
be considered when:
a. the focus of the study is to answer “how”
and “why” questions
b. you cannot manipulate the behavior of those
involved in the study
c. you want to cover contextual conditions
because you believe they are relevant to the
phenomenon under study
d. the boundaries are not clear between the
phenomenon and context
 What may be revealed?
• Through case study, a researcher can closely
examine the data within a specific context.
• Through case study, a researcher can examine
contemporary real-life situations and provide the
basis for the application of ideas and extension of
methods.
• Through case study, a researcher can test
theoretical models by using them in real world
situations.
• A case study may not answer a question
completely, but it will give some indications and
allow further elaboration and hypothesis creation
on a subject.
 Case Study Applications
• Utilization of the case study as a teaching method.
• Practical application and testing of scholarly
knowledge.
• Provides an approximation of various
professional environments (i.e. classroom, board
room, courtroom, or hospital).
• Incorporates the idea that students can learn from
one another "by engaging with each other and with
each other's ideas, by asserting something and
then having it questioned, challenged and thrown
back at them so that they can reflect on what they
hear, and then refine what they say“. (Boehrer
1990)
 Designs of Case Study
To obtain as complete a picture of the participant as possible,
case study researchers can employ a variety of case study
designs. Some common designs include single-case and
multiple-case design.

 Single-case design – It is where events are limited to a

single occurrence. However, the drawback of this design is
its inability to provide a generalizing conclusion, in
particular when the events are rare.
 Multiple-case design - It can be adopted with real-life
events that show numerous sources of evidence through
replication rather than sampling logic.
 Types of Case Study as used in different
cases
[Link] - This type of case study would be used if you
were seeking to answer a question that sought to explain the
presumed causal links in real-life interventions that are too
complex for the survey or experimental strategies.
Example: “An investigation into the reasons of the
global financial and economic crisis of 2008 – 2010.”

[Link] – It is a type of case study that is used to explore

those situations in which the intervention being evaluated has
no clear, single set of outcomes.
Example: “A study into differences of leadership
practices between private and public sector
organizations in Atlanta, USA.”
 Types of Case Study
[Link] - This type of case study is used to describe an
intervention or phenomenon and the real-life context in which it
occurred.
Example: “Impact of increasing levels of multiculturalism on
marketing practices: A case study of McDonald’s
Indonesia.”
 Types as structure

1. Intrinsic
2. Instrumental
3. Collective
 Types of Case Study
Intrinsic - The term ‘intrinsic’ suggests that researchers who
have a genuine interest in the case should use this approach
when the intent is to better understand the case. It is not
undertaken primarily because the case represents other cases
or because it illustrates a particular trait or problem, but
because in all its particularity and ordinariness, the case itself
is of interest.
 Example
A case study investigating the reasons for
differences in recruitment rates of minority ethnic
people in asthma research
Context: Minority ethnic people experience
considerably greater morbidity from asthma than
the White majority population. Research has shown
however that these minority ethnic populations are
likely to be under-represented in research
undertaken in the UK; there is comparatively less
marginalisation in the US.
Objective: To investigate approaches to bolster
recruitment of South Asians into UK asthma
studies through qualitative research with US and
UK researchers, and UK community leaders.
Study design: Single intrinsic case study
The case: Centered on the issue of recruitment of
South Asian people with asthma.
Data collection: In-depth interviews were
conducted with asthma researchers from the UK
and US. A supplementary questionnaire was also
provided to researchers.
 Instrumental
In contrast, the instrumental case study uses a
particular case (some of which may be better than
others) to gain a broader appreciation of an issue
or phenomenon.
Collective
The collective case study involves studying
multiple cases simultaneously or sequentially in an
attempt to generate a still broader appreciation of
a particular issue.
Advantages and Limitations of Case Study

 The primary advantage of case study is that it provides

much more detailed information than what is available
through other methods, such as surveys. Case studies
also allow one to present data collected from multiple
methods.
 Intensive Study
 Continuous Analysis
 Comprehensive
 Use of a number of different research methodologies
 Concern that case studies lack rigor - Case studies have
been viewed in the evaluation and research fields as less
rigorous than surveys or other methods. Reasons for
this include the fact that qualitative research in general
is still considered unscientific by some and in many
cases, case study researchers have not been systematic
in their data collection or have allowed bias in their
findings.
 Can be lengthy - Because they provide detailed
information about the case in narrative form, it may be
difficult to hold a reader’s interest if too lengthy.
Advantages and Limitations of Case Study

 Not generalizable - A common complaint about

case studies is that it is difficult to generalize from
one case to another. But case studies have also
been prone to overgeneralization, which comes
from selecting a few examples and assuming
without evidence that they are typical or
representative of the population.
 Steps Involved in a Case Study
The steps involved in a case study are as follows:
1. Plan
• Identify stakeholders who will be involved.
•Brainstorm a case study topic, considering types of cases
and why they are unique or of interest.
• Identify what information is needed and from whom
• Identify any documents needed for review.
•List stakeholders to be interviewed or surveyed (national,
facility, and beneficiary levels) and determine sample if
necessary.
•Ensure research will follow international and national
ethical research standards, including review by ethical
research committees.
 Steps Involved in a Case Study
2. Develop Instruments
•Develop interview/survey protocols — the rules that
guide the administration and implementation of the
interview/survey. Put simply, these are the instructions
that are followed to ensure consistency across
interviews/surveys, and thus increase the
reliability of the findings.
•Develop an interview guide/survey that lists the
questions or issues to be explored and includes an
informed consent form. Please note that you will likely
need interview
guides/surveys for each group of stakeholders, as
questions may differ.
•Where necessary, translate guides into local languages
and test translation.
 Steps Involved in a Case Study
3. Train Data Collectors
• Identify and train data collectors (if necessary).

4. Collect Data
• Gather all relevant documents.
• Set up interviews/surveys with stakeholders.
•Seek informed consent of each respondent (written or
documented oral).
•If the respondent has consented, conduct
the interview/survey.
 Steps Involved in a Case Study
5. Analyze Data
• Review all relevant documents.
• Review all interview/survey data.

6. Disseminate Findings
• Write report.
• Solicit feedback.
• Revise
• Disseminate.
What are the potential sources of information?

Case studies typically rely on multiple sources of

information and methods to provide as complete a picture as
possible. Information sources could include:
• Project documents
• Project reports, including quarterly reports, midterm reviews
• Monitoring visits
• Interviews
• Questionnaire/survey results
• Evaluation reports
• Observation
• Others
 Elements of a Case Study

A case study do not have set elements that

are needed to be included. These elements will vary
depending on the case or story chosen, the data
collected, and the However, case studies typically
describe a program or intervention put in place to
address a particular problem.
 Elements of a Case Study
Here are some elements that you could draw out from in order to
conduct your case study:

1. Problem. (It is essential to identify what the problem was. )

i. Identify your problem
ii. Explain why the problem is important
iii. How was the problem identified?
iv. Was the problem for identifying the problem effective?
[Link] taken to address the problem. (What was done
(activities/ interventions/inputs), where, by whom, for whom?)
[Link]. (What were the results of your intervention,
particularly the significant or unique results?)
 Elements of a Case Study
[Link] and how they were met. (This focuses on what
challenges or difficulties you encountered and what you did
to overcome them.)
[Link] Results. (Are the results mentioned above
sustainable? Why or why not?)
[Link] learned. (What lessons were learned:
programmatic, technical, financial, process, etc.?)
 How are Case Studies Presented?
Case studies are flexible in that they can be
presented in a number of ways — there is no specific format
to follow. Here is a suggested report outline that could be
use in presenting a case study:

I. Introduction and Justification

II. Methodology
[Link] was the process carried out? (Describe the process of
selecting the case and
data collection sources, as well as how data was collected.)
b. What assumptions are there (if any)?
c. Are there any limitations with this method?
 How are Case Studies Presented?
[Link] instruments were used to collect data? (You may
want to include some or all in the appendix.)
e. What sample(s) is/are being used?
f. Over which period of time was this data collected?
III. The Problem
IV. The Steps Taken to Address the Problem
V. The Results
VI. The Challenges and How They were Met
VII. Beyond Results
VIII. Lessons Learned
IX. Conclusion
X. Appendices