The twenty first century has witnessed many researchers adopting the use of case studies to respond to their formulated research questions. In this approach, a limited number of situations or events are analyzed in contextual and detailed manners.
Though widely praised for its qualitative research strengths, this approach has received its share of blame from critics who dismiss it as a specific and biased exploratory research tool. It is from the frameworks above that the author was motivated into highlighting the types of research questions that can be suitably addressed through this approach, its advantages as well as its disadvantages.
To begin, various authors argue that case studies are suitable for incorporating in a number of research questions. For instance, the author established that descriptive research questions that adopt survey designs can be best addressed through use of case study approaches. This is so because these questions involve direct collection of research data from respondents on say their opinions, attitudes and/or perceptions.
To add, explanatory research questions are built on the “why” questions which in return can be suitable addressed through use of case studies. Lastly, exploratory research questions can also be well handled through use of case studies. This is so because they often rely on the use of qualitative and formal approaches that include case studies, focus groups and pilot studies amongst others.
In stating the advantages associated with case studies, the author established that they benefitted from prior creation of theoretical propositions. This is so because many scholars use them to build upon theory. Nonetheless, case studies have been associated with facilitating the understanding of complex-real life phenomena.
This is derived from the fact that their findings relate directly to user’s everyday life experiences. Another advantage closely related to this is that as a result of their empirical or practical nature; case studies develop researcher’s analytical and problem-solving skills. This is so because they allow the researcher to take up the role of the learner or student in studying the situation at hand.
Though many scholars applaud the use of case studies in answering research questions, this essay established that this approach has its own disadvantages. First, case studies have been widely accused of focusing on limited populations and generalizing their findings to reflect those of the larger populations. Secondly, case studies suffer from inter-subjectivity.
This is whereby the observations are restricted on the opinions of a single researcher. This creates a possibility of biasness in the data collection and analysis techniques. Thirdly, it is argued that it is difficult to arrive at conclusions in such studies especially in incidences where multiple studies are handled in a single project. This is gotten from the notion that large amounts of data will be produced for researcher’s own analysis.
In concluding, the author revisits that this essay has been very relevant in achieving its intended purpose. To begin with, the author identified and justified three research questions that can be well addressed through use of case study approaches.
Succeeding this, the author highlighted three advantages and three disadvantages that are associated with using this qualitative research approach. In ending, the author advises that future scholars intending to make use of this approach should have carefully reviewed the nature of the situations of study to ensure success in their works.