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Chapter 9 - A Parting Note, on an Optimistic Note

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2023

Lakshmi Balachandran Nair ,
Michael Gibbert  and
Bareerah Hafeez Hoorani
Lakshmi Balachandran Nair
Affiliation:
Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli, Italy
Michael Gibbert
Affiliation:
Università della Svizzera Italiana, Switzerland
Bareerah Hafeez Hoorani
Affiliation:
Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Management Research, The Netherlands
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Summary

The final chapter in this book discusses some methodological considerations and debates surrounding case study research and its quality. In particular, we revisit the topic of research paradigms (i.e. positivism and interpretivism). Relatedly, we discuss different quality criteria as proposed by prior researchers from both paradigmatic camps. In particular, we focus on the rigor versus trustworthiness discussion and the internal versus external validity debate. Afterwards, we briefly discuss the iterative cycles of data collection and analysis one would encounter during a qualitative case study research process. We end the chapter (and subsequently the book) with a guiding framework which will help researchers in sequencing case study designs by acknowledging the weaknesses of individual designs and leveraging their strengths. The framework can be adopted and adapted to suit the specific research objectives of the study in hand.

Keywords

RigorTrustworthinessInterpretivismPositivismIterative cyclesData collectionData analysisGuiding frameworkInternal validityExternal validity
Type
Chapter
Information
Combining Case Study Designs for Theory Building
A New Sourcebook for Rigorous Social Science Researchers
 , pp. 163 - 174
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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