Chapter 12

12 CASE STUDY METHOD

Case study method is used mainly to look in depth at a particular issue or problem in all its complexity, to understand the underlying phenomena, and to study the cause and effect relationships by taking up concrete events. For example, as you meet with the people you may hear stories how a particular village has solved its problem of water scarcity through collective water harvesting and management practices. You may then decide to take this village as a case for in-depth study.

Stories or case studies may also be on endeavors that were not successful. For example, why a particular poultry co-operative failed.

At times, a family or an individual may be the focus of a case study.

Case studies illustrate the general trend in the events that put in motion the process leading to success or failure of an effort. They cast the lifeless data into real-life settings and have a great learning and motivating influence on others in similar situations.

Case study method has no specific format. It just provides a frame work within which other methods like observations and tools like interviews are employed for specific purposes.

Strengths of Case Study Method

It provides a means of looking in some depth at situations which are novel or complex.

It provides useful clues in understanding particular experiences or incidents which may have wider applicability in the region.

It is more economical, as it is possible to reduce the scale of research by focusing on fewer units.

Limitations of Case Study Method

It may be difficult to select a situation, which is sufficiently typical or representative of the larger situation. As such it may not be sufficiently authoritative, and generalizations drawn from a case may not be completely valid. To overcome this problem, more than one case study may be done representing different strata of the target population.

It is not always easy to enlist the co-operation of the respondents for close observation and in-depth questioning.

Hints on Using Case Study Method

Establish an effective working relationship with those being researched, for you might be faced with initial suspicion or even hostility. For this, you may have to assure them by explaining the objectives and intention of your study in an appealing manner.

When the ground situation is diverse, do more than one case study to ensure validity. For example, you may first select two villages, one progressive and the other less progressive. In the second tier, take three families, one each from the high, middle and low socioeconomic status in each village. This way you can get a fuller range of information, and feel more confident to arrive at conclusions. In less diverse and more uniform situations, one or two case studies will do.

Identify various factors affecting the situation, and study each factor thoroughly and completely.

Since you will be interacting with the respondents rather closely, try to maintain a degree of neutrality and objectivity throughout. There is a risk of your being involved emotionally, and introducing a bias in your generalizations.

Choosing Among Methods

You have different methods to collect information. Choosing methods is a process of matching.

First, match methods to the questions you want to answer. Collection of exploratory information as required in audience research would benefit more from observations, in-depth interviews, case studies and focused group discussions than large scale questionnaire or interview surveys.

Second, match methods to the resources and time available with you. Questionnaire and interview surveys need more money, human power and time to compile the data.

Third, match methods to your skill, training and experience. Holding focused group discussions require leadership skills to make the groups deliver.

However, using more than one research method and source is the best assurance of the validity, reliability and completeness of information. Compare the information collected by you with that gathered from secondary sources. Also, combine different techniques for data gathering. For example, a description of the way in which the community uses its natural water resources may be developed through a combination of observation surveys, interviews with groups, and a participatory mapping exercise with the community members.

The quality of audience research by you will go a long way in determining the quality of programme planning and production. It should be a painstaking exercise done in a scientific manner. Along with an understanding of the research methods, you must have a good idea about the sampling and sampling procedures. This will be discussed in the next chapter.

Establish an effective working relationship with those being researched, for you might be faced with initial suspicion or even hostility. For this, you may have to assure them by explaining the objectives and intention of your study in an appealing manner.
When the ground situation is diverse, do more than one case study to ensure validity. For example, you may first select two villages, one progressive and the other less progressive. In the second tier, take three families, one each from the high, middle and low socioeconomic status in each village. This way you can get a fuller range of information, and feel more confident to arrive at conclusions. In less diverse and more uniform situations, one or two case studies will do.
Identify various factors affecting the situation, and study each factor thoroughly and completely.
Since you will be interacting with the respondents rather closely, try to maintain a degree of neutrality and objectivity throughout. There is a risk of your being involved emotionally, and introducing a bias in your generalizations.