Case study methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Case study methods - Essay Example Researchers form part of the primary audience for any kind of case study research.   Normally, case study research is formulated to respond to a particular question (Yin, 2012). It involves collection of relevant data, which is followed by analysis to validate any findings.   In business, a case study research might involve studying a particular phenomenon in a given place like a company, country or industry.   One of the most important aspects of case study research is that it emphasizes that a phenomenon must be studied in its natural setting.   A researcher takes time to visit the natural setting of phenomenon and study the different actors as they go about their normal duties. Case study research can be exploratory or explanatory depending on what the researcher seeks to understand. Exploratory research cases aim to discover a given phenomenon or concept. On the other hand, explanatory case study research explains, tests or compares different occurrences. Clarity is essen tial in all types of case research studies.  In most questions, case study research answers questions that start with words like why, how and who. It investigates an event as it occurs in its natural setting.   For example, a researcher can decide to undertake a research that answers the question: How does Unilever treat its employees? This means that the researcher will have to visit Unilever and study the treatment of employees in its contemporary setting. In business, case study research makes use of empirical evidence to study a given subject matter.