Dear
The question is clear. However, it seems that some researchers choose the aforementioned design to give a detailed exploration of the underpinnings behind their study. Is it possible to use both quantitative and qualitative approaches to gather data within this design? Is it ok to employ a group of participants as the case in the study? by and large, how the nature of this design may help a researcher to achieve his/her goals or challenge him/her? Most importantly, is it ok to analyze gathered research data statistically and many other questions like these...... :) It gives me enormous pleasure to have my colleagues' technical explanation.
Sincerely
The most obvious weakness of a descriptive case study is that it does not attempt to address any particular research question. It thus has to be justified on the claim that something about this particular case will generate a genuine addition to knowledge. If there is something new or special about the case, this may be an adequate justification.
Certainly, you can use a mix of qualitative and quantitative information, just as you would in any very of case study.
Hi Seyyed,
I am doing a study using case study approach, too. But mine is much more explanatory design. But I am very interested in this design and would like to offer my thoughts to your questions.
1) What are strengths and weaknesses of descriptive case study design?
When talking about strengths and weaknesses, it should be put into a relationship between this design and others.
- Compared to other research methods such as surveys, narrative study, ethnography, etc., case study design in general offers a flexibility in combining a vast of methods (qualitative and quantitative) in sampling, data collection, data validation and analysis, and can offer great details of a certain phenomenon. Its general weakness might be limitation in generalising information to larger population.
- Compared to exploratory and explanatory case study designs: Strengths are that descriptive case study focuses on illuminating a phenomenon, it does not be limited to a part of bigger research like exploratory design, and also it does not have to design theoretical proposition beforehand. Weakness is thus that it cannot provide a comprehensive understanding of a phenomenon by proving/justifying theoretical linkages between components of such phenomenon.
2) Is it possible to use both quantitative and qualitative approaches to gather data within this design?
- Yes, I think it is possible since case study design in general allows you to use vast of data collection techniques in collecting your data. However, quantitative data here cannot be used to generalised to a larger population outside the case under study.
- You need to justify how to combine these two approaches in collecting data, and more importantly, integrating those separate findings into your report.
3) Is it ok to employ a group of participants as the case in the study?
- It depends on the way you define your case. Please refer to my answer to another question on case study design. https://www.researchgate.net/post/Hi_everyone_so_am_working_on_a_case_study_research_thesis_and_want_to_use_focus_group_discussion_What_is_the_best_way_to_select_FGD_participants#view=5add568acbdfd4486508e948
- In other words, you must define that group as the case itself, then participants in that group are sub-units.
4) By and large, how the nature of this design may help a researcher to achieve his/her goals or challenge him/her?
- This design, according to Yin (2013) is 'to describe a phenomenon in its real world context'. It only helps you to describe. 'Describe' in its truest sense is just to provide a general image of a phenomenon. You may not have enough evidence to explain how and why that phenomenon works out like that. To answer the how- and why- questions, you need explanatory design.
5) Most importantly, is it ok to analyze gathered research data statistically?
- Sure, you can. But you cannot generalise them to a larger population. For instance, your case is a neighbourhood in a city. You cannot generalise statistically your findings of the case to that city.
Hope it helps.
cheers,
kien
Dear Kien
I enjoyed your informative and fairly comprehensive answers
Dear Seyyed,
I am glad that it helped.
Good luck with your research.
Best regards,
kien
However, once you get to know and understand the characteristics (desired) of the population, then a researcher can use various tests to analyse the data! That is what we need to validate out data. I guess am right!