Qualitative Research: An Introduction to Methods and Designs

Implementing Case Study Research

Once the researcher determines what to study, how and when to collect the data, and who will collect the data, and once all necessary approvals have been obtained, the plan is implemented. As Yin (2003) points out, there are no “routine formulas” (p. 57) for conducing case studies. With case study research, however, the researcher may learn something early in the study that can inform and improve the approach taken in the remainder of the study. It is important for the case study researcher to have a plan but also to remain open to discovery of the unanticipated or unexpected. For example, although the researcher is focusing on job placement in an unemployment office case study, he may also find that clients are ...