Dr. D. Y.
Patil Arts Commerce & Science
College
Department of Geography
CONCEPT OF CASE STUDY
Submitted To- Dr. Ravindra Shinde Submitted By- Abhisweeta das
HOD Geography Class- TYBA, Sem- VI
Roll no. - 06
A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject, such
as a person, group, place, event, organization, or
phenomenon. Case studies are commonly used in social,
educational, clinical, and business research.
What is a A case study research design usually involves qualitative
case Study? methods, but quantitative methods are sometimes also
used. Case studies are good for describing, comparing,
evaluating and understanding different aspects of
a research problem.
The essential characteristics of the case study method are as under:
1.The researcher can take one single social unit or more of such units for
his study purpose, may even take a situation to study the same
comprehensively.
2.To obtain enough information for drawing correct inferences.
3.To make a complete study of the social unit covering all facets.
4.Try to understand the complex factors that are operative within a social
Characteristics unit as an integrated totality.
Of 5.The approach happens to be qualitative and not quantitative. Mere
quantitative information is not collected. Every possible effort is made
Case Study to collect information concerning all aspects of life.
6.To know the mutual inter-relationship of causal factors.
7.The behavior pattern of the concerning unit is studied directly and not
by an indirect and abstract approach.
8.It results in fruitful hypotheses along with the data which may be
helpful in testing them, and thus it enables the generalized knowledge
to get richer and richer.
Descriptive Case Studies : Creates patterns between a subject and a
theory. Focused on advancing the development of that theory.
Explanatory Case Studies : Investigates the cause of an incident or
event and the effect the conclusion is not open to interpretation.
Exploratory Case Studies : Prelude to a longer in depth case study
Types Of Aimed at determining why a large-scale investigation is required.
Case Study Intrinsic Case Studies : The subject is the sole focus of the study
Meant to develop a deeper understanding of the subject on its own.
Instrumental Case Studies : Examines a phenomenon beyond the
elements of the study The research acts as evidence to explain the
subject mater.
Collective Case Studies : Studies a series of case studies as the basis
for beginning a new study.
There are several advantages of the case study method, some of them are being:
1. To understand fully the behavior pattern of the concerned unit.
2. Helps to obtain a real and enlightened record of personal experiences.
3. This method enables the researcher to trace out the natural history of the social unit and its
relationship with the social factors and the forces involved in its surrounding environment.
4. It helps in formulating relevant hypotheses along with the data which may be helpful in testing
them.
5. It facilitates the intensive study of social units that’s why the case study method is being
frequently used, particularly in social researches.
Advantages 6. It helps a lot to the researcher in the task of constructing the appropriate questionnaire.
of Case 7. The researcher can use different methods such as depth interviews, questionnaires, documents,
study reports of individuals, and so on.
Study 8. It has proved beneficial in determining the nature of units to be studied along with the nature of
the universe. So it is known as the “mode of organizing data”.
9. It means to well understand the past of a social unit because of its emphasis on historical
analysis, also it’s a technique to suggest measures for improvement in the context of the present
environment of the concerned social units.
10. It represents a real record of personal experiences which very often escape the attention of most
of the skilled researchers using other techniques.
11. It enhances the experience, analyzing ability, and skills of the researcher.
12. It facilitates the drawing of inferences and helps in maintaining the continuity of the research
process.
Important limitations of the case study method may as well be highlighted.
1. Case situations are seldom comparable and as such the information gathered in case studies is
often not comparable. Since the subject under the case study tells history in his own words,
logical concepts and units of scientific classification have to be read into it or out of it by the
investigator.
2. Read Bain does not consider the case data as significant scientific data since they do not provide
knowledge of the “impersonal, universal, non-ethical, non-practical, repetitive aspects of
phenomena.”8 Real information is often not collected because the subjectivity of the researcher
does enter in the collection of information in a case study.
Limitations 3. The danger of false generalization is always there in view of the fact that no set rules are
followed in the collection of the information and only a few units are studied.
Of Case 4. It consumes more time and requires a lot of expenditure. More time is needed under the case
study method since one studies the natural history cycles of social units and that too minutely.
Study 5. The case data are often vitiated because the subject, according to reading Bain, may write what
he thinks the investigator wants; and the greater the rapport, the more subjective the whole
process is.
6. The case study method is based on several assumptions which may not be very realistic at times,
and as such, the use of case data is always subject to doubt.
7. The case study method can be used only in a limited sphere, it is not possible to use it in the case
of a big society. Sampling is also not possible under a case study method.
8. Response of the investigator is an important limitation of the case study method. He often thinks
that he has full knowledge of the unit and can himself answer about it. In case the same is not
true, then consequences follow. In fact, this is more the fault of the researcher rather than that of
the case method.
