Running head: CASE STUDY DESIGN 1
Case Study Design
Priscilla Achulo
BUSI 815 - Qualitative Research Methods (D01)
Liberty University
Case Study Design 2
Case Study Design
The qualitative research method presents several designs developed over the past years to
enhance research activities. This paper explores the case study qualitative design, by discussing
the description of the design, challenges in using the study, and some measures in controlling the
challenges. The paper also illustrates the structure of this design by developing a problem and
research questions as well as a purpose statement with the case study design.
Description and Use of Case Study Design
The case study design is a qualitative research design that uses reports from previous
research studies, in exploring and breaking down complex research problems (Zainal, 2007).
According to De Vaus (2001), a case study is a detailed study of an identified problem, which
aims at narrowing it down to smaller cases, as well as testing the applicability of the problem,
policy, or theory. Often, in case study research, data are collected from a combination of sources
like interviews and written reports (McLeod, 2019). The case study design is often the most
suitable design in research studies that require an active comprehensive investigation into a
problem (Zainal, 2007) because it provides rich qualitative information (McLeod, 2019).
Challenges in Using Case Study Design
The case study design, like other qualitative designs, has some challenges that come with
adopting this design in research work. To start with, the case study lacks the scientific rigor that
enables the test of validity and reliability (McLeod, 2019). Most of the data collected are
qualitative in nature, as in descriptive or narrative, and this makes it difficult to analyze using
