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EXPLORATORY RESEARCH CASE STUDY
Exploratory Research Case Study
Charles McCutchen
School of Business, Liberty University
BUSI830 Case Study Research Methods and Consulting Techniques
Dr. Steve Liegl
1 November 2024
Author Note
By submitting this assignment, I attest this submission represents my own work, and not that of
another student, scholar, or internet source. I understand I am responsible for knowing and
correctly utilizing referencing and bibliographical guidelines. I have not submitted this work for
any other class.
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EXPLORATORY RESEARCH CASE STUDY
Abstract
Exploratory research should be planned in such a way that all facets of the process have direction
with the result in mind. The five fundamental elements of a case study help to design a more
complete study by providing an in-depth examination of a person or event. There are four case
study design tests and tactics used that measure consistency so whenever the data is examined
the study will prove itself again and again. Cases not readily bound are viewed based on the
entirety of a study to include a timeframe or social structure in which the study is being framed.
Exploring ethics in research as Christians allows each person to dig within and take ownership to
do the right things when no one is watching.
Keywords: Exploratory, research design, case study design, readily bounded, dignity,
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EXPLORATORY RESEARCH CASE STUDY
Exploratory Research Case Study
Students who long to be considered scholars in an industry have been challenged with
taking courses on research methods to narrow down the decisions they will make when they are
in search of topics for their dissertations. A huge component of research preparation is having a
clear understanding of what research has previously been completed. This write-up will break
down the components of a research design, including the five elements of a case study, the tests,
and tactics for a case study, why cases that are not readily bound become blurry, and why
Christian researchers should have dignity while conducting research.
Case Study Research Design Components
There are five fundamental elements of case study research design: components case
study questions, propositions, identifying the case, logic linking the proposition to the data, and
the criteria for interpreting the findings (Yin, 2018). Due to the complexity of the exploratory
research, these five elements intertwine to facilitate a better understanding. Since there is limited
information on exploratory research the questions presented can help aid researchers and the
field to implore new tactics with the knowledge gained. A case can be grouped into a single
person, or an event, but defining a case in this manner might be easier to define a location first
utilizing a city for more clarity (Yin, 2018). The early selection of questions warrants more
emphasis and focus to ensure a quality case study (Wall, 2023).
Propositions will guide the researcher to be straightforward in the examination while
identifying the case will aid in collecting the necessary information to be studied (Yin, 2018).
Linking data propositions can be extremely difficult because many researchers obtain too much
data or not enough and end up in the data-gathering phase, which is time-consuming (Wall,
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2023). Researchers will be required to collect data in a candid observation of the propositions
(Yin, 2018).
For example, utilizing time markers when events happen over time will enhance the
design phase. The criteria for interpreting the findings do not rely on statistics, so researchers
must address competing causes to ensure strong findings (Yin, 2018). A researcher’s
methodology will determine how their findings are presented and more nuanced findings ensure
a clear and precise study (Bingham, 2023).
Case Study Design Tests and Tactics
There are four tests that a researcher must ensure are completed to get a quality case
study design, and those are construct validity, internal validity, external validity, and reliability
(Yin, 2018). Construct validity is the degree to which an instrument measures the trait or
theoretical construct intended to measure (Strauss & Smith, 2009; Roy et al., 2023). Researchers
must not use their own bias or judgments to put the case study in a different light because it
skews the information that can be gathered. There are many threats to internal validity; if not
addressed properly, it could cloud the case study design (Robinson, 2021). One condition of
internal validity is how decisions can influence the construct and outcomes of a study (Huggins-
Manley et al., 2021).
Internal validity has been the most scrutinized of the steps due to it being of utmost
scrutiny. When events cannot be observed researchers have to infer and with that comes a host of
questions relying on past cases or possibilities to prove the legitimacy of the claim (Yin, 2018).
External validity has constructed disorientation over the years, so the phrasing continues to
evolve (Brunswik, 1947; Findley et al., 2021). Researchers use external validity to determine if a
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EXPLORATORY RESEARCH CASE STUDY
situation that is foreign to the study will still result in the same conclusions when generalized to
other communities (Findley et al., 2021).
With external validity, the focus is to offer an elementary explanation that establishes the
cause and why there is a demand for the study (Findley et al., 2021). Researchers can use
replication logic when addressing external validity to boost findings in different situations (Yin,
2018). The reliability test focused on duplication to come to the same conclusion while limiting
the inaccuracies in a study (Yin, 2018). The goal of reliability is to measure consistency with the
notion that a study can be completed many times with the same outcomes to decrease faults and
limit any preconceived notions about the study (Yin, 2018).
Cases Not Readily Bound
Cases are not readily bounded but may have blurry definitions and social structures that
impact social relationships or events (Yin, 2018). Cases can fall inside or outside a study due to
the situation the study is viewed in or the timeframe in which a study is performed. Studying
relationships can cause blurry definitions to occur due to the complications in the vast
differences between the two individuals being studied. A better research method used when
studying these types of cases is to specify what elements will be addressed and how the study’s
focal point will be observed (Yin, 2018). Researchers fail when they get tunnel vision by only
viewing one angle instead of taking a broad view for a higher probability of success (Yin, 2018).
The research of social structure is still prevalent due to the hierarchical or pluralistic
arrangement, and the various positions members could be placed in, whether they are in a
position of power, all of them having equal status, or they may act in a subordinate role (Yin,
2018). The goal is to limit the sphere of the analysis and take on the most pertinent cases that
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EXPLORATORY RESEARCH CASE STUDY
best represent the intention of the study (Yin, 2018). When gathering data and new information
emerges the researcher can implement the findings, so the case maintains its fluidity (Yin, 2018).
Dignity in a Research Study
When addressing how Christian researchers should ensure dignity in a research study it
brings me to a passage in the Bible from Habakkuk. Habakkuk 1:7 (King James Version, 2021)
states, “They are terrible and dreadful: their judgement and their dignity shall proceed of
themselves.” This relates in such a way that a person won’t allow any laws of God to govern
them, and they will take it upon themselves to oppose all others who do not listen to reason. With
those thoughts and actions as a Christian researcher, they will not be able to take information
from those that came before them so how could one possibly start a research study? As
Christians, our work should define ourselves to God and that should be a source of power those
who take it upon themselves and do not lean on the Lord will ultimately fail in any endeavor they
set out to accomplish (Keller & Alsdorf, 2012). God creates mercy and ethical beliefs that
Christians must follow because these rules shape our lives and are imbued with a sanctity that is
to be executed by all Christians (Chistyakova & Chistyakov, 2023).
Conclusion
Exploratory research case studies bring about new ideas by utilizing existing theories due
to finite awareness about a topic. Research designs aid in connecting research questions that the
researcher addressed to their results. Case study design tests and tactics are paired and applied to
work in tandem throughout the entire design. Cases not readily bound detail social relationships
and how they impact the study at the onset. Christian’s research should ensure dignity because
with that comes integrity, and without integrity you lack honesty, trust, and fairness. The key
takeaway from this paper is for the researcher to have a thorough understanding of the processes
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References
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Byzantine Christianity as a New Type of Ethics. Religions, 14(2), 151.
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