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Dissertations and Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Empowering Women in Informal Cross-Border Trade: Challenges and Opportunities in Developing Countries , Marie Claire Abayisenga

Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Client Satisfaction In Project Management , Mousami Berawala

A Comparative Analysis of Agile Vs. Traditional Project Management Methodologies in Healthcare App Development , Kruti Calcuttawala

Adopting Information System Technologies In Construction Project Management , Hadi Haikal

Understanding Community Engagement as a Tool for Equitable Project Outcomes: Lessons from Domino Park and Hudson Yards Public Square , Sanjukta Hazarika

Analyzing Stakeholder Feedback Using AI , Nancy Susan Manoj

Impact of EHR on Security Check and Patient Outcomes , Arun Kumar Marumudi

The Impact Of Using Standard Quality Measures Such As Iso 9001:2015 On Emerging Software Companies Created With Agile Methodologies. , Elisa Orillac

Best Practices to Increase Stakeholder Engagement in Agile Project Management for Urban Real Estate Affordable Housing Projects , Tran Pham

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Challenges to Adopting Hybrid Methodology: Addressing Organizational Culture and Change Control Problems in Enterprise IT Infrastructure Projects , Harishankar Krishnakumar

The Difficulty With Introducing Project Management Techniques in Digital Startups , Isabela Mantilla

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Reasons for Success and Failure of Projects , Tamunogbenye Dago

Impediments in Transitioning to Agile Time-boxing Testing Efforts , Taniya Dasgupta

Implementing Agile Methodology Techniques in Automobile Industry , Nikhil Kranthi Datrika

The Role of Project Management in Fostering Creativity: Towards Successful Architectural Design Projects , Angeliki Giannoulatou Destouni

Implementing Project Management Principles in Digital Advertising Age , Yuanqing Jiang

BIM and Project Management in AEC Industry , Nazanin Kamyab

IMPACT OF MOTIVATION ON PROJECT TEAMS’ PERFORMANCE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY , RAMU KARANAM

Adopt Agile Methodology for Building Wealth Management Platform Building , Mandar Shripad Kulkarn

STUDY ON RECOVERY OF BAD SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEWS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY USING PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES , FRANCK LEGRAND

AGILE ADOPTION IN INVESTMENT BANKS , JIAYIN LIANG and Suman Shekhar

SCRUM IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TO IMPROVE PROJECT PERFORMANCE IN DESIGN PHASE , YINGCHEN LIU

IMPROVING SOFTWARE PROJECTS WITH CLOUD COMPUTING , SUNIL MADDIPATLA

BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE E-BANKING SYSTEMS IN INDIA , DIVYA NALLURI

Applying the Agile Mechanism in the Clinical Trails Domain for Drug Development , Jitendrakumar Narola

IMPLEMENTING AGILE LEAN IN TELECOM INDUSTRY , SWAPNIL NARVEKAR

Internet of Things (IoT) and Changing Face of Project Management , Vikram Singh Prasher

Risk Management in Telemedicine Projects in Healthcare , Shalini Sakinala

Study of the impact of team morale on construction project performance , Adrian Gerard Saldanha

Key Competencies for Project Managers: An Empirical Study , Sahil Sandhu

IDENTIFICATION OF RIGHT LEADERSHIP STYLE FOR AGILE TEAMS , AASHIK SEKHARAN

ROLE OF EFFECTIVE QUALITY RISK MANAGEMENT IN DRUG SAFETY PROJECT , Bhawna Sharma

SOFT SKILLS INFLUENCE IN PROJECT MANAGERS IN THE CLOUD SPACE , KATHERINE SILVA

Managing Business Process Transformation Projects Using Contextual Hybrid Agile Methodology , John Tu

Using IOP as a mechanism for project team management , Maryam Selah Varzi

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEADERSHIP STYLES AND JOB SATISFACTION IN LUXURY RETAIL PROJECT , CUIPING ZHANG

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Applying Agile Lean to Global Software Development , Piyansh Gupta

Agile in Construction Projects , Chen Jin

Role of Agile Methods in Global Software Development , Dinesh Chandra Kalluri

Innovation through Agile Project Management , Raju Kona

The Use of Effective Risk Management in Cloud Computing Projects , Usha Kiran Marichetty

Feasibility in Applying Agile Project Management Methodologies To Building Design and Construction Industry , Roy S. Moriel

Pharmacovigilance: The Role Of Pharmaceutical Companies To Protect Patients From Adverse Drug Reactions , Srikanth Nukala

Team Performance and Project Success , Ijeoma Okoronkwo

Key to Success of Offshore Outsourcing , Deep Patel

Implementation of Agile Methodology in Public Sector , Kajal Patel

Project Manager’s Perception of Agile Methods Success , Ankit Sachdeva

Adapting Agile in Regulated (Pharmaceutical) Environment , Prachiben K. Shah

The Implication of Agile & Traditional Method as a Practice in Pharmaceutical Industry , Vishant Shah

Project Management for E-Commerce Businesses , Jui Tamhane

Critical Risk Assessment and Management in Pharmaceutical Industry , Abida Zameer

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Improved Sprint Results with Offshore Indian Teams , Fnu Abdul Hasheem

A Different Approach to Project Management: The Use of Soft Skills , Hannah Adams

ERP Critical Success Factors: Importance of ERP Consultants in ERP Implementation , Adekunle S. Balogun

Scrum Sim - A Simulation Game to Learn the Scrum Agile Framework , Anshuman Bassi

Hybrid Project Management Approach for Software Modernization , Chintan Bhavsar

Adopting Agile Scrum , Anirudh Chaganti

Supply Chain Risks: Causes & Mitigation Strategy for the Medical Device Companies , Dipak Patil

Research Paper on Content Management Systems (CMS): Problems in the Traditional Model and Advantages of CMS in Managing Corporate Websites , Elanchezhian Ramalingam

Challenges When Using Scrum in Globally Distributed Teams , Sweta Shah

A Case Study on PPL's Journey to Agile Transition , Jayalakshmi Tenali

To Overcome Communication Challenges in Distributed/Virtual Scrum Teams , Priyamvada Walimbe

Hybrid Agile Approach: Efficiently Blending Traditional and Agile Methodologies , Rashmi Wankhede

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The lived experiences of middle managers in adapting global influences: a case study

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Methodology

• What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods

What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods

Published on May 8, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 20, 2023.

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.

A case study research design usually involves qualitative methods , but quantitative methods are sometimes also used. Case studies are good for describing , comparing, evaluating and understanding different aspects of a research problem .

Table of contents

When to do a case study, step 1: select a case, step 2: build a theoretical framework, step 3: collect your data, step 4: describe and analyze the case, other interesting articles.

A case study is an appropriate research design when you want to gain concrete, contextual, in-depth knowledge about a specific real-world subject. It allows you to explore the key characteristics, meanings, and implications of the case.

Case studies are often a good choice in a thesis or dissertation . They keep your project focused and manageable when you don’t have the time or resources to do large-scale research.

You might use just one complex case study where you explore a single subject in depth, or conduct multiple case studies to compare and illuminate different aspects of your research problem.

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Once you have developed your problem statement and research questions , you should be ready to choose the specific case that you want to focus on. A good case study should have the potential to:

• Provide new or unexpected insights into the subject
• Challenge or complicate existing assumptions and theories
• Propose practical courses of action to resolve a problem
• Open up new directions for future research

TipIf your research is more practical in nature and aims to simultaneously investigate an issue as you solve it, consider conducting action research instead.

Unlike quantitative or experimental research , a strong case study does not require a random or representative sample. In fact, case studies often deliberately focus on unusual, neglected, or outlying cases which may shed new light on the research problem.

Example of an outlying case studyIn the 1960s the town of Roseto, Pennsylvania was discovered to have extremely low rates of heart disease compared to the US average. It became an important case study for understanding previously neglected causes of heart disease.

However, you can also choose a more common or representative case to exemplify a particular category, experience or phenomenon.

Example of a representative case studyIn the 1920s, two sociologists used Muncie, Indiana as a case study of a typical American city that supposedly exemplified the changing culture of the US at the time.

While case studies focus more on concrete details than general theories, they should usually have some connection with theory in the field. This way the case study is not just an isolated description, but is integrated into existing knowledge about the topic. It might aim to:

• Exemplify a theory by showing how it explains the case under investigation
• Expand on a theory by uncovering new concepts and ideas that need to be incorporated
• Challenge a theory by exploring an outlier case that doesn’t fit with established assumptions

To ensure that your analysis of the case has a solid academic grounding, you should conduct a literature review of sources related to the topic and develop a theoretical framework . This means identifying key concepts and theories to guide your analysis and interpretation.

There are many different research methods you can use to collect data on your subject. Case studies tend to focus on qualitative data using methods such as interviews , observations , and analysis of primary and secondary sources (e.g., newspaper articles, photographs, official records). Sometimes a case study will also collect quantitative data.

Example of a mixed methods case studyFor a case study of a wind farm development in a rural area, you could collect quantitative data on employment rates and business revenue, collect qualitative data on local people’s perceptions and experiences, and analyze local and national media coverage of the development.

The aim is to gain as thorough an understanding as possible of the case and its context.

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In writing up the case study, you need to bring together all the relevant aspects to give as complete a picture as possible of the subject.

How you report your findings depends on the type of research you are doing. Some case studies are structured like a standard scientific paper or thesis , with separate sections or chapters for the methods , results and discussion .

Others are written in a more narrative style, aiming to explore the case from various angles and analyze its meanings and implications (for example, by using textual analysis or discourse analysis ).

In all cases, though, make sure to give contextual details about the case, connect it back to the literature and theory, and discuss how it fits into wider patterns or debates.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Degrees of freedom
• Null hypothesis
• Discourse analysis
• Control groups
• Mixed methods research
• Non-probability sampling
• Quantitative research
• Ecological validity

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McCombes, S. (2023, November 20). What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods. Scribbr. Retrieved August 25, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/case-study/

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• Case Studies

Case Study Basics

What is a case study *.

A case study is a snapshot of an organization or an industry wrestling with a dilemma, written to serve a set of pedagogical objectives. Whether raw or cooked , what distinguishes a pedagogical case study from other writing is that it centers on one or more dilemmas. Rather than take in information passively, a case study invites readers to engage the material in the case to solve the problems presented. Whatever the case structure, the best classroom cases all have these attributes: (1)The case discusses issues that allow for a number of different courses of action – the issues discussed are not “no-brainers,” (2) the case makes the management issues as compelling as possible by providing rich background and detail, and (3) the case invites the creative use of analytical management tools.

Case studies are immensely useful as teaching tools and sources of research ideas. They build a reservoir of subject knowledge and help students develop analytical skills. For the faculty, cases provide unparalleled insights into the continually evolving world of management and may inspire further theoretical inquiry.

There are many case formats. A traditional case study presents a management issue or issues calling for resolution and action. It generally breaks off at a decision point with the manager weighing a number of different options. It puts the student in the decision-maker’s shoes and allows the student to understand the stakes involved. In other instances, a case study is more of a forensic exercise. The operations and history of a company or an industry will be presented without reference to a specific dilemma. The instructor will then ask students to comment on how the organization operates, to look for the key success factors, critical relationships, and underlying sources of value. A written case will pre-package appropriate material for students, while an online case may provide a wider variety of topics in a less linear manner.

Choosing Participants for a Case Study

Many organizations cooperate in case studies out of a desire to contribute to management education. They understand the need for management school professors and students to keep current with practice.

Organizations also cooperate in order to gain exposure in management school classrooms. The increased visibility and knowledge about an organization’s operations and culture can lead to subsidiary benefits such as improved recruiting.

Finally, organizations participate because reading a case about their operations and decision making written by a neutral observer can generate useful insights. A case study preserves a moment in time and chronicles an otherwise hidden history. Managers who visit the classroom to view the case discussion generally find the experience invigorating.

The Final Product

Cases are usually written as narratives that take the reader through the events leading to the decision point, including relevant information on the historical, competitive, legal, technical, and political environment facing the organization. A written case study generally runs from 5,000 to 10,000 words of text supplemented with numerous pages of data exhibits. An online raw case may have less original text, but will require students to extract information from multiple original documents, videos of company leaders discussing the challenges, photographs, and links to articles and websites.

The first time a case is taught represents something of a test run. As students react to the material, plan to revise the case to include additional information or to delete data that does not appear useful. If the organization’s managers attend the class, their responses to student comments and questions may suggest some case revisions as well.

The sponsoring professor will generally write a “teaching note” to give other instructors advice on how to structure classroom discussion and useful bits of analysis that can be included to explicate the issues highlighted in the case study.

Finally, one case may inspire another. Either during the case writing process or after a case is done, a second “B” case might be useful to write that outlines what the organization did or that outlines new challenges faced by the organization after the timeframe of the initial case study.

* Portions of this note are adapted from E. Raymond Corey, “Writing Cases and Teaching Notes,” Harvard Business School case 399-077, with updates to reflect Yale School of Management practices for traditional and raw cases.

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Non-performing Loan and Its Management in Ethiopia: A case study on Dashen Bank Mekelle Area Bank, in Tigray

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