Flyvbjerg addresses 5 common misunderstandings about case study research: 1) It argues practical knowledge from context-dependent learning is more valuable than theoretical knowledge. 2) Single cases can be generalized, contrary to common belief. 3) Case studies are useful for both generating and testing hypotheses, not just hypothesis generation. 4) Case studies may have less bias toward verification than believed, as they allow for falsification. 5) Summarizing detailed case studies loses their value, so they are best left as narratives for readers rather than being summarized.

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Title of Article
Five misunderstanding
about case study
research
Author Name
Bent Flyvbjerg

2. AGENDA OF PRESENTATION
What is Case Study
What is Case Study Research
List of 5 Misunderstandings
Author’s View About 1st Misunderstanding with references
Author’s View About 2nd Misunderstanding with references
Author’s View About 3rd Misunderstanding with references
Author’s View About 4th Misunderstanding with references
Author’s View About 5th Misunderstanding with references
Summary

3. WHAT IS A CASE-STUDY.. ??
A case study is an empirical enquiry that investigates
a contemporary phenomenon in depth and with in its
real life context. (R. Yin, 2009)
Case study is an ideal methodology when holistic, in
depth, investigation is needed.
(Feagin, Orum, Sjoberg, 1991)

7. CONVENTIONAL VIEW ABOUT CASE STUDY
The detailed examination of a single example of a class of phenomena,
a case study cannot provide reliable information about the broader
class, but it may be useful in the preliminary stages of an investigation
since it provides hypotheses, which may be tested systematically with
a larger number of cases.
(Abercrombie, Hill, & Turner, 1984, p. 34)

8. POSITIVES OF CONVENTIONAL VIEW
Case study is a “detailed examination of
a single example”.
It can be used “in the preliminary
stages of an investigation” to generate
hypotheses.

9. NEGATIVES OF CONVENTIONAL VIEW
A case study “cannot pro-vide reliable
information about the broader class.”
Case study as a pilot method to be used only in
preparing the real study’s larger surveys,
systematic hypotheses testing, and theory
building.

10. CASE-STUDY RESEARCH BY BENT FLYVBJERG
Shaping Of
Power &
Rationality To
Form Urban
Environment
(1998)
Decided to
done by
case study
Dissuaded
by teachers
and
colleagues
Decided
where the
claim come
from &
whether
correct

11. Found out Campbell had take a 180-degree turn in his views about
case study and had become one of the strongest proponents of this
method.

12. FIVE MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF CASE-STUDY
RESEARCH METHOD
1.Theoretical knowledge is more valuable than practical
knowledge.
2. One can not generalize from a single case.
3. Case study is most suitable or generating hypotheses.
4. Case study contains bias towards verification.
5. It is difficult to summarize specific case

13. Theoretical knowledge is more valuablethan
practical knowledge
1ST MISUNDERSTANDING

14. The Role of Cases in Human Learning
Context-dependent knowledge develop from rule-
based beginners to virtuoso experts.
In the study of human affairs only context-
dependent knowledge exist, presently rules out the
possibility of epistemic theoretical construction.

15. AUTHOR’S VIEW-IST MISUNDERSTANDING
Phenomenological studies of human learning indicate that context dependent learning is needed to
be skillful for beginners.
1. Context-dependent knowledge experience are at the very heart of expert activity.
2. Context-independent knowledge (knowledge base on textbook & computers), remain at the
beginning level of learning process.

16. FOR EXAMPLE:
In teaching well chosen case
studies help to achieve
Competence.
AUTHOR’S VIEW-IST MISUNDERSTANDING
 Context-independent facts and rules will
bring the student just to the beginner’s
level

17. Harvard University is one of them. Here both teaching
and research in the professional schools are modeled to
a wide extent on the understanding that case
knowledge is central to human learning.
(Christensen, 1987; Cragg, 1940).
HARVARD UNIVERSITY’S METHOD

18. Only theory can't produce experts
Context based knowledge & experience both are
required side by side.
AUTHOR’S VIEW-IST MISUNDERSTANDING

20. One cannot generalize on the basis of an individual
case
2nd MISUNDERSTANDING

21. AUTHOR’S VIEW–2ND MISUNDERSTANDING
Devastating for
case study as a
scientific method
Mostly thought by
the proponents of
social science
(especially natural
science).

22. AUTHOR’S VIEW–2ND MISUNDERSTANDING
According to Giddens
Case study can be generalized if conducted in such a
way.
It depends upon the case one is speaking of, and how it is
chosen. The choice of method should clearly depend on the
problem under study and its circumstances

23. AUTHOR’S VIEW–2ND MISUNDERSTANDING
Galileo’s
rejection of
Aristotle's
Law
The rejection consisted
primarily of a conceptual
experiment and later on
of a practical one.

24. AUTHOR’S VIEW–2ND MISUNDERSTANDING
Strategic choice is important
for generalizability.
Sample size and context relation
matters (W. I. B.Beveridge)
Formal generalization is only one of
many ways to gain & accumulate
people knowledge (Thomas Kuhn)

25. AUTHOR’S VIEW–3RD MISUNDERSTANDING
ResearcherThe case study is ideal for
generalizing using the type of test that Karl
Popper called ‘falsification.
‘All swans are white’
A single black swan would
falsify this proposition.

27. The case study is most useful for generating
hypotheses; that is, in the first stage of a total research
process, whereas other methods are more suitable for
hypotheses testing and theory building.
3rd MISUNDERSTANDING

28. The case study is useful for both
generating and testing of
hypotheses but is not limited to
these research activities alone.
Eckstein (1975)—contravening the
conventional wisdom in this area—goes so
far as to argue that case studies are better
for testing hypotheses than for producing
them.
AUTHOR’S VIEW–3RD MISUNDERSTANDING

29. AUTHOR’S VIEW–3RD MISUNDERSTANDING
According to Eckstein (1975) Case
studies,“ are valuable at all stages
of the theory-building process”.
And case studies are most valuable
when candidate theories are tested.

30. AUTHOR’S VIEW–3RD MISUNDERSTANDING
Testing of hypotheses
relates directly to the
question of
“generalizability,” and
this in turn relates to
the question of case
selection.

31. AUTHOR’S VIEW–3RD MISUNDERSTANDING
Strategic selection leads to get larger
amount of information in depth.
Selection of critical and most likely cases
to help this misunderstanding.
Selection of paradigmatic case.

32. AUTHOR’S VIEW–3RD MISUNDERSTANDING
Researcher testing in one case
‘All swans are white’
A single black swan see by
researcher and falsify this
proposition.

34. The case study contains a bias toward verification,
that is, a tendency to confirm the researcher’s
preconceived notions.
4th MISUNDERSTANDING

35. AUTHOR’S VIEW–4TH MISUNDERSTANDING
Diamond (1996)
case studies do
not apply
scientific method.
The bias toward
verification is
general but case
studies provide
more room for it.
Case studies are
often seen as less
rigorous than are
quantitative,
hypothetical-
deductive
methods.

36. AUTHOR’S VIEW–4TH MISUNDERSTANDING
Case study has its own rigor.
It close in, on real life
situations.
It tests views directly as they
unfold in practice
It also compel the researcher
to revise their hypotheses on
essential points.
Campbell &
Others

37. AUTHOR’S VIEW–4TH MISUNDERSTANDING
Ragin
It is misguided to criticize
small N research to
consider as inferior.
Ideas and evidence may
link in many ways
irrespective of no. of case
studies.
“The Field” itself is a
“powerful disciplinary force:
assertive, demanding, even
coercive”
A general phenomenon can
be seen by simply
examining case studies.

39. It is often difficult to summarize and develop general
propositions and theories on the basis of specific case
studies.
5th MISUNDERSTANDING

40. AUTHOR’S VIEW–5TH MISUNDERSTANDING
Case studies
often
contain a
substantial
element of
narrative.
Narratives may
be difficult or
impossible to
summarize
(Benhabib,
1990)

41. AUTHOR’S VIEW–5TH MISUNDERSTANDING
Lisa Peattie (2001) explicitly warned against
summarizing dense case studies: “It is simply that the
very value of the case study, the contextual and
interpenetrating nature of forces, is lost when one
ries to sum up in large and mutually exclusive
concepts” (p. 260).
The dense case study, according to Peattie, is more
useful for the practitioner and more interesting for
social theory than either factual “findings” or the
high-level generalizations of theory.

42. AUTHOR’S VIEW–5TH MISUNDERSTANDING
Readers have to discover their
own path.
Different readers could make
different interpretations
A good story should have scope
for reader

43. AUTHOR’S VIEW–5TH MISUNDERSTANDING
The case story is itself the result.
Reader enters it and
explores it according to
his own interest.

44. AUTHOR’S VIEW–5TH MISUNDERSTANDING
The human being
is a ‘story-telling
animal.
Narratives not
only give
meaningful
experiences but
also provide us a
forward glance,
Narrative begin
with an interest in
a particular
phenomenon not
start from
explicit theoretical
assumptions.

46. SUMMARY
(Janis Libeks, Cloud Shao)
46 of 40
MISUNDERSTANDING BENT FLYVBJERG
1.Theoratical knowledge is more valuable than
practical knowledge.
Predictive theories and universals can’t be formed in
the study of human affairs. Context dependent
knowledge is more variable in this field.
2.One can not generalize from a single case. Generalization is possible in lots of cases. Formal
generalization is overvalued.
3.Case study is most suitable or generating
hypotheses. Case studies are useful for both generating and testi
ng hypothesis, and can go beyond these two goals.
4.Case study contains bias towards verification. Other methods of inquiry have similar biases, case
studies might actually have biases towards
falsification.
5.It is difficult to summarize specific case Summarizing is difficult exactly due to the property
of the reality studied. Case studies should be left as
narratives and should not be summarized.