Case Study Analysis & QCA

by G. David Garson

An illustrated graduate-level introduction to case study research, including qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), also known as configurational analysis, and covering information metrics methodology. NEW IN THE 2016 EDITION Covers the revolution in case study research associated with qualitative comparative analysis using Boolean pattern matching and also the information metrics approach creating measures of information gain / uncertainty reduction for causal variables and patterns in case research. Four times the length of the 2013 edition (now 164 pp.) Traditional topics rewritten, updated, and expanded throughout. Covers both crisp set and fuzzy set QCA Covers fsQCA software with worked examples. Covers information metrics / structured-focused comparison methods. Unformatted table of Example datasets 6 Overview 6 Key Concepts and Terms 7 Types of case studies 7 Research designs for case study research 9 The grounded exploratory design 9 Counterfactual comparison design 10 Experimental single case research design (SCRD) 11 Cross-sectional comparison design 11 Longitudinal comparison design 12 Dynamic comparison design 12 Case selection strategies 13 Data collection 16 Data collection methods 16 Linear or iterative? 18 "Thick description" 18 Constant comparison 22 Case quality control 23 Pattern matching 24 Overview 24 Congruence testing 25 Explanation-building 25 Terminating data collection 25 Process tracing 27 Overview 27 Controlled observation 27 Time series analysis 28 Critical incident technique (CIT) 28 Meta-analysis 29 Overview 29 Implementation considerations 31 Quantitative meta-analysis of cases 33 DOE (2010) 35 Configurational (QCA) analysis 37 Overview 37 Types of QCA 42 Coverage vs. consistency 42 Dealing with inconsistency and contradictions 46 Limits, criticisms, and assumptions 47 fsQCA software 49 Crisp set QCA 50 Crisp set QCA example 1 50 Crisp set QCA example 2 67 Crisp set QCA example 3 88 Longitudinal pattern matching 91 Research design considerations 91 Fuzzy-set QCA 96 Overview 96 Fuzzy set QCA example 1 97 Fuzzy set QCA example 2 109 Internal structural heterogeneity index (ISHI 110 Qualitative and Multi-Method Research periodical 112 Information metrics / structured-focused comparison 113 Data 113 Overview 113 Entropy, conditional entropy, and uncertainty 114 Information metrics example 115 Statistical packages for the uncertainty coefficient 122 Information metrics complements QCA 128 Assumptions of case studies methods 131 Frequently Asked Questions 131 What are common standards for case studies based dissertations? 131 Is Institutional Review Board/Use of Human Subjects approval necessary for case study research? 133 Is case study research a social science substitute for scientific experimentation? 133 Aren't case studies unscientific because of researcher bias? 133 Aren't case studies unscientific because findings cannot be generalized? 135 Is a "case history" the same as a "case study"? 135 Are all case studies forms of case study research? 135 Is a joint or team approach to case study research preferred over single-investigator research? 136 &l

183 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2013