Embedded Case Study Methods : Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Knowledge

In an embedded case study, the starting and end point is the comprehension of the case as a whole in its real-world context. However, in the course of analysis the case will be faceted either by different perspectives of inquiry or by several sub-units. The book presents different methodological approaches to organize this faceting process. It uses the power of the system approach in order to apply methods, which allow a scientific treatment of complex cases in a way that will be also acknowledged by the quantitative research community. The authors emphasize that a qualitative analysis starting from the real-world level is an indispensable part of case analysis. Thus the book bridges the gap between quantitatve and qualitative approaches to complex problems when using the case study methodology.

Roland W. Scholz is the Chair of Environmental Sciences: Natural and Social Science Interface at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich, Switzerland), adjunct Professor of Psychology at the University of Zurich (Privatdozent), and head of the Organization and Decision Making Consultants (GOE Zurich)