The use of case studies to build and test theories in political science and the other social sciences has increased in recent years. Many scholars have argued that the social sciences rely too heavily on quantitative research and formal models and have attempted to develop and refine rigorous methods for using case studies. This text presents a comprehensive analysis of research methods using case studies and examines the place of case studies in social science methodology. It argues that case studies, statistical methods, and formal models are complementary rather than competitive. The book explains how to design case study research that will produce results useful to policymakers and emphasizes the importance of developing policy-relevant theories. It offers three major contributions to case study methodology: an emphasis on the importance of within-case analysis, a detailed discussion of process tracing, and development of the concept of typological theories. Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences will be particularly useful to graduate students and scholars in social science methodology and the philosophy of science, as well as to those designing new research projects, and will contribute greatly to the broader debate about scientific methods.
A revolutionary textbook introducing masters and doctoral students to the major research approaches and methodologies in the social sciences. Written by an outstanding set of scholars, and derived from successful course teaching, this volume will empower students to choose their own approach to research, to justify this approach, and to situate it within the discipline. It addresses questions of ontology, epistemology and philosophy of social science, and proceeds to issues of methodology and research design essential for producing a good research proposal. It also introduces researchers to the main issues of debate and contention in the methodology of social sciences, identifying commonalities, historic continuities and genuine differences.
This book contains the papers presented and discussed at the conference that was held in May/June 1997, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and that was sponsored by Working Group 8.2 of the International Federation for Information Processing. IFIP established 8.2 as a group concerned with the interaction of information systems and the organization. Information Systems and Qualitative Research is essential reading for professionals and students working in information systems in a business environment, such as systems analysts, developers and designers, data administrators, and senior executives in all business areas that use information technology, as well as consultants in the fields of information systems, management, and quality management.
Conspiracy theories seem to be proliferating today. Long relegated to a niche existence, conspiracy theories are now pervasive, and older conspiracy theories have been joined by a constant stream of new ones – that the USA carried out the 9/11 attacks itself, that the Ukrainian crisis was orchestrated by NATO, that we are being secretly controlled by a New World Order that keep us docile via chemtrails and vaccinations. Not to mention the moon landing that never happened. But what are conspiracy theories and why do people believe them? Have they always existed or are they something new, a feature of our modern world? In this book Michael Butter provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the nature and development of conspiracy theories. Contrary to popular belief, he shows that conspiracy theories are less popular and influential today than they were in the past. Up to the 1950s, the Western world regarded conspiracy theories as a legitimate form of knowledge and it was therefore normal to believe in them. It was only after the Second World War that this knowledge was delegitimized, causing conspiracy theories to be banished from public discourse and relegated to subcultures. The recent renaissance of conspiracy theories is linked to internet which gives them wider exposure and contributes to the fragmentation of the public sphere. Conspiracy theories are still stigmatized today in many sections of mainstream culture but are being accepted once again as legitimate knowledge in others. It is the clash between these domains and their different conceptions of truth that is fuelling the current debate over conspiracy theories.
Do you want a deeper understanding of syntax and grammar? Theories of Syntax: Concepts and Case Studies is an indispensable student companion. Starting with basic concepts of syntax, Kuiper and Nokes then delve deeper by explaining how we understand syntactic phenomena, and show us how to use different theoretical frameworks. Theories of Syntax: - Explores syntactic phenomena through a scientific lens - Shows how syntactic models are shaped by theoretical frameworks - Summarizes four theories of syntax: Systemic Functional Grammar, the Principles and Parameters Framework, Lexical Functional Grammar and Minimalism - Illustrates seven sets of syntactic phenomena through case studies With questions for revision, reflection and discussion in each chapter, this is an ideal book for students who want to further their studies.
Effective leadership does not occur by chance. Leaders must be trained and groomed for the daunting responsibility of leading organizations. Research shows that half of the people currently in leadership positions will fail. Why they fail and what can be done to prevent failure are the main subjects of this book. It shows that effective leadership is possible and illustrates why and how, based on research and case studies from an epidemiological perspective. The epidemiological word “determinant” is used frequently, and is a word that no other book on leadership uses. Epidemiologists work from two basic principles: namely, that all diseases have determinants and that diseases do not occur randomly. In other words, there are always causes for diseases and patterns that describe how diseases spread. Effective and ineffective leadership always have determinants that are not randomly distributed; the impacts are uniformly and deeply spread throughout an organization. Like the epidemiologists, this book not only identifies leadership determinants, but also provides research-based “antidotes” at the end of each chapter, along with a summary of the most salient points in the chapter. This book offers examples of leadership and governance from the non-profit sector, businesses, public and private education, higher education, and other organizations, highlighting over 50 case studies to illustrate concepts about leadership.
-Helps readers apply testing and measurement theories they learn in courses on psychometrics, testing and measurement and/or multivariate statistics taught in psychology, education, marketing and management. -With 22 self-standing modules instructors can pick and choose the ones that are most appropriate for their course. -Each module features an overview of a measurement issue, a step-by-step application of that theory, and two cases which depict typical dilemmas faced when applying measurement theory followed by Questions to Ponder to encourage critical examination of the issues noted in the cases. -Best practices provide recommendations for ensuring the appropriate application of the theory. -Practical questions help students assess their understanding of the topic while the examples allow them to apply the material using real data. -Each module contains exercises some of which require no computer access while others involve the use of SPSS to solve the problem and a continuing exercise incorporates many of the steps in the development of a measure of typical performance. -Recent changes in understanding measurement, with over 50 new and updated references -Explanations of why each chapter, article, or book in each module’s Further Readings section is recommended -Instructors will find suggested answers to the book’s questions and exercises; detailed solutions to the exercises; test bank with 10 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions for each module; and PowerPoint slides. Students and instructors can access SPSS data sets; additional exercises; the glossary; and additional information helpful in understanding psychometric concepts.
In this remarkable collection of essays, Michael Burawoy develops the extended case method by connecting his own experiences among workers of the world to the great transformations of the twentieth century—the rise and fall of the Soviet Union and its satellites, the reconstruction of U.S. capitalism, and the African transition to post-colonialism in Zambia. Burawoy's odyssey began in 1968 in the Zambian copper mines and proceeded to Chicago's South Side, where he worked as a machine operator and enjoyed a unique perspective on the stability of advanced capitalism. In the 1980s, this perspective was deepened by contrast with his work in diverse Hungarian factories. Surprised by the collapse of socialism in Hungary in 1989, he journeyed in 1991 to the Soviet Union, which by the end of the year had unexpectedly dissolved. He then spent the next decade studying how the working class survived the catastrophic collapse of the Soviet economy. These essays, presented with a perspective that has benefited from time and rich experience, offer ethnographers a theory and a method for developing novel understandings of epochal change.
"My theory helps me calm down and sort out what initially seems chaotic. In each chapter of this book I have tried to present the various theories in a straightforward, understandable way. What distinguishes this book from others is that I immediately illustrate the application of a construct or process by showing how it relates to a client case described at the beginning of the chapter. I chose to use different client cases for each chapter for at least two reasons: First, I wanted to show that theory could apply to clients who range across the broad spectrum of individual and cultural diversity and present with many kinds of distress. Second, I did not want my readers to lose interest from reading about the same case chapter after chapter. In essence, I have tried to make this book as engaging as I possibly could without compromising the intellectual quality of the presentations. However, it is an engaging and useful exercise to apply different theories to the same case, so I would urge the users of this book to undertake this task as a way of comparing the approaches in a meaningful way. The Theories I Chose A question always arises about which theories to include in a text like this one. Some choices are obvious; others less so. I included classical psychoanalysis-even though true analysis may not be common these days-because it is the foundation of the profession and the springboard for many other systems. If you ever write something that generates as much love and hate as Freud's work did, you have really created something important. I chose other theoretical approaches based on several criteria: (a) currency-whether the theory is used by professionals in the real world; (b) potential to contribute to an understanding of the counseling process even if the reader does not adopt the theory wholesale; and (c) comprehensiveness-the extent to which the theory provides a conceptual structure as well as guidelines for counseling and associated techniques"--