Second, they presented a comparative analysis of, and a link between, design tests in qualitative research and each of the theoretical paradigms (see also Riege and Nair, 1997). (1999) Riege and Nair (1997)), concluding that the realism perspective appears to be the most appropriate one for marketing researchers. However, what they provided was, first, a thorough comparison and discussion on theoretical paradigms and philosophical foundations (building on previous studies by Guba and Lincoln (1994) Perry et al. 75-86įurthermore, Healy and Perry (2000) established six specific criteria to judge the validity and reliability of case study research, within the realism paradigm. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal Volume 6. Validity and reliability tests in case study research
Electronic access The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal Volume 6. The article provides guidelines for achieving high validity and reliability for each phase in case study research. The purpose of this article is to invite further research by discussing the use of various scientific techniques for establishing the validity and reliability in case study research. This article presents an argument for the case study method in marketing research, examining various criteria for judging the quality of the method and highlighting various techniques, which can be addressed to achieve objectivity, and rigorous and relevant information for planning to marketing actions. However, there is no single, coherent set of validity and reliability tests for each research phase in case study research available in the literature. Tests to establish the validity and reliability of qualitative data are important to determine the stability and quality of the data obtained. Keywords Case studies, Qualitative techniques, Reliability, Validity Abstract Despite the advantages of the case study method, its reliability and validity remain in doubt. Riege is Lecturer of Marketing and International Business in the Faculty of Commerce and Management, Griffith University, Nathan, Australia. Second, case studies require a medium to high level of prior theory, which is not the case for in-depth and convergent interviews, which require no orĪndreas M.
First, whereas the main objective of case study research is the development and construction of theory, in-depth interviews concentrate on obtaining rich and detailed information, convergent interviews on narrowing down the research focus, and focus groups on group interaction. There are several distinguishing factors when comparing qualitative methods. To support the following discussion, similarities and differences between qualitative research and case study research, that is how is case study research is different from the other qualitative methods, need to be clarified. It also seems suitable for research into, for example, customer relationship marketing, consumer decision-making, customer satisfaction, and knowledge management. Within the realism paradigm, the focus is on the rigorously analytical method of case study research, which seems to be especially appropriate for two areas: the study of network systems and international business-to-business marketing (Johnston et al., 1999 Perry et al., 1999), rather than the merely descriptive or explanatory use of case studies.
But then, case study research is not always to be seen as a substitute for quantitative research. Nevertheless, it still seems that qualitative research, such as case study research, is not really accepted as a rigorous alternative to established quantitative methods in marketing research. Realists share the positivists' aim of explaining and predicting social phenomena, however, where phenomena have not yet been fully discovered and comprehended, realist investigation often seems more appropriate to identify phenomena and transform people's experiences into verbal experiences of the researcher (Donnellan, 1995 Tsoukas, 1989).
8), a perspective, which is arguably more practitioner-oriented. However, the position is changing for management and marketing research which ``seems implicitly to assume a realist perspective'' (Hunt, 1990, p. Research in management and marketing traditionally has been based on positivist science, quantitatively oriented, along a linear deductive path.
Validity and reliability tests in case study research: a literature review with ``hands-on'' applications for each research phase