Case study research in qualitative inquiry

A structured guide to design, data collection and analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID19224293
AuthorsSanmugam Annamalah (0000-0002-9438-2710, SEGi University), Syed Abdul Kadir Abdullah (0009-0008-3622-1354, International Centre for Sports Studies), Lilian Anthonysamy (0000-0003-1241-326X, Multimedia University), Selim Ahmed (0000-0002-0361-6797, World University of Bangladesh)
Year2026
Pages1-28
Publication date2026-06-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Research Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1443-9883 • E-ISSN: 1448-0980
PublisherEmerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1108/qrj-11-2025-0429
OpenAlexW7163262096
LanguageEN
References cited33

Purpose This paper aims to provide a structured, practice-oriented and methodologically coherent guide to case study research within the qualitative inquiry tradition. The study seeks to clarify the defining characteristics, conceptual foundations, operational processes, strengths, limitations and analytical procedures of case study research while addressing common methodological misunderstandings faced by novice and early career researchers. The paper further aims to demonstrate how case study research can be systematically designed, managed and implemented to investigate complex, context-dependent and under-researched phenomena across disciplines. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a conceptual and methodological synthesis approach grounded in established qualitative and case study literature. Drawing from seminal and contemporary methodological scholarship, the article integrates theoretical explanations with practical guidance through a series of structured operational tables covering case study design, applications, data collection, thematic analysis, probing techniques, ethical management and implementation workflows. The paper also incorporates interpretive and thematic analytical perspectives to strengthen methodological transparency and analytical coherence in qualitative case study inquiry. Findings The paper demonstrates that case study research is a rigorous, context-sensitive and interdisciplinary methodology capable of generating rich, holistic and analytically meaningful insights into real-world phenomena. The study highlights that methodological rigour in case study research is strengthened through triangulation, reflexivity, multiple data sources, systematic thematic analysis and clearly bounded case design. The paper further identifies recurring methodological challenges, including limited generalisability, analytical complexity, resource intensity and ethical concerns, while presenting practical mitigation strategies to enhance credibility, transferability and transparency. The study also illustrates how structured workflows, probing techniques and thematic development processes can improve the execution and reporting of case study research. Research limitations/implications As a conceptual and methodological guide, this paper does not report empirical findings or test propositions through field-based investigation. This paper provides a structured framework for conducting case study research; future empirical applications across disciplines may help evaluate, refine and extend its practical and analytical utility. Practical implications The paper provides researchers, students, supervisors and practitioners with a comprehensive and accessible roadmap for designing, conducting and managing rigorous case study research. The structured frameworks, operational guidelines and analytical tools presented in this paper can support improved research design, data management, thematic analysis and methodological decision-making across diverse disciplinary, organisational and applied research contexts. Social implications By promoting methodological clarity, ethical awareness and analytical transparency, the paper contributes to improving the quality, credibility and societal relevance of qualitative research. The guide supports the development of contextually grounded knowledge that can inform organisational practices, strengthen policy development and enhance evidence-based decision-making across complex social and institutional settings. Originality/value The paper offers an original and highly structured synthesis of case study research by integrating conceptual foundations with applied methodological guidance in a single coherent framework. Unlike broad qualitative research overviews, the article focuses specifically on case study research and provides a systematic operational roadmap supported by integrative tables, practical examples and analytical guidance. The paper contributes value to both novice and experienced researchers seeking a rigorous, accessible and practically applicable reference for conducting qualitative case study research

Case study research · Conceptual framework · Data collection · Grounded theory · Qualitative research · Rigour · Soft Systems Methodology · Thematic analysis · Transferability · Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research · Qualitative Research Methods and Applications · Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics

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