Case Study and Narrative Research Designs

Case Study and Narrative Research Designs

Research involves using a specific research design to gather information from research participants. Research designs vary based on whether the study is qualitative or quantitative. The case study and narrative research designs are among the main research designs used in qualitative research. Narrative research focuses on conceptualizing and exploring human experience through a comprehensive exploration of the meanings people give to their experiences. On the other hand, case study research design focuses on gaining in-depth contextual and concrete knowledge about a specific real-world issue. The two research designs can be used together in research involving a study on people’s experiences in a particular location. For instance, the two designs can be used in the current research exploring the causes of turnover at Casablanca Hotel because the study involves listening to the narratives given by the research participants about their work environment and their daily experiences.

Features of Case Study and Narrative Research Designs

The case study and narrative research designs can be distinguished based on their features. According to Priya (2020), the main features of the case study design include the type of research being conducted based on the purpose of the research, research questions, purpose of the study, multiple or single cases, epistemological foundations defining the direction of the case study, data collection, sampling and presentation of the analyzed data. The decision on whether to conduct a single or multiple case study is influenced by the availability of resources in terms of time, money, manpower, and the research questions. Case studies may also vary based on whether the study is descriptive, explanatory, or exploratory. Descriptive and exploratory designs include understanding the experiences of the research participants to address a specific research topic or issue. Researchers conducting descriptive and exploratory studies may use the narrative research design to get the information needed to create a comprehensive review of the topic being studied. The main features of narrative research design include individual experiences, collecting personal stories, the chronology of experiences, coding to identify themes, and restoring the setting or context. Restorying includes gathering stories from the research participants, reviewing them to identify the main elements such as scene, plot, place, and time, and rewriting the story chronologically. Researchers may also select a specific setting, actions, characters, problems, and resolutions to help their audience understand the background of the research. Narrative research design also includes interacting with the research participants to understand their experiences.

Data Collection Processes

Case Study Research Design

Data Collection Materials and Instrumentation

The case study research design includes various data collection strategies. According to Yin (2018), the main data collection techniques in case study research include observations, interviews, and questionnaires. The most appropriate data collection technique in the current study on the causes and effects of turnover at Casablanca Hotel is interviews. Unstructured interviews will be used to get information about the hotel employees’ encounters that could impact their intention to leave and their attitude toward the workplace. The interviews will be conducted online. The interview sessions will last 15 minutes to give the interviewee enough time to share their experiences and respond to the interview questions.

Sample Size

The sample size will include 20 employees working at Casablanca Hotel. The employees will be selected from different departments within the hotel to enable the researcher to compare the employees’ experiences and determine the differences in employee experiences based on the responsibilities in each department. The sample size will also include employees at different levels in the hotel’s hierarchy. For example, the sample size will consist of top, middle, and junior-level employees to get a wide range of information that can be compared to offer a sound conclusion about the causes and effects of employee turnover.

Sampling Technique

According to Etikan (2017), sampling techniques are classified into non-probability and probability sampling. Probability sampling includes simple random, stratified, systematic, and clustered sampling. Non-probability sampling includes quota, convenience, snowball, and purposive sampling. The most appropriate sampling technique for studying the causes and effects of turnover at Casablanca Hotel is purposive sampling. Etikan (2016) argues that purposive sampling relies on the researcher’s judgment when selecting research participants. Purposive sampling will be used to choose the research participants based on specific characteristics such as the number of years the participant has worked at Casablanca Hotel, their position at the hotel, and their age and gender. The main benefits of purposive sampling include cost and time effectiveness and the likelihood of collecting a wide range of responses from the selected research participants.

Narrative Research Design

Data Collection and Instrumentation

Narrative research includes collecting data from research participants by listening to their stories and experiences. The data is mainly collected through unstructured interviews. For instance, in the current research on the causes and effects of employee turnover at Casablanca Hotel, the experiences of the staff at the hotel will be gathered through structured interviews that will be conducted online. The interviews will be organized into single interviews lasting 15 minutes to enable the researcher to understand the research participants’ experiences based on the stories they tell about their workplace. The data will then be analyzed using thematic and content analysis to derive a sound conclusion on the research questions. Watson & Lacy (2017) argue that content analysis focuses on determining how often specific concepts or words appear in a sample of qualitative data. Thematic analysis, on the other hand, includes identifying recurring themes in a sample of qualitative data by categorizing and reviewing data.

Sample Size

The sample size in the narrative inquiry on the causes and effects of turnover at Casablanca Hotel will be 10 participants. According to Rosenberg (2017), the appropriate sample size in qualitative narrative inquiry is 6 to 10 participants. This sample size enables the researcher to sample to the point of redundancy, which includes terminating sampling when no new information is being gathered from the participant.

Sampling Technique

Narrative inquiry requires selecting research participants who have encountered or are encountering different experiences to generate a wide range of information that can be compared to draw sound conclusions on the research topic and research questions. The sampling technique in the narrative inquiry on the causes and effects of turnover at Casablanca Hotel will be convenience sampling. According to Etikan (2016), convenience sampling includes selecting participants based on their availability and willingness to participate in the research. For instance, in the study on the causes and effects of turnover at Casablanca Hotel, the researcher will contact employees at different departments to get their consent to participate in the research and schedule an interview for the data collection process. The researcher will then select the employees available within the shortest time possible and those who sign the informed consent form within one week.

Conclusion

Research designs play a vital role in guiding the researcher on how to collect and analyze data. Research designs may be influenced by the purpose of the study, research questions, and availability of resources such as money and time. The case study and narrative research designs can be used together to gather a wide range of information about a specific topic or issue. The main difference between the two designs is their features, which define the activities within the research. Another difference is the sample size selected to gather data. For instance, the case study design includes a large sample size of up to 20 participants. Consequently, the narrative research design consists of a smaller sample size of 10 participants. The main similarity between the two designs is the data collection materials and instrumentation. For instance, the two designs include using interviews to gather data from the research participants.

References

Etikan, I. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11

Etikan, I. (2017). Combination of probability random sampling method with nonprobability random sampling method (sampling versus sampling methods). Biometrics & Biostatistics International Journal, 5(6). https://doi.org/10.15406/bbij.2017.05.00148

Priya, A. (2020). Case study methodology of qualitative research: Key attributes and navigating the conundrums in its Application. Sociological Bulletin, 70(1), 94–110. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038022920970318

Rosenberg, G. (2017). Qualitative Narrative Inquiry Research. LibGuides at Northcentral University. https://resources.nu.edu/c.php?g=1007179&p=9632135

Watson, B., & Lacy, S. (2017). Content analysis. Communication. https://doi.org/10.1093/obo/9780199756841-0175

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. SAGE.

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During Lessons 3 and 4, you learned about various qualitative research designs. This week, you will build on this knowledge. Select two of the five research designs. Define and explain the features of each design using the resources provided and three other quality resources. Next, develop data collection processes for each of the selected designs, including discussions of sample size, sampling technique, data collection materials, and instrumentation. You can include diagrams if you would like.

Case Study and Narrative Research Designs

You are already familiar with the instruments used in quantitative data collection, but these differ distinctly from what is useful in qualitative studies. Qualitative instruments must be structured so that you are collecting deep and broad data to understand the research question fully. In most cases, you must design an instrument to extract specific experiential information from your participants. Data collection can occur through face-to-face interviews, focus groups, or observation; there are other ways to select qualitative data.

When constructing your data collection plan, it must be clear and contain all the steps you will take when collecting information from your participants. You will have to include any secondary data that you will collect. Secondary data can include documents or other evidence that can contribute to understanding the central phenomenon under study. How will you ensure data saturation? Remember, qualitative researchers use practices like member checking, follow-up interviews, or transcript review to ensure data saturation.

Writing this section of your study must be logical, repeatable, and reproducible. Every research decision must be based on accepted research practices; remember to include sources in your research plan to demonstrate the depth of your knowledge and the support of the academic community.