Bent Flyvbjerg's article "Five Misunderstandings About Case-Study Research" examines and corrects common misconceptions about case-study research. The five misunderstandings are: 1. **Theoretical Knowledge vs. Practical Knowledge**: Flyvbjerg argues that practical, context-dependent knowledge is as valuable as theoretical, context-independent knowledge. 2. **Generalization from a Single Case**: He asserts that a single case can be used to generalize, contrary to the belief that case studies cannot contribute to scientific development. 3. **Hypothesis Generation and Testing**: Case studies are useful for both generating and testing hypotheses, not just generating them. 4. **Subjective Bias**: Case studies do not inherently bias toward verification; they can also bias toward falsification of preconceived notions. 5. **Summarization and Generalization**: Good case studies often contain rich, narrative elements that may be difficult to summarize, but this does not mean they are less valuable. Flyvbjerg emphasizes that case studies are crucial for understanding complex issues and can be as rigorous as other methods, provided they are well-designed and executed. He concludes that social science can benefit from more thorough case studies, which can enhance the development of theory and understanding.Bent Flyvbjerg's article "Five Misunderstandings About Case-Study Research" examines and corrects common misconceptions about case-study research. The five misunderstandings are: 1. **Theoretical Knowledge vs. Practical Knowledge**: Flyvbjerg argues that practical, context-dependent knowledge is as valuable as theoretical, context-independent knowledge. 2. **Generalization from a Single Case**: He asserts that a single case can be used to generalize, contrary to the belief that case studies cannot contribute to scientific development. 3. **Hypothesis Generation and Testing**: Case studies are useful for both generating and testing hypotheses, not just generating them. 4. **Subjective Bias**: Case studies do not inherently bias toward verification; they can also bias toward falsification of preconceived notions. 5. **Summarization and Generalization**: Good case studies often contain rich, narrative elements that may be difficult to summarize, but this does not mean they are less valuable. Flyvbjerg emphasizes that case studies are crucial for understanding complex issues and can be as rigorous as other methods, provided they are well-designed and executed. He concludes that social science can benefit from more thorough case studies, which can enhance the development of theory and understanding.