Author:NICOLAJ SIGGELKOW
Pages:5
Summary:Nicola J. Siggelkow, an associate professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, discusses the challenges and strategies for writing persuasive case studies in management research. He argues that case studies, despite their limitations, can be powerful tools for making theoretical arguments and providing practical insights. Siggelkow highlights three main uses of case studies: motivation, inspiration, and illustration. He emphasizes that while a single case may not be sufficient to prove a theory, it can effectively motivate and inspire further research and provide concrete examples to illustrate theoretical concepts. Siggelkow also warns against the pitfall of making contributions that are "ex post obvious," where the findings are not surprising to readers. He suggests that a valuable contribution should allow readers to see the world in a new way, not just confirm existing theories. Overall, Siggelkow encourages researchers to focus on the conceptual argument while using cases as additional support, ensuring that the theory stands on its own.