Skip to main content icon/video/no-internet
icon backReturn to Entries

Intrinsic Case Study

An intrinsic case study is the study of a case (e.g., person, specific group, occupation, department, organization) where the case itself is of primary interest in the exploration. The exploration is driven by a desire to know more about the uniqueness of the case rather than to build theory or how the case represents other cases.

Conceptualization and Discussion

Robert Stake classifies cases into three categories: (1) intrinsic, (2) instrumental, and (3) collective. The intrinsic case is often exploratory in nature, and the researcher is guided by his or her interest in the case itself rather than in extending theory or generalizing across cases. In an instrumental case study the case is secondary to the exploration of a specific issue, building theory or redrawing generalizations. In an instrumental case study the case becomes a tool to better understand something else. A collective case study involves the exploration of multiple instrumental case studies. Stake does note that a case study can be both intrinsic and instrumental in nature and that it is sometimes difficult to categorize a case into one or the other type. The key in both the intrinsic and instrumental case study is the opportunity to learn. Stake notes that researchers often have multiple research interests and thus engage in both intrinsic and instrumental case research. Moreover, expectations in academia to produce generalizable findings make it challenging for researchers to represent their cases as purely intrinsic.

The intrinsic case study offers an opportunity to understand particularities. The researcher is interested in context and is seeking both depth and breadth in his or her exploration. Qualitative research methods are best aligned with the philosophical underpinnings of the intrinsic case, where researcher, participants, and readers play a role in reconstructing experience. Jane Appleton contends that, although he does not state it explicitly, Stake's approach to case study research is underpinned by constructivism. The intrinsic case is exploratory in nature; however, preparation around whom to talk with, where to gather data, and which events to observe are still important. Data analysis will focus more on interpreting meaning rather than aggregate categorizing of data, as is in common the instrumental case. The intrinsic case strives to capture the richness and complexity of the case. The structure of the case report is likely to be emergent in nature, largely determined by the stories and experiences that surface from the data collected.

Application

Stephen Connolly and Sorrel Penn-Edwards present an intrinsic case study on the Department of Education, Science and Training's (DEST) Values Education Programme (VEP) in Australia. Connolly and Penn-Edwards's primary interest is in the case itself, and they are driven by a concern with the rollout of the DEST's VEP over the next 4 years. Their research is exploratory in nature and focuses on uncovering the particularities of teachers' understandings and acceptance of the VEP. Connolly and Penn-Edwards also note that their research will provide insight into future research on VEP acceptance, identification with, and implementation by other teachers and schools. Moreover, their research also aims to contribute to the larger body of research that is concerned with the debate over values-based education. It is this secondary interest that demonstrates the instrumental aspect of the case. The significant financial and time investment devoted to VEP by the DEST make the findings of this intrinsic case study relevant, timely, and transferable to other VEP sites. Overall, the case research is driven by an interest in the particularities of the DEST's VEP program, not theorizing or generalizations, and thus it is an exemplar of an intrinsic case study.

...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles

Read next

More like this

Sage Recommends

We found other relevant content for you on other Sage platforms.

close

Have you created a personal profile? Login or create a profile so that you can save clips, playlists and searches

close
close
close Signed In to profile You are signed in as:
close
Logged in Institution Institution