The Use of Case Studies in R&D Impact Evaluations

Abstract

The use of case study methods in evaluating R&D impacts poses a paradox. On the one hand, most of the major methodological advances in R&D evaluation are attributed to the areas ofpeer review, interview and questionnaire techniques, and quantitative methods such as econometrics, bibliometrics, and technology indicators, while case study is characterized as an old technique that has had no recent developments (Luukkonen-Gronow, 1987). On the other hand, many R&D impact evaluations qualify as case study research designs. The reason they may be considered so is that the design of most R&D impact evaluations focus on understanding the dynamics within a specific setting and do not relate findings to any scientific theory. Though case study can be used to relate events to theory (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 1989), it is difficult to generalize from the findings from one setting (Cook & Campbell, 1979). This makes it difficult to identify and differentiate the use of case study separate from the other methods listed above.One resolution of this paradox is to recognize that in the realm of R&D impact evaluations, case study has developed a particular methodological form. B. Bozeman et al. (eds.), Evaluating R&D Impacts: Methods and Practice

Evaluation of the Benefits Attributable to Automotive Lighweight Materials Program Research and Development Projects

“…They can clearly identify qualitative issues, such as degree of collaboration, training for junior researchers, and the dynamics within a specific setting that can be used to judge success. Traditionally, case studies have been used to gauge the linkages between R&D and economic innovation and to judge whether R&D projects meet policy objectives established for a group mandated to address linkages between R&D and the economy (Kingsley, 1993). A commonly cited justification for using case studies as a research method in general is due to a lack of clearly understood theory to associate with results.…”

Crisis inmobiliaria y desahucios hipotecarios en España: una perspectiva geográfica

“…Pueden mencionarse finalmente los que aportan una aproximación a las características de los afectados, así como a las múltiples consecuencias provocadas en su situación personal y familiar, mediante la realización de encuestas o entrevistas con un ámbito territorial y temporal diverso (Valiño, 2013;Arredondo y Palma, 2013). Pese a lo limitado de la investigación realizada hasta el momento en esta última línea, la convergencia en algunas de sus conclusiones con estudios publicados en otro país con gran volumen de desahucios como Estados Unidos (Kingsley, Smith y Price, 2009;Axel-Lute, 2009;Been y Gould, 2012) aporta cierta capacidad de generalización a esos resultados.…”

Program Evaluation - Automotive Lightweighting Materials Program Research and Development Projects Assessment of Benefits - Case Studies No. 2

“…Case studies focus on the institutional, organizational, and technical factors that influence research processes, and provide in-depth insights into the success or failure of a research project. Traditionally, case studies have been used to gauge the linkages between R&D and economic innovation and to judge whether R&D projects meet policy objectives established for a group mandated to address linkages between R&D and the economy (Kingsley, 1993). Yin (1984) summarized the strengths of case studies as addressing why and how an event occurs, providing a rich set of information on nonquantifiable relationships that exist among variables included in a study, and exploring topics unhindered by constraining theory.…”

“…The case study approach has been used to evaluate U.S. Department of Defense research since the 1960s (see Kingsley, 1993). However, qualitative assessments are not common in R&D evaluation among other federal programs.…”

“…A commonly cited justification for using case studies as a research method in general is due to a lack of clearly understood theory to associate with results. Specifically, for R&D, the uncertainty lies in how different types of R&D projects affect economic growth (Yin, 1984;Kingsley, 1993).Case studies of federal R&D and economic growth became popular in the 1960s. Case studies can be expensive to conduct, clearly a limitation to their extended use.…”