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Chapter 3 Research Framework
Having selected the case or unit of analysis it must then be determined whether the
study will focus on a single case or multiple cases (Figure 3.1). For this research a
single case study approach was adopted. Yin (2009) explained that the single case
approach may be adopted if it is “critical” (testing theory), when it represents a
“unique” case, when it represents a “typical” case, a “revelatory” case or a
“longitudinal” case (studying the same case at two or more different points in time).
Yin (2009) defined the “typical” case as one that captures the circumstances and
conditions of everyday or commonplace situations. The residential unit for this
research study was “typical” of most public residential units in Ireland and hence the
unit of analysis, “resident autonomy”, would also be “typical”. Within the single
case study the researcher may choose a holistic or embedded design. Examination of
the global nature of an organisation warrants a holistic design (Figure 3.1), while the
examination of the organisation and its context, issues, staffing, etc. would warrant
an embedded design (Figure 3.1). The literature review for this study revealed that
residential care and resident autonomy require research from multiple perspectives
and multiple data sources. It suggested that staffing, personnel, education, capacity,
etc. are all issues that need to be considered. Therefore this study adopted an
embedded design as it was going to explore resident autonomy (the case/the unit of
analysis) and the organisation and its context (staff and resident profiles, staff
rosters, philosophy of the care environment, gather multiple perspectives from
multiple data sources).
In contrast, multiple case studies are adopted when more than one case is studied and
are usually chosen when the researcher wishes to look at more than one research site
and compare or contrast findings. It usually involves replication and is more
positivistic in its approach (Yin, 2009). According to Yin (2009), the multiple case
study may also be holistic or embedded in its approach. Yin (2009) stated that no
broad distinction is made between single or multiple case studies but rather the
choice to adopt one over the other is based on research design. Criticisms of the
single case study approach are usually directed towards generalisation but as Yin
(2009) pointed out, that case study is concerned with analytical generalisation not
statistical generalisation, and generalisations from either single or multiple designs
are made to theory and not to populations. Simmons (2009) supported this and
explained that the purpose of all case study research is not to generalise but to