Case study research based on critical realism

Abstract

Researchers in the field of industrial marketing favor the use of case studies above any other methodology. A variety of solutions have been proposed, however the issue of adequately explaining case research persists. In this work, we argue that case study research is supported by the philosophical perspective of critical realism, which also has important consequences for theory building and the research process as a whole. This article provides an overview of Sayer's critical realist methodology and elaborates on how this methodology might be used more broadly to case studies. A case study of how a buyer-seller relationship evolved following the implementation of a new MIS system is provided to illustrate its practical use.