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The Use of Case Studies in R&D Impact Evaluations

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Evaluating R&D Impacts: Methods and Practice

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 of peer 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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Maxwell School Center for Technology and Information Policy, Syracuse University, USA

    Gordon Kingsley

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  1. Gordon Kingsley
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA

    Barry Bozeman

  2. University of Alaska Southeast, Syracuse, New York, USA

    Julia Melkers

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Kingsley, G. (1993). The Use of Case Studies in R&D Impact Evaluations. In: Bozeman, B., Melkers, J. (eds) Evaluating R&D Impacts: Methods and Practice. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-5182-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-5182-6_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-5135-9

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