Robert K. Yin

Bio: Robert K. Yin is an academic researcher from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Decentralization & Research design. The author has an hindex of 25, co-authored 47 publications receiving 30250 citations. Previous affiliations of Robert K. Yin include RAND Corporation.

Applications of case study research

Abstract: Theory The Role of Theory in Doing Case Studies What is the Case Study Method? What is the Role of Theory in Doing Case Studies Exploratory Case Studies Case Selection and Screening: Criteria and Procedures Causal Case Studies I: Factor Theories Causal Case Studies II: Explanatory Theories Descriptive Scase Studies Conclusions Descriptive Case Studies A Case Study of a Neighborhood Organization Initiation and Structure of the Organization Revitalization Activities and Their Support Relationship to Voluntary Associations and Networks Relationship to City Government Outcomes List of Respondents and Annotated Bibliography Computer Implementation in a Local School System The Computer System in Operation Organizational Issues Explanatory Case Studies A Nutshell Example: The Effect of a Federal Award on a University Computer Science Department Essential Ingredients of Explanatory Case Studies: Three Drug Prevention Examples Simplified Case Example No. 1: "Town Meetings Galvanize Action Against Drug Dealing" Simplified Case Example No. 2: "Interagency Collaboration to Reduce BWI Incidents" Simplified Case Example No. 3: "Designated Driver Program, Delivered Through Vendors" "Transforming" a Business Firm Through Strategic Planning Company Profile and Conditions Leading to Change Strategic Plan Transforms the Business Chronology Sheriff's Combined Auto Theft Task Force The Practice and Its Funding Implementation of the Practice Outcomes to Date Chronology Cross-Case Analyses Technical Assistance for HIV/AIDS Community Planning Defining a Framework for Assessing the Effectiveness of Technical Assistance (TA) Documented Outcomes, Varieties of TA Studied and Possible Rival Explanations for the Outcomes Findings on Individual Hypotheses Regarding Reasons for Successful TA Delivery Proposal Processing by Public and Private Universities Introduction to the Study The Time Needed to Process and Submit Proposals Costs of Preparing Proposals Case Studies of Transformed Firms Why Study Transformed Firms? What is a Transformed Firm? What Kind of Transformation Did the Firms Experience? Did the Transformations Share Common Conditions Summary: General Lessons About Transformed Firms About the author

Qualitative Research from Start to Finish

Abstract: Part 1. Understanding Qualitative Research. What Is Qualitative Research-and Why Might You Consider Doing Such Research? The Allure of Qualitative Research: A Topical Panorama of Studies. The Distinctiveness of Qualitative Research. The Multifaceted World of Qualitative Research. Building Trustworthiness and Credibility into Qualitative Research. Equipping Yourself to Do Qualitative Research. Competencies in Doing Qualitative Research. Managing Field-Based Research. Practicing. Setting and Maintaining Ethical Standards of Conduct. Protecting Human Subjects: Obtaining Approval from an Institutional Review Board. How to Start a Research Study. Starting a Qualitative Study by Considering Three Features. Reviewing Research Literature. Detailing a New Qualitative Study. Part 2. Doing Qualitative Research. Choices in Designing Qualitative Research Studies. Brief Definition of Research Designs. Choice 1: Starting a Research Design at the Beginning of a Study (or Not). Choice 2: Taking Steps to Strengthen the Validity of a Study (or Not). Choice 3: Clarifying the Complexity of Data Collection Units (or Not). Choice 4: Attending to Sampling (or Not). Choice 5: Incorporating Concepts and Theories into a Study (or Not). Choice 6: Planning at an Early Stage (or Not) to Obtain Participant Feedback. Choice 7: Being Concerned with Generalizing a Study's Findings (or Not). Choice 8: Preparing a Research Protocol (or Not). Doing Fieldwork. Working in the Field. Gaining and Maintaining Access to the Field. Nurturing Field Relationships. Doing Participant-Observation. Making Site Visits. Data Collection Methods. What Are Data? Introduction to Four Types of Data Collection Activities. Interviewing. Observing. Collecting and Examining. Feelings. Desirable Practices Pertinent to All Modes of Data Collection. Recording Data. What to Record. Note-Taking Practices When Doing Fieldwork. Converting Field Notes into Fuller Notes. Recording Data through Modes Other Than Writing. Keeping a Personal Journal. Analyzing Qualitative Data, I: Compiling, Disassembling, and Reassembling. Overview of the Analytic Phases. Compiling an Orderly Set of Data. Disassembling Data. Reassembling Data. Analyzing Qualitative Data, II: Interpreting and Concluding. Interpreting. Modes of Interpreting. Concluding. Part 3. Presenting the Results from Qualitative Research. Displaying Qualitative Data. Narrative Data about the Participants in a Qualitative Study. Tabular, Graphic, and Pictorial Presentations. Creating Slides to Accompany Oral Presentations. Composing Research, to Share It with Others. Composing: General Hints. Composing Qualitative Research. Presenting Your Declarative Self. Presenting Your Reflective Self. Reworking Your Composition. Part 4. Taking Qualitative Research One Step Further. Broadening the Challenge of Doing Qualitative Research. Qualitative Research as Part of the Broader Realm of Social Science Research. An Ongoing Dialogue. The Promise and Challenge of Mixed Methods Research. Moving Onward. Appendix. A Semester- or Year-Long Project: Career Paths. A Glossary of Special Terms Used in Qualitative Research.

Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods

Abstract: Foreword Preface Acknowledgments About the Author Chapter 1. Getting Started: How to Know Whether and When to Use the Case Study as a Research Method Being Ready for the Challenge, and Setting High Expectations Comparing Case Studies With Other Social Science Research Methods Variations in Case Studies, but a Common Definition Addressing Traditional Concerns About Case Study Research Summary Notes to Chapter 1 Chapter 2. Designing Case Studies: Identifying Your Case(s) and Establishing the Logic of Your Case Study General Approach to Designing Case Studies The Role of Theory in Research Designs Criteria for Judging the Quality of Research Designs Case Study Research Designs Modest Advice in Selecting Case Study Designs Notes to Chapter 2 Application #1: An Exploratory Case Study: How New Organizational Practices Become Routinized Application #2: Defining the "Case" in a Case Study: Linking Job Training and Economic Development Initiatives at the Local Level Application #3: How "Discovery" Can Occur in the Field: Social Stratification in a Midsized Community Chapter 3. Preparing to Collect Case Study Evidence: What You Need to Do Before Starting to Collect Case Study Data The Case Study Researcher: Desired Skills and Values Preparation and Training for a Specific Case Study The Case Study Protocol Screening the Candidate Cases for Your Case Study The Pilot Case Study Summary Notes to Chapter 3 Chapter 4. Collecting Case Study Evidence: The Principles You Should Follow in Working With Six Sources of Evidence Six Sources of Evidence Four Principles of Data Collection Summary Notes to Chapter 4 Application #4: Doing Interviews in the Field: Citizens on Patrol Application #5: Making Field Observations: First Day in an Urban Neighborhood Application #6: Assembling a Question-and-Answer Database: A Case Study of a Community Organization Chapter 5. Analyzing Case Study Evidence: How to Start Your Analysis, Your Analytic Choices, and How They Work An Analytic Strategy: More Than Relying on Analytic Tools Five Analytic Techniques Pressing for a High-Quality Analysis Summary Notes to Chapter 5 Application #7: Using a Case Study to Compare Directly Competing Rival Hypotheses: Whether Military Base Closures Produce Catastrophic Economic Impacts or Not Application #8: A Nutshell Example of an Explanatory Case Study: How a Federal Award Affected a University Computer Department Application #9: An Explanatory Case Study: Transforming a Business Firm Through Strategic Planning Chapter 6. Reporting Case Studies: How and What to Compose Audiences for Case Study Research Varieties of Case Study Compositions Procedures in Composing a Case Study What Makes an Exemplary Case Study? Notes to Chapter 6 Application #10: A Multiple-Case Study Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Data: Proposal Processing at 17 Universities Appendix A. A Note on the Uses of Case Study Research in Psychology Appendix B. A Note on the Uses of Case Study Research in Evaluations Application #11: An Evaluation Case Study: Evaluation of a Community Coalition's Campaign Brief Glossary of Terms Directly Related to Case Study Research References Author Index Subject Index

Looking at Upside-down Faces

Abstract: Compared memory for faces with memory for other classes of familar and complex objects which, like faces, are also customarily seen only in 1 orientation (mono-oriented). Performance of 4 students was tested when the inspection and test series were presented in the same orientation, either both upri

Building theories from case study research

Abstract: Building Theories From Case Study Research - This paper describes the process of inducting theory using case studies from specifying the research questions to reaching closure. Some features of the process, such as problem definition and construct validation, are similar to hypothesis-testing research. Others, such as within-case analysis and replication logic, are unique to the inductive, case-oriented process. Overall, the process described here is highly iterative and tightly linked to data. This research approach is especially appropriate in new topic areas. The resultant theory is often novel, testable, and empirically valid. Finally, framebreaking insights, the tests of good theory (e.g., parsimony, logical coherence), and convincing grounding in the evidence are the key criteria for evaluating this type of research.

The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers

Abstract: An Introduction to Codes and Coding Chapter Summary Purposes of the Manual What Is a Code? Codifying and Categorizing What Gets Coded? The Mechanics of Coding The Numbers of Codes Manual and CAQDAS Coding Solo and Team Coding Necessary Personal Attributes for Coding On Method Writing Analytic Memos Chapter Summary The Purposes of Analytic Memo-Writing What Is an Analytic Memo? Examples of Analytic Memos Coding and Categorizing Analytic Memos Grounded Theory and Its Coding Canon Analytic Memos on Visual Data First-Cycle Coding Methods Chapter Summary The Coding Cycles Selecting the Appropriate Coding Method(s) Overview of First-Cycle Coding Methods The Coding Methods Profiles Grammatical Methods Elemental Methods Affective Methods Literary and Language Methods Exploratory Methods Forms for Additional First-Cycle Coding Methods Theming the Data Procedural Methods After First-Cycle Coding Chapter Summary Post-Coding Transitions Eclectic Coding Code Mapping and Landscaping Operational Model Diagramming Additional Transition Methods Transitioning to Second-Cycle Coding Methods Second-Cycle Coding Methods Chapter Summary The Goals of Second-Cycle Methods Overview of Second-Cycle Coding Methods Second-Cycle Coding Methods Forms for Additional Second-Cycle Coding Methods After Second-Cycle Coding Chapter Summary Post-Coding and Pre-Writing Transitions Focusing Strategies From Coding to Theorizing Formatting Matters Writing about Coding Ordering and Re-Ordering Assistance from Others Closure Appendix A: A Glossary of Coding Methods Appendix B: A Glossary of Analytic Recommendations Appendix C: Field Note, Interview Transcript and Document Samples for Coding Appendix D: Exercises and Activities for Coding and Qualitative Data Analytic Skill Development References Index

Building theories from case study research.

Abstract: �Traditional, hierarchical views of leadership are less and less useful given the complexities of our modern world. Leadership theory must transition to new perspectives that account for the complex adaptive needs of organizations. In this paper, we propose that leadership (as opposed to leaders) can be seen as a complex dynamic process that emerges in the interactive “spaces between” people and ideas. That is, leadership is a dynamic that transcends the capabilities of individuals alone; it is the product of interaction, tension, and exchange rules governing changes in perceptions and understanding. We label this a dynamic of adaptive leadership, and we show how this dynamic provides important insights about the nature of leadership and its outcomes in organizational fields. We define a leadership event as a perceived segment of action whose meaning is created by the interactions of actors involved in producing it, and we present a set of innovative methods for capturing and analyzing these contextually driven processes. We provide theoretical and practical implications of these ideas for organizational behavior and organization and management theory.

The Fusiform Face Area: A Module in Human Extrastriate Cortex Specialized for Face Perception

Abstract: Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we found an area in the fusiform gyrus in 12 of the 15 subjects tested that was significantly more active when the subjects viewed faces than when they viewed assorted common objects. This face activation was used to define a specific region of interest individually for each subject, within which several new tests of face specificity were run. In each of five subjects tested, the predefined candidate “face area” also responded significantly more strongly to passive viewing of (1) intact than scrambled two-tone faces, (2) full front-view face photos than front-view photos of houses, and (in a different set of five subjects) (3) three-quarter-view face photos (with hair concealed) than photos of human hands; it also responded more strongly during (4) a consecutive matching task performed on three-quarter-view faces versus hands. Our technique of running multiple tests applied to the same region defined functionally within individual subjects provides a solution to two common problems in functional imaging: (1) the requirement to correct for multiple statistical comparisons and (2) the inevitable ambiguity in the interpretation of any study in which only two or three conditions are compared. Our data allow us to reject alternative accounts of the function of the fusiform face area (area “FF”) that appeal to visual attention, subordinate-level classification, or general processing of any animate or human forms, demonstrating that this region is selectively involved in the perception of faces.

Exploring internal stickiness: Impediments to the transfer of best practice within the firm

Abstract: The ability to transfer best practices internally is critical to a firtn's ability to build competitive advantage through the appropriation of rents from scarce internal knowledge. Just as a firm's distinctive competencies tnight be dificult for other firms to imitate, its best prczctices could be dfficult to imitate internnlly. Yet, little systematic attention has been pcrid to such internal stickiness. The author analyzes itlterrzal stickiness of knowledge transfer crnd tests the resulting model using canonical correlation analysis of a data set consisting of 271 observations of 122 best-practice transfers in eight companies. Contrary to corzverztiorzrzl wisdom that blames primarily motivational factors, the study findings show the major barriers to internal knowledge transfer to be knowledge-related factors such as the recipient's lack oj absorptive capacity, causal anzbiguity, and an arciuous relationship between the source and the recipient. The identification and transfer of best practices cally are hindered less by confidentiality and legal is emerging as one of the most important and obstacles than external transfers, they could be widespread practical management issues of the faster and initially less complicated, all other latter half of the 1990s. Armed with meaningful, things being equal. For those reasons, in an era detailed performance data, firms that use fact- when continuous organizational learning and based management methods such as TQM, bench- relentless performance improvement are needed to marking, and process reengineering can regularly remain competitive, companies must increasingly compare the performance of their units along resort to the internal transfer of capabilitie~.~ operational dimensions. Sparse but unequivocal Yet, experience shows that transferring capaevidence suggests that such comparisons often bilities within a firm is far from easy. General reveal surprising performance differences between Motors had great difficulty in transferring manuunits, indicating a need to improve knowledge facturing practices between divisions (Kerwin and utilization within the firm (e.g., Chew, Bresnahan, Woodruff, 1992: 74) and IBM had limited suc