What limitation does the case study method have?

The case study method is particularly valuable in providing in-depth insights and detailed information about individual cases or specific situations. However, one of its notable limitations is its inability to easily determine cause-and-effect relationships. This limitation arises because case studies focus on a single individual, group, or event, which makes it challenging to establish whether the observed outcomes are directly caused by the conditions or interventions being studied, or if they are influenced by other uncontrolled variables.

In contrast, experimental research designs, which involve manipulating variables in a controlled environment, are more suited to draw conclusions about causality. Therefore, while case studies can provide rich qualitative data and help identify patterns or generate hypotheses, their descriptive and observational nature restricts their capacity to confirm direct cause-and-effect links. This is crucial for practitioners and researchers to consider when evaluating the effectiveness of interventions or generalizing findings beyond the specific case being studied.