Research Methods in Corporate Case Study Construction

The Documentary Method

The most common approach to corporate case construction based on publicly available materials is the documentary method: the systematic collection, verification, and analysis of organizational documents. This includes published reports, governance disclosures, regulatory filings, press releases, and other official organizational communications. The documentary method requires rigorous source verification and careful attention to the context in which each document was produced.

Source Triangulation

Methodologically sound case construction does not rely on a single source. Cross-referencing the claims or data in one document against other available sources — regulatory filings, governance disclosures, or reports from different periods — provides a basis for identifying inconsistencies, gaps, or changes in organizational presentation. Where sources are consistent, this provides supporting evidence; where they diverge, the divergence itself is analytically significant.

Methodological Limits

Cases built exclusively from publicly available materials face inherent constraints. Deliberative processes, informal decisions, and interpersonal dynamics are typically not captured in official documents. The editorial case reviewer must be explicit about these constraints, avoiding the inference of organizational intent or causation from documentary evidence that does not support such conclusions.