Skip to Main Content

Online resources available. The Library is closed for maintenance.

Icon MACDONALD-KELCE LIBRARY Building

Case Study Research

Usually based on a real business or social problem, case study analysis requires you to apply your knowledge and experience. Here are some tips and resources to help you navigate the case study analysis assignment.

Finding Business Case Studies

Harvard Business Review cases For faculty who want to assign Harvard Case Studies to their students, they must contact Harvard directly to set-up an account for distribution to their students. Harvard will not sell case studies to the library for distribution. For more information, please refer to Harvard's website.

Google Scholar - Use the terms like "case study," "case studies," or "case method." Keep the terms in quotes to force the results to only return that phrase. Combine with terms like "business," "international business," "management," "ethics," "entrepreneurship," etc. See our handout on Using Google Scholar Effectively.

Google Scholar Search

Databases

Links to the databases are below. Here's how to access case studies in the listed databases.

  • In Business (Gale OneFile Business) go to Advanced Search and choose Case Study from the dropdown menu 'by document type'.
  • Business Insights: Global has a tab titled Case Studies.
  • In Business Source Complete you can choose Case Study under Publication Type.

Journals

The following links take you to a Spartan Search page that allows you to search within the journal.

Finding Industry Information

For industry information check a database like IBISWorld.

For more information on researching industries, see our Business research guide.

Finding Information About Businesses

For business information check a database like Mergent (for publicly traded companies) or PrivCo (for privately owned companies).

For more information on researching industries, see our Business research guide.

What is a case study?

From The Business Case Method: An Introduction by J. Kenneth Matejka and Thomas J. Cosse.

Call number: HF 1121 .M37 1981  (MAIN - 2nd Floor)

A case study is given to a student or group when an instructor is using the case method of instruction as an assignment. "Learning in a case course takes place by doing: by analyzing situations both quantitatively and qualitatively, by making decisions as to appropriate courses of action, by communicating these decisions and exchanging ideas with fellow students and the instructor, and finally by accepting responsibility for the decision made. Thus, the case method provides a simulation... (1-3)".

Sometimes the case study can be a short exercise done in one class session or sometimes a case study analysis can involve work lasting the entire semester.

The key to successful work in case study analysis is being prepared. You want to make sure you are ready to address any questions fellow students and your instructor may have about your case and your analysis. Be ready to infer, derive, extrapolate, or draw a conclusion from other similar situations. Your inferences will have to be your original thoughts but they need to be supported via your readings and research.

Business Case ebooks

Macdonald-Kelce Library - The University of Tampa - 401 W. Kennedy Blvd. - Tampa, FL 33606 - 813 257-3056 - library@ut.edu - Accessibility