Episyemology and Methodology in Case Research: A Comparison Between European and American IS Journals

Case studies are an important research method in Information Systems research. The method enables us to study contemporary and complex social phenomena in its natural context and is one of the most widely used qualitative research methods in the field. Case studies are used in both the positivist and the interpretist epistemological tradition. Studies on the evaluation of case research tend to focus on one of both epistemological standpoints and tend to have a North American bias when it comes to journal selection. This study evaluates 62 case studies that have been published in North American and European top journals and that have been conducted from both epistemological stances. In the study I compare papers published in American and European journals on epistemology, methodology and pluralism, like for instance the openness to other sciences such as sociology, psychology or history. The evaluation is done in the qualitative tradition (because it regards qualitative studies). Herewith it provides IS researchers with a colourful pallet with which they can paint their own case study designs and reports.