Enhancement of the effectiveness of case studies as a research method through the selection of polar cases

Case study is one of the main research methods used in social sciences. It is one of the qualitative research methods as its focus is on understanding in depth a relatively limited number of cases rather than on the quantitative analysis of a large body of data. In this article the characteristics of the main research methods are reviewed and the use of polar (contrasting) cases is presented as an effective way to enhance the generalizability of the results of case study research, provided that the selection methodology of the polar cases is based on important criteria related to the topic of research. The application of this methodology to research on the impact of the technology management on the chemical industry is reviewed.