ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the use of the written record as a data source in the case research method. This record includes documents, reports, statistics, manuscripts and other written and visual materials, as well as a variety of elements that can be measured using unobtrusive methods (Webb et al. 2000). Hodder (1998) referred to this group of resources as a society’s material culture, and included physical artifacts as well as the written word and graphic symbols. This chapter is concerned with the written word and, particularly, document analysis-the third major way that case researchers gather data. It will also include a review of document analysis methods.The chapter begins with a description of textual material as a source of case research data.
