# 2 What is a case study?

Figure 1 What is a case study?

Case studies are widely used in the study of business and management and you will learn more about them in the following activity.

## Activity 1

Read the following sentences which describe what a case study is. Which of them are true and which are false? Write True or False in the box next to each sentence.

##

| True or False
--- | ---
Case studies are used in business and management to help you learn and think about a particular aspect of business and management. | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
A case study can be presented in a range of different formats including written text, video or audio. Case studies can include interviews, TV programmes, academic papers and newspaper articles. | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
A case study is a representation of a real-life or lifelike situation facing a business or business sector. | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
A case study may describe a simple situation or a highly complex one. | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
A case study can be based on fact or it can be fictional, i.e. completely invented. | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)

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### Answer

All the comments are true. Case studies are designed to teach you something about business and they include a wide range of formats. They can be based on real business situations or invented.

##

Case studies are used in business and management to help you learn and think about a particular aspect of business and management. | True
A case study can be presented in a range of different formats including written text, video or audio. Case studies can include interviews, TV programmes, academic papers and newspaper articles. | True
A case study is a representation of a real-life or lifelike situation facing a business or business sector. | True
A case study may describe a simple situation or a highly complex one. | True
A case study can be based on fact or it can be fictional, i.e. completely invented). | True

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