Unfolding the Evolution of the Eisenhardt Method: Retrospective and Prospective

Case Study is an empirical method widely accepted and used in management research. To take stock of its contributions and enhance its appropriate use, we first reviewed eight papers on case study research written by Professor Kathleen M. Eisenhardt and her co-authors from 1989 to 2021 to investigate how Eisenhardt developed the research method of building theories from case study. We then collected and analyzed scholarly work from six representative management journals that used the Eisenhardt Method to examine the patterns of usage and the discrepancies between what Eisenhardt meant the Method to be and what some scholars used it as. We concluded by providing practical guidelines and checklists for future researchers using the Method. Our paper helps to clarify the essence and applicability of the Eisenhardt Method and pave ways for productive methodological conversations for management researchers.