2 Task 2: Case Study Research
The current global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in December 2019
in China, has to date resulted in an estimated 3,000,000 deaths worldwide. The impact of the virus on human and
economic life has been so significant that people have started to refer to a ‘new normal’.
The case study research approach, which you have learned about, lends itself nicely to investigate the
complexities of the pandemic’s impact on human and economic life.
1. Briefly explain why the case study research approach can be suitable to investigate the pandemic’s impact
on human and economic life. Which specific type of case study design is more, and which is less suitable?
Include the advantages of the approach as well as possible disadvantages in your discussion
2. Apply the case study approach and pick two maximally different for-profit-organizations to explore the
impact of the pandemic on employees’ work life (e.g., tasks, context, mindset, daily routines) by considering
organization-level factors (e.g., structure, culture, technology) and employee-level factors. Compare and
contrast the two organizations in order to arrive at stylized impact categories, contingencies, and coping
mechanisms at the organization and employee levels. For each organization, conduct a minimum of two in depth interviews with key informant