Gender Representation in Case Study Research

This research examines the gender inclusiveness of case studies published by the Society for Case Research (SCR). The sample consists of one of the three refereed journals published by SCR, the Journal of Critical Incidents (JCI). JCI publishes short case studies, called critical incidents, the case portion of which is limited to a maximum of three pages. This study provides data on the gender of critical incident authors and protagonists. This study also examines the gender of authors in the context of protagonists' gender. This study does not focus on other marginalized groups because the data set did not provide information on sexual orientation, race, disability, and other diverse characteristics. This article focuses on gender as one aspect of inclusive cases. The authors were able to discern gender via the use of pronouns. This article suggests that case writers should consider recruiting businesses that model inclusiveness for their field research or their secondary data sources. The paper includes several suggestions for further research regarding gender, publication, and case studies. The authors also note possible barriers to case study and gender research if colleges' criteria for publication do not adequately recognize the importance of diversity research.