The Qualitative Comparative Analysis: An Overview of a Causal Complexity Approach

Abstract

Research background: Alongside with the development of configurative comparative analysis aiming at identification of necessary and sufficient conditions, various formal methods used for this purpose have been formulated during the last decades. One of them is qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), one of approaches used for causal explanation of phenomena of cases performed in the field of international economics and global affairs. Purpose of the article: The main purpose of the article is to provide a detailed overview of the QCA method in global context, to define its methodologic foundations and consequently introduce the key concepts of the method. The article also provides a comparison of QCA to typical tools of qualitative and quantitative approaches. On the basis of this part, both pros and cons of QCA are derived. Methods: Basically, the methods of analysis, deduction and comparison are used to fulfil the purpose of the article. The existing and available papers and books coping with the topic of QCA and its position among other research methods are reviewed to provide an overview on the selected method. Findings & Value added: The QCA is a method based on analysing stated relations. It bridges the quantitative and qualitative research and reveals certain patterns based on causal complexity principles, however, it is done regarding heterogeneity and diversity of individual researched cases. It is a method applicable to the middle number of cases, it means too few cases for statistical methods on the other hand too many cases for typical qualitative approaches.