Extending NCA to the Extreme:
Abstract
Is it possible to develop from a single, extreme case, a strong theoretical argument that can aim at theoretical generalizability? The purpose of the article is to develop a method for analyzing data from an extreme case to contribute to theory development for ‘normal’ organizational functioning. We propose a method inspired by NCA (Dul, 2016) that helps 1/ to distinguish between essential (causal) factors and anecdotal factors in the analysis of chain of actions, cognitions and events that results in a disaster and, 2/ to develop concepts and relationships that can be generalized beyond the single case and result in theoretical statements about necessary but not sufficient conditions for ‘normal’ functioning.