This chapter introduces the readers to case study research, with the help of historical and contemporary examples. We define case study research and briefly discuss the existing case study designs. Subsequently, we explain the main purpose of this book: To take case study research to the next level by discussing the combinations of different case study designs in the same study, which we call "sequencing case study designs." Furthermore, we discuss the building blocks of case study designs, the strengths/weaknesses of archetypical designs, the conundrum surrounding the crafting/relaying of theoretical contributions, some concrete examples of designs, and the differences/similarities amongst different paradigmatic camps in case study research. We end the chapter by briefly introducing the contents of the subsequent chapters.

Journal articles are the basic element located in the middle of journal article publication. After discussing students’ intuitive thoughts and real-life cases (Susan, Singer, and Einstein), the chapter presents the core concept related to journal articles, that is, scientific contributions. It is scientific contributions that make a manuscript publishable. Advancing scientific knowledge and improving human life are the ultimate goals of publishing journal articles. Scientific contributions can be further analyzed, in terms of (1) intended, perceived, and accomplished contributions, (2) empirical, synthesizing, theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions, and (3) directions and degrees of scientific contributions. Multiple practical suggestions are offered in the end: understanding that scientific contributions, rather than innovative ideas, graceful writing, or rigorous research, make a manuscript publishable, that scientific contributions are related to advancing scientific knowledge and improving human life, that scientific contributions are related to intended, perceived, and accomplished ones, that various types of contributions, such as empirical, synthesizing, theoretical, methodological, and practical, can be achieved, and that directions and degrees of scientific contributions can vary.

This chapter addresses how to publish theoretical articles. People’s intuitive knowledge about how to publish theoretical articles appears to vary substantially and be quite limited. From the four real-life cases (Kwan, Tom, Zoe, and Violina) described in the chapter, we can see that people are not well prepared to use appropriate and sufficient knowledge to guide their practice in publishing theoretical articles, even for those who successfully published multiple theoretical articles while failing to publish multiple theoretical articles. From the four articles discussed in this chapter, we can learn that it is important to develop skills of theorizing even in the early career, that there is rich knowledge about how to write this type of articles for publication (e.g., how to write Introduction), that theory-building and theory-testing are two major approaches, and that we can build and test theories in various innovative ways. The chapter ends with three practical suggestions, including making deliberate efforts to develop our theorizing skills as soon as we can, developing or testing different levels of theories innovatively, and understanding, generating, and presenting theoretical contributions of theoretical articles.