An Introduction to Crisp Set QCA, with a Comparison to Binary Logistic Regression
Abstract
The authors focus on the dichotomous crisp set form of qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). The authors review basic set theoretic QCA methodology, including truth tables, solution formulas, and coverage and consistency measures and discuss how QCA (a) displays relations between variables, (b) highlights descriptive or complex causal accounts for specific (groups of) cases, and (c) expresses the degree of fit. To help readers determine when QCA’s configurational approach might be appropriate, the authors compare and contrast QCA to mainstream statistical methodologies such as binary logistic regressions done on the same data set.
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Recent comparisons between QCA and quantitative statistical analysis and recent studies on QCA robustness do not directly address the issues raised in this article.
“None of these recent contributions address directly, however, the issues raised in this article.”
From Qualitative Comparative Analysis: How Inductive Use and Measurement Error Lead to Problematic Inference (2013) · cites this paper as Grofman and Schneider 2009
Using the QCA implementation in R by Dusa, the author replicated Grofman and Schneider's (2009) analysis and obtained the same result.
“Using the QCA implementation in R by Dusa (2006, 2007), I first replicated Grofman and Schneider's (2009) analysis and obtained the same result.”
From Qualitative Comparative Analysis: How Inductive Use and Measurement Error Lead to Problematic Inference (2013) · cites this paper as Grofman and Schneider (2009)
Ragin (2000), Grofman and Schneider (2009), and Skaaning (2011) considered that four conditions should influence the presence of a strong welfare state: a strong left party, strong unions, a corporatist industrial system, and sociocultural homogeneity.
“These authors considered that four conditions should influence the presence of a strong welfare state, namely, a strong left party, strong unions, a corporatist industrial system, and sociocultural homogeneity.”
From Qualitative Comparative Analysis: How Inductive Use and Measurement Error Lead to Problematic Inference (2013) · cites this paper as Grofman and Schneider (2009)
Grofman and Schneider (2009) discuss two sufficient paths leading to a generous welfare state: a strong corporatist industrial system AND strong unions AND a strong left party OR strong unions AND a strong corporatist industrial system AND sociocultural homogeneity.
“As Grofman and Schneider (2009, 664) nicely discuss, ' . . . there are two sufficient paths leading to a generous welfare state: a strong corporatist industrial system (C) AND strong unions (U) AND a strong left party (P) OR strong unions (U) AND a strong corporatist industrial system (C) AND socioeconomic [ sic ] homogeneity (S) . . . '”
From Qualitative Comparative Analysis: How Inductive Use and Measurement Error Lead to Problematic Inference (2013) · cites this paper as Grofman and Schneider (2009)
The data used for the analyses have been previously used by Ragin (2000, 292), Grofman and Schneider (2009), and Skaaning (2011).
“The data used for the analyses that follow have been previously used by Ragin (2000, 292), Grofman and Schneider (2009), and Skaaning (2011).”
From Qualitative Comparative Analysis: How Inductive Use and Measurement Error Lead to Problematic Inference (2013) · cites this paper as Grofman and Schneider (2009)
Cites
Configurational Comparative Methods: Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and Related Techniques
Rihoux, B., & Ragin, C. (2009) · SAGE Publications · doi:10.4135/9781452226569 · Cited by 3,089 · see citing works
Set Relations in Social Research: Evaluating Their Consistency and Coverage
Ragin, C. C. (2006) · Political Analysis · doi:10.1093/pan/mpj019 · Cited by 1,784 · see citing works
Toward a Unified Theory of Causality
Mahoney, J. (2008) · Comparative Political Studies · doi:10.1177/0010414007313115 · Cited by 343 · see citing works
Evidence and Inference in the Comparative Case Study
Dion, D. (1998) · Comparative Politics · doi:10.2307/422284 · Cited by 261 · see citing works
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Embracing Causal Complexity: The Emergence of a Neo-Configurational Perspective
Misangyi, V. F., Greckhamer, T., Furnari, S., Fiss, P. C., Crilly, D., & Aguilera, R. (2017) · Journal of Management · doi:10.1177/0149206316679252 · Cited by 1,099 · see citing works
Combining QCA and Process Tracing in Set-Theoretic Multi-Method Research
Schneider, C. Q., & Rohlfing, I. (2013) · Sociological Methods & Research · doi:10.1177/0049124113481341 · Cited by 385 · see citing works
Self-citationHug, S. (2013) · Political Analysis · doi:10.1093/pan/mps061 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
- Authors
- Grofman, B., & Schneider, C. Q.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Irvine (US)
- Central European University - Budapest Campus (HU)
- Venue
- Political Research Quarterly
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2009-06-22
- Volume
- 62
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 662-672
- ISSN
- 1065-9129 (ISSN-L)
- 1938-274X
- OpenAlex
- W2043956967
- Cited by
- 192
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 18.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Political Research Quarterly (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Political Science Research and Education
- Social Sciences › General Social Sciences › Computational and Text Analysis Methods
- Keywords
- binary logistic regression, configurational comparative methods, truth tables, solution formula, causal explanation, model fit, set theory
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