COMPASSS

International QCA Paper Development Workshop 2023
2023-12-12 - 2023-12-13
The International QCA Paper Development Workshop (PDW) 2023 provides a unique platform for researchers working on papers involving QCA to meet QCA experts, get feedback on their on-going research and learn about the latest methodological developments in QCA. The workshop is interdisciplinary and interactive and allows for in-depth discussions and individual feedback from internationally-renowned QCA scholars.
The call for papers will be distributed in late-August, along with details regarding registration, etc.

International QCA Experts Workshop 2023
2023-12-13 - 2023-12-14
Held in conjunction with the International QCA Paper Development Workshop, the International QCA Experts Workshop is an invitation-only event focusing on the latest methodological developments and debates in configuration-comparative methods.

Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences: Qualitative Comparative Analysis in Business and Management Research Minitrack
2024-01-03 - 2024-01-06 | University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2404 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI, 96822, United States
This minitrack covers contributions on the development and applications on the use of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and its various extensions. The use of configurational analysis, specifically QCA, has been present in the academic literature in Information Systems research, with contributions increasing in particular during the last decade. As these contributions in the recent years have shown, QCA can advance theory building in IS research by going beyond the variance-oriented logic to embrace conjunctural causation and equifinality. The logics of conjunctural causation and equifinality advocated in QCA, can aid in the development and validation of configurational theories for explaining increasingly complex digital phenomena, in particular in business and management problems. The results of QCA provide novel theoretical contributions by focusing on causal pathways leading to an outcome of interest, and at the same time deliver explainable and actionable insights to be used by decision makers when dealing with complex digital systems.
The purpose of this minitrack is to disseminate significant results on new theoretical and methodological developments related to QCA and show the importance of configurational approaches in Information Systems, and in particular decision analysis. The minitrack aims to bring together scholars and practitioners from various disciplines to exchange ideas, share insights, and discuss the latest developments relayed to QCA.

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops: Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (Online Course)
2024-02-26 - 2024-03-01
This 5-day online course introduces Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an approach that enables researchers to model causal complexity by analyzing whether different configurations of conditions are necessary or sufficient for an outcome together with its technical implementation in R.
What Is This Course About?
This 5-day online course introduces Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an approach and a technique, its main assumptions, its standard procedures and operations, and the technical environment (R software and packages) used for its application. QCA enables researchers to model causal complexity by analyzing whether different configurations of conditions are necessary or sufficient for an outcome, based on a formalized comparison of intermediate to large numbers of cases. Throughout the course, emphasis is put on a thorough understanding of the formal logic of set-theoretic methods and QCA, including topics such as Boolean algebra, causal complexity, sets and their calibration, necessity, and sufficiency. The course also discusses the logic and analysis of truth tables and the most important problems that emerge when this analytical tool is used for exploring social science data. Right from the beginning, participants are exposed to performing set-theoretic analyses with the relevant R software packages using data from published applications in the social sciences.

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops: Advanced Qualitative Comparative Analysis (Online Course)
2024-02-26 - 2024-03-01 | Online
This 5-day course exposes participants to advanced methodological developments in Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) that allow for further solidifying their results, and enables them to apply state-of-the-art set-theoretic analytic tools in R.
What Is This Course About?
This 5-day course introduces a series of advanced topics in Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) that aim at further solidifying and deepening the understanding of the application of this method and the results produced by it. As QCA continues to evolve, the course exposes participants to its latest methodological developments and enables them to apply state-of-the-art set-theoretic analytic tools in R. The course starts by expanding on the problem of limited empirical diversity (i.e., when not all the configurations of conditions in the analysis are represented empirically) and discusses potential strategies for making good counterfactuals assumptions (within the so-called Enhanced Standard Analysis). Throughout the rest of the course, we discuss advanced analytic tools that can be used after a QCA result has been obtained. Among these, we look at set-theoretic robustness and sensitivity and introduce a QCA robustness check protocol, we discuss strategies for confronting situations when the data at hand contains clusters that are potentially analytically relevant, we discuss the use of set-theoretic theory-evaluation as a way of assessing theoretical hunches based on the results generated by QCA. Finally, we discuss set-theoretic multi-method research introducing guidelines for combining QCA with process-tracing in single or comparative case studies.

3rd Annual QCA Conference of the Americas
2024-03-20 - 2024-03-22 | Northwestern University, 633 Clark Street, Evanston, IL, 60208, United States
The QCA Conference of the Americas (AQCA) provides a venue for the broad, cross-disciplinary community of researchers and practitioners working with configurational-comparative methods and approaches to gather together to present and receive feedback on current research projects, share theoretical and methodological developments, and discuss new directions in configurational-comparative research practices. Bringing together the diverse set of QCA empirical and methodological researchers, AQCA offers a supportive environment for the community to meet, engage in dialogue, network, learn, and collectively move forward on advancing the configurational-comparative perspective.

Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) using R
2024-04-18 - 2024-04-20 | Tampere, Finland, Tampere, Finland
This course introduces students to the nuts and bolts of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), an innovative set-theoretic technique that allows for comparisons of small, intermediate or large numbers of cases in order to identify necessary and/or sufficient conditions for an outcome. It is an attractive method for scholars who seek to model causally complex patterns and integrate in-depth case knowledge at all stages of the analysis. We will introduce you to performing QCA with the freely available R software using the user-friendly RStudio environment. We will primarily discuss QCA as a case-oriented approach to small- and intermediate N comparisons. The intensive two-day course has a practical focus and combines theoretical blocks with many hands-on labs entailing exercises and quizzes. We will use real-life data to replicate a published study and discuss examples from the participants’ own research projects in class.

Introduction to Causal Data Analysis and Modeling with Coincidence Analysis
2024-05-20 - 2024-05-23 | Rush University, 600 S. Paulina St., Chicago, IL, 60612, United States
This workshop offers an intensive 4-day introduction to causal modeling with Coincidence Analysis (CNA), a novel configurational comparative method of data analysis geared towards causal complexity, which has seen a considerable uptick in applications in recent years (click here for references). No prior knowledge of CNA is required.
In plenary lectures, the main developer of CNA, Michael Baumgartner, and a team of experienced CNA methodologists and practitioners will guide participants through the nuts and bolts of configurational data analysis as well as cutting-edge methodological innovations. In smaller practice groups, the instructors will demonstrate how to make the most of current software for CNA and offer advice on practical issues, such as getting funded and published with CNA.
From Boolean algebra and the philosophical roots of regularity theories of causation, over the basic ideas behind CNA’s search algorithm, and measures of fit to multi-outcome structures, model ambiguities, and robustness analyses this introduction will enable participants to conduct CNA analyses themselves and review those of other researchers in a sophisticated manner. This will also be an opportunity to get to know researchers working with and on CNA from all over the world.
A tentative program is available here.
RUSH University Medical Center/RUSH, the host for this groundbreaking workshop, is strongly committed to addressing health inequities that affect Chicago’s community, particularly in those neighborhoods surrounding our academic medical center. For this workshop, we will draw from Chicago neighborhood health data to craft practice sessions using real data drawn from health care and community practice to apply a health equity lens to configurational data analysis with CNA. RUSH faculty experienced in health equity and CNA will help to guide these practical sessions.
On the two days after the workshop (May 24-25), there will be a conference on CNA at the same venue in Chicago. Participants of the training workshop will be invited to attend that conference as well. (More information on that conference is available here.) Moreover, the instructors will remain available for consultation after the event to help participants with the methodological and practical aspects of their research projects.

3rd International Conference on Current Issues in Coincidence Analysis
2024-05-24 - 2024-05-25 | Rush University, 600 S. Paulina St., Chicago, IL, 60612, United States
The third edition of this international conference on Coincidence Analysis provides a platform for exchange between CNA methodologists and applied researchers. The newest methodological developments and open questions will be presented alongside exemplary applications from an open range of disciplines.
Apart from invited talks by established CNA experts, this edition of the conference will reserve a certain number of presentation slots to contributed papers. Hence, researchers and practitioners are invited to submit extended abstracts of up to 1000 words in either DOC or PDF format. The submitted abstracts should highlight methodological innovations, practical applications with novel findings facilitated by CNA, or issues for plenary discussions. To submit your proposal, please visit the following link:
https://skjemaker.app.uib.no/view.php?id=16123968
Submission deadline is February 5, 2024. Notification of acceptance will occur by February 26, 2024. A detailed call for papers can be found here.

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) Workshop at GSERM, St. Gallen
2024-06-10 - 2024-06-14 | GSERM, University of St. Gallen, Tellstrasse 2 9000 St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
The goal of this workshop is to provide a ground-up introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and fuzzy sets. Participants will get intensive instruction and hands-on experience with the fsQCA software package and on completion should be prepared to design and execute research projects using the set-analytic approach.
For further details, please see link below.

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA): An Introduction (Online 4 Days)
2024-07-01 - 2024-07-04 | Online
This master class is designed for participants who have experience in qualitative or quantitative research and who are interested in applying qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) in their current or future studies.
This course is being offered across 4 evenings online via Zoom. For all information regarding the costs, please visit the website of the Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research (ACSPR).

Course syllabus:

Day 1

6:30-7:00, Introductory session:

Who is who? Why have you chosen this course? What do you expect to get out of it?
What are we going to do over the next two days? What are we not going to do?

7:00-8:00, Epistemological foundations of QCA:

What are the epistemological foundations of QCA?
Where is QCA positioned in relation to case-oriented and variable-oriented research?

8:00-9:30, Exercise

The essence of QCA: logical minimization (and truth tables)
To get an understanding of the very basics of QCA, we will carry out a QCA analysis by hand.
Once we get the basics of QCA, we will explore data with an Excel add-in.

Day 2

6:30-7:00, Conjunctural causation, equifinality, (data) asymmetry

What is conjunctural causation? What is equifinality? What is (data) asymmetry? Where do we see it in the world?
Whether/where do you expect conjunctural causation, equifinality, and/or (data) asymmetry in your field of research?

7:00-8:00, What can QCA be used for?

Data analysis, literature reviews, theory building, case selection, robustness tests

8:00-9:00, Further and future development of QCA as a method

Crisp set (cs) and fuzzy set (fs) QCA
Ongoing critique to QCA as a method

9:00-9:30, Open discussion, recap of the basic terminology and concepts:

Condition, outcome, conjunctural causation, equifinality, asymmetry, necessary condition, sufficient condition, logical minimisation.

Day 3

6:30-8:00, What ahve we learned so far?

Exploring more datasets using the Excel add-in.

8:00-8:30, How easy is it to use QCA?

Jeroen’s experiences with using QCA in small and multi-year research projects.

8:30-9:30, The most common challenges when applying QCA (and how to deal with them)

Is the number of cases you have all that matters?
How many conditions can be included in the theoretical model?
What is limited diversity and what to do about it?

Day 4

6:30-7.30, Step 4: Calibration of Data

What is data calibration? Why is it so important (and often time consuming) in QCA?
How to Calibrate your data (for csQCA and fsQCA).

7:30-8:00, Open discussion, calibrating your own data

What challenges do you expect to encounter in callibrating your own data?

8:30-9:30, Important research design choices

Good practice to follow (a guideline)
Open discussion: where, why and how do you want to use QCA in your (future) research?
What are your hopes and concerns in applying QCA?

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA): A set-analytic approach to studying organizational configurations
2024-07-08 - 2024-07-11 | Online
This 3-day introduces you to the nuts and bolts of QCA. It is structured in six sessions (each ½ day) covering the history of QCA, the logic of case selection and research designs, small-N QCA, large-N QCA, configurational research in management, and advanced topics in QCA. Throughout the course, we will also explore opportunities for you to use QCA for your own research. After the course, you should be familiar with the history of QCA and current advanced topics in QCA, understand the logic of set-analytic methods, and develop a configurational research design for your own research field.
Lecturer: Johannes Meuer (Kühne Logistics Universit)

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA): An Application in 10 Steps (Online 4 Days)
2024-07-09 - 2024-07-12 | Online
This master class is designed for participants who are familiar with the basics of QCA. Participants without any QCA experience or previous formal QCA training first complete the master-class, “Qualitative Comparative Analysis: An introduction” (July 1-4, online).
The master class is a mix of lectures and exercises—the emphasis is on lectures, however (one of the challenges of QCA is that its iterative nature asks for much upfront “explaining” of later steps before early steps can be undertaken). By the end of this master class you will be able to carry out a full QCA application (both crisp set and fuzzy set). In class, we will mainly use crisp set QCA examples (they are easier for teaching purposes), but as will become clear in the class: crisp set (csQCA) is a specific application of fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).
If you already have QCA-ready data, or data that you hope can be transformed to be QCA-ready, then please make sure to have it handy for the master class.
This course is being offered across 4 evenings online via Zoom.
The Course will run from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm on Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC +10) (ie Canberra, Sydney Melbourne, Brisbane time)
Course syllabus:

Day 1

6:30-7:00, Introductory session:

Who is who? Why have you chosen this course? What do you expect to get out it?
What are we going to do over the next two days? What are we not going to do?

7:00-8:00, The first 4 steps:

Step 1: Explaining the theoretical motivations for choosing QCA for your project
Step 2: Selection of outcomes and conditions
Step 3: Explaining the limitations that come with the number of conditions chosen
Step 4: Calibration of data (for csQCA and fsQCA)
Note: these four steps are extensively covered in the master class Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA): An introduction

8:00-8:30, Step 5: From data to raw data matrix

What is the raw data matrix used for?
How to calibrate your data?

8:30-9:30, Reflection on necessary, sufficient, INUS and SUIN conditions

What do all these terms mean?
How do you think necessary, sufficient, INUS and SUIN conditions will play out in your work?

Day 2

6:30-8:00, Step 6: Analysis of necessary conditions

What is the aim of the analysis of necessary conditions?
Exercise: analysis of necessary conditions in fs/QCA 3.0 (Windows and Mac software)
Interpretation of findings (consistency, coverage, trivial necessary conditions)

8:00-9:30, Step 7: Analysis of sufficient conditions – truth table

What is a truth table?
Exercise: create a truth table in fs/QCA 3.0 (Windows and Mac software)
Dealing with conflicts
Dealing with logical remainders

Day 3

6:30-8:00, Step 8: Analysis of sufficient conditions – choice of solution term

What is the aim of the analysis of sufficient conditions?
Complex solution, intermediate solution, parsimonious solution
Exercise: analysis of sufficient conditions in fs/QCA 3.0 (Windows and Mac software)
Interpretation of findings (consistency, coverage, trivial necessary conditions)

8:00-9:30, recap of steps 6, 7 and 8

Apply steps 6, 7 and 8 to your own data (or additional data provided by Jeroen)

Day 4

6:30-7:00, Step 9: Presentation of results

Exploring different ways to present findings

7:00-8:00, Step 10: Testing robustness and interpretation of results

Some thoughts on assessing the robustness of your QCA results

8:00-9:30, Final open discussion about applying QCA in your own work

"Intro to Qualitative Comparative Analysis", 5-day remote workshop
2024-07-22 - 2024-07-26 | Online
• Covers the entire standard QCA workflow: choice of conditions; calibration; analysis of necessity; truth table building and processing; minimization and result interpretation; robustness assessment
• We reproduce a published QCA study to go through each of these steps
• Fully guided introduction to QCA research using RStudio (no prior knowlede required)
• 5 days, 5 hours each day: July 22-26, 2024
• Fully remote: Live seminar + recordings of sessions for asynchronous participation
• I am available for any questions on QCA, RStudio or your own empirical projects during and after the seminar

Workshop plan: https://ingorohlfing.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/icpsr-2024-qca-topical-workshop-rohlfing-2.pdf
More information + registration: https://web.cvent.com/event/6a962cf4-05e7-45fb-8f6f-eafe8c67ce53/websitePage:17e8f24b-550c-4a09-a091-06ccd6f667d5 (use my name or the course title to access the course information)

28th Summer School in Social Science Methods: Qualitative Comparative Analysis: Research Design and Application
2024-08-19 - 2024-08-23 | Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Lugano West Campus, Via Giuseppe Buffi 13, Lugano, CH-6900, Switzerland
This workshop provides participants with a thorough introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). Since its inception (Ragin 1987), QCA has gained recognition among social scientists as a case-based research method that is ideally suited to capture causal complexity. This essentially describes a situation where an outcome results from multiple pathways and different combinations of conditions. Moreover, QCA entails a rigorous and systematic comparison of selected cases and their configurations through Boolean logic and a software-based analytical protocol. Throughout the workshop, emphasis is placed on research design and practical application, so that participants are enabled to successfully apply QCA in their own studies.
Throughout the workshop, participants are introduced to the foundations and advanced functions of QCA, while the course structure follows an ideal-typical research process. Starting with empirical illustrations that show how and for what purposes QCA is being used in the social sciences, the workshop proceeds with presenting the method’s core characteristics. This is followed by sessions on causation, causal complexity, and research design, to provide a basis for thinking about empirical applications. The ensuing sessions engage with QCA as an analytical approach, starting with set theory and concepts like necessary and sufficient conditions, Boolean algebra, truth tables, and fuzzy sets. In calibrating sets, we look into approaches to transform empirical raw data into crisp and fuzzy sets. Next, the course examines various measures of fit that help in evaluating QCA results. The sessions on set-theoretic analysis put all the elements together and show how empirical data is analyzed and interpreted with QCA. During the second half of the workshop we explore advanced topics, which can be tailored based on participants’ background and research interests. Potential topics include multi-method research design, QCA variants, robustness tests in QCA, addressing critiques, and recent developments. Participants also have the opportunity to present and discuss their own work within the group. The workshop sessions are complemented by illustrations and exercises from the social sciences, using the R Software environment and relevant R Packages.
The workshop includes dedicated timeslots for individual consultation with the lecturer, group discussions, and networking opportunities.

4th Japan Workshop on QCA
2024-09-03 14:00 - 18:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | Waseda University, Tokoyo, Japan
Since Charles Ragin proposed the idea in his book “The Comparative Method” in 1987, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and the related methods have been used in recent years not only in sociology and political science, but also in business, law, medicine, and policy evaluation. The publication of many textbooks (e.g., Mello 2023) provides various opportunities to learn QCA, but access to QCA should always be facilitated in order to foster any research (co–)creation. Following on from the previous workshops, this workshop will serve as a contact point to cross the good practices through expert discussions on the latest applications that will be presented. At the beginning of the workshop we will give an overview of what QCA is, and at the end we will introduce CNA (Coincidence Analysis), which is built on Boolean algebra and set theory like QCA, but focuses on the common condition(s) of multiple outcomes and the ordering between multiple conditions and outcomes. After the workshop, we will have a time for casual interaction among participants, including sharing their experiences with QCA. We look forward to seeing you there, whether you are someone who would like to try QCA or someone who is already familiar with it.

European QCA Conference: Paper Development Workshop
2024-12-10 - 2024-12-11 | Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
The Paper Development Workshop at the European QCA Conference 2024 provides a unique platform for QCA researchers to get feedback on their QCA papers and to meet QCA experts.
The organizers invite submission from researchers using QCA for the first time or who are at a mid or advanced stage of applying QCA. It is open to researchers working in various domains, including (but not limited to) social sciences, economics, humanities, psychology, law, policy studies, business studies, medicine and health.
The Workshop will take place on Tuesday December 10 and Wednesday December 11 at Tilburg University, The Netherlands.
For additional information, please see the Call for Papers: PDW call for abstracts

European QCA Conference (Expert Workshop)
2024-12-11 - 2024-12-12 | Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
The Expert Workshop at the European QCA Conference in 2024 will take place on Wednesday December 11 and Thursday December 12 at Tilburg University, The Netherlands.
The Expert Workshop is a unique platform to discuss the latest developments in QCA and related methods. In this call for abstracts, we invite submissions from experienced QCA researchers on methodological issues related to QCA. Methodological issues may be illustrated with QCA applications, however, the main focus must be on the methodological development of QCA or a related method.
For additional information, please see the Call for Papers: EW call for abstracts

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops (KOMEX): Basic Introduction to R for Beginners (online)
2025-02-13 - 2025-02-14 | Online
In early February 2024, komex offers the course Microcredential ekomex A Basic Introduction to R for Beginners.
This 2-day virtual course introduces the open-source statistical software R for beginners. It is designed for students without prior experience of R/RStudio. It teaches the basics of R and RStudio, namely, how to perform basic descriptive statistics and create visualizations in R (e.g., histograms, scatterplots, etc.). The course will also cover basic data management with R.
This course could be a good starting point for QCA ethusiasts, wishing to start using R for their analyses.
komex combines cutting-edge, inclusive, and affordable methodological training in both qualitative and quantitative research design and techniques, together with feedback and discussion of the methodological aspects of your own research project and those of other participants. Participation in a workshop will provide you with guidance for how to design your research and/or how to use a method in practice in relation to your research question.
The courses are aimed at Ph.D. scholars and junior researchers. Class sizes are kept small in the workshops.
In collaboration with MethodsNET, komex draws on local expertise to provide world-class PhD-level methods training at affordable prices.

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops (KOMEX): Advanced QCA (with R) course (online)
2025-02-17 - 2025-02-21 | Online
In February 2024, Komex offers the course Microcredential ekomex Advanced Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). This 5-day online course exposes participants to advanced methodological developments in Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) that allow for further solidifying their results, and enables them to apply state-of-the-art set-theoretic analytic tools in R.
komex combines cutting-edge, inclusive, and affordable methodological training in both qualitative and quantitative research design and techniques, together with feedback and discussion of the methodological aspects of your own research project and those of other participants. Participation in a workshop will provide you with guidance for how to design your research and/or how to use a method in practice in relation to your research question.
The courses are aimed at Ph.D. scholars and junior researchers. Class sizes are kept small in the workshops.
In collaboration with MethodsNET, komex draws on local expertise to provide world-class PhD-level methods training at affordable prices.

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops (KOMEX): Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) using R (On-Site course)
2025-02-17 - 2025-02-21 | University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstrasse 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany
This five-day in-person course introduces you to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), an innovative set-theoretic technique that allows for comparisons of small, intermediate or large numbers of cases in order to identify necessary and / or sufficient conditions for an outcome, model causal complexity, and integrate in-depth case knowledge at all stages of the analysis. The intensive course has a practical focus and combines theoretical blocks with hands-on exercises. We will use real-world data to replicate a published study with the freely available R software, and discuss examples from the participants’ own research projects in class.
Intructor: Eva Thomann, University of Konstanz, Germany

Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (online)
2025-03-24 - 2025-03-28 | Online
This course, hosted by “The European Consortium For Political Research”, will provide you with an interactive online learning environment using advanced pedagogical tools, and is specifically designed for masters level students and above. The course is limited to a maximum of 16 participants, ensuring that the teaching team can address the unique needs of each individual.
Purpose of the course
Upon completion of this course, you will have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of qualitative comparative analysis and how to apply it to a research project within your area of study. This knowledge and practical experience will equip you with valuable skills for conducting in-depth research and analysis in your field.
ECTS Credits
3 ECTS credits awarded for engaging fully in class activities.
1 additional ECTS credit awarded for completing a post-course assignment.

4th Annual QCA Conference of the Americas
2025-04-02 - 2025-04-04 | Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, United States

Introduction to Causal Data Analysis & Modeling with Coincidence Analysis
2025-05-19 - 2025-05-22 | The National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA), Copenhagen, Denmark
This workshop offers an intensive 4-day introduction to causal modeling with Coincidence Analysis (CNA), a novel configurational comparative method of data analysis geared towards causal complexity, which has seen a considerable uptick in applications in recent years (click here for references). No prior knowledge of CNA is required.
For further details, please see link below.

4th International Conference on Current Issues in Coincidence Analysis
2025-05-23 - 2025-05-24 | The National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA), Copenhagen, Denmark
We are pleased to announce the 4th International Conference on “Current Issues on Coincidence Analysis,” scheduled to take place on May 23-24, 2025, at NFA in Copenhagen. This conference serves as a premier platform for the exchange of ideas and collaboration between Coincidence Analysis (CNA) methodologists and applied researchers.
Conference Scope: The conference will feature discussions on the latest methodological developments in CNA, addressing open questions and challenges in the field. Moreover, researchers will have the opportunity to showcase exemplary applications of CNA from any discipline as well as theoretical or conceptual developments.
Highlights:

Invited talks by leading CNA experts
Contributed paper presentations
Networking opportunities in beautiful Copenhagen

Call for Contributions: We invite researchers and practitioners to submit extended abstracts of up to 1000 words in either DOC or PDF format. The submitted abstracts should highlight practical applications with novel findings facilitated by CNA, methodological or theoretical innovations, or issues for plenary discussions.

Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (GSERM)
2025-06-09 - 2025-06-13 | GSERM, University of St. Gallen, Tellstrasse 2 9000 St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is a research approach consisting of both an analytical technique and a conceptual perspective for researchers interested in studying configurational phenomena. QCA is particularly appropriate for the analysis of causally complex phenomena marked by multiple, conjunctural causation where multiple causes combine to bring about outcomes in complex ways.
QCA was developed in the 1980s by Charles Ragin, a sociologist and political scientist, as an alternative comparative approach that lies midway between the primarily qualitative, case-oriented approach and the primarily quantitative, variable-oriented approach, with the goal of bridging both by combining their advantages and tackling situations where causality is complex and conjunctural. QCA uses Boolean algebra for the analysis of set relations and allows researchers to formally analyze patterns of necessity and sufficiency regarding outcomes of interest. Since its inception, QCA has developed into a broad set of techniques that share their set-analytic nature and include both descriptive and inferential techniques.
Many researchers have drawn on QCA because it offers a means to systematically analyze data sets with relatively few observations. In fact, QCA was originally developed for small- to medium-N situations with between 10 and 50 cases. In such situations there are frequently too many cases to pursue a classical qualitative approach but too few cases for conventional statistical analysis. However, more recently, researchers have also applied QCA to medium- and large-N situations marked by hundreds of thousands of cases. While these applications require some changes to how QCA is applied, they retain many advantages for analyzing situations that are configurational in nature and marked by causal complexity.
The goal of this workshop is to provide a ground-up introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and fuzzy sets. Participants will get intensive instruction in the method as well as hands-on experience with the fsQCA software package. On completion of the course, participants should be prepared to design and execute research projects using the set-analytic approach.
Specifically, after successful completion of you should be able to:

understand the goals, assumptions, and key concepts of QCA
conduct data analysis using the fsQCA software package
design and execute research projects using a set-analytic approach
apply advanced forms of set-analytic investigation

I would like this workshop to be as useful to you as possible. To get the most out of this workshop, you would ideally already be working on an empirical project that might be aided by taking a configurational approach, but that is not essential. Over the course of this workshop, I hope you will be thinking about how you can apply these methods to your research, and I will do my best to be of assistance.

MethodsNET Summer School with CEU: Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)
2025-07-07 - 2025-07-11 | Central European University, Vienna, Austria
As part of a rich case-based and comparative methods course program at its Summer School hosted by the Central European University in beautiful Vienna, MethodsNET offers the course Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), taught by Nena Oana. This 5-day intensive in person course introduces Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an approach and a technique, its main assumptions, its standard procedures and operations, and the technical environment (R software and packages) used for its application. QCA enables researchers to model causal complexity by analyzing whether different configurations of conditions are necessary or sufficient for an outcome, based on a formalized comparison of intermediate to large numbers of cases. Throughout the course, emphasis is put on a thorough understanding of the formal logic of set-theoretic methods and QCA, including topics such as Boolean algebra, causal complexity, sets and their calibration, necessity, and sufficiency. The course also discusses the logic and analysis of truth tables and the most important problems that emerge when this analytical tool is used for exploring social science data. Right from the beginning, participants are exposed to performing set-theoretic analyses with the relevant R software packages using data from published applications in the social sciences. Full course details here.
The MethodsNET Summer School (30+ courses offered) stands for top-pedagogy hands-on methods training, while staying affordable. The weekly course fee also gives access to a free plenary program of cross-cutting short courses. Beyond the course, MethodsNET membership also provides access to the multimedia digital ‘MethodsNET Communities’, in particular the ‘Case-based and comparative approaches’ Community that enables users and experts to communicate and collaborate.

MethodsNET Summer School with CEU: Comparative Research Designs
2025-07-07 - 2025-07-11 | Central European University, Vienna, Austria
As part of a rich case-based and comparative methods course program at its Summer School hosted by the Central European University in beautiful Vienna, MethodsNET offers the course Comparative Research Designs, taught by Benoît Rihoux. This 5-day intensive in person course is designed to enable participants to build, consolidate and implement the comparative research design (CRD) that best meets their needs. Via interactive pedagogy, it enables each participant to: (1) rigorously and critically reflect on all steps of their comparative research project, and find pragmatic solutions to their CRD challenges; (2) clarify their research goals and their ‘casing’ (defining their cases); (3) choose the most appropriate case selection strategy, among multiple possible alternative strategies, from basic to more advanced; (4) choose the most appropriate strategy for data collection, management and analysis – considering case-based qualitative, systematic comparative (QCA) and statistical types of analysis (QCA is especially examined, including how it can be sequenced with other methods); and (5) write up the full ‘research design’ section of their comparative project. Full course details here.
The MethodsNET Summer School (30+ courses offered) stands for top-pedagogy hands-on methods training, while staying affordable. The weekly course fee also gives access to a free plenary program of cross-cutting short courses. Beyond the course, MethodsNET membership also provides access to the multimedia digital ‘MethodsNET Communities’, in particular the ‘Case-based and comparative approaches’ Community that enables users and experts to communicate and collaborate.

MethodsNET Summer School with CEU: Advanced Applied Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)
2025-07-14 - 2025-07-18 | Central European University, Vienna, Austria
As part of a rich case-based and comparative methods course program at its Summer School hosted by the Central European University in beautiful Vienna, MethodsNET offers the course Advanced Applied Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), taught by Carsten Schneider. This 5-day intensive in person course aims to enable participants to put in practice state-of-the-art QCA empirical research, including the exploitation of the most recent QCA innovations. Apart from learning how to apply QCA in the best possible way, discussions in class will address from a set-theoretic point of view general methodological issues, such as robustness tests, theory evaluation, case selection strategies, or the role of time and temporality in descriptive and causal inference. Full course details here.
The MethodsNET Summer School (30+ courses offered) stands for top-pedagogy hands-on methods training, while staying affordable. The weekly course fee also gives access to a free plenary program of cross-cutting short courses. Beyond the course, MethodsNET membership also provides access to the multimedia digital ‘MethodsNET Communities’, in particular the ‘Case-based and comparative approaches’ Community that enables users and experts to communicate and collaborate.

QCA Workshop at AOM (Info: Parts 1, 2 & 3)
2025-07-25 11:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Copenhagen) | Academy of Management, Boston, MA, United States
Meet us at AoM on Friday, July 25 (11:00AM-1:00PM CEST) at Bella Center in Hall C- C3-m1 in Copenhagen!

Dear colleagues,
We would like to draw your attention to the following PDW at the Academy of Management Meeting 2025, held in Copenhagen: Configurational Analysis in Management Research: Advances in QCA Methodology and Applications

Part 1-3
The PDW includes 3 Parts. If you have no or only a little knowledge of, and experience with, QCA you can join us during Part 1 to learn the basic “nuts and bolts” of QCA and configurational logic and understand if this might be the right tool for your research project. If you are also interested in current methodological issues and advances in QCA, join us during Part 2! For those who’d like to get feedback on one of your ongoing QCA research papers, join us for Part 3!

Registration?
If you’re joining us for Part 1 and Part 2, you do not need to register (PDW is open to all conference attendees). If you’d like to participate in Part 3, please submit an extended abstract of 1,500-2,000 words to Johannes.meuer@klu.org by 10 July 2025. In your abstract, please summarize your study’s topical area, theoretical background, research gap, and question, and include details about the data, analytical strategy (for empirical papers), and preliminary results. Please indicate your target journal and add a few questions you would like the reviewers to address. A panel of QCA experts will review all submissions and evaluate their fit with the PDW according to the clarity of purpose, methodological rigor, and innovative character of the research. We will inform you shortly, by 20 July 2024, about your opportunities to participate in Part 3.

Reading list
We offer a list of recommended pre-readings and QCA resources along with the PDW. If you’d like to receive the list of recommended pre-readings and resources get in touch with Johannes (johannes.meuer@klu.org).

Conveners & Facilitators:
Ruth Aguilera, Northeastern University, r.aguilera@northeastern.edu
Joanna T. Campbell, University of Cincinnati, joanna.campbell@uc.edu
Donal Crilly, London Business School, dcrilly@london.edu
Peer C. Fiss, University of Southern California, fiss@marshall.usc.edu
Santi Furnari, City University London, Santi.Furnari.1@city.ac.uk
Thomas Greckhamer, Louisiana State University, tgreck@lsu.edu
Rodney Lacey, Arizona State University, Rodney.Lacey@asu.edu
Johannes Meuer, KLU Hamburg, johannes.meuer@klu.org
Vilmos F. Misangyi, The Pennsylvania State University, vfm10@psu.edu
