This article demonstrates, with real world examples, the holistic approach to case study research as a concise practical guide for management research students. It attempts to encapsulate the basic components of qualitative case study research in management studies, with special emphasis on how to set a philosophical framework, articulate research problems and theorise research results. These components of research are identified, classified, and arranged into seven pillars (7Ps) namely; Paradigm, Perspective, Purpose, Plot, Practice, Procedures, and Persuasion. Instead of following the typical sequential execution of a chain of tasks, it is continuously intermingled amongst processes by revising/redoing them to ensure more credible results and produce cogent arguments. This paper shows how to align the research context with philosophical issues (ontological and epistemological paradigm); articulate research problems and choose a methodology; theorise research findings using classical reasoning methods of abduction, deduction, and induction and; expand the theorisation beyond the original research problem. This framework would be useful to research students to place themselves in appropriate ontological and epistemological stances, eliminate doubts, enhance clarity and sharpen the focus towards plausible conclusions.

Keywords
Critical thinking; Methodology; Paradigm; Philosophy of research; Qualitative research