Enterprise diversity in the business of wine: what is a business case study?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue of case studies in the enterprise diversity of wine business and to situate the wine business cases selected for this special issue, which feature a diversity of formats and approaches. Design/methodology/approach – Rigour and relevance underpinned the choice of case studies for this special issue. All of the cases are informed by theory, and all share a common concern with the understanding of wine business phenomena and origins in or links to practice. Findings – There is no consensus view on what a case is and what it is for in business research and teaching generally, and that this is appropriate given pluralistic approaches to teaching and research in the various business disciplines. Supporting this argument, the various types of cases encountered in the business literature are considered and an overview offered based on purpose, motivation, similarities and differences and common themes. Originality/value – Each of the wine business cases presented in this special issue is situated within a typology, in which each offers a different approach to providing insight into the business of wine. The paper concludes with a discussion of current and future directions for business case studies and methods.