Management Methodology

This chapter overviews the rationale and methodology underpinning the implementation of two ‘purpose written' case studies delivered within two separate undergraduate Management courses. Finding suitable pre-existing Management-related case studies for different student cohorts can be difficult and time consuming, and may only partially align with the learning objectives. Writing one's own case studies to meet the learning objectives of courses is viewed by the writers as a proactive strategy to redress this gap. It is advantageous that the case study author enables students to apply diagnostic skills in diverse situations that may range from simple to complex, and to ensure that students are drawing on theoretical underpinnings from their Management coursework. This chapter further presents on how to develop in students the ability to shift from being a reactive learner to examining a case proactively through a strategic managerial lens for diagnosing and solving problems.

A Living ‘CCC'ase Study

This chapter describes the Coglin Clothing Company (CCC), the focus of a multidisciplinary Live/Living Case Study (LCS) that was developed and introduced at the Eynesbury Institute of Business and Technology (EIBT) between 2010-2013. The LCS methodology endeavoured to address educational obstacles that had arisen from EIBT's international student population for whom it was first designed, but were typical problems of ‘business education' in general. This work begins by attending to issues such as: generalised problems of the education-experience business-related gap; the benefits of integrating more than one business discipline; the difficulties of handling various and conflicting sources of information; and the indispensability of action learning for deeper comprehension. A LCS was integrated across eight separate courses, including one titled ‘Management Principles'. The relevant literature is presented, followed by a discussion of the value of LCSs for acculturating (international) students to ‘real-life' business scenarios.

The Application of the Learning Sciences to the Design of Business Education Cases

Business education is education for practice and thus, requires a systematic and integrative approach that will guide students toward becoming reflective practitioners. Case-based education is an important tool that can provide the educational experiences that produce effective practitioners but only if its use is guided by a sound theoretical and research based framework. Research and theory from the learning sciences can guide case-based instructional practices. This chapter will provide a framework for the design of case-based instruction that incorporates teaching and learning affordances derived from the theory of situated learning and cognition. If the educational goal is to produce business practitioners with the skills and knowledge necessary to operate successfully in today's global business environment, business education needs to be prepared to incorporate theoretical perspectives derived from learning sciences research into case-based education.

Case Study as a Teaching Method in Marketing

The traditional published case studies have been successfully used in marketing education for decades. However, recent changes in marketing practice, prompted by disruptive changes in the marketplace, highlight their shortcomings as an educational instrument. To remain relevant and deliver the desired learning outcomes, new or modified approaches to case-study teaching might be necessary. This chapter is structured as follows: first, the changes in business environment and their impact on marketing education is discussed. Second, the advantages and shortcomings of the traditional published case study as an educational instrument in marketing are presented. Third, new approaches to case study are critically evaluated. These are live case, participative case writing, and web-based cases.

Writing a Case Study

The case method is a pedagogical tool that allows students to achieve their learning objectives through active discussion. A case study presenting a real event also allows students to link the theory to the practice. Readers learn from analysis, discussion, providing solutions, and recommendations. The case study is a form of research. And case writers are much like anthropologists who preserve the event so that others can learn what happened. There are several sources that can be used to write a case. The aim of this chapter is to present various ways of gathering data for case writing. The author also discusses the possibilities of gaining access to companies' data, which is challenge in Central and Eastern Europe.

Development of Knowledge and Skills with Case Method

The aim of this chapter is to analyze the application of two different variations of the case study method at different levels of education programs in reference to the development of knowledge and skills. Based on theoretical foundations the authors share good practices of their own experience as educators at HSO Business School in Switzerland and Kozminski University in Poland. Both institutions face different challenges created by different institutional settings. These reach from pre-experienced undergraduate and graduate student group in a traditional University setting in Poland to part-time students with several years of work experience in higher vocational education in Switzerland.

“Case Writing Canvas”

The popularity of case-study methods in business education is constantly growing. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for publications concerning case writing and teaching, which helps business educators develop their own case studies that fit their local context. However the process of case development remains a kind of ‘black-box' process that requires a combination of diverse perspectives, including theory, writing, and teaching. The aim of this chapter is to review some of the most popular case-development tools and present an idea for a new comprehensive tool, i.e. ‘Case Writing Canvas'. This chapter presents this tool using an example of an actual case, and discusses its usefulness in the context of existing tools, as well as its advantages observed when used for business education in Central and Eastern Europe.

Combining Case Teaching and Case Writing Creatively

In this chapter, the authors propose that not only do case teaching and case writing belong together, they can also support and inform each other in many ways. The authors highlight the fact that case teaching and case writing are not two separate and independent tasks, and therefore they should be combined continually in new and creative ways. Although it is obvious that it does not make a lot of sense to write cases without there being a teaching need, the authors argue that educators can start teaching the case even before writing it, and by doing so improve their writing. Many examples are given on how case teaching can be used for case writing, and vice versa.

Resolving the Magic Cube of Effective Case Teaching

This chapter contribution has three major aims: First, to present a benchmark of current practices of teaching with case studies in order to inform fellow scholars, who are generally interested in this particular pedagogical approach and to help those readers, who already apply case studies in their academic teaching or vocational trainings within business and management sciences. Second, to provide some help to fellow case teachers by describing concrete examples, to offer a benchmark, and to formulate advices relevant to case-based teaching. Certain sections make explicit reference to particularities or interesting trends of case-based teaching practices which are different in the CEE region and in other emerging markets. Third, to outline a new, emerging trend of participant-centered learning methods, that of serious games as a tool for leadership and management development.

The Case Study

Today's complex and global corporate environment requires business students to enter the workplace with more diverse skills and the ability to make useful decisions in their careers. The old adage of speaking “to” students in a classroom through straight lecturing is becoming less relevant in today's dynamic world. Rather, students must be engaged in the classroom and educators should provide the opportunity to enhance their decision making skills through real world problem solving. One way to do this is through the methods of active teaching and the utilization of case studies. Case studies are a story, or a narrative, that can induce higher critical thinking and engagement in the classroom and can prepare students for their careers by helping them make real world decisions in a simulated environment. This chapter focuses on the fundamental differences between traditional, lecture-based teaching and the importance of active learning in higher education.