CASE STUDIES: Business Practice, Research & Learning

On Friday, May 13, we had an insightful session by Mr. Richard McCracken, Director, The Case Centre.

About Mr McCracken

Mr Richard McCracken has been serving as the Director of The Case Centre since March 2008 and oversees The Case Centre's global operations from its UK office.

Mr McCracken regularly represents the case community at conferences, workshops and competitions as both a speaker and moderator. He chairs the judging panels for The Case Centre's annual case method awards and competitions. Mr McCracken also regularly judges other competitions including EFMD's case writing competitions, and the CEIBS annual competition for cases with a focus on China. He is Managing Editor of Case Focus, a peer reviewed journal of business and management teaching cases for the Middle East and Africa.

Prior to joining The Case Centre, Mr McCracken was Head of Intellectual Property at the Open University (OU). At the OU, he was instrumental in the development and launch of the OpenLearn initiative, which makes educational resources from OU courses freely available worldwide through the Internet.

Mr McCracken has served on several UK national committees developing guidelines on managing intellectual property.

Mr McCracken holds degrees in English Literature (University of Sheffield) and Law (Open University), and a Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law (University of London). When Mr McCracken joined the Case Centre, he did not have much experience in case teaching, though with his legal background, he had exposure to case laws. It was when he sat in a case discussion class for the first time, that he had his “light bulb moment” and began to appreciate the impact of the case method.

Introduction

A case study is an academic description and capture of a real life situation or scenario. It involves a protagonist who is facing a dilemma or problem and has to take a decision. The information is structured suitably in the case.

The students are not taught by being told things by the teacher. Instead the teacher encourages the students to discuss the problem through a series of questions. Students put themselves in the shoes of the protagonist and explore the possible solutions keeping in view the available resources, constraints, etc.

There is no right or wrong answer in a case discussion. The process of arriving at the solution is more important than the solution itself. A case discussion provides a rewarding context for the students to learn concepts and also builds business skills that are valuable for employability and career success.

Case writing involves various players: business, business practitioners, academics, students. Cases strengthen the vital connection between research and teaching. As we will see shortly, all the players can benefit in the process.

Cases vs Journal articles

Academic research typically starts with a literature survey. But often, good theory does not come from gaps in the literature. Rather, it comes from engagement with real life problems. This is where case studies become relevant. Unfortunately, cases are not as well regarded as journal articles by the academic community. This is a pity. Cases are an alternative way to do research and can supplement research articles. Cases can also result in the building of worthwhile theory.

Note: As Mr McCracken explained during the Q&A, research cases are different from teaching cases. Research cases cover a scenario, analyse it and relate it to the theory. Such cases also come to a judgment on whether the scenario was handled properly and the right decision was taken. Teaching cases do not divulge how the case ended. Students have to figure out what the protagonist should do. A research case will tell us what the protagonist actually did but not a teaching case.

The process of case writing

The starting point in developing a field case is access to a body of knowledge. It involves a real life scenario featuring a protagonist who is struggling with a dilemma. To have this kind of information, access to the company is important. If the company does not provide access to relevant information, it is not possible to write the case. Many academics fail to cross this hurdle.

The academic then does research and explores the scenario. After the case is written, it is taken to the classroom. Students discuss the case. In the process of discussion, students learn how to analyze a situation, how to work collaboratively, speak effectively in front of a group and learn how to defend their position. These are valuable skills for building a successful career. The case can then be taken to the classrooms of other B Schools as well. As it is taught, the case can also be used to test and see the applicability of the theory.

The case lifecycle

The lifecycle of a case typically involves the following:
Research: The academic collects the relevant information and studies the situation carefully.
Write: The case is typically written with some learning outcomes in mind. While the writing must take into account the local factors, it can be distributed globally.
Teach: The case is used in the classroom.
Distribute: The case is distributed to other business schools.
Develop the case further
Strengthen relationships with the company by exploring new scenarios or by understanding how the company has moved on since the case was written.

Benefits

Through the case method of teaching, the case writer, the business, the students, the business school, alumni (who are often the conduit for establishing a connection with the company) and other business schools can all benefit. The students get exposed to the simulation of a real life business decision. Case discussions lead to higher engagement and build employability skills. These experiences often stay with the students for life. For the B schools, cases support the accreditation process, lead to wider recognition and stronger brands, strengthen the alumni relationships and also provide speaking and consulting opportunities for the case writer.

Distribution of cases to a wider global audience is a validation of quality and can support the accreditation process. When an Indian case is taught in a US Business School, it has a positive impact on the Indian students studying there. The students get more visibility as the facilitator may give them more opportunities to speak as they are better informed about the Indian business environment.

Through the process of writing the case, businesses can get valuable academic insights which can lead to self-reflection and help in improving business practices. Businesses can build strong connections with the business school. The case writer can serve as a mentor or teacher to the company. Through the case writer’s contacts, the business can also get connected with other businesses both in the region and nationally. Mr McCracken emphasized that businesses should welcome the opportunity for a case to be written about them. They can really benefit. Cases can also help companies in talent identification and recruitment. When executives visit the B School during the case discussion and watch the students deliberate, they can identify promising students. Cases can also be included as part of the recruitment process. Cases can also be used during the induction program.

Q&A session

On the evolution of cases in the last 15 years

In the last 14 years, Mr McCracken has seen cases evolve and change in terms of length and format. From a length of 10-12 pages earlier, the preferred length is now about 5-8 pages. The pandemic has given an impetus to shorter cases which can be discussed online. Many writers are developing compact cases which are less than 5 pages long. Multimedia content (eg. video clips of interviews with the CEOs or providing details of the company’s manufacturing facilities) is being added to strengthen the cases.

Cartoon cases/ Comic format (pioneered by our own late Prof Debapratim Purkayastha) are also becoming popular.

On improving access and affordability in India

India has the largest management education system in the world. How can we make cases accessible and affordable to them? Mr McCracken accepted that this is indeed a very important question to address. The good news is that many cases are available free and most of them are available at concessional rates to Indian BSchools.

On the use of AR/VR/Metaverse

Mr McCracken recalled that about 10 years ago, various innovative technologies were used while writing a case for the benefit of students in Singapore, Australia and Switzerland so that they could discuss the case together. AR/VR can be a powerful technology to give students a practical feel for how the factory or the retail store looks like. But these technologies involve costs. Moreover, academics who are used to working on their own will have to collaborate with various technical experts to develop such cases. Instructional designers, sound specialists, software developers and other technical experts will be involved while developing such cases.

On the impact of AI/ML

Many cases are being written today that enthusiastically propagate the virtues of new technologies like AI/ML, NFTs, etc. But Mr McCracken would also like to see some cases being written about the harmful impact of such technologies. For example, too much data being controlled by a few large tech companies is a cause for concern. AI will be increasingly used in case research for sure. The Case Centre’s competition this year is focused on the impact of AI/Social media on society.

On the use of cases in the current management education scenario

Society faces various challenges today such as ethics, diversity and inclusion and sustainability. These are all topics which are very amenable to case discussions. Business Schools must take these societal issues seriously and should also develop cases in these areas.

On the diminishing attention spans of students

Mr. McCracken felt that the online medium if leveraged well can increase student involvement and engagement. Unlike a classroom setting, every student is “sitting on the front row” during an online discussion. The chat facility enables students to contribute actively to the discussion unlike a physical setting where there are limited opportunities to speak. Research and homework are more important in an online format. In a classroom setting, it is possible to use rhetoric and drama to make one’s presence felt. Teachers should remain online even after the class for a few minutes to clarify doubts. The fact that they may be called to respond, can keeps the students on their toes.

On building consensus

There will be various opinions when a case is being discussed. But the spread of opinion is not as unpredictable as we think. Most opinions have been expressed before and are not entirely new.

On case facilitation

Case facilitation requires expertise. Great facilitation also involves listening carefully to the students and replaying it. There are some teachers who can skilfully steer the discussion, write notes on the board and review them at the appropriate time to connect different concepts. The teaching note can be very valuable to a teacher who is handling the case for the first time. The teaching note essentially presents the case writer’s experience of handling the case.

On monetising cases

Some case writers are good at monetizing their cases but most are not. While individual cases are more difficult to monetize, it is possible to monetize case collections. The income generated can be used to sustain the case publishing activities of the B School. The copyrights of the cases typically rest with the School and not with the individual faculty.

On dealing with plagiarism

Obviously this practice should be discouraged. Technology is available today to track plagiarism. Sometimes students point out that they have come across a similar case elsewhere. Students sharing the case analysis with others is also a matter of great concern. Rather than being asked to analyse the case, students can be given the answer and asked to critique it.

On the optimal length of a case discussion

At least 60 minutes are needed for a meaningful discussion. The typical duration of a case class is 60- 90 minutes. Some cases are long and rich in content. They may be discussed over multiple sessions and even in different subjects. It all depends on the richness of the case.

On writing cases in other disciplines

Management is where most cases are written. But it is definitely possible to write cases in other disciplines as well.

On the use of hypothetical cases

These cases can also be used. But they are less commonly used.

On how to write an engaging case

The Case Centre’s website provides valuable resources in this regard. Some companies and industries are inherently more interesting. That is why more cases are written on sectors like Auto and Tech. Having chosen a company, we should find an interesting protagonist. The first and last paras of the case must be well written. The language used should be simple. While the case discussion can be complex, the case itself should be written in a simple and straightforward way. A very insightful session by one of the leading proponents of case discussions in the world.

We thank Dr. Vedpuriswar for bringing out the highlights in the form of this note