By- Prof. Bholanath Dutta Department of MBA CMR Institute of Technology.

By- Prof. Bholanath Dutta

Department of MBA

CMR Institute of Technology

Prof. Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept

How the Case Method Works When students are presented with a case, they place

themselves in the role of the decision-maker as they read through the situation and identify the problem they are faced with. The next step is to perform the necessary analysis - examining the causes, considering alternative courses of action - to come to a set of recommendations.

THE CASE METHOD


To get the most out of cases, students must read and reflect on the case and then often meet in small study groups before class to "warm up" and discuss their findings with other classmates. In class - under the questioning and guidance of the professor - students probe underlying issues, compare different alternatives, and finally, suggest courses of action in the light of the company's objectives.

THE CASE METHOD…


As a case study unfolds in class, students do 85% of the talking, as the professor steers the conversation by making occasional observations and asking questions. This classroom interaction is enriched by the 80-90 individuals from diverse industries, functions, countries, and experiences.

THE CASE METHOD…


During the course of their management education, students study and prepare hundreds of cases - a transforming experience that helps them to recognize the unique aspects of different situations, define problems, suggest further avenues of analysis, and devise and implement action plans. Once they finish the program, management graduates have the confidence they need to go off and tackle the many business challenges they will face in their careers.

THE CASE METHOD…


CASE STUDY IN MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

In a manner similar to that used in law and medical education

May deal with an organization or a sub-unit Multi-functional: Diversification, merger,

restructuring, corporate planning Functional: Human resources management,

interpersonal skills, organizational behavior, accounting/ finance, marketing

Fosters critical thinking Facilitates structured learning in groups


WHAT IS A CASE?

Narrative of an actual or realistic situation or problem (in written or filmed form), which needs a decision

A case for teaching usually presents information, but not analysis

It is an exercise in building analytical bridges between theory and actual or simulated “real life” situation

Cases are written to highlight specific aspects of a situation to serve as a manageable teaching aid


WHY CASES?

Simulates events in the corporate world Provides practical orientation and value addition

to theory Not possible to have extended internships Management is a very vast field with many

divisions More comprehensive coverage of subjects


MORE ON “WHAT IS A CASE?”

Information supplied in the case is frequently partial and, at times, even misleading or biased

Alternatively, the sheer volume of information given is overwhelming

To further complicate matters, the problems presented are both ambiguous and complex (and so are real life situations too)

Generally, a case has no single “correct” answer. There are only choices, and the reasons behind them – some better and some worse than the others


LEARNING THROUGH CASES

Requires working together in a group to analyze and solve a problem

Unlike lectures, case discussion demands your ideas and active participation (from passive listener to active contributor)

One cannot learn driving by listening to a lecture about it. Likewise, analyzing and decision making have to be learnt through practice


LEARNING THROUGH CASES...

Requires more intensive effort, particularly on the part of the students, but offers corresponding rewards

Repeated exposure to cases improves skills in analyzing and dealing with ambiguous situations and incomplete information – there may be no easy, definite or correct solutions

Encourages participative learning, learning from alternative opinions presented by others – listening and articulating


SOME DOUBTS ABOUT CASES

Students may ask: What are we supposed to do? What are we learning? Why doesn’t the teacher teach?


RESPONSES TO THE DOUBTS

Case method advocates student-centered learning rather than instructor-centered teaching

Student experience as a process of continuous discovery

Creates a context for learning:– Orchestrates targeted, yet flexible discussion– Motivates and elicits student participation– Synthesizes student-generated ideas– Faculty plays the role of devil’s advocate


TYPES OF MANAGEMENT/BUSINESS CASES

Specific evaluation cases – Describes what a company has done. – Purpose: to understand and evaluate the company’s

actions. Specific decision cases

– Company faces a specific problem. – Purpose: to consider alternative actions and arrive at

a decision. General evaluation and appraisal cases

– Case includes unstructured information. – Purpose: evaluation, appraisal and recommendation.


CASE LEARNING PHILOSOPHIES

Provides a context in which students can use and test analytical tools and models.

Not just about description but understanding underlying patterns.

Interest should be in concepts, tools and models rather than chunks of reality.

Don't learn cases, learn with cases!


ARRIVING AT A SOLUTION

Depends on the nature of the case. – Quantitative problems require specific solutions. – Subjective/judgmental matters may not be solved by

one unique outcome/decision. When the class is struggling with the case it

sometimes helps to hear the teacher’s view. For some cases the teacher may know what

the company actually did. It is very important that the recommended

course of action is consistent with the analysis.


PREPARING FOR A CASE

Get a quick sense of the whole case from the title, headings, outline, introduction & conclusions

Does it require a decision, if so by whom, about what and with what objectives? Who are the other parties in the case and what are their objectives?

Now re-read the case carefully, underlining or highlighting the main facts

Identify key problems or issues on paper. Then sort out relevant information for each problem; and the resources & constraints associated with each

Identify and rank alternative policies/decisions, possible courses of action and their consequences


CASE ANALYSIS

Real life situations are multi-faceted; avoid being confined to a few symptoms – understand the problems and issues in their totality

The “obvious solution” could be based on assumptions not validated, and may be quite superficial

Evaluate backgrounds and behavior of significant people, deduce limitations imposed by the environment, question assumptions, consider alternatives, weigh pros and cons of each possible action before deciding on specific actions


PROBLEM SOLVING

Comprehend and capture the core information and issues

Reflective observation: Stand back and assess the situation without premature value judgment or fixing blame

Draw upon relevant theories and concepts to place the data in a conceptual framework and put boundary limits on the problem

Develop and test alternative hypotheses to arrive at possible decisions and solutions


IMPORTANT FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED

Nature of industry/product and technology involved Size of the organization Type of ownership/management - its culture/style The informal and formal organization structure Resources in terms of money, people, etc. Strengths and weaknesses of the organization and

individuals Organizational and individual objectives – conflicts,

if any Competition, business environment & other

external factors


CASE DISCUSSION

Be prepared to present your views with conviction Be prepared to listen to others with an open mind Complete the discussion on one point, before

moving on to the next. Try to link your comments to those of others;

minimize repetition Ensure that the discussion moves forward towards

a constructive solution. Stay focused Give opportunity for all to contribute Do not hesitate to admit confusion, seek

clarification or simply be wrong Avoid over dominating and mundane comments


CASE PRESENTATION

Identify important points, organize them logically, and state them succinctly while noting important assumptions

Provide supportive evidence and persuade others to accept your positions

Be willing to answer questions, respond to criticism Consider new evidence and be prepared to modify

an earlier position when warranted


WORKING AS ATEAM MEMBER

Ensure that the division of labour is equitable Communicate with your other team members Work as a team Plan and structure team meetings


EFFECTIVE CASE ANALYSIS PROCESS: Step 1

GAINING FAMILIARITY: Determine who, what, when, where, how & why Identify places, persons and activities of the

organization Recognize the degree of certainty/uncertainty of the

available information



RECOGNIZING PROBLEMS/SYMPTOMS: List issues/problems Ensure that symptoms are not assumed to be the

problems



IDENTIFYING THE GOALS: Identify critical statements by major parties List all goals that can be reasonably inferred



CONDUCTING ANALYSIS: (a) Decide which

models/ideas/theories seem useful

(b) Apply these conceptual tools to the situation

As new information and insights are revealed, loop back to items (a) and (b) above



MAKING THE DIAGNOSIS: Identify goal inconsistencies Identify problems – discrepancies between

goals and performance Prioritize problems



ACTION PLAN: Specify and prioritize criteria used to choose action

alternatives Discover/invent alternatives Examine the consequences of each alternative Select a course of action Design an implementation schedule/plan Create a plan for assessment of the plan to be

implemented


CAUTION( to be followed in both written and oral case analyses, discussions and presentations and also in real life situations)

Avoid overstatements, emotionally laden words or premature value judgments that may cloud one’s perceptions

Avoid dealing with broad generalizations or policy issues rather than the specifics of the case

Avoid impractical statements that would require a sudden personality or behavioral change

Go beyond the obvious, look for cues or nuances that may suggest other approaches. Avoid quick fix solutions

Don’t be superficial, examine alternatives, think carefully


CAUTION…( to be followed in both written and oral case analyses, discussions and presentations and also in real life situations)

Avoid looking for who is to blame rather than trying to understand why people behaved as they have. Most people are well intended and try to do their best under the given circumstances

Avoid the temptation to “fire” someone, reorganize or form a task force. These things may prove useful after analysis, but are often used to avoid the needed analysis


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By- Prof. Bholanath Dutta Department of MBA CMR Institute of Technology.

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