ICHRIE Johnson & Wales Case Study Competition and Publication Series

Marianna SigalaProfessor of Tourism

Why case studies?From solution-based to question-oriented teaching & learning

strategies for helping students develop the following skills: • identifying and recognising problems

• understanding and interpreting data

• understanding and recognising assumptions and inferences, as opposed to concrete facts

• thinking analytically and critically

• understanding and assessing interpersonal relationships

• exercising and making judgments

• communicating ideas and opinions

• making and defending decisions

• learn how to differentiate between major and minor issues,

• discover business patterns

• distinguish problems from symptoms, and

• synthesize their thoughts into coherent, articulated and actionable decisions

Successful case studies

• Relate the theory to a practical situation• Identify the problems and their situation• The case study does not provide answers• Case studies raise questions and allows the student

to work through the decision-making process and find his or her preferred solution

• Case studies are as realistic as possible• A good case study is more than a description of facts

How to write case studies

How to generate an idea and data for writing case studies

Workplace – internships

student and employee experiences

student placements

own, relatives’ or friends’ experiences

critical incidents; observations or involvement

Industry visits; observations; interviews; focus groups

Mass media – Internet - Publications

Two types of case studies

The Analytical Approach

• The case study is examined in order to try and understand what has happened and why.

• It is not necessary to identify problems or suggest solutions.

The Problem-Oriented Method

The case study is analysed• to identify the major

problems that exist and • to suggest – probe students

to identify solutions to these problems.

Four styles of case studies

• illustrative (descriptive of events)• exploratory (investigative)• cumulative (collective information

comparisons) and • critical (examine particular subject with cause

and effect outcomes)

Writing a case study

STRUCTURE

1. Abstract - Introduction• Outline the purpose of the case study • Provides a scenario of the case study• Describe the field /context of research – this is

usually an overview of the company • Outline the issues and findings of the case

study without the specific details • Identify the theory that will be used• Introduce the protagonist(s)• Note any assumptions made (you may not have all

the information you’d like so some assumptions may be necessary eg: “It has been assumed that…”)

The opening paragraph of the case should typically contain the following information:• WHOSE role is the student to assume?• WHO is the key decision maker?• WHAT is the nature of the issue/problem?• WHEN did the case take place? Specify the date line in this paragraph.• WHERE did the case take place; What organization?• WHY did the issue/problem arise?

summary of the five questions :• what • who • why• where • when

2. MAIN BODY - Findings

• Identify the problems found in the case. • Each analysis of a problem should be supported by

facts given in the case together with the relevant theory and course concepts.

• Search for the underlying problems and not only symptoms, for example: cross-cultural conflict may be only a symptom of the underlying problem of inadequate policies and practices within the company.

• Can be divided into sub-sections, one for each problem.

2. MAIN BODY - FindingsTell the whole story -- usually in a chronological order

Explain and give details of the issues faced by the firm

How you tell the story can make a difference:• Tell more than one side to the story so that students can think of

competing alternatives.

• A good case usually revolves around at least one major issue that is usually simple to identify but not necessarily easy to resolve.

• Engage the reader by using quotations from interviewees or stakeholders of the case

• Write neutrally: play the role of an honest investigative

• You must NOT provide any diagnosis or prognosis.

• Use sub-headings to allow the reader to follow the story and find information easily

Don’t provide any analysis, or “lessons learned” in the case; leave that in the teaching note.

3. Discussion

• Summarise the major problem/s • Identify alternative solutions / scenarios /

dilemma to this/these major problem/s (there is likely to be more than one solution per problem)

• Briefly outline each alternative solution and then evaluate it in terms of its advantages and disadvantages

• No need to refer to theory or coursework here.

4. Conclusions

• Sum up the main points from the findings and discussion

5. Additional Material

• graphic or visual aids such as budgets, organizational charts, mission statements or technical specifications

• Websites • Press releases • Videos • Interviews • Photos

Teaching Notes (1)Summary-synopsis of the casea brief description of the case and its context.

Teaching objectives o Minimum one for a short mini-case to 3-4 for a longer caseo Should be as specific as possibleo Explain why they are important and relevant for the course

Target audienceThe target group, courses or class level/ level of difficulty, for which the case was written and specific prerequisites (what are the students assumed to master before the case is taught)

If multiple target audiences, discuss different teaching strategies

Teaching Notes (2)Teaching approach and strategy:

Asking the right question is an art:Offer ‘trigger’ questions for opening and advancing the case discussion: Challenging case discussion questions with sample answers.

Controversial questions create more discussionConsider a combination of closed and open-ended questions

Suggestions for group work or student assignments

Suggestions for a teaching plan: suggested class time, broken down by topics

Indication of the case’s demands on course time-tabling

Teaching Notes (3)Analysis- sample answers

If applicable, an update of “what actually happened”

Provide examples of REAL sample answers – both outstanding ones and marginal ones (or even incorrect ones)

A case may not have a single correct answer – try to highlight the diversity of opinions and approaches

The analysis should offer comprehensive answers to the list of questions and should, at least, be as thorough as one would expect from the best student.

If the case includes quantitative data, it might suggest ways of utilising the data, and should ideally include the details of any spreadsheet analysis. At the very least it should indicate the techniques to be used for analysing the data.

Teaching Notes (4)Additional readings or references

Suggested additional readings should be listed if it is necessary (or helpful) for students to read text or other material in conjunction with the case. 

Specific readings can be assigned from these lists.

Feedback

It should provide an indication of how the case worked with different student groups;

where possible indicating the case’s suitability for written assessment or examination, role-playing, or other forms of use.

Where known, it might also include the actual outcome of the case situation, and some follow-up facts.

Reading – References • LLOnline, IT Case Study

http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/information-technology/case-study/

• Kimberly, N & Crosling, G 2005, Q Manual, Monash University, Caulfield East, Vic, pp.47-49.

• Management Case Study, L & L Online tutorial http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/business-economics/management/index.xml

• Colorado State University. Case study writing. http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=60.

ICHRIE Johnson & Wales Case Study Competition and Publication Series

• enhance the ICHRIE services and benefits to its membership • create a new publication outlet of ICHRIE provide a new way

of ICHRIE and its members to participate in the advancement of hospitality & tourism education

• foster and strengthen the communication between academia and industry within tourism and hospitality

• establish ICHRIE as a valuable source for hospitality & tourism educational material

• reinforce the role of ICHRIE as a communication hub and facilitator of knowledge exchanges between research, academia and industry in hospitality & tourism

A major reason to write and submit a case study ?

ICHRIE Johnson & Wales Case Study Competition

1st Prize • The author(s) of the case study achieving the highest score

will receive a single prize of 1,000 USD plus one free I-CHRIE conference registration for the lead author and $100 off the registration fee for any multiple authors.

2nd Prize • The author(s) of the case study achieving the second

highest score will receive a single prize of 750 USD. 3rd Prize • The author(s) of the case study achieving the third highest

score will receive a single prize of 500 USD.

Case study winners also:

• Present their case study at the annual ICHRIE conference in a special session

• Are publicly recognised in printed ICHRIE publications

• Receive their awards at the ICHRIE Awards Gala Dinner Ceremony

• Publish their case study in the JHTC

Only ICHRIE members are eligible to get an award/prize, but non-members can also submit a case

study (as a co-author)

ICHRIE Johnson & Wales Case Study Competition

• Annual competition • It has been running for 5 years already (about 20 +

case studies submitted per year) • Every case study is blindly reviewed by 3 reviewers• The 6th edition of the competition for 2016 will be

announced soon• Submission deadline around the end of April 2016• Watch the ICHRIE website for updates and

submission guidelines for the case study competition

www.chrie.org/membership/case-study-competition/index.aspx

Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases (JHTC)

• Peer-reviewed referred journal • 5 volumes published already (4 issues each

volume)• Acceptance rate (around 60 - 70%, but most case

studies come from the case study competition) • Around 25 cases submitted every year • You can submit case studies at any time

JHTC is accessible at : www.chrie.org/publications/jhtc/index.aspx

Types of case studies• Case studies may be compiled from field research,

published sources and/or generalised experience.

• The case studies may refer to any topic and subject area related to the tourism and/or hospitality field and industry.

• The case studies must be a maximum of 5,000 words, excluding figures, tables, annexes and bibliography.

• Each case study submission must be accompanied by a

teaching note of a minimum of 1,000 words

Guidelines for writing case studiesCase studies must:• be topical and relevant to current tourism and hospitality issues • be engaging in order to deliver an interesting learning

experience in the classroom • explicitly identify, explain and support the teaching objectives

of the topic subject• thoroughly analyse the theoretical concepts and framework

that underpin the topic of the case study• include questions / management dilemmas that will be able to

probe class discussions and debates• any tables, figures, exhibits, annexes and/or supplementary

items should also explain and support the teaching objectives and theoretical concepts.

Guidelines for writing teaching notes

Teaching notes must include:• a summary of the case • Identification of the target audience(s) • the recommended teaching approach and

strategy to be adopted by other educators• Analysis / explanation of the teaching

objectives and the theoretical concepts • additional readings and/or references

No time to write a case study ?

Why not contributing as a reviewer of case studies?

Just e-mail me:marianna.sigala@unisa.edu.au

Thank you for listening !

Marianna SigalaProfessor, University of South Australia