Page 34 - Case Lab Summary

Today there is a growing trend towards the development and use of

short business case studies. At first sight this would seem to imply a
readjustment of the use of cases on business courses. That the

switch to short rather than long is straight forward and easily
achieved? However, this may be more illusory than real and an

instance of market driven rather than market driving.

The relationship between student and lecturer has changed

markedly. Universities are open to all but fees are now charged
along with access to student loans thus making universities more

commercial operations than they once were. Students now want
value for money and have an increased expectation that they will get
a degree at the end of their studies. Students are facing increasing

demands on their time and as a consequence seek more appropriate
teaching materials and systems. Undergraduates in particular, more
often than not, have part time and often full- time jobs which

manifests in less preparation time for tutorials. Long case studies of
the traditional Harvard type of twenty to thirty pages may not now

engage the concentration span of today’s students whether they are
first year under graduates or participants on an executive programme.

Furthermore, universities are driven by ‘bums-on-seats’ with volume
and student retention being the keys to financial success.

However, in an era where learners pay for their education there is
crucially, an increasing need by them to know upfront why they

should invest their money and scarce time, especially if the course is
part-time or distance learning, on modules that may not satisfy their
expectations and demands on quality and an expectation of passing.

Consequently, if module duration has shortened then traditional
case studies will not provide the learning vehicle.

The solution may be to develop more focused cases targeted at a

specificity not easily achievable in the ‘noise’ of a traditional case.
Short cases have the potential to ensure case content is fresh, varied,
properly prepared and served up in the right portions thereby