Page 774 - The Case Lab Book

Much has been said about the student but the lecturer also experiences fear and
trepidation with the development and use of case studies their analysis and use. After all,
in the eyes of the student body he or she is judged by the quality of the experience they
take away with them. For the lecturer analysis and delivery is the yardstick. However, if
the e-resource integrates lecture notes as an embedded resource, self-assessment tests
and worked analysis this will go some way to aiding the university in its objectives of
providing students with more flexible and deliverable course materials.

Part of the problem lies in the fact that business case studies have no definitive solution.
Each person will arrive at his or her solution based on the intellectual and experiential
baggage that they carry with them when trying to analyse a case study. As Saint Jean &
Lapierre 1993 commented:

“One of the epistemological factors of the case method is the affirmation of the relativity
of knowledge… knowledge is relative…not only is knowledge relative, but the
organisation is a highly complex system where all components interact sensitive to the
interrelationships.”

Learning by doing; increased familiarisation with the application of analytical techniques
and appreciation of their implications; exposure to a number and variety of cases and
their solutions; will help hone analytical ability. Likewise, exposure to peer group solution
generation and lecturer driven solutions will also enhance the learning process.

It is therefore, the responsibility of the lecturer to provide the milestones and directions
for the students to follow especially at the start of their journey. Recognition of this by the
lecturer is crucial as the test of a case study lies with the instructor, the situation and its
setting. If the case produces an exciting and provocative learning experience for those
participating in its use then that is a good case. It emphasizes synergistic collaborative
learning (Boehrer & Linsky, 1990). Perhaps at this point the role of the lecturer should be
clarified. He is part of the learning equation. He has to provide as a minimum a working
solution that enhances the students learning expectations. Current wisdom says that
there is no standard form for a business case study. Business case studies will vary in
length, style, format, and data presentation. However, the common feature of the case
study is the route to understanding and arriving at a resolution for it. This resolution is
simply a process, driven not by the search for answers per se, but rather, by continually
asking questions such as,

‘Why?’
‘What was the cause?’
‘What was the effect?’ and
‘What impact did this have on performance?’