Structured Case Analysis: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in a Marketing Case Course

Abstract

Structured case analysis is a hybrid pedagogy that flexibly combines diverse instructional methods with comprehensive case analysis as a mechanism to develop critical thinking skills. An incremental learning framework is proposed that allows instructors to develop and monitor content-specific theory and the corresponding critical thinking skills. Structured exercises are used initially to examine theory and augment critical thinking skills. The degree of structure decreases progressively as students develop these skills and master theory. The process culminates in traditional (unstructured) case analysis. This discussion explores the characteristics and benefits of structured case analysis and describes how the method can be implemented in a marketing case course. The incremental learning framework fosters metacognition and task generalization. Structured case analysis can be adapted to courses that seek to develop critical thinking and marketing decision making. INTRODUCTIONThere are frequent calls by business and marketing educators to incorporate and increase critical thinking skills in higher education. Marketing scholars often elaborate the pivotal nature of critical thinking skills and strive to identify course procedures to enhance such skills. Although these contributions advance our understanding of critical thinking, it remains a challenge to develop critical thinking skills within course content and specifically, case analysis. The combination of theoretical content and critical thinking skill development promises a deeper student learning experience. However, a process to systematically further this result in case courses has not emerged.This discussion proposes a structured case analysis (SCA) to foster and monitor appropriate critical thinking skills in a marketing strategy case course. The SCA framework integrates a multilevel incremental learning process into case analysis. The first level uses structured, case-based exercises. These exercises establish a framework of analysis that is transferred to subsequent levels of case analysis. Marketing theories and corresponding critical thinking skills are integrated into each level. Student learning is fostered by this incremental process that encourages metacognition and task generalization. The multilevel approach develops a theoretical foundation for traditional case analysis and prepares students for complex marketing decision making. The concurrent development of marketing content and corresponding critical thinking skills distinguish this approach from existing case pedagogy.Structured case analysis is robust enough to be applied to any discipline or curriculum level that intends to develop content-based critical thinking skills. In a marketing strategy context, this process enables instructors to integrate theory and focus on critical thinking skills such as analysis, application, evaluation, synthesis, and creation.This discussion frames the pedagogical issues that surround marketing decision making and critical thinking and outlines a structure...

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