Towards a Comprehensive View of the Case Method in Management Development

Abstract

Hypothesizes numerous views of what a case study is and what outcomes case studies, as aids to the management development process, might be expected to facilitate. Presents a configuration of case design characteristics which, together with the accompanying discussion, is intended to be helpful to would‐be case designers and case teachers.

Learning the Lessons of Leadership: Case Method Teaching with Interactive, Computer-Based Tools and Film-Based Cases

“…Specifically, officers indicated that the module made them think about the Tripwire scenario in a way different from a way in which they would usually approach the scenario. Because one objective of case method instruction is to encourage students to broaden their thinking and challenge their perspectives (Crittenden, Crittenden, & Hawes, 1999;Jennings, 1996;Kreber, 2001;Richardson, 1994;Stewart & Dougherty, 1993), these findings are encouraging.…”

“…Thus, a good case for exploring military leadership issues should not only incorporate the technical and tactical backdrop in which many leadership challenges occur, but also requires sufficient character development and description of character behavior to capture the interpersonal dynamics of a situation. Because many nuances of interpersonal behavior (e.g., nonverbal behavior, personality, motivation) may be inadequately described in a narrative or "paper-based" case, it has been suggested that the film medium may be better suited for leadership cases (Richardson, 1994).…”

Refreshment by the case: Use of multimedia in case study assessment

“…The literature on OM teaching points to "a lack of practical and professional skills development" (Morris, 1997, p42) (Visich & Khumawala, 2006, p1). Richardson (1994) notes that published text based cases, whilst being professionally presented and well structured, provide little assistance to those who are developing skills as "information gatherers". Mintzberg (1990) makes a similar argument in his discussion of Strategic Management.…”

Army Excellence in Leadership (AXL): A Multimedia Approach to Building Tacit Knowledge and Cultural Reasoning

“…The idea of using movies as case studies to demonstrate concepts or stimulate critical thinking is not new or unique (e.g., Cavalier & Weber, 2002;Green & Cotlar, 1973a;Leeper, 1993;Richardson, 1994;Sprau, 2001). Filmed case studies offer several advantages over traditional paper cases.…”

“…First, AXL is a form of case method instruction, which is widely hailed as an effective approach for developing critical thinking, problem solving, and interpersonal skills (e.g., Crittenden, Crittenden, & Hawes, 1999;Hassall, Lewis, & Broadbent, 1998;Jennings, 1996;Kreber, 2001;Richardson, 1994;Stewart & Dougherty, 1993). AXL instruction includes realistic, multifaceted cases and focuses on helping leaders learn "how to think" rather than "what to think," thereby preparing leaders to deal with complexity when they encounter it in their work environment (Hannafin, J. Hill, & Land, 1997;Jonassen, 2002;Lesgold, 2001).…”