How to Write and Analyze Cases

In simple words, cases deal with what, when, where, who, why and how of events and situations. The case method has been used for studies by other disciplines for many years. As far as business students are concerned, case method was first employed at the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1940s. However, there were not as many well-written cases available at that time as one finds today. The practice of using cases also came up as a result of search for excellence by business professors. Business disciplines needed more cases for study and discussion. The development of case study method for class room discussion serves as a kind of simulation and experimentation for business students. It provides a dais for learning and serves as a good experience for people to perform better in the real world. Regarding the use of Case method in the classrooms, teachers have mixed feelings. The students also prefer a more straightforward and direct method of learning and performance evaluation: that is answering direct questions in the examination as compared to case study. In this seminal effort, these problems have been addressed and attempts have been made to resolve them. This method helps to integrate different segments of knowledge, link various sections of the learned material, and connect several parts of the designed course, all in a comprehensively meaningful manner. The case method helps the students to make more sense of what they study. This book provides tips for the teacher to handle cases effectively in a class, and what is expected of him/her as an instructor. The Case method can prove to be a dynamic tool if properly handled. The students, on the other hand, have been given a general structure for approaching and analyzing cases in this book. Also, many other frameworks have also been suggested in a simple language with a lucid style.