HBS Case Study Method: Advantages

Before case study method, students have to brush up on case facts – competitors, pricing, limitations, and opportunities in the market, and threats from new entrants. The day before the case, smaller groups (5-6) from the learning team (group of 90 students) come together, reads the overview of the case, and engages in an open dialogue, discussing about the scenario from different perspectives. What these discussions does is that each student will get the chance to vocalize her opinion in front of the learning team, and get additional or contradicting information that validates or changes the stand completely. Even before the case study method, a debate has already started. With the details, students rationalize their decision-making capability. After the case has been looked at different angles, students form a firm opinion. They are ready to communicate the rationale in front of the class.

HBS Case Study - Preparation (Professors)

For professors, the focus is on the direction of the discussion. Even faculties debate about the case and prepare to orchestrate differing opinions on the case study. What will be the opening question, and who should be the first person to kick start the debate are some of the questions that professors actively think. Despite looking at the same cases, hundreds of times, they are still excited to see how the discussions will go. It can take any direction depending on how each student takes the information and rationalizes them. That is the fun part for the professors – getting in perspectives that they have never thought while preparing for the case.

Advantages of HBS Case Study Method

1) Active Learning: By putting students on the seat of a CEO, Manager, or an Employee, HBS MBA Students get to mirror what goes through the minds of each role. Instead of learning by going through management theories, students are expected to think like how they do in real life – devoid of any unnecessary jargons, focusing intently on the scope of the problem.

The Socratic method of teaching gives the students the habit of questioning their assumptions and that of their peers and even professors. More importantly, students will realize the joy of active learning.

2) Confident Decision Makers: Harvard MBA Case study method has a clear objective – to make you a confident decision-maker, someone who can act under uncertainty with limited information, and time. By developing a habit of comprehensive research and debating with peers, Harvard MBA program wants your judgment muscles to be flexed – not based on prejudice or faulty assumptions but based on facts and experience.

The team wants you to act with courage and consider different approaches to the same information, or look at problems based on multiple perspectives, primarily learning from peers, who have worked in branding, marketing, management and other roles that are relevant to the case.

3) Communicate Succinctly: When you debate about the case, a day before the case learning session, you get the chance to listen to your peers, who have worked in the industry or to someone, who had faced a similar problem. By actively listening and succinctly discussing without going out of scope, you develop the habit of debating on point, without your emotions clouding the objective of the discussion.

Many Harvard MBA students have rated peer learning as more valuable than learning from professors. It can only happen when you listen and communicate without going over the same point again and again.  Even in the class when the professors ask you to state your opinion, they expect you to make the point in just 30 seconds – a skill that you can develop when you are completely prepared.


F1GMAT's Harvard MBA Essay Guide will teach you to introduce yourself:

1) With Assertiveness

2) By Articulating your Social Value

3) By Demonstrating your decision-making ability

Download F1GMAT's Harvard MBA Essay Guide