The Case Study method is a teaching methodology that condenses real-world experiences into concepts and ideas. Harvard University, considered the pioneers in bringing this unique teaching methodology, began adopting the method at Harvard Law School in 1870. Slowly other departments followed. In 1920, Harvard Business School fully integrated this experiment into their primary teaching methodology through case books and a mix of partial storytelling & teaching while fully engaging the students in the subject matter.
What is the case study method?
The narrative format of the case-study method allows students to think like CXO on the multidimensional nature of the problem. The points and counterpoints put forward by peers widen the scope of the discussion. Professors ensure that the discussion remains relevant. Before the class, students are required to do additional research, make calculated assumptions, and analyze the 20-30 page long case studies that cover a broad range of contexts and sources, from financials, economic factors, media coverage, and interviews of business leaders. Even before the case study, the small study group will challenge the assumptions, further fine-tuning the argument.
Pioneering the method, Harvard Business School forms the upper tier, with 80% of its curriculum still based on the case method. Darden School of Business, INSEAD, Berkeley Haas, IESE, and Ivey are also in the same league of case-intensive curriculums.
Yale School of Management stands out for its unique spin on case studies by bringing real-world chaos into the study. By using RAW cases – with inconclusive data, market conditions, and trends, Yale MBA students had to make decisions with uncertainty, just like in real life. The high percentage of Consulting placements at Yale could be the direct impact of such a unique experiment.
Schools that are only focussing on Case Study Method as their primary teaching methodology has some disadvantages as we have pointed out in our analysis of Case Study Method vs Experiential Learning. With that caveat, let us look at schools that have pioneered and refined the Case Study Method.
Academic Rigor
When compared to lecture-based or experiential learning programs, the preparation required for case-heavy programs like Darden or Harvard MBA is intense.
1) Harvard MBA Program
At Harvard Business School, 500 cases are taught throughout the 2-year MBA program with 55% of them globally-oriented to encompass the most current and diverse business problems.
What Makes Harvard Cases Unique
• Depth and Range of the cases
• Pre-Class Discussions
• Engaging discussions from diverse backgrounds
• Strong class (high achievers) and their corresponding perspective
Over 80% of the classes in HBS MBA is taught with his method. By the time a student passes out, he would have analyzed almost two thousand cases, covering hundreds of businesses. The cases cover various aspects of a business: Marketing, strategy, leadership, technology and negotiation. Most schools have followed the lead of HBS and have customized their MBA programs accordingly.
Related Download: F1GMAT's Harvard MBA Essay Guide
2) Darden MBA
Darden is reputed to have among the world’s best collection of multi-disciplinary cases. The school’s strength is in encouraging discussion and debate while reinforcing the learning of the case study where other perspectives come into play.
What Makes Darden Cases Unique
• Class discussions
• Active and spontaneous learning
• On-spot improvement and review of arguments
• Iterative learning through student teams and class
Related Download: F1GMAT's Darden MBA Essay Guide
3) Insead
Second, to Harvard Business School, 6 of the top 10 case studies sold in the world came from INSEAD
Known as 'The Business School for the World', Insead has a collection of cases that is unmatched in the wide variety of countries and cultures it is based on. It focuses on a wide geographical area, covering countries as diverse as India, Kenya, Ukraine, Costa Rica and China. This helps students develop a global perspective about business strategies and decisions.
What Makes INSEAD Cases Unique
• Geographical diversity
• 80 new case studies annually
Related Download: F1GMAT's INSEAD MBA Essay Guide
4) Yale School of Management
Yale’s RAW case method has evolved a step further than Harvard’s case study method. Utilizing the merits of modern technology, the RAW case method encourages non-linear thinking. It enables students to select and synthesize information, gauging the depth of the research they wish to conduct.
What Makes Yale Cases Unique
• Real-time news and information
• Non-linear learning
• Synthesize information from a variety of channels
• Co-taught by faculty from different disciplines
Related Download: F1GMAT's Yale MBA Essay Guide
5) Ivey
The case method is utilized in the curriculum on a regular basis, strengthening their student’s foundation in core management skills
What Makes IVEY Cases Unique
• Regular practice of the case method
• Iterative learning through student teams and during class
6) IESE
IESE has the upper hand in tech-driven case studies and in presenting cases that could be adopted anywhere in the world regardless of the culture or geography
What Makes IESE Cases Unique
• Present serious dilemmas.
• Universal appeal
• General management focus
MBA Case Study Method – What Next?
Although a much better methodology than lecture-based teaching, the Case Study method has the danger of generalization and accidentally incorporating implicit biases based on the author’s worldview. The discussions need to be rewarded for deeper questions that could tilt the balance against the primary assumptions of the case.
Uncertainty and Risks factored into the engagements like Yale’s Raw case approach should be a standard. Additionally, MBAs must be taught to question the origin and context of the information they are consuming.
Despite the weaknesses, an approach like the case-study method that brings the fear of cold calling and grades that are highly dependent on the answers in the class has no alternatives to build a fully engaged class.
Read: Experiential Learning, which would be the next biggest advancement in management education.
