WHEN to Use the Case Method? Conditions and Circumstances

WHEN to Use the Case Method? Conditions and Circumstances

Over the last few decades, the use of the Case Method (CM) as a learning approach has been growing. We now added a comprehensive summary of the Case Method to 12manage, explaining what case studies are, what are the (changed) roles of the professor/discussion leader and of the students in case learning, as well as its structure, process, history, pros and cons, forum and SIG, plus a library of expert tips for case discussion leaders.

Because of the combined effects of active participation, storytelling and teamwork, the case method is fun for students, makes them learn more and deeper, and allows them to practice several personal and group skills while they're learning.
But there are also quite a few disadvantages. Among them is the fact that the CM is demanding and time-consuming.
Above considerations leave teachers and discussion leaders with a tough question:

WHEN should we apply Case Learning, and when NOT?
In other words, what kind of circumstances and objectives do you believe to be conducive to the case study method? Why? And when would traditional lecturing be better after all?

		nilima thakur, India
	The Case Method is a Much Required Step in Higher Business Education Higher education is still largely restricted to Class Room Teaching with lecture delivery and theoretical course completion... It's indeed time now to move on to Application Based Learning (ABL) in t...

		Zeb O. WATURUOCHA Management Consultant, India
	Case Study Method Well Suited Fit for Current Strategic Uncertainty I agree with Dr. Nilima that there is no better time to use the Cast Study Method (CSM) than now to equip emerging managers and leaders. So many uncertainties about the national and world economy hav...

		vincenzo de vera Manager, Italy
	The Case Method is Appropriate for Young Executives Little to add to our Indian friends, it is surely important to use the method, especially with young executives, to make learning more real and less theoretical. The point is to choose the right case...

		Onyangore Peter Ogendi Teacher, Kenya
	When do we Use Case Method An advantage of Case Studies is that students, lecturers and leaders learn more from the touchable. When one sees, touches, tastes something one understands it better. For example take a situation in...

		Bannister Accountant, Sierra Leone
	Case Study Method Appropriate for Introducing New Policies Case study method may also be appropriate for organisation in introducing new systems, policies, procedures and stratagies to ensure that people understand it in the way that management expect it to b...

		moq14 Student (MBA), Pakistan
	The Role of Cultural Norms and Values in Selecting Cases As per above cited discussion I think the most important task is the selection of case study for the students which can be generalized instead of them being cultural or organizational specific. In As...

		Elvio Valchi Teacher, Argentina
	Case Method - Pay Attention to Methodological Fatigue I agree with all the concepts above, I'd just like to add that some attention should be paid to the "methodological fatigue". Depending on the audience and on the length of the courses, in my experien...

		Carlos Barquero Zuniga Director, Costa Rica
	Case Studies and their Uses - Case Study Discussions are an excellent tool to put concepts and analytical models to work, giving students or young managers a laboratory to apply their capacities, both individually and collective...

		kvssiyer Consultant, India
	Case Study Method for Training and Development We use CSM for developing fresh engineers from the colleges into inspection engineers. We also use CSM for developing practicing managers. CSM is participative learning and throws up new ways of tack...

		Dr zahra gheidar Consultant, Iran
	When to Use Case Studies in Research In my field (psychometry), the case study is a research method for gathering information and data. It is used when the subject of our case study is rare and studying it is impossible by other methods ...

		S Shyam Prasad Professor, India
	When to Use Case Method Teaching Besides the above points, the case method should only be used by a competent leader or professor who is well trained to handle cases. When the professor or leader is not confident of handling a case, ...

		Madan Gopal Agarwal Business Consultant, India
	Case Method - Its Relevance and Utility Case Method is relevant both when you're starting a new endeavor ad for solving concerns of an existing endeavor. Case Learning can take place on 2 levels: 1. It can be used as an elaborate system t...

		Ruwan Bandara Manager, Sri Lanka
	Case Study Method Combines Theory and Practice, but... Yes of cause this method is so relevant for new executives. But one thing we must remember, that the practical, real world is more complex than a case and more uncertain. In theory there is no diffe...

		Elias M. Sampa Professor, Philippines
	Case Method and When it is Appropriate Case methods are appropriate where other traditional and experiential methods may not be effective. The purpose of the case is to show a real life situation as to what really happened and examining th...

		David Miller Teacher, United States
	Case Methodology Appropriateness Great question! I teach Problem Solving using the Case Methodology to junior executive level students. I believe the CM will work only if: - The cases are chosen to achieve a specific goal (e.g. prob...

		A Y SIRDIC Manager, Ghana
	Take the Example of the Training of Doctors In some countries, new and aspiring medical students (would be doctors) are sent straight to hospitals to learn from practicing doctors. It is therefore a direct learning process. Consultants (senior...

		Francisco ISIDRO FIP Pereira Professor, Brazil
	Case Methods Applications Case method is excellent to relate theory and practise in the classroom and in the research field. It's like a proof of evidences in the real world....

		Nassir Mozdic Jamal Dr. Management Consultant, Kenya
	ROLE OF CULTURAL NORM @Moq14: Good idea to design cases within cultural norms but one should remember that the world is a Global Village. Diversity is critical otherwise the graduate managers will be unable to function wit...

		kvssiyer Consultant, India
	Case Method of Learning In training and development we use CSM and in turn the trainees managers and engineers are asked to demonstrate their functions and assignments taking one item of their choice and demonstrate the func...

		JORGE GALLARDO Professor, Ecuador
	Case Method Involves People CM is a great tool. It gives the teacher the chance to get people involved in the analysis and discussion of the main items or aspects that he wants to point out. We agree it's time consuming, but it ...