Importance of case studies in management education

A case study is a written or recorded, detailed analysis of some targeted management issues, for the purpose of noting success or failure used as a benchmark for management education. A case study is an in-depth exploration of one particular case for the purpose of gaining understanding into the management issues being investigated. Case Studies provide us wide-ranging information, management education, background information and leadership on the most relevant topics in business. A case study is carefully designed to offer a highly practical resource. Case Studies present specific, real-life examples of the strategies and tactics used by leading international companies to succeed globally. Case studies enhance our knowledge and provide key company information. Each case covers important issues in international business like globalization, entry strategies, product marketing, brand management, mergers and acquisitions, corporate social responsibility and human resource management. Each case study focuses on a particular company, country or management style to clearly illustrate management scenarios. The case study method of teaching used in management education is quite different from most of the methods of teaching used at the school. Unlike traditional lecture-based teaching where our participation in the classroom is minimal, the case method is an active learning method, which requires our participation and involvement in the classroom. For us students who have been exposed only to the traditional teaching methods, this calls for a major change in our approach to learning.

Cases allow us to learn by doing. They allow us to step into the shoes of decisionmakers in real organizations, and deal with the issues managers face. Cases improve our ability to ask the right questions, in a given problem situation. They improve ability to identify and understand the underlying problems. Case studies expose us to a wide range of industries, organizations, functions and responsibility levels. It provides us the flexibility and confidence to deal with a variety of tasks and responsibilities in our careers. It also helps us to make more informed decisions about our career choices. It provides us with an exposure to the actual working of business and other organizations in the real world. Case studies reflect the reality of managerial decision-making in the real world. Cases reflect the ambiguity and complexity that accompany most management issues. When working on a case study in a group, we are able to understand and deal with the different viewpoints and perspectives of the other members in our team. This serves to improve our communication, interpersonal skills and develops leadership qualities. Cases studies strengthen our grasp of management theory, by providing real-life examples of the underlying theoretical concepts. By providing rich, interesting information about real business situations, they breathe life into conceptual discussions. They improve our decision making skills, including generating different alternatives, selecting decision criteria, evaluating alternatives, choosing the best one and formulating action and implementation plans.

By Kanik Gupta(15) SCMS(UG),Noida