Case Study Method

The case study method is a type of learning that is commonly employed in MBA programs.

It involves studying pre-written cases and discussing them in class.

A case is a document written up about an real company and involves a scenario that actually happened.

The case gives you all the background information and pertinent facts surrounding the scenario.

Then you are usually asked to make decisions based on the case information.

The idea is to give you a feel for real-life decisions in business. It puts you in the role of decision maker.

This method is tends to be effective and works especially well for certain business subjects. Some classes such as marketing, management, and strategy tend to rely heavily on such learning. Other classes such as economics, finance, and even accounting use cases for supplemental learning.

Learning from MBA cases is very different from learning from lectures. For instance, case studies encourage interactivity among classmates. You get differing points-of-view about the case.

This method requires you to think and make decisions. You cannot just spit out memorized answers. You have to use your knowledge of business subjects to support your decisions.

MBA case study is a common method of learning especially when there is no definite answer. You learn by engaging in a "what would you do in this situation" discussion. The biggest benefit is that you apply business concepts to real-world scenarios.