hbs case study example

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Guide: Teaching Cases Online

A guide for experienced educators who are new to online case teaching.

Educator Training: Selecting Cases to Use in Your Classes

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Educator Training: Teaching with Cases

Key strategies and practical advice for engaging students using the case method.

Frequently Asked Questions

What support can I offer my students around analyzing cases and preparing for discussion?

Case discussions can be a big departure from the norm for students who are used to lecture-based classes. The Case Analysis Coach is an interactive tutorial on reading and analyzing a case study. The Case Study Handbook covers key skills students need to read, understand, discuss and write about cases. The Case Study Handbook is also available as individual chapters to help your students focus on specific skills.

How can I transfer my in-person case teaching plan to an online environment?

The case method can be used in an online environment without sacrificing its benefits. We have compiled a few resources to help you create transformative online learning experiences with the case method. Learn how HBS brought the case method online in this podcast , gather some quick guidance from the article " How to Teach Any Case Online ", review the Teaching Cases Online Guide for a deep dive, and check out our Teaching Online Resources Page for more insights and inspiration.

After 35 years as an academic, I have come to the conclusion that there is a magic in the way Harvard cases are written. Cases go from specific to general, to show students that business situations are amenable to hard headed analysis that then generalize to larger theoretical insights. The students love it! Akshay Rao Professor, General Mills Chair in Marketing at the University of Minnesota

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What is the Case Study Method?

Overview Dropdown up

Overview dropdown down, celebrating 100 years of the case method at hbs.

The 2021-2022 academic year marks the 100-year anniversary of the introduction of the case method at Harvard Business School. Today, the HBS case method is employed in the HBS MBA program, in Executive Education programs, and in dozens of other business schools around the world. As Dean Srikant Datar's says, the case method has withstood the test of time.

Case Discussion Preparation Details Expand All Collapse All

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How Cases Unfold In the Classroom

How cases unfold in the classroom dropdown up, how cases unfold in the classroom dropdown down, preparation guidelines expand all collapse all, read the professor's assignment or discussion questions read the professor's assignment or discussion questions dropdown down, read the first few paragraphs and then skim the case read the first few paragraphs and then skim the case dropdown down, reread the case, underline text, and make margin notes reread the case, underline text, and make margin notes dropdown down, note the key problems on a pad of paper and go through the case again note the key problems on a pad of paper and go through the case again dropdown down, how to prepare for case discussions dropdown up, how to prepare for case discussions dropdown down, read the professor's assignment or discussion questions, read the first few paragraphs and then skim the case, reread the case, underline text, and make margin notes, note the key problems on a pad of paper and go through the case again, case study best practices expand all collapse all, prepare prepare dropdown down, discuss discuss dropdown down, participate participate dropdown down, relate relate dropdown down, apply apply dropdown down, note note dropdown down, understand understand dropdown down, case study best practices dropdown up, case study best practices dropdown down, participate, what can i expect on the first day dropdown down.

Most programs begin with registration, followed by an opening session and a dinner. If your travel plans necessitate late arrival, please be sure to notify us so that alternate registration arrangements can be made for you. Please note the following about registration:

HBS campus programs – Registration takes place in the Chao Center.

India programs – Registration takes place outside the classroom.

Other off-campus programs – Registration takes place in the designated facility.

What happens in class if nobody talks? Dropdown down

Professors are here to push everyone to learn, but not to embarrass anyone. If the class is quiet, they'll often ask a participant with experience in the industry in which the case is set to speak first. This is done well in advance so that person can come to class prepared to share. Trust the process. The more open you are, the more willing you’ll be to engage, and the more alive the classroom will become.

Does everyone take part in "role-playing"? Dropdown down

Professors often encourage participants to take opposing sides and then debate the issues, often taking the perspective of the case protagonists or key decision makers in the case.

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The HBS Case Study Goes Digital with HBX

• 08 Aug 2017

HBX was developed by HBS faculty as a way to bring the renowned HBS case study method to a digital platform. As one would expect, not everything can be easily translated into the digital world, but the online space does have its advantages.

As Professor Bharat Anand said, “What the case method and online education have in common is that they are both centered on each individual student.”

From that perspective, HBX found itself in familiar waters when trying to translate the HBS learning model into an online platform. Just like in an HBS classroom, there are no long faculty-led lectures or passive learning time - the courses rely heavily on peer interaction and experiential learning to help students master the topics that are discussed.

But, because of the asynchronous nature of HBX programs and the larger, more global scale, the intimate atmosphere and close connections you'd make in a more traditional HBS MBA classroom were more difficult to recreate.

Nonetheless, HBX was able to harness many of the central elements of the case method within their course structure and platform design, ensuring an active, social, and case-based learning experience.

Some of these hallmarks of the case method include:

1. Expert Insights

First, instead of reading a dossier about a company, HBX courses incorporate short, well-produced videos with actual managers and business owners from a variety of industries within nearly every lesson. These leaders provide background on their companies, discuss real business challenges that tie into the course concepts, and share valuable insights. Then, the student is asked to put themselves in the manager's shoes and explain what choices they would make in a given situation and why.

2. Interactive, Experiential Learning

Just like at HBS, students at HBX have to pay careful attention because their skills and knowledge can be put to the test at any moment. Throughout the courses, students encounter interactive learning exercises, polls, and “cold calls” which help them remain alert and focused on the material.

3. Social Learning and Peer-Based Discussions

Last, but not least, HBX makes sure the critical peer-learning element of the case method is still present. This is not an easy feat for an online course, especially one with students working on courses at all times of day from all over the world.

The course platform features a global map that shows where other people are currently learning from, offers a “peer help” function, allowing you to debate and ask or answer questions about the content, gives you the opportunity to read and comment on classmates’ responses to in-course exercises, and encourages you to contribute to the community.

Beyond that, HBX also offers private Facebook groups for each cohort to encourage additional conversations—many students take it upon themselves to organize study groups or social meet ups in cities around the world.

These social learning aspects of the case method allow students to engage, learn from each other, debate, and, through this process, deepen their knowledge of course concepts and broaden their viewpoints.

About the Author

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Teaching By the Case Method

This section takes you behind the scenes and into the classroom with Harvard Business School Professor David Garvin as he teaches the R. R. Donnelley & Sons case in a development program for case method instructors. We feature elements of Professor Garvin's pre-class planning process and classroom video excerpts to provide a taste of case method teaching preparation and execution.

The video excerpts below are drawn from Professor Garvin's eighty-minute class session and include voice-over commentary.

If you are interested in a broader look at teaching at the Harvard Business School, Inside the HBS Case Method brings together both faculty and student experiences and showcases our approach to participant-centered learning.

R. R. Donnelley & Sons

Christensen center tip sheets.

• Characteristics of Effective Case Method Teaching
• Elements of Effective Class Preparation
• Guidelines for Effective Observation of Case Instructors
• In-Class Assessment of Discussion-Based Teaching
• Questions for Class Discussions
• Teaching Quantitative Material
• Strategies and Tactics for Sensitive Topics

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