Discussion: View Thread

  • 1.  Training first-year students in mini-case analysis

    Posted 10-24-2001 18:02
    OK

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Jeffrey Cameron Kennedy [mailto:AJeffrey@ntu.edu.sg]
    Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 9:16 PM
    To: 'Management Education and Development Discussion'
    Subject: Training first-year students in mini-case analysis


    ------------------ I'm interested in developing first-year students'
    skills in using OB models to analyse mini-cases (eg applying path-goal
    theory or job characteristics model to a 1 or 2 page description of an
    organisational situation). Some students do it well. Many merely repeat
    (with minor variations) the material from the case without making
    meaningful linkages to the OB material. Others repeat back the OB stuff
    with minimal reference to the case. These last two groups seldom come up
    with ideas for future actions (implied by the OB material), and are
    unable to identify whether contingencies in the case description make
    use of the particular OB material appropriate or inappropriate.

    The traditional narrative descriptions in textbooks regarding the
    process for analysing cases don't seem to get the message across. I
    would like to create some structured approach (perhaps a worksheet?)
    that requires students to go through the various steps - identify key
    components of the OB model, identify contingencies determining
    appropriateness of model, summarise evidence from case relevant to
    contingencies, etc. I'm not sure if it's possible to have a generic
    worksheet, or whether it might need to be tailored to each example. Has
    anyone on the list developed (or found) any relevant resources for this?

    Jeff Kennedy kennedj@lincoln.ac.nz
    Visiting Teaching Fellow Ph: +65-790 5785
    Nanyang Business School
    Singapore 639798


  • 2.  Training first-year students in mini-case analysis

    Posted 10-25-2001 06:49
    From: sbsnh4 [mailto:heardn@ecommerce.ac.uk]

    You could have a look at www.economics.ltsn.ac.uk/debe/ . Case study
    methodologies were a particular feature of their recent conference.


    Nick Heard
    Research Associate
    eCommerce Innovation Centre
    CARBS


  • 3.  Training first-year students in mini-case analysis

    Posted 10-26-2001 09:02
    For my lower-level business courses in Germany,
    in English, for starters, I teach two 90-minute
    lectures:
    -Techniques of oral presentations
    -Techniques of analysis
    and as part of the Course Introduction I teach
    the structure of writing up the case analysis.
    After these three lectures I hand out a good
    example from a student in a previous semester.
    The students present a 20-minute summary in
    class, followed by a critique and discussion by
    the instructor and class. A detailed written
    evaluation is provided for the written analysis.
    I generally use the Ivey cases from U. Western
    Ontario, as they have a greater selection of
    cases suitable for undergraduates. See
    http://www.ivey.uwo.ca/cases/
    Hope this helps,
    Romie Littrell

    --- Charles Wankel <cxx@bellatlantic.net> wrote:
    > OK
    >
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Jeffrey Cameron Kennedy
    > [mailto:AJeffrey@ntu.edu.sg]
    > Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 9:16 PM
    > To: 'Management Education and Development
    > Discussion'
    > Subject: Training first-year students in
    > mini-case analysis
    >
    >
    > ------------------ I'm interested in developing
    > first-year students'
    > skills in using OB models to analyse mini-cases
    > (eg applying path-goal
    > theory or job characteristics model to a 1 or 2
    > page description of an
    > organisational situation). Some students do it
    > well. Many merely repeat
    > (with minor variations) the material from the
    > case without making
    > meaningful linkages to the OB material. Others
    > repeat back the OB stuff
    > with minimal reference to the case. These last
    > two groups seldom come up
    > with ideas for future actions (implied by the
    > OB material), and are
    > unable to identify whether contingencies in the
    > case description make
    > use of the particular OB material appropriate
    > or inappropriate.
    >
    > The traditional narrative descriptions in
    > textbooks regarding the
    > process for analysing cases don't seem to get
    > the message across. I
    > would like to create some structured approach
    > (perhaps a worksheet?)
    > that requires students to go through the
    > various steps - identify key
    > components of the OB model, identify
    > contingencies determining
    > appropriateness of model, summarise evidence
    > from case relevant to
    > contingencies, etc. I'm not sure if it's
    > possible to have a generic
    > worksheet, or whether it might need to be
    > tailored to each example. Has
    > anyone on the list developed (or found) any
    > relevant resources for this?
    >
    > Jeff Kennedy kennedj@lincoln.ac.nz
    > Visiting Teaching Fellow Ph: +65-790 5785
    > Nanyang Business School
    > Singapore 639798


    =====
    Prof. Romie F. Littrell, Ph.D.
    Department of Managaement
    Fh-Aalen University of Applied Sciences
    Beethovenstrasse Nr. 1
    D-73430 Aalen
    Germany
    Fax: (49)7361-576-330

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