Cs

Case study

The case study is a form of learning using a description of a real or hipothetical case, that becomes a subject for trainees to analise. Trainees become the decision-makers, who are reacting in a given situation. Later, their decisions are discussed and lessons are learned. This form is often used at business schools to teach reasoning and changing the manager's behaviours for the better.

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Worth to know

  • The case study inspires joint work and search for creative solutions (even if finding solutions is not the learners direct task) - work with the case study method develops the ability of critical and creative thinking (both individual and in a group).

  • The use of a case study allows for the obtainment of a completely new perspective on a specific situation, which has happened in the organization - if the learners did not know the situation they can formulate interesting ideas and modes of action during the analysis process, which can be implemented into the organization.

  • A case study can be the base of discussion - a description of real or hypothetical situations becomes the starting point of conversation, the goal of which can be the search for solutions useful in the everyday work of the learners. A description of specific challenges can also be a challenge for learners or teams.

  • The sharing of one’s own case studies can be a form of building a company's image. Additional credibility is added to it by the statements of people who were directly involved in the realization of the project.

  • The case study can be a diagnostic method. The analysis of a case as a diagnostic method is used during the assessment centre, which is a method of rating a candidate during the recruitment process. An exercise prepared in the form of a case study allows for the observation of a candidate’s behavior in situations close to the reality of the workstation they are applying for. The way the candidate deals with the exercise can be the basis of their professional suitability rating.

  • The basic benefit that comes from the use of a case analysis as a teaching method is the fact that it allows for the integration of theoretical knowledge from a certain field and its practical use in an easy-to-understand way. Thanks to that it is easier for the learners to see and understand the cause and effect and correlation mechanisms that occur between phenomena.

  • The use of a case study as a training form allows for an accurate depiction of situations that the learners have to deal with on a daily basis - work on such material favors engagement in the learning process and gives a feeling of purpose.