The Mechanics of Case Development in Business Ethics

Dr. Baocheng Liu

Center for International Business Ethics,

University of International Business and Economics

July 17, 2008

What is the History of Case Study Methodology?

Case study methodology has a long, rich and productive history in the disciplines of law, business and medicine, and most importantly in pedagogy in the field of higher learning. Cases are proven powerful instructional tools popularly employed by teachers and trainers to illustrate real life situations in the world of business. In 1919, the Harvard Business School borrowed the technique from the medical and legal educational processes to become the first champion for the case approach in business education. Discovery, research, and writing good cases is a mixture of science and art that is time consuming and expensive, often requiring weeks or months of dedicated efforts. A good case must be able to present rich data and events surrounding an important issue or decision.

How is a Case Different Than a Story or a Play?

A case is different than a story in that it must be real. Factual figures, events, processes and data are the basic composites of a case. Although figurative lines can be used, they only serve the purpose of dressing up the case in a more engaging manner without distorting the facts. A case is also different than a play or drama. A case expects intellectual participation of learners for reasoning, discussion and further research, whereas a drama is essentially a roadmap for actors to faithfully act upon.

What is the Purpose of a Case Study?

Although a case is filled with facts and events, the purpose of case methodology is not expository in nature, instead, it is decisional. A quality case has to be engaging, demanding, and intellectually stimulating, more likely to bridge the vast chasm between principle and practice. In the end, it helps neophytes learn to think, to decide in dilemmas. In other words, it is not...