This insightful book offers crucial guidance on writing better cases, harnessing Eric Dolansky’s extensive experience to improve both processes and outcomes. He emphasises that improving case writing increases the engagement of students, promotes further use of cases, and helps cases accomplish classroom aims successfully.
The book covers the entire process of case writing, from planning and preparation, to writing the case itself, through to using your work and publication. Chapters present key insights into finding and interacting with decision-makers to create better cases, improving the case 'hook' and narrative, as well as aligning theory, learning objectives, and analysis to create consistency. The book also includes a 120-point checklist for authors to ensure that the finished case manuscript incorporates everything already discussed.
How To Make Your Great Cases Even Better is an essential resource for scholars and educators in business and management, education, research and teaching methods, especially those involved in case writing. It is also a valuable read for administrators and leaders in higher education and research centres.
This insightful book offers crucial guidance on writing better cases, harnessing Eric Dolansky’s extensive experience to improve both processes and outcomes. He emphasises that improving case writing increases the engagement of students, promotes further use of cases, and helps cases accomplish classroom aims successfully.
Arvustused
Many think they can draft a case. Eric Dolansky shows how to create one with real impact. His guide on rigorous, decision-focused case research demonstrates the process and effort required for classroom excellence. Its demanding work, but achievable. Faculty committed to cases that truly matter will find their roadmap here. -- Candis McInnes, Executive Director, Ivey Publishing Even experienced case writers sometimes have trouble making a case shine. Eric Dolansky draws on his extensive background as case writer, reviewer, and case journal editor to provide detailed yet readable expertise on ways to improve both case and instructors manual to create a better learning and teaching experience. -- Margaret Naumes, University of New Hampshire, USA Dr. Eric Dolansky is among the most talented, knowledgeable and experienced case writers and editors on the planet. In this engaging account of how he thinks about case writing, he openly shares his secrets and process for publishing excellent cases that are loved in classrooms around the world. -- Meredith J. Woodwark, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada Want to write cases like a pro? This is the book for you. Eric Dolansky, former Editor of the Case Research Journal, takes you inside the process of outstanding case research and writing. I highly recommend this book to both new and experienced case authors. -- Randall Harris, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, USA
Contents
1 Introduction; my life in cases
PART I PLANNING AND PREPARATION
Introduction to Part I: Planning and preparation
2 Making the most of your case; maximizing the contribution
of your work
3 Setting goals; what you hope to achieve with this project
4 Topics and contexts; choosing your case topics with intention
5 Starting projects; planning and expectations
PART II THE CASE
Introduction to Part II: The case
6 Case decisions; decision focus and consistency
7 The introductory paragraph; importance, urgency, and hook
8 Case data; what to include and what to leave out
9 Narrative and character; your protagonist and their story
10 Point of view; how the reader engages with the case
11 General tips; the little things that will make your case stand out
12 Consistency; connecting and iterating the case to the
instructors manual
PART III THE INSTRUCTORS MANUAL
Introduction to Part III: The instructors manual
13 Instructors manual structure; why it is how it is
14 The opening bits; the synopsis, target courses, research
methodology, and use of the case
15 Learning objectives; framing the purpose of the entire
document
16 Integrating theory and concepts; how to make the case as
useful as possible
17 Suggested teaching approaches; how to make the class as
useful as possible
18 Writing discussion questions; how to create questions that
contribute the most
19 Answering discussion questions; making the response fit the
case and class needs
20 Quantitative and qualitative analysis; how to communicate the
work
21 Building decision focus in the instructors manual; bringing it
back to the decision
22 Concluding the instructors manual; using the epilogue,
appendices, and conclusion to the best effect
PART IV USING YOUR WORK
Introduction to Part IV: Using your work
23 Next steps; preparing your case for use and publication
24 Teaching your case; how to get the most out of the experience
25 Editing and improving; continuing to improve your work and
process
26 Conclusion: Better cases, better outcomes
Eric Dolansky, Associate Professor of Marketing, Department of Marketing, International Business, and Strategy, Goodman School of Business, Brock University, Canada
