Case Hub

Case Hub

The Case Hub supports research into developing case writing, a popular business school educational tool

  1. What is a case?
    • A case is an educational tool based on a real-life business scenario, used in the classroom to educate business students. It puts students in business decision-makers’ shoes and highlights tools businesspeople use on a day-to-day basis.
  2. What does it look like?
    • Browse our Sample Cases page to gain insight on how cases look.
  3. Why do we use cases?
    • Cases invite students to consider the complexity of real-life business challenges, thereby prompting the synthesis of knowledge gained through regular study.
  4. How does the Center approach case writing?
    • The Center is designed to construct cases based on Qatari companies, for use in the Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar classrooms.
  5. Is this a collaborative effort?
    • Yes! We work alongside companies to gain their approval on how their case portrays their information.
  6. Where can I learn more about this?
  1. The Opening Paragraph:
    • Who is the protagonist?
  2. Organization Background:
    • What is the context?
  3. Specific Area of Interest:
    • What is the focus?
  4. Specific Problem or Decision:
    • What is the dilemma?
  5. Alternatives:
    • What else could be considered?
  6. Conclusion:
    • What should the protagonist do?

Goals:

  1. To collaborate with the Partner Organization and agree upon achievable outcomes for each party.
  2. To construct a business Case that can be used as an instructional tool in university classrooms through,
    1. Identification of an Issue that the Partner Organization is currently facing, or has recently addressed,
    2. Gathering detailed information about that Issue from the Partner Organization, and 
    3. Collaboration with a CMU-Q Professor possessing subject matter expertise in the area of the issue to develop the Case as well as a Teaching Note that has high instructional value.
  3. (Upon completion of the Case) To implement the Case in a CMU-Q classroom.  If possible, the Partner Organization will be invited to send their representative to observe class discussion and share the Organization’s insights with the students.  

Timeline:

Phase 1: Beginning

  1. Meeting 1: The Center and the Partner Organization meet and attempt to identify an Issue, and agree upon an action plan.
  2. Meeting 2 onwards: The Center and the Partner Organization meet to find relevant information about the Issue that the Partner Organization wishes to be included in the case.


Phase 2: Construction

  1. The Center builds an outline of the Case under faculty supervision.
  2. The Center shares a draft of the Case with the Client.
  3. The Center finalizes the Case.


Phase 3: Utilization

  1. The Center and faculty schedule use of the Case in the classroom.
  2. The Client is invited to observe the use of the Case.
  3. The Case is used in the classroom.
  4. The Case is reviewed based on the classroom experience and any edits, if needed, are made.
  5. The Center submits the Case for potential publishing.

To reach out to the Case Hub, or for more info about case writing, please email:
CaseHub@andrew.cmu.edu