Learning from Case Studies

by Geoff Easton

This work presents a step-by-step approach to the analysis of case studies. The approach is based upon a problem-solving paradigm widely available, but is specifically designed to deal with case study material, offering students ways to improve their skills in case analysis. This revised edition offers a more behavioural approach to problem solving. In addition, a single case replaces the individual cases used previously to improve continuity and integration.

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Keilee]

While the title does include the phrase “case studies”, no legal case studies were included in this book. This work is targeted towards advanced undergraduates and MBA students working on analyzing economic/business cases.

Easton suggests students have trouble identifying problems from case studies due to the problem not being laid out for them ahead of time. This is in contrast to many other educational contexts where students are given problems and told to solve them (recall or apply facts). The metaphor Easton uses for the feeling associated with navigating case studies for the first time is like “being in a fog without a compass”.

To me, that metaphor is what grad school has felt like. I wonder if this feeling will ever go away.