Since I started my application process to various MBA programs in 2009, one of the things that intrigued me the most was the case method of imparting management education. Noteworthy among the schools which employ this method are Harvard business school, Darden and IIMA. Although it seemed to be a desirable way of pedagogy, I frankly had little clue about the method until I started experiencing it myself.
On day 1 of our program at IIMA, we were divided into groups and were expected to work closely to solve management problems. A special room akin to the boardrooms of corporates are assigned to each group where we are expected to work - sometimes round the clock to arrive at strategies to problems. These rooms are called syndicate rooms.
The case method is structured such that each class discusses a business problem related to the subject of study. The case is a narration of a real-life-like situation with adequate data and description. This is handed over to each group and a related reading material is stated to prepare, study and possibly solve the business problem.
The syndicate members then individually study the problem, discuss among the group members and prepare a set of decision points. The next day the class discusses the case in conjunction with the subject at hand and the knowledge is imparted indirectly as a side-effect of the case discussion. Various viewpoints come to the classroom as a result of the various groups independently preparing for the same case and this makes the classroom discussions amazingly fruitful.
Thus, the case method helps in exposing the students to a real-life-like situation and hopefully prepares future managers in a very effective way as opposed to a direct study confined to only subject matter discussion.
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