e introduction of the case study method at Harvard, the situations presented in most of the case studies are no longer realistic. Assuming for the moment that the situations presented in the case studies are realistic, however, students at the Harvard University Business School are asked to diagnose and analyze the case situations presented to them. Following the diagnosis and analysis, students are expected to recommend an appropriate action to be initiated by the subject firm in the case. Thus, the formula for the use of a case study in learning business is relatively simple and direct diagnose and analyze a situation that actually occurred in some firm, and then recommend the next step that should be taken by that firm.
Diagnosis requires the student to find out what is wrong in the case situation. In the Harvard University Business School case study approach, there is an assumption that something is "wrong," i.e., a problem exists, in every situation (Ewing, 1990, p. 54). Practically then, the student is required to identify the problem confronting the firm in the case situation, and then define and reduce that problem to discrete components that lend themselves to analysis.
In the analysis aspect of the case study method at the Harvard University Business School, the student is expected to identify all of the various factors that impinge on the problem existing in the case situation. Next, the student is asked to dissect the processes in the case situation to determine how each of these factors affects the problem in the case situation. Based on such a detailed analysis, the student then is expected to synthesize the relevant aspects of the analysis to construct recommended future actions for the firm in the case situation.
The typical process expected to be a student at the Harvard University Business School in reaching a conclusion with respect to recommended actions involves the development of alternative soluti...