ICHRIE Johnson & Wales Case Study
Competition and Publication Series
Marianna Sigala
Professor of Tourism
Why case studies?
From solution-based to question-oriented teaching & learning
strategies for helping students develop the following skills:
• identifying and recognising problems
• understanding and interpreting data
• understanding and recognising assumptions and inferences, as opposed
to concrete facts
• thinking analytically and critically
• understanding and assessing interpersonal relationships
• exercising and making judgments
• communicating ideas and opinions
• making and defending decisions
• learn how to differentiate between major and minor issues,
• discover business patterns
• distinguish problems from symptoms, and
• synthesize their thoughts into coherent, articulated and actionable
decisions
Successful case studies
•
•
•
•
Relate the theory to a practical situation
Identify the problems and their situation
The case study does not provide answers
Case studies raise questions and allows the student
to work through the decision-making process and
find his or her preferred solution
• Case studies are as realistic as possible
• A good case study is more than a description of facts
How to
write case studies
How to generate an idea and data
for writing case studies
 Workplace – internships
 student and employee experiences
 student placements
 own, relatives’ or friends’ experiences
 critical incidents; observations or involvement
 Industry visits; observations; interviews; focus groups
 Mass media – Internet - Publications
Two types of case studies
The Analytical Approach
• The case study is examined
in order to try and
understand what has
happened and why.
• It is not necessary to
identify problems or
suggest solutions.
The Problem-Oriented
Method
The case study is analysed
• to identify the major
problems that exist and
• to suggest – probe students
to identify solutions to
these problems.
Four styles of case studies
• illustrative (descriptive of events)
• exploratory (investigative)
• cumulative (collective information
comparisons) and
• critical (examine particular subject with cause
and effect outcomes)
Writing a case study
STRUCTURE
1. Abstract - Introduction
• Outline the purpose of the case study
• Provides a scenario of the case study
• Describe the field /context of research – this is
usually an overview of the company
• Outline the issues and findings of the case
study without the specific details
• Identify the theory that will be used
• Introduce the protagonist(s)
• Note any assumptions made (you may not have all the
information you’d like so some assumptions may be necessary
eg: “It has been assumed that…”)
summary of the five questions :
• what • who • why• where • when
The opening paragraph of the case should
typically contain the following information:
• WHOSE role is the student to assume?
• WHO is the key decision maker?
• WHAT is the nature of the issue/problem?
• WHEN did the case take place? Specify the date
line in this paragraph.
• WHERE did the case take place; What
organization?
• WHY did the issue/problem arise?
2. MAIN BODY - Findings
• Identify the problems found in the case.
• Each analysis of a problem should be supported by
facts given in the case together with the relevant
theory and course concepts.
• Search for the underlying problems and not only
symptoms, for example: cross-cultural conflict may be only a
symptom of the underlying problem of inadequate policies and
practices within the company.
• Can be divided into sub-sections, one for each
problem.
2. MAIN BODY - Findings
Tell the whole story -- usually in a chronological order
Explain and give details of the issues faced by the firm
How you tell the story can make a difference:
• Tell more than one side to the story so that students can think of
competing alternatives.
• A good case usually revolves around at least one major issue that is
usually simple to identify but not necessarily easy to resolve.
• Engage the reader by using quotations from interviewees or stakeholders
of the case
• Write neutrally: play the role of an honest investigative
• You must NOT provide any diagnosis or prognosis.
• Use sub-headings to allow the reader to follow the story and find
information easily
Don’t provide any analysis, or “lessons learned” in the case;
leave that in the teaching note.
3. Discussion
• Summarise the major problem/s
• Identify alternative solutions / scenarios /
dilemma to this/these major problem/s (there is
likely to be more than one solution per problem)
• Briefly outline each alternative solution and
then evaluate it in terms of its advantages and
disadvantages
• No need to refer to theory or coursework
here.
4. Conclusions
• Sum up the main points from the findings and
discussion
5. Additional Material
• graphic or visual aids such as budgets,
organizational charts, mission statements or
technical specifications
• Websites
• Press releases
• Videos
• Interviews
• Photos
Teaching Notes (1)
Summary-synopsis of the case
a brief description of the case and its context.
Teaching objectives
o Minimum one for a short mini-case to 3-4 for a longer case
o Should be as specific as possible
o Explain why they are important and relevant for the course
Target audience
The target group, courses or class level/ level of difficulty, for which the case
was written and specific prerequisites (what are the students assumed to
master before the case is taught)
If multiple target audiences, discuss different teaching strategies
Teaching Notes (2)
Teaching approach and strategy:
Asking the right question is an art:
Offer ‘trigger’ questions for opening and advancing the case discussion:
Challenging case discussion questions with sample answers.
Controversial questions create more discussion
Consider a combination of closed and open-ended questions
Suggestions for group work or student assignments
Suggestions for a teaching plan: suggested class time, broken down by topics
Indication of the case’s demands on course time-tabling
Teaching Notes (3)
Analysis- sample answers
If applicable, an update of “what actually happened”
Provide examples of REAL sample answers – both outstanding ones
and marginal ones (or even incorrect ones)
A case may not have a single correct answer – try to highlight the
diversity of opinions and approaches
The analysis should offer comprehensive answers to the list of
questions and should, at least, be as thorough as one would expect
from the best student.
If the case includes quantitative data, it might suggest ways of utilising
the data, and should ideally include the details of any
spreadsheet analysis. At the very least it should indicate the
techniques to be used for analysing the data.
Teaching Notes (4)
Additional readings or references
Suggested additional readings should be listed if it is
necessary (or helpful) for students to read text or other
material in conjunction with the case.
Specific readings can be assigned from these lists.
Feedback
It should provide an indication of how the case worked with
different student groups;
where possible indicating the case’s suitability for
written assessment or examination, role-playing, or other
forms of use.
Where known, it might also include the actual outcome of
the case situation, and some follow-up facts.
Reading – References
• LLOnline, IT Case Study
http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/
information-technology/case-study/
• Kimberly, N & Crosling, G 2005, Q Manual,
Monash University, Caulfield East, Vic, pp.47-49.
• Management Case Study, L & L Online tutorial
http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/
business-economics/management/index.xml
• Colorado State University. Case study writing.
http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?g
uideid=60.
ICHRIE Johnson & Wales Case Study
Competition and Publication Series
• enhance the ICHRIE services and benefits to its membership
• create a new publication outlet of ICHRIE provide a new way
of ICHRIE and its members to participate in the
advancement of hospitality & tourism education
• foster and strengthen the communication between
academia and industry within tourism and hospitality
• establish ICHRIE as a valuable source for hospitality &
tourism educational material
• reinforce the role of ICHRIE as a communication hub and
facilitator of knowledge exchanges between research,
academia and industry in hospitality & tourism
A major reason to write and
submit a case study ?
ICHRIE Johnson & Wales
Case Study Competition
1st Prize
• The author(s) of the case study achieving the highest score
will receive a single prize of 1,000 USD plus one free ICHRIE conference registration for the lead author and $100
off the registration fee for any multiple authors.
2nd Prize
• The author(s) of the case study achieving the second
highest score will receive a single prize of 750 USD.
3rd Prize
• The author(s) of the case study achieving the third highest
score will receive a single prize of 500 USD.
Case study winners also:
• Present their case study at the annual ICHRIE
conference in a special session
• Are publicly recognised in printed ICHRIE
publications
• Receive their awards at the ICHRIE Awards
Gala Dinner Ceremony
• Publish their case study in the JHTC
Only ICHRIE members are eligible to
get an award/prize, but nonmembers can also submit a case
study (as a co-author)
ICHRIE Johnson & Wales
Case Study Competition
• Annual competition
• It has been running for 5 years already (about 20 +
case studies submitted per year)
• Every case study is blindly reviewed by 3 reviewers
• The 6th edition of the competition for 2016 will be
announced soon
• Submission deadline around the end of April 2016
• Watch the ICHRIE website for updates and
submission guidelines for the case study
competition
www.chrie.org/membership/case-studycompetition/index.aspx
Journal of
Hospitality & Tourism Cases (JHTC)
• Peer-reviewed referred journal
• 5 volumes published already (4 issues each
volume)
• Acceptance rate (around 60 - 70%, but most case
studies come from the case study competition)
• Around 25 cases submitted every year
• You can submit case studies at any time
JHTC is accessible at :
www.chrie.org/publications/jhtc/index.aspx
Types of case studies
• Case studies may be compiled from field research,
published sources and/or generalised experience.
• The case studies may refer to any topic and subject area
related to the tourism and/or hospitality field and industry.
• The case studies must be a maximum of 5,000 words,
excluding figures, tables, annexes and bibliography.
• Each case study submission must be accompanied by a
teaching note of a minimum of 1,000 words
Guidelines for writing case studies
Case studies must:
• be topical and relevant to current tourism and hospitality issues
• be engaging in order to deliver an interesting learning
experience in the classroom
• explicitly identify, explain and support the teaching objectives
of the topic subject
• thoroughly analyse the theoretical concepts and framework
that underpin the topic of the case study
• include questions / management dilemmas that will be able to
probe class discussions and debates
• any tables, figures, exhibits, annexes and/or supplementary
items should also explain and support the teaching
objectives and theoretical concepts.
Guidelines for writing teaching notes
Teaching notes must include:
• a summary of the case
• Identification of the target audience(s)
• the recommended teaching approach and
strategy to be adopted by other educators
• Analysis / explanation of the teaching
objectives and the theoretical concepts
• additional readings and/or references
No time to write a case study ?
Why not contributing
as a reviewer of case studies?
Just e-mail me:
marianna.sigala@unisa.edu.au
Thank you for listening !
Marianna Sigala
Professor, University of South Australia