The Case for Competition: Learning About Evidence-Based Management Through Case Competition
Abstract
Over the last century, business cases have developed into a centerpiece of management education (Hammond, 1976; Mesney, 2013). More recently, the use of cases in business schools has extended beyond the classroom setting. Students around the world invest considerable time and energy to prepare for and compete in case competitions. We argue that an annual case competition should be established that embodies an evidence-based management (EBMgt) perspective. We extend previous suggestions about adapting case-based teaching to better support EBMgt (e.g., Goodman & O'Brien, 2012; Rousseau & McCarthy, 2007), recognizing that such a shift requires a fundamental change to how many business educators use cases (Mesney, 2013). We believe an EBMgt-focused case competition can promote greater awareness and use of the EBMgt concept, benefiting students and other stakeholders.