At school, lessons often have a good deal theory and for some students can be quite boring – even if they’re useful. However, with case studies, students see that theory is derived from real-world events and can be used to predict real-world events. We will tell you more in the paragraphs.
How to write a case report. You can use our guide. It will be challenging to write a low-quality case study if you follow our advice.
What is case study research?
A case study is a method of studying an individual case in detail and solving a problem. Case studies are used in academia, business, and other fields. In business, which we’ll focus more on in this article,a well-written case study can be a powerful marketing tool for attracting customers.
A case study, real world observations are made. In a case study, you analyze real data and draw conclusions from it.
Case studies have a role in law. Lawyers and jurors examine real laws and court cases to determine legal precedents. Case studies are also used in business, medicine, and many other areas.
Case studies are usually more complex than the statement of the problem sample “What is 2+2?”
Case studies can be useful in different ways, for example, in business cases, situational training, and case solving.
Let’s explore business cases.
- Case studies take 2nd place in terms of content popularity among B2B marketers, behind only blogs.
- Sales and promotion through case studies are used by 66% of marketers, 32% of whom consider this method of attracting customers to be very effective.
A case study may be that one thing that the client has been seeking, after which, all that remains is to process applications and receive income.
Where else case study research is used
Case studies are used in practice-oriented learning. The purpose is to adapt theory that students learn and apply that theory to real business situations. This helps students learn how to practically use analytical tools and consider different ways to achieve business goals. Although the system of teaching with real examples has been employed since ancient times, case studies were formalized as a teaching method in the 20th century. Now more and more educational institutions are seeking to introduce this pedagogical tool because it develops students’ ability to think strategically and apply theoretical knowledge in practice.
In business education, the ability to create case studies is essential. Thus, case studies are actively used in the distance learning system (LMS) developed by City Business School. Students get acquainted with situations taken from the practice of different companies or modeled by analogy.
How to sell through case analysis
Publishing case studies on websites,, in media, or in various business-related platforms can be beneficial to the person wishing to disseminate their results. Before taking this step however, understand that you should not only talk about your results, but also show that you correctly reached the results by showing your methodology.
Why cases studies are needed in training
While case studies seldom are the sole basis of a training, they are often a valuable supplement to the lecture.
Let’s take an example, using a lecture about customer service.
A customer walks into a cafe and asks for an Americano. The barista misspells the customer’s name on their cup of coffee. The customer sees the mistake and becomes visibly upset.
- This anecdote could be used as a case study to highlight the importance of listening to customers and the impact that small details can have on the customer experience.
- The case study could be used as an example of the importance of empathy and active listening, including noticing visual cues in order to de-escalate tense situations.
Some case studies examples for students
To choose the right case for your studies, consider the following characteristics:
- The case should correspond to your educational and skills level.
- You should understand the value of this case – is it some kind of world problem or something of a more individual/personal nature?.
- There should be a problem to which you seek an answer (there may be multiple solutions).
- Will you be able to learn what you seek to learn from the case study?– .
- The case should be exciting and interesting to you personally: this will motivate you to carry out the necessary research to complete it.
Let’s look at an example of a case study.
There are two people who have not seen each other for two years and they have the following conversation:
“Hi! It’s so great to see you. I see you’ve got a new Mercedes and a nice suit. Two years ago you had a Volvo. You sure are moving up in the world.”
“And you still have that old Peugeot? Don’t give up. Just keep trying and some day you’ll be as successful as me.”
“Yes! My old Peugeot. But I’ve also got my wonderful wife Susan and my daughter Kate, who just turned 10. I guess you could say, I feel pretty rich in my own way.”
If we were to imagine this as a case study, we could use it to explore:
- Differences in values and priorities between the two individuals. One values material possessions, whereas the other is more focused on family and relationships.
- How societal norms and expectations around “success can influence our behaviors toward one another.
Let’s look at another example of a case study.. A huntsman’s son encounters a fox with young in the forest and frightens them away. Although the young follow the mother, one sleeps on, unaware. The huntsman’s son decides to take the abandoned fox home.
- This anecdote could be used to highlight empathy and action-taking in decision making.
- It could serve as an example of individual actions in the context of a broader ecosystem and understanding the consequences of those actions, particularly with regard to human interactions with wildlife.
The main task of this case is to understand what could have been done in this situation and why the boy faced unpleasant consequences. This is a good case, because there are problems in it – the boy could have acted differently; there is an emotional component – particularly for students of a younger age, parent-child relationships are very important; finally, it could be made to correspond to the emotional and intellectual skills of a child in elementary school.
When they give case studies examples for students
Students who study business are often faced with case study writing because it can help them in their future careers. If a business is aimed at solving consumer problems, then case studies should definitely be added to the promotion strategy. If a company provides commonplace services or offers a simple or very well-known product, then attraction through case studies will not yield significant results.
In this niche, the effect of surprise and a ready solution to the problem are required. Your hero must have conflict, overcoming a difficult situation through trial and error, but achieving ultimate success only with the help of your product.
Remember: promotional materials, advertising campaigns, press releases – all these are NOT case studies. All these methods sell well, but do not demonstrate the possibilities of the example of real projects, which can only be done through a case study.
What skills are developed with the help of a case study
A case study is one of the ways of exploring issues and solving problems that a person is facing right now or will see in the near future. However, cases contain many important skills that can be trained individually. They will help in practical tasks and in other life situations where you need to make decisions. In the process of studying the topic, theoretical knowledge, personal qualities, communication skills, logic and concentration are combined (there is always a time limit for solving cases). Also the following skills can be developed through case studies:
- Critical thinking and information literacy. For any person in the 21st century, it is important to be able to navigate information and be able to check it. Even in cases, there is deliberately false information that will teach the student to analyze every fact from tasks and life in general.
- Creative approach to knowledge. We even need a theory in order to use it in a given situation in life. But it often happens that knowledge accumulates or is quickly forgotten. Cases will help to transfer school knowledge into everyday space and prevent them from remaining uninteresting facts forever.
- Solution variability. In real life, there is very rarely a single correct answer. Often the decision of the situation depends on many factors, which in many respects are also individual. Cases will teach students to independently weigh all the facts and make decisions.
How to do a case study avoiding possible problems
A business case study generates hot leads and has a positive effect on the reputation of an entrepreneur. However, many businessmen still cannot decide to use this content format to attract customers and increase sales for a number of reasons:
- There is no story to tell. In this case, you can postpone the idea or create an anti-case study, presenting a narrative of failure, as a warning to clients about such errors.
- There is no client willing to cooperate. Yes, privacy is very important, and writing about someone without their consent is a fundamentally wrong decision. Here you need to have diplomatic skills in negotiations, being able to convince your client that the case study will help not only you, but also them. As a last resort, you could offer to provide information without mentioning specific persons and brands, but only with the consent of the participant in the story.
- Fears that competitors will take advantage of the idea and increase their rating. Of course, case studies are used in the training systems, but it is difficult to “steal” an idea for one simple reason – the story is unique, and copy-paste is easy to challenge. Not all companies will take this risk.
- An expert is needed to help write a selling case study for the first time. Not all entrepreneurs are marketers, SEO specialists, and authors. We advise you to turn to the experienced experts who are available at writing services, such as BuyEssayCorp.com site.
There will always be difficulties, but if you creatively persevere, a case study can be a great option for you. You should not be afraid of them and completely abandon the available way to promote your business.
How to make your case study effective in a group setting
- As always, students should solve a case according to their understanding of a particular economic system. They proceed from real circumstances and conditions, as if they were faced with a problem in doing business.
- If, during a group discussion, each participant puts forward their own opinions and decisions, then the overall result obtained by analyzing the various points of view and their information will be better. Therefore, even in group work, each participant in the discussion should work on the case.
- Each participant in a group discussion has the right to make mistakes without judgment: the point of working in a team is precisely to exchange opinions, discuss different points of view and come to a rational decision together.
- The case does not have a standard or the only correct solution: a prerequisite for a well-posed task is the variability of answers that participants can offer.
- The team evaluates its results jointly. The objectivity of the evaluation is increased if the results of the work are analyzed by experienced tutors. The tutor explains the conditions of the case to the students and in some cases helps to go through the stages of its solution.
The undoubted advantages of case studies are not only in the development of important skills but also in the variability of training, and also in the fact that their development does not require special material and time costs. Participants can demonstrate their creative and leadership abilities, teamwork and delegation skills, the ability to analyze their mistakes, and present the results in a relaxed atmosphere (since this is still a business game). All these characteristics are the reason why this method is now popular not only among the developers of the methodology of teaching programs, but also among students.
Steps of writing case study examples for students of business
Define a goal
Any marketing strategy requires the formulation of a clear goal and planning of financial resources. Perhaps you are planning to increase the rating of the company, attract business partners or sell your product to customers. Think of how a case study will help achieve the goal. In any case, the goal should also include a budget for promotion and options (contextual advertising, social networks, search engines, blog/website, etc.).
Formulate the topic of the case study and format
Your case study story can’t just be interesting. It must also be up to date. It is not recommended to choose unique projects with a rare problem, for which the responses will be appropriate. The conflict should be close to your target audience, and methods can be changed, as well as circumstances.
Some problems that a client might try to solve with help from a case study:
- cost minimization
- profit growth
- increase in customers
- coverage
- quality improvement
- business optimization, including taxes and much more.
The case study format also matters. It can be a text material, a presentation, a one-page website with your own domain name, a PDF file, a video, or a podcast.
The next step to create a selling case study is the choice of a client
If the topic has already been set, then it remains to find a client for it who agrees to publish their story. Of course, if this is a well-known brand, then it will be just great, as trust will increase significantly.
Case study creation for a client
Be sure to agree on the format of the case study with the client and get answers to those questions that will help prepare interesting and attractive material according to the scheme:
- Problem.
- Solution.
- Outcome.
It is important to understand that the main character of the case study is your client, not the product. Progress through the problem and identify its solution
The general scheme of the selling case study:
- A headline that should grab attention. For example, “Case study of the company (name)” (bad option), “How sales increased by 30% in a week using the product (name)” (good name).
- Brief content/summary. Describe your story briefly, but in such a way that a reader wants to read the entire material.
- Who your client is – company, person, their status, business niche, company features?
- Problem and expectation – what the client came to you with, what goal they pursue.
- A decision – an action that helped achieve a goal with your product.
- The results of the active struggle for a “place in the sun,” preferably in numbers and visual demonstration (before and after).
- Plans for the future to achieve a higher result.
- Call to action and feedback through the built-in form or through the specified contacts.
Publication
After agreeing on the case study with the story participant, take care of the project design and uniqueness. It can be an infographic or a simple layout, which also depends on the budget, format and financial capabilities.
Remember! The material should be easy to read. Highlight important points with font, color, or separate paragraphs. The perception of the case study is more convenient and interesting with the right visual presentation – graphs, tables, animation.
Where to publish and how to promote case studies
In order for as many potential customers as possible to become aware of the case study, it must not only be compiled correctly, but also published in the right place with subsequent promotion. Among the platforms for publishing a selling case study, you could consider:
- Company website or blog.
- Thematic resources, forums, popular sites with your target audience.
- If your site has low traffic, then it is better to plan an additional budget for publishing the case study in the media and on portals with high traffic.
- Social networks – on your page and in thematic groups. In the latter case, you should agree on the placement of the case study with the admin of the group, as you can end up in spam.
The final stage of creating a case study is its promotion. It can be, for example, targeted and contextual advertising, word of mouth through friends/acquaintances/clients/experts.
To create a sales case study with feedback, start small – find a story with a problem that will interest your target audience. Next, set a goal, conduct an interview with the client, form the material yourself or through experts (much more efficiently) and publish your project on popular sites.
If the case is really selling, then the result will not be long in coming!
