Case Thinking

1
Session 8 Case Thinking
Term 2 - 2008
2
Potential Case Outcomes
2

• Cognitive
• Increase your knowledge of a particular area
• Demonstrate the application of tools/ theories
  and methods
• Improve your analytical ability
• Develop your decision making ability
• Interpersonal
• Improve your communication ability
• Improve your ability to influence others
• Improve your ability to respond under
  pressure/reply on your feet
• However,
• Often no right answer
• But usually explanatory theories/frameworks/pointe
  rs

3
Working a Case
3
Large group work
Learning Gained
Small group work
Individual work
Effort Expended
4
Hovey Beard Key Points
4

• Case is not trying to say what is right and wrong
• It aims to bring out some key issues
• Predictions about new schemes/processes need to
  be made at the start, during and at the end of
  the process
• Implications of a psychological contract or
  effort/reward bargain
• - Control is important is it being given away
  or clawed back?
• - Participation/involvement - how much and under
  what circumstances?
• Need to think broadly about the impact of
  decisions
• Need to be aware of ones own and others
  assumptions
• Need to understand what motivates - us and
  others

5
McGregor- Theory X
5

• PEOPLE ARE INHERENTLY LAZY AND WILL AVOID WORK IF
  THEY CAN
• PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY DISLIKE WORK, MUST BE
  DIRECTED, CONTROLLED, COERCED, EVEN THREATENED,
  TO IMPEL THEM TO WORK AS THE COMPANY REQUIRES
• THE AVERAGE HUMAN BEING PREFERS TO BE DIRECTED,
  WISHES TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY, HAS LITTLE
  AMBITION AND WANTS SECURITY ABOVE ALL

6
McGregor- Theory Y
6

• THE EXPENDITURE OF HUMAN EFFORT IN WORK IS AS
  NATURAL AS IN PLAY OR REST
• PEOPLE WILL EXERCISE SELF-DIRECTION SELF
  CONTROL IN THE SERVICE OF OBJECTIVES TO WHICH
  THEY ARE COMMITTED
• THE AVERAGE HUMAN BEING, UNDER PROPER CONDITIONS,
  LEARNS TO ACCEPT AND SEEK RESPONSIBILITY
• THE CAPACITY TO EXERCISE A HIGH DEGREE OF
  IMAGINATION, INGENUITY AND CREATIVITY IN SOLVING
  WORK PROBLEMS IS WIDELY, NOT NARROWLY,
  DISTRIBUTED
• THE INTELLECTUAL POTENTIAL OF THE AVERAGE HUMAN
  BEING IS ONLY PARTIALLY UTILISED