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Weaving Feedback Systems Thinking into the Case Method

An Application to Corporate Strategy

New York University, aginsber{at}stern.nyu.edu

John Morecroft

London Business School, jmorecroft{at}lbs.lon.ac.uk

The limitations of managers' cognitive capabilities, as compared to the complexity of the systems they are asked to guide, diminishes the value of the traditional case method in developing strategy skills. To help teach strategy cases from a point of view that deals explicitly with dynamic complexity, we propose the use of a model-supported case approach. This approach uses causal maps and concepts of feedback systems thinking in case discussion with participants to help them visualize dynamic complexity. After reviewing the contributions and limitations of both cases and simulation games, we illustrate our approach for weaving feedback systems thinking into the case method with a corporate strategy case covering diversification in a mature industry. We provide specific examples of causal maps derived from the case material and report our experiences from a trial run with an MBA class.

Management Learning, Vol. 28, No. 4, 455-473 (1997)
DOI: 10.1177/1350507697284005


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