Experience with Case Method in Short Duration Executive Development Programmes

Short Duration Executive Development Programme (SEDPs) bear certain characteristics that pose significant problems to instructors and coordinators in the effective use of case method in achieving the learning objectives of these programmes. This paper identifies and analyses such problems and discusses the approaches for handling these contingencies effectively. This has been done on the basis of the authors and their colleagues experiences over a decade. The special characteristics of SEDPs include lack of flexibility in the time table, heterogeneity in background, experience and expectations, lower stakes of the participants in the programme and significant stakes of the faculty in the programme. The contingencies discussed have been grouped into the first day, problems, issues incase discussion, classroom behaviour and breakdown and terminal frustration. It is argued in the paper that certain compromises in the non-directed case discussion method would lead to significant improvement in participants learning in SEDPs. The paper provides useful suggestions to instructors and coordinators not only for better in class handling of contingencies but also for better academic planning of SEDPs.