Top 50 Bestselling Case Authors 2022/23: No. 40

"One of my favourite parts of case writing is discovering angles and insights that I had not set out to unearth. This comes in many forms, from getting the opportunity to interview folks confronted with a strategic dilemma or being privy to data that otherwise would not see the public light. Writing cases is the single best way that I’ve discovered to get to know a domain inside out. Where the real magic happens, though, is presenting students and colleagues with the same information and hear them reflect back completely different takes and ideas. This is in fact my main barometer for assessing whether a case has a done its job - situating readers in a decision-making environment that strikes a balance between well-informed and ambiguity, so that they can capitalise on their own perspectives and experiences to arrive at a resolution.
“When it comes to case writing tips, my top two are (1) work backwards, and (2) collaborate and co-author with students!
“Working backwards means writing out a teaching plan before actually starting a case. Cases are idiosyncratic instantiations of larger general problem areas, so it is tempting to get lost in the details. Starting with a teaching plan is vital for enforcing cohesion and clarity in a case.
“Collaborating with students is not only delightful, but also highly informative. I frequently collaborate with my MBA students on cases not only because they are highly knowledgeable, but also their views represent the primary consumer of cases, so it forces the writing process to prioritise the reader."
~ Dan J Wang