As part of #WorldCaseTeachingDay 2025, we invited students and alumni to participate in shaping the future of cases in business education by taking a short survey. The results are in!
What we discovered
The survey results provide valuable insights into how students and alumni envision the future of case studies. The key findings highlight evolving preferences in topics, industries, diversity, formats, and supplementary materials.
Case topics and industry preferences
There is strong demand for case studies on digital transformation, leadership, finance, and emerging markets, with artificial intelligence and ESG identified as underrepresented themes. Respondents also expressed interest in a wider range of industries, with finance, creative industries, and technology ranking highest, followed by healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. Additional suggestions included logistics, the service industry, and data analytics, highlighting a need for broader industry representation.
Diversity and representation
Diversity remains a priority for respondents, with a strong preference for more varied protagonists and perspectives. Entrepreneurs and startup founders were the most requested protagonists, alongside leaders from SMEs, non-traditional career paths, and younger professionals. Female leaders received significant interest, particularly among female respondents.
Preferred formats and supplementary materials
Shorter cases are strongly preferred, with those under five pages receiving the highest ratings. While traditional written cases remain valued, there is growing enthusiasm for interactive and digital formats, including case simulations and video cases. Supplementary materials such as datasets and multimedia are widely appreciated. Language accessibility also emerged as a key factor, with a strong preference for cases available in respondents' first language.
The role of AI in case writing
While the majority of respondents strongly prefer case studies authored by humans, valuing real-world expertise, a significant minority are open to high-quality AI-generated cases. However, respondents raised concerns that AI-generated cases may lack the nuance and human insight that make cases engaging and effective.
Implications for case authors and publishers
These findings highlight the evolving expectations of case study users. There is a clear demand for diverse, practically relevant, and engaging content that reflects contemporary business challenges. Case authors and publishers should consider these insights when developing future materials to ensure they meet the needs of an increasingly dynamic and diverse audience.
