Acke mann, Ka l-F ied ich
A icle
Cogni i e and mo i a ional e ec i eness o an
in e disciplina y case me hod expe imen a he Uni e si y
o S u ga
Sou h A ican Jou nal o Business Managemen
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Uni e si y o S ellenbosch Business School (USB), Bell ille, Sou h A ica
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Acke mann, Ka l-F ied ich (1982) : Cogni i e and mo i a ional e ec i eness o
an in e disciplina y case me hod expe imen a he Uni e si y o S u ga , Sou h A ican Jou nal
o Business Managemen , ISSN 2078-5976, A ican Online Scien i ic In o ma ion Sys ems (AOSIS),
Cape Town, Vol. 13, Iss. 3, pp. 136-135,
h ps://doi.o g/10.4102/sajbm. 13i3.1185
This Ve sion is a ailable a :
h ps://hdl.handle.ne /10419/217805
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Cogni i e
and mo i a ional
e ec i eness
o
an
in e disciplina y
case
me hod expe imen a he
Uni e si y
o S u ga
Ka l-F ied ich
Acke mann
Uni e si y o S u ga , S u ga
An
expe imen
on
he alue o he case s udy me hod was
ca ied ou a he Uni e si y o S u ga in he Fede al
Republic
o
Ge many, o asce ain whe he he case s udy
me hod
was
supe io o he adi ional eaching me hods,
especially wi h a iew o inc easing eques s ha uni e si y
educa ion should
be
mo e p ac ice- ela ed.
The
main
de iciencies o adi ional business eaching me hods a e
indica ed,
as
well
as
he pe cei ed sa is ac ion and
impo ance o he basic needs
as
seen
by
a numbe
o
s uden s.
In
he expe imen i e business adminis a ion and
i e enginee ing s uden s we e used, while a la ge business
i m
and
some o i s sub-con ac o s ga e eedback om he
business wo ld i sel . Towa ds he end o he expe imen he
s uden s' opinions
on
he alue
o
he case me hod
compa ed wi h adi ional eaching me hods was ob ained by
means o anonymous ques ionnai es. They a ed he case
s udy me hod
as
subs an ially supe io wi h ega d o
inc easing knowledge,
and
o imp o ing bo h echnical and
in e -pe sonal compe ence.
The
same conclusions we e
d awn
as
o he a ec i e a ea o lea ning, including
inc eased
and
be e sa is ied in insic mo i a ion o achie e,
and o coope a e
in
small ask g oups.
S.
A .
J.
Bus.
Mgm . 1982,
13:
126-135
'n Ekspe imen oo die waa de
an
die ge alles udleme ode is
by
die Uni e si ei
an
S u ga in die Bonds epubliek
Dui sland ui ge oe ,
om
as
e s el
o
die
ge alles udieme ode mee e ek ie as die adisionele
opleidingsme odes is, e al me die oog op oo du ende
e soeke da uni esi ei sopleiding mee p ak ykgeo U~n ee d
moe
wees.
Die
hoo eko kominge
an
adisionele
opleidingsme odes wo d aangedui, asook waa genome
be ediging
en
belang ikheid
an
die basiese behoe es soos
deu
'n
aan al s uden e onde ind.
In
die ekspe imen is y
s uden e
in
bed y sadminis asie
en
y ingenieu s uden e
geb uik, e wyl
'n
g oo onde neming
en
'n aan al
an
sy sub-
kon ak eu s e ug oe lng di ek
an
die sakewl! eld e ska
he .
Teen
die einde
an
die ekspe imen is die s uden e se
oplnle aangaande die waa de
an
die ge alles udleme ode
eenoo adislonele opleidlngsme odes e k y deu mlddel
an
anonleme aelys e. Die s uden e beskou die
ge alles udleme ode as aanslenllk be e en opslg e
an
die
e mee de ing
an
kennls, asook die e be e lng
an
egnlese
en
ln e pe soonllke aa dlghede.
Ten
opslg e
an
die
a ek lewe lee a ea, inslul ende be e
en
mee be edlgde
ln lnsleke mo l e lng om e p es ee
en
blnne 'n g oep saam
e we k, is diesel de ge olg ekking gemaak.
S.-A . Tydsk . Bed y sl. 1982,
13:
126-135
P o .
D .
K.-F.
Acke man
Be iebswi scha liches lns i u , Uni e si y
o
S u gan, Keple s asse
17,
7000 S u gan I, Fede al Republic
o
Ge many
Recei ed
Ma ch
1982
In oduc ion
I
we look back
a
he case
me hod
expe imen 1
•2•3
ha
we
ha e been engaged in o nea ly wo yea s, ou
eelings
a e somewha di ided. The e is, i s
o
all, a e y
posi i e
eeling, which has
p obably
g own in s eng h
as
ime
passed. This
is
owing o he con en
o
he wo k
which
had
o be done
and
o he
a he
unusual way in which
i
was
pe o med in coope a ing ask g oups
o
business
s uden s
and
enginee ing s uden s who closely in e ac ed
wi h
op
manage s
o
a ious companies.
A posi i e eeling ela es, inally,
o
he esul s o
he
expe imen in e ms
o
cogni i e and mo i a ional
e ec i eness eached in spi e o ,
o
maybe because o ,
ou
ini ially e y es ic ed expec a ions
o
success. The
eason
o he la e becomes clea
i
one
ealizes he condi ions
o pa icipa ion;
con a y
o
ou
own p ejudices and
o
well-minded ad ice om colleagues wo king in he
same
ield,
we
consciously e used
o
o
e any addi ional
incen i es o joining he case
me hod
expe imen o he
han
ha d, in e es ing wo k
and
he chance o p ac ise
high
deg ees
o
sel -di ec ion
and
sel -con ol in
la gely
au onomous
ask g oups.
No
s uden was obliged o
ake
pa ,
and
no s uden could hope
o
ge a pe o mance
eco d
o
any
o he
immedia e ad an age o his o
he
inal exam. We only old hem:
'The e
is
a p ojec
in
a
hea y machine y company:
"Planning
and
building a
powe
plan "
wi h a la ge
numbe
o
economic and
enginee ing p oblems. Ca e ully s udy he documen s ha
we
ha e p epa ed o you, hen come and join he
ask
g oups.'
We
a e
s ill
su p ised
ha
unde hese
ci cums ances he whole expe imen did no ha e o
be
d opped soone
o
la e simply because
o
a lack o
pa icipan s eady
and
quali ied enough
o
mee he
high
p ojec equi emen s.
In
his case we elied
on
highe -o de needs in e ms o
Maslow,4
o
on
'mo i a o s'
in e ms
o
He zbe g.'
McG ego would ha e said
ha
we used a 'Theo y
Y·
app oach'
ins ead
o
a adi ional
'Theo y
X-app oach' ,6
F om his poin
o
iew
i
is
o
cou se a mo e su p ising
ha
we
end o ely
on
he supe io i y
o
Theo y X, con·
sciously
o
no , when uni e si y s udy p og ammes
a e
designed and e en when p og essi e eaching me hods
such
as he case me hod a e applied. Though McG ego 's
Theo y Y
s
Theo y X-discussion was di ec ed a business
o ganiza ions, bo h app oaches can be immedia ely
ans e ed
o
he ield
o
uni e si y educa ion. I
is
shown
s.A . J.
Bus.
Mgm
1982
13(3)
ha he exis ing uni e si y educa ion sys em uses, o a la ge
ex en , Theo y
X-o ien ed
means
o
mo i a ing
s uden s
o pa icipa e
and
pe o m
in l~c u es, . semina s
and
cou ses. This
is
done
by s essmg hei compulso y
cha ac e , hei special
impo ance
o
o hcoming exams
and he necessi y
o
accomplishing
ce ain
exam p e e-
quisi es
and
he
like.
Some i~~s
case
me hod
appl~ca ions
a e o e ed in he
same
ad1 1onal way, because ms uc-
o s ea
ha
s uden s
will
no
ake
pa
o he wise.
We
ha e al eady indica ed
ha
he
expe imen also calls
o h nega i e eelings. They
a e
o
be epo ed
a
his poin
be o e
we
ollow a well-known
end
in
human
na u e
o
s icking
o
he
a ou able
issues while supp essing
he
un-
a ou able ones.
The e
a e
ou
main
easons which ga e
ise
o such eelings
du ing
he
expe imen :
Time
op ions
o
g oup
mee ings we e e y es ic ed
because
he
expe imen
was
o e ed
as a supplemen
o he ongoing
s anda d
s udy
p og amme
which e-
qui ed, hen
and
oday,
mos
o
he
wo king ime
o
he s uden s.
-P og ess in
g oup
wo k
depended,
o
a la ge ex en ,
on he
in o ma ion
low be ween
he
coope a ing s u-
den g oups as well as be ween
hose
g oups
and
he
companies. In spi e
o
he
in ensi e
e o s
o
all pa -
icipan s, in o ma ion needed was
no
always a ailable
on ime
o
-e en wo se -
could
no
be p o ided
a all in he desi ed
quan i y
and
quali y. Then,
g oup
wo k in ega d
o
a
ce ain
pa ial
p ojec
had
o
be
empo a ily
in e up ed
and
swi ched
o
o he
pa ial
p ojec s
o
he
case
me hod
p og amme.
-Coope a ion
and
coo dina ion
o
he
business
and
enginee ing
g oups
in
he
expe imen p o ed
o
be a
mo e di icul
and
ime
consuming
han
we
had
ex-
pec ed
and
ne e eached
he
e ec i eness we desi ed.
Some
o
he
objec i es
de ined
o he expe imen
we e pa ially con lic ing.
The
objec i es will be
discussed la e in
he
a icle. ·
Al hough hese p oblems
had
been an icipa ed
o
some
ex en , we
had
clea ly
unde es ima ed
he
high deg ee
o
s ess which
con inued
o
occu .
We
should ha e
conce ned ou sel es wi h a
easonable
comp omise
be ween, say, s i ing
o
mo e
echnical compe ence
and o mo e in e pe sonal compe ence
o
he
s uden s
in each
g oup
mee ing.
Bu
we
o en
su e ed
om
he emp a ion
o
gi e
up
ou
elabo a e
'mode a o
concep ' designed
o
de elop
in e pe sonal
com-
pe ence
and
o
e u n
o
ou inized
eache -o ien ed
concep s adi ionally used
o
en o ce imp o emen s in
echnical
compe ence
only.
Whoe e ,
as
an
ins uc-
o , has e e
ied
o
shi
mo e
ac i i y,
mo e
sel -
di ec ion
and
sel -con ol
o
he
s uden s, while check-
ing his
own
impa ience,
knows
wha
we mean.
I
could be
a gued
ha
he
di icul ies obse ed in case
discussion
mee ings, when
he
scope o p ojec - ela ed ac-
i i ies
o
he s uden pa icipan s was conside ably enla g-
ed
as
compa ed wi h
s anda d
semina s
and
cou ses, in-
dica e
w ong
beha iou al
p emises
upon
which
he
case
me hod
expe imen
had
been buil .
F om
his c i icism
i
is
~nly
a mino s ep
o
a
ho ough
ejec ion
o
he
unde ly-
ing
Theo y
Y-app oach
as
a nice
bu
un ealis ic u opia.
~e
shall no ollow his line
o
easoning,
bu
shall con-
side
di icul ies
o
he
kind men ioned as beha iou al de i-
127
ciencies which could be educed by means
o
he
case
app oach.
On
he whole, om he ins uc o s' poin
o
iew, hese
nega i e expe iences
do
no diminish he p e ailing posi i e
imp ession
o
he
case me hod expe imen . We end
o
an
e en
mo e
a ou able judgemen now
han
we
did ea lie .
Time
es ic ions, incomple e in o ma ion, in e depa -
men al p oblems
and
con lic ing objec i es all a e
phenomena wide-sp ead in business i ms. Why no in e -
p e hei occu ence as a
p oo
ha he expe imen was
pa icula ly success ul in modelling eali y, possibly
o
a
la ge ex en
han
we had wan ed
o
expec ed?
The
mo e
we hink back
abou
his, he mo e easonable his a gu-
men appea s
o
be. In
he
ollowing epo
on
he expe i-
men we shall discuss in mo e de ail:
he lea ning objec i es
he expe imen al design
and
he esul s in e ms
o
a ious e ec i eness c i e ia as
pe cei ed by
he
s uden s.
Fo
he
be e unde s anding
o
he expe imen ,
howe e , i s heo e ical
and
empi ical backg ound will be
explained i s in he nex wo sec ions.
C i ical
issues
o
he
exis ing
uni e si y
educa ion
sys em
The
case me hod expe imen was s ongly s imula ed by
he ongoing
's udy
e o m discussion' which has
d awn
special a en ion o he p oblem
o
how
o
imp o e
he
p ac ice- ela edness
o
uni e si y educa ion p og ammes
in
he
ield
o
economics
and
business adminis a ion. 7•8
In
ou
opinion, he e a e ou main de iciencies in
oday's
uni e si y educa ion
o
u u e business execu i es which
should be educed
o
e en elimina ed by means
o
p ope ly
designed applica ions
o
he case me hod.
Lack
o
in insic mo i a ion
The e is, i s
o
all, a s iking de iciency in in ms1c
mo i a ion when s uden s' beha iou
is
obse ed. Acco -
ding o ins uc o s s udy
is
seldom unde aken because
o
genuine in insic in e es in he p oblems o e ed in he di -
e en lec u es
and
cou ses,
o
because
o
a deep- oo ed
belie in he immedia e use ulness
o
such knowledge o
he
desi ed managemen jobs,
bu
mainly o no hing else
han
he pe cei ed need
o
mee
he
equi emen s
o
he
cu en s udy p og amme
and
o pass he nex exams. I
is
no
ou
in en ion
o
blame s uden s o his kind
o
beha iou since i esul s om he exis ing uni e si y educa-
ion sys em
and
i s adi ional ins umen s like compuls.o y
s udy p og ammes, es ic ions
o
maximum s udy ime
allowed eache -cen ed lec u es
and
cou ses and, inal-
ly, a igh ne wo k
o
pe o mance con1, ols
..
~II hose !n-
s umen s look e y simila o McG ego s ongmal desc ip-
ion
o
a Theo y X-app oach which ends
o
supp ess
a he
han
o
e oke
and
de elop in insic mo i a ion. In
his way one
o
he mos powe ul
sou~ce.s
o
le~ ni~g,
mo i a ion, emains unused by he ex1s mg um e ~1 y
educa ion sys em. E en mo e impo an ,
a~
mo~
he~ns s
and
managemen expe s will ag ee, execu i es m busmess
o ganiza ions should ge in insic mo i a ion om he
wo k i sel
and
should show a dominan Theo y Y- ype
beha iou as opposed
o
a Theo y X- ype beha iou . I
128
we
ollow his
iew
which
is
la gely in acco dance wi h
e-
cen empi ical indings
o
mo i a ion esea ch in indus y,
hen a se e e gap in he mo i a ional de elopmen
o
business s uden s becomes ob ious.
P e e ence
o
s uc u ed cou ses
Secondly, many s uden s p e e well-o ganized, well-
s uc u ed lec u es and eache -cen ed cou ses which
educe ue p oblem-sol ing ac i i ies by hemsel es
o
a
minimum. Again, he disc epancy be ween he lea ning
beha iou s eng hened by he exis ing uni e si y educa-
ion sys em, and he
job
equi emen s
o
he employmen
sys em
is
unaccep able.
Lack
o
g oup p oblem sol ing oppo uni y
A hi d c i ical issue
is
ela ed o he ac ha he exis ing
uni e si y educa ion sys em p o ides e y limi ed oppo -
uni y o s uden s o p ac ice g oup p oblem-sol ing, ha
abili y being a highly app ecia ed quali ica ion in mode n
managemen . Much emphasis
is
pu on knowledge and
echnical compe ence, while in e pe sonal compe ence
is
la gely igno ed.
Lack
o
eedback om business
Finally, s uden s a e no used o ha ing eal eedback o
hei wo k om business i ms. Thei si ua ion
is
a he
simila o ha
o
pa icipan s in a d y swimming cou se
who may always
see
he wa e bu a e no allowed o
jump
in o i .
These de iciencies we e he p incipal s a ing poin s o
he design
o
he case me hod expe imen . Be o e
we
ake
a close look a he objec i es de ined o he expe imen ,
some empi ical esea ch indings abou he p esen s a e
o
s uden s' mo i a ion will be conside ed.
Pe cei ed sa ls ac ion
and
Impo ance o basic
needs
as
seen
by
s uden s
Th ee di e en g oups
o
s uden s a he Business Ins i u e
o
he Uni e si y
o
S u ga and, o compa ison, a g oup
o
g adua es in en y-le el posi ions, we e asked o hei
judgemen
o
pe cei ed sa is ac ion and he impo ance
o
basic needs in e ms
o
hei p esen si ua ion by means
o
a sligh ly modi ied
Po e
Need Sa is ac ion Ques ion-
nai e (PNSQ). The PNSQ p o ides
13
i ems ep esen ing
5 Maslow- ype a eas
o
psychological needs: secu i y,
social, es eem, au onomy,
and
sel -ac ualiza ion. Sa is ac-
ion a ached o each i em
is
measu ed in e ms
o
di -
e ences be ween wo sepa a e a ings
on
a 7-poin -scale
anging om l (min.) o 7 (max.), one a ing acco ding
o he ques ion:
'How
much (o a ce ain i em) should he e
be?' he o he acco ding o he ques ion:
'How
much (o
~is i em)
is
he e now?' I
is
assumed ha , as he posi i e
di e ence be ween 'should be'
and
'is',
app oaches i s
maximum possible alue
o
+ 6, he highe he deg ee
o
pe cei ed need dissa is ac ion will be, and ice e sa. The
impo ance a ached o each i em
is
measu ed by he same
7-poin - a ing scale asking
'How
impo an
is
his (i em)
o me?' The esea ch indings a e lis ed in he Tables. (The
empi ical mo i a ion s udy was done a e he case me hod
expe imen had been comple ed. Howe e , he indings
o
he s udy con i m, o a la ge ex en , he basic p emises ha
guided
ou
expe imen
om he
beginning.)
S.-A .
Tydsk . Bed y sl.
1982,
I3(J)
Table l clea ly shows
ha
unde g adua es expe ience
he
highes de iciencies in need ul ilmen in he a ea
o
au onomy
needs
and
sel -ac ualiza ion needs
compa ed
wi h o he Maslow need ca ego ies in es iga ed. The
deg ee
o
he de iciencies ob iously inc eases when s uden s
p o-
g ess om he wo-yea pe iod
o
basic cou ses (G unds u-
dium)
o
he wo-yea pe iod
o
ad anced cou ses
(Haup -
s udium), and hen dec eases e y s ongly a e hey
ha e
ecei ed hei deg ee
and
en e ed in o en y-le el
posi ions
in business i ms
o
elsewhe e.
The indings seem o e lec he inabili y
o
he
exis ing
uni e si y educa ion sys em
and
i s adi ional eaching
a -
angemen s
o
sa is y highe -o de needs in e ms
o
Maslow's need hie a chy heo y. Those indings
i
well
wi h he 4-poin -ca alogue
o
c i ical issues discussed
in
he
p e ious sec ion, pa icula ly
i
he i s wo
o
hem
a e
conside ed.
The
ac s
ha
ins uc o s obse ed a
lack
o
in insic mo i a ion
and
o
ac i e lea ning beha iou ,
and
ha
a he same ime s uden s su e ed om
de iciencies
in he ul ilmen
o
highe -o de needs, highligh he
de-
mand
o new eaching me hods such as he case me hod.
Unde p ope ly designed condi ions each s uden
can
and
will lea n o sa is y his
o
he own sel -ac ualiza ion
and
au onomy needs by means
o
ac i e pa icipa ion
in
p oblem-sol ing.
To
ealize such condi ions was
exac ly
wha
we
wan ed o
do
when we decided o design a
Theo y
Y-o ien ed case me hod expe imen .
I
i
is
ue ha
highe -
o de needs a e 'g ow h-needs', as Maslow once poin ed
ou ,
g owing in s eng h as hey become mo e and
mo e
sa is ied, hen he expe imen should also con ibu e
o
he
de elopmen
o
hose needs so la gely neglec ed
by
he
ex-
is ing uni e si y educa ion sys em.
The p esen s a e
o
s uden mo i a ion emains
in-
comple ely desc ibed
i
he ex en
o
de iciencies
in
need
ul ilmen a e conside ed alone.
Ou
a gumen s ha
he
case me hod expe imen should imp o e he sa is ac ion
o
au onomy
and
sel -ac ualiza ion needs would
be
e en
mo e pe suasi e
i
s uden s ended o a ach high
impo -
ance
o
hose need ca ego ies.
The
esea ch indings
on
his ques ion a e shown in Table 2.
Acco ding o Table 2 he highe -o de needs
o
he
unde g adua es being sa is ied leas a e a ed by he
same
esponden s as highly
impo an
o
hem. I one looks
a
he ank o de s i s , sel -ac ualiza ion
is
always numbe
one in he h ee sepa a e subg oups
o
unde g adua es
and
in he compa a i e g oup
o
g adua es as well. Au onomy
wi h a ank
o
ou in he i s wo s udy yea s
seems
o
be a less impo an .
By
he s age
o
ad anced
cou ses
selec ed o he case me hod expe imen , howe e , his
need
ca ego y eaches a
ank
o
h ee -la e e en a ank
o
wo -wi h nea ly as high a mean impo ance sco e
as
sel -
ac ualiza ion.
Fo
he same easons, al hough dec easing
in ank o de , social needs should
no
be o e looked
as
an
impo an need ca ego y
o
unde g adua es
in
he
selec ed
a ea.
Objec i es and design o he case
me hod
expe imen
Objec i es o he case me hod expe imen
Asking wha he pa icipan s
o
he expe imen should
lea n in e ms
o
inal beha iou
and
wha a eas and
ypes
o
lea ning would be in ol ed lead
o
a mul i-dimensional
S.A , J. Bus. Mgm
1982
13(3)
Table
1 Mean de iciencies in need ul ilmen D
wi hin di e en subg oups
o
unde g adua es and
g adua es o he Uni e si y o S u ga in he yea s
1979
and
1980
Need
ca ego y
I. Physiological
needs
II. Sa e y needs
III.
Social needs
IV.
Es eem needs
V.
Au onomy needs
VI.
Sel -ac ualiza ion
needs
Mean de iciencies in need ul ilmen D
Unde g adua es G adua es
(Diplom-
in basic in ad anced kau leu e)
cou ses cou ses in en y-
(G und- (Haup s udium) le el
s udium) posi ions
N =
75
N =
19
N =
47
N =
28
o
Rank
D
Rank
D
Rank
D
Rank
1,1
4 1,2 4
2,1
3 0,1 5
1,4 3 1,5 3 1,8 4 0,3 4
0,3 5 0,2 5 0,5 5 0,4 3
2,5 3,1 3,2 1,0 2
2,0 2 2,1 2 2,8 2 1,8
Table
2 Mean impo ance
o
each need ca ego y
wi hin di e en subg oups
o
unde g adua es and
g adua es
o
he Uni e si y
o
S u ga in he yea s
1979
and
1980
Need
ca ego y
I.
Physiological
needs
II. Sa e y needs
Ill. Social needs
IV.
Es eem needs
V.
Au onomy needs
VI.
Sel -ac ualiza ion
needs
Mean
impo ance W
o
each need ca ego y
in basic
cou ses
(G und-
Unde g adua es
in ad anced
cou ses
(Haup s udium)
G adua es
(Diplom-
kau leu e)
in en y-
le el
s udium) posi ions
N =
75
N =
19
N =
47
N =
28
W Rank W Rank W Rank W Rank
5,3 3 4,6 4 5,4 2 5,2 3
5,5 2 4,8 3 5,1 4 4,2 5
3,8 5 3,6 5 4,1 5 4,7 4
5,1 4 4,9 2 5,3 3 5,3 2
5,8
5,5
5,5
6,0
sys em
o
objec i es as shown in Table
3.
In
he i s pa
o
Table 3, objec i es a e speci ied in
e ms
o
gene al beha iou ca ego ies which should be
lea ned
by
means
o
he case me hod. They ela e,
in
sho ,
o
desi ed
mo i a ional disposi ions
o
he pa icipan s (1),
and
o all s ages
o
p oblem-sol ing
and
p ojec manage-
men
(2-
8), namely: p oblem- inding, scheduling, exe-
cu ing,
e alua ing, con olling, in eg a ing, and epo ing.
Some
o hem look e y simple indeed
and
unwo hy
o
men ion
in
he able. The e is, o example, he objec i e
' o iden i y and de ine p oblems in eal li e inciden s'.
T adi ional lec u es
and
semina s, dealing wi h well-
de ined, clea -cu p oblems
and
heo ies in gene al, o e
129
Table
3 Objec i es o he case me hod expe imen
Pa icipan s should lea n:
I.
o expe ience mo e and s onge mo i a ion ela ed o p oblem-sol ing
and eam-wo k
2.
o iden i y and de ine ele an sub-p oblems
in
eal li e inciden s
(p oblem- inding)
3. o schedule a well-s uc u ed p og amme o mul i-p ojec p oblem-
sol ing, including sub-p og ammes which de e mine
in
some de ail
he succession and a ailable scope
o
ime o each single p ojec
(scheduling)
4.
o
execu e he sel -de e mined p og amme and i s sub-p og ammes
in
la gely au onomous ask g oups unde changing managemen
o
sel -elec ed s uden leade s. Main ac i i ies: Sea ching o in o ma-
ion, elabo a ing al e na i e cou ses
o
ac ion (execu ing)
5.
o e alua e cou ses
o
ac ion o each single p ojec
in
he ligh
o
p esen heo ies, aking in o conside a ion he speci ic condi ions
o
he coope a ing company (e alua ing)
6.
o
con ol he esul s
o
he p oblem-sol ing p ocesses oge he wi h
expe s
o
he coope a ing company wi h ega d o applicabili y, e -
ec i eness, e c. (con olling)
7.
o
in eg a e he selec ed ypes
o
p oblems
in
he la ge con ex
o
he
coope a ing company and, inally,
o
he whole indus y (in eg a ing)
8. o summa ize he main esul s
in
a inal g oup epo ( epo ing)
In o de o app oach hese beha iou al objec i es, he ollowing p e e-
quisi es o ypes
o
lea ning should be accomplished
00
=
·2
..
OS
.!!
.....
0
"'
..
-~
;
..
"E
0
..
"'
.~
~
·2
00
:c
0
OS
u
-0
=
OS
:l
~
Vl
I Concep s and ac s
2 Rou ines and heu is ics in ol ed
'o
3 Classi ica ion schemes o s uc u ing inciden s ac-
co ding
o
gene al ypes
o
p oblems
~
1l
4 C i e ia o e alua ing me hods, echniques and
'i
0
=
::.:
cou ses
o
ac ion
5 Al e na i e me hods, echniques and cou ses
o
ac-
ion o special ypes
o
p oblems
6 Unde s anding he inciden , including he abili y
o
ansla e a ailable in o ma ion in o scien i ic con-
cep s,
o
in e p e and o d aw conclusions
7 Applica ion
o
gene al knowledge a ailable o speci ic
p oblems in he inciden
8 Analysis
o
complex inciden s in o well-de ined sub-
p oblems and elemen s
9 Syn hesis: Design
o
complex cou ses
o
ac ion o
speci ic p oblems
IO
Compa ing and e alua ing al e na i e cou ses
o
ac-
ion o speci ic p oblems
J I Openness owa ds eedback in o ma ion in g oup
mee ings
.u
J 2 Abili y
o
communica e
and
o
coope a e wi h peo-
S
~
pie
in
he same discipline, o he disciplines, and wi h
~
..
~
g,
company expe s
~
E
13
Abili y o collec i e p oblem-sol ing
and
decision-
= 0
-u making in g oup mee ings
14
Abili y o lead indi iduals and ask g oups e ec i e!)
I s P oblem consciousness
and
selec i e
pe cep io~
owa ds
he
ask
16
Readiness
o
espond
in
he
ace
o
challengin11
p oblems
17
Mo i a ion
o
achie e
and
coope a e in
p oblem-sol ing
e y li le help o he s uden s in de eloping his abili y.
As p oblem- inding
is
an essen ial skill
in
managemen
posi ions, i seems o be
well
jus i ied o co?side
i
_as.
an
impo an objec i e
o
he case me hod expe unen .
Sun1la
a gumen s could be ad anced in a ou
o
he o he

130
speci ied objec i es in he able. These objec i es
a e
based
on
he a he b oad abili ies ha indus y expec s
om uni e si y g adua es,
and
a e ma ched by adi ional
eaching me hods in a e y es ic ed sense only.
The objec i es lis ed in he second pa
o
Table 3, a e
classi ied, in ough ou line, acco ding
o
Bloom's well-
known axonomy
o
cogni i e
and
a ec i e ypes
o
lea ning.9•1° Cogni i e lea ning includes he acquisi ion
o
new, and he imp o emen
o
al eady exis ing knowledge,
in ellec ual skills
and
abili ies, while a ec i e lea ning
is
mo e ela ed
o
changes in mo i a ional disposi ions, a -
i udes and alues. Each
o
he ca ego ies
jus
men ioned
includes hie a chically o de ed sub-classes
o
lea ning ob-
jec i es, indica ing inc easing complexi y.
Fo he pu pose
o
he case me hod expe imen Bloom's
axonomy was modi ied in some espec .
Apa
om
using mo e b oadly-de ined sub-classes
o
lea ning objec-
i es,
we
did no es ic he ca ego y
o
skills
and
abili ies
o ' echnical compe ence' only, as Bloom seems
o
sugges ,
bu also ex ended i
o
'in e pe sonal compe ence'. Some
yea s ago A gy is in es iga ed in e pe sonal compe ence
ho oughly
and
s essed i s impo ance o e ec i e g oup
p oblem-sol ing and decision-making.
11
•
12
•
13
The e o e, an
ex ended concep
o
skills and abili ies
is
sugges ed in Table
3, hough a sha p dis inc ion be ween in e pe sonal com-
pe ence and a ec i e aspec s
o
lea ning will
no
always
be possible.
The axonomy modi ied in his way u ned ou
o
be a
e y use ul amewo k o de ining in mo e de ail he ob-
jec i es
o
he case me hod expe imen in e ms
o
mo e
knowledge, mo e echnical compe ence, mo e in e pe sonal
compe ence and, inally, in e ms
o
an
inc ease in desi ed
a i udes, mo i a ions and alues. This amewo k helped
a g ea deal, no only in he designing s age
o
he expe i-
men , bu e en mo e in he subsequen execu ing s ages,
when a ious di icul ies caused a endency
o
lose sigh
o
he o e all in en
o
he expe imen .
We poin ed
ou
in he in oduc ion
o
his pape
ha
mo e ' echnical compe ence' and mo e 'in e pe sonal com-
~e e~ce' we e expe ienced as pa ially con lic ing objec-
i es m he cou se
o
he expe imen . Nea ly all pa icipan s
had had so much exposu e o eache -cen ed cou ses ha
du ing a a he long ini ial pe iod, s uden s ended
~
wai
o de ailed expe ad ice
and
ins uc ions om uni e si-
y
s a
ins ead
o
deciding hemsel es wha o do in he
ace
o
ac ual case inciden s.
On
he o he hand, uni e si-
y
s a
~e e,
_ om
adi ion, only oo eady
o
s ep in
on
g o~p discussions, ake o e ini ia i e, p ess o a ional
s aigh o wa d decision-making, minimize ial-and-e o
beha iou and look o esul s sa is ying high scien i ic
s an~a ds.
F om
hei poin
o
iew, s uden g oup
mee ings when la gely le
o
s uden managemen seem-
ed.
o
be clea ly less e ec i e han adi ional eache -
onen ed
cou ses. Howe e , he ca alogue
o
objec i es
always eminded us ha a somewha slowe g ow h a e
o
kno~~edge
and
echnical compe ence migh be he cos
o
eahzmg o he equally aluable objec i es like mo e in-
e pe sonal c~mpe ence
and
imp o emen s in he a ec i e
a ea
o
lea mng.
Un il his poin in he discussion, he objec i es
o
he
case me hod expe imen lis ed in Table 3 ha e been con-
S.-A . Tydsk . Bed y sl.
198i,
ll(l)
sid~ ed sepa. a ely depending.
on
whe he hey we e
de in-
ed m beha iou al e ms, as m
he
i s
pa ,
o
in
e ms
o
he axonomy,
as
in
he
second
pa .
Recen model
h b h . .
so
uman
e a 10u
pom
ou
ha
hey a e highly
in e -
el.a ed. In
h~~e.
models, cogni i e ac o s like
knowledge,
skills
and
abih ies
on
he
one
hand,
and
mo i a ions
on
he o he , a e
combined
as main de e minan s
o
beha iou .
14
F om
his kind
o
heo e ical easoning
i
becomes clea now
ha
he
beha iou al objec i es
shown
in he i s
pa
o
he
able
a e
expec ed
o
be he
esul s
o
lea ning in he cogni i e
and/
o
a ec i e a ea.
The eby
i should be no iced
ha
no
a emp
was made o speci ;
he means-end- ela ionships o indi idual ypes o
beha iou .
Design
o
he case me hod expe imen
The case me hod expe imen was designed
as
an ins umen
o
accomplish he objec i es lis ed abo e. In he p esen
pape
we con ine ou sel es
o
a sho summa y o
he
essen ials which
should
help us
o
unde s and be e
wha
is measu ed la e
on
in e ms
o
cogni i e and mo i a ional
e ec i eness. 1
•2•3
Subjec :
Cons uc ion
o
a s eam gene a o o a
powe
plan .
Basic case ma e ial:
Ch onological
su ey
o
he p ojec
and
i s comme cial
and
enginee ing execu ion, including
a comple e se
o
ele an documen s, con ac s and
sup-
plemen a y ag eemen s.
Selec ed pa ial p ojec s:
Cos accoun ing
and
p ice de e mina ion o he
s eam
gene a o in ques ion;
Sel -cons uc ion
o
ce ain s eam gene a o
equip-
men
o
componen s
s.
p ocu emen om o he
i ms;
Financial p oblems connec ed wi h he execu ion
o
he o de ;
De e mining op imal dimensions o special
s eam
gene a o equipmen .
The
i s h ee p ojec s we e selec ed o ea men
by
he business s uden s,
he
las
one
by he enginee ing
s uden s.
As
he basic case ma e ial p o ided ou ine
solu-
ions
o
he
cons uc o
o each
o
hose ypes
o
p o-
blems,
he
s anda d
ques ion was wha al e na i e
cou ses
o
ac ion we e possible
and
how hey we e
o
be e alua ed
compa ed wi h
he
ou ine
solu ions obse ed.
Condi ions
o
pa icipa ion
o
s uden s:
Ad anced s uden s
o
he
Business Ins i u e a
he
Uni e si y
o
S u ga
wi h special in e es s in
p o-
cess echnology;
Ad anced enginee ing s uden s
o
he Ins i u e
o
P ocess Technology
a
he same uni e si y wi h
special
in e es s in
plan
cons uc ion.
In
con as
o
adi ional
s udy
p og ammes o
he
diploma in business adminis a ion (Diplomkau mann),
all
s uden s
o
he
Business Ins iU, e in S u ga , in o de
o
quali y o his diploma, ha e
o
pass inal exams in
p o-
cess echnology
o
in ano he enginee ing discipline,
besides
a ious economics subjec s. The e o e, he condi ions o
pa icipa ion
jus
men ioned
a e
no
un easonable.
S.A . J.
Bus.
Mgm
1982
13(3)
Ac ual pa icipan s:
Two membe s
o
he Business Ins i u e and one
membe
o
he Ins i u e o P ocess Technology as
ins uc o s;
Ten ad anced s uden s, among hem
i e
business and
i e enginee ing s uden s, being egula pa icipan s
and, in addi ion, a small and changing numbe
o
s uden s as occasional pa icipan s;
On he company side, a la ge i m engaged in he
hea y
machine y
sec o
and
some
o
i s
sub-con ac o s.
When he case me hod expe imen was s a ed
in
he
win e e m
o
1977
/78,
he s udy p og amme o he
business deg ee was less han 3 yea s old. Fo his eason,
and because
o
he s ic condi ions
o
pa icipa ion, he
numbe
o
po en ial pa icipan s was e y small. Nea ly
all po en ial pa icipan s joined he expe imen .
S uc u e
o
ac i i ies:
Indi idual wo k
o
s uden s;
Team wo k
in
wo disciplina y ask g oups
o
business
and enginee ing s uden s;
Plena y mee ings oge he wi h ins uc o s;
Join mee ings wi h
op
managemen mid
s a
membe s
o
he coope a ing companies in a ious
o ms, o example indoo and
ou doo
discussions,
plan isi s, e c.
A simpli ied model
o
he case me hod expe imen in-
dica ing he s uc u al elemen s and he communica ion
channels be ween hem migh look like Figu e
l.
In he wo-semes e pe iod
o
he expe imen abou 30
plena y mee ings we e held, mos
o
hem wi h only one
o he ask g oups, bu almos one- hi d
as
in e disciplina y
mee ings wi h
bo h
g oups oge he . Du ing he same
pe iod,
six
join mee ings wi h coope a ing companies ook
place, co e ing one o wo days each; special mee ings
o
ins uc o s wi h company membe s a e no included. No
a emp was made by ins uc o s o eco d he a endence a
he independen ask g oup mee ings and he ime spen
131
on
indi idual wo k. Business s uden s indica ed
ha
hey
had o spend an a e age
o
a leas i e hou s pe
week
on
he case me hod expe imen . Ins uc o s said ha hey
hemsel es had o in es , on he whole, wo o h ee hou s
pe week.
Func ional cha ac e is ics:
Plena y mee ings deal mainly wi h p oblem- inding
and ough scheduling
o
successi e p oblem-sol ing
ac i i ies
in
ask g oups, de ining in o ma ion needs
wi h ega d o coope a ing companies, discussing
esul s
o
disciplina y g oup wo k, exchange
o
in o -
ma ion and indings be ween he wo g oups, and
p epa a ion o join mee ings wi h company expe s.
Task g oup mee ings co e ed unc ions such as de ail-
ed scheduling and execu ing
o
p oblem-sol ing ac-
i i ies acco ding o ixed guidelines, de ining addi-
ional in o ma ion needs, alloca ing speci ic asks
o
indi idual g oup membe s and discussing he esul s,
and elabo a ing summa ies and discussion pape s o
o hcoming plena y mee ings.
Indi idual wo k
o
each g oup membe was p ima i-
ly
di ec ed o pe o m sepa a e asks speci ied in he
cou se
o
he g oup mee ings.
Ins uc o s had as one
o
hei mos impo an unc-
ions o o ganize and o sc een he con inuous in o -
ma ion low be ween he lea ning sys em and he
coope a ing companies. Some hing mo e abou hei
ole in he case me hod expe imen
will
be
said in he
con ex
o
he managemen app oach used.
The in o ma ion low be ween he lea ning sys em and
he coope a ing companies u ned ou o
be
he c ucial
poin in he case me hod expe imen . Whene e one
o
hi
ask g oups ied o es al e na i e cou ses
o
ac ion agains
eali y, hei need o mo e and highly de ailed in o ma
ion inc eased o an ex en which could no always be
sa is ied comple ely by company membe s in he ime
a ailable. These obs acles should be aken in o accoun
Coope a ing companies
-------------,
I I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Join
mee ings
'
:
L-----------·J
!
I
Plena y
mee ings
I
- -
,-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
_;.,,..__
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-,
-;
1 I Enginee ing sec o
_..
..-
Business sec o I I
. ! I I
' 1
Ins i u e o
p ocess echnology
(ins uc o s)
Task g oup
I~
Enginee ing s uden s
+
Indi idual wo k
Enginee ing s uden s
Fiaa e
1 Simpli ied model
o
he case me hod expe imen
Task
g oup
Business s uden s
'
Indi idual wo k
Business s uden s
Business ins i u e
(Ins uc o s)
132
when he esul s
o
he comple ed p oblem-sol ing ac i i ies
a e e alua ed agains scien i ic quali y s anda ds.
Managemen
o
g oup discussions:
-All plena y mee ings we e guided by ins uc ? s. A
'mode a o concep ' was used as a comp omise be-
ween 'laissez- ai e' discussion and igh ' eache -
cen ed' discussion, shi ing as much ac i i y, disc e-
ion and esponsibili y as possible o he s uden
pa icipan s.
Task g oup mee ings we e guided by changing s uden
leade s elec ed by he g oup membe s. Wi hin he
amewo k ixed in ough ou line
by
plena y mee ings,
pa icipan s in ask g oups could p ac ice
and
ex-
pe ience ull sel -di ec ion and sel -con~ ol. . . .
A e ha ing o e come la ge di icul ies m he
m1 1al
phase, i became inc easingly easy in he
co_u se
o
o~go-
ing lea ning p ocesses
o
he s uden s o ealize he desi ed
'mode a o concep ' in plena y mee ings and o delega e
asks wi h inc easing complexi y o he le el
o
sel -di ec i e
and sel -con olling g oups, as was in ended acco ding o
he objec i es de ined o he case me hod expe imen .
Classi ica ion
o
he case me hod expe imen
In
a su ey
o
case me hod li e a u e Pe li z and Vassen
15
iden i ied ou basic ypes
o
cases: Case P oblem Me hod,
Inciden Me hod, In Baske Exe cises and, inally, Case
S udy Me hod. T ying o classi y he case me hod expe i-
men acco ding o his scheme,
we
encoun e di icul ies.
I
is
shown ha he expe imen includes componen s
o
di e en basic ypes. Ob iously, he sea ch o mo e in-
o ma ion
is
a ypical cha ac e is ic
o
he Inciden
Me hod, bu some cha ac e is ics
o
he classical Case
S udy Me hod (and e en
o
he Li e Case Me hod as
one
o
i s mo e ecen e sions) a e also in ol ed. On he o he
hand, he a ious o ms
o
immedia e con ac wi h business
eali y, which we e a e y impo an componen
o
he case
me hod expe imen , a e no adequa ely conside ed by he
o iginal classi ica ion scheme. The e o e, i
is
sugges ed
ha
we
dis inguish
an
addi ional ype
o
case me hod ap-
plica ion which migh be called
'P ojec
S udy Me hod'
and
will
co e he case me hod expe imen desc ibed in his
pape as a special example. 16
Pe cei ed
e ec i eness
o
he
case
me hod
expe i-
men
om
he
s uden s'
poin
o
iew
F om he di e en me hods o e alua ing a aining p o-
g amme like he case me hod expe imen ,
an
ancnymous
s uden ques ionnai e a he end
o
he expe imen was
selec ed. Though he e a e ce ainly mo e elabo a e
and
objec i e e alua ion app oaches,
15
we ound
ha
we
had
no eal choice i
we
did no wan o gi e
up
ou sys em
o
objec i es de ined ea lie . As a as he expe imen was
designed o encou age in insic ins ead
o
ex insic mo i a-
ion o wo k, and o de elop in e pe sonal as well as
echnical compe ence
and
knowledge, any e alua ion
de ices which equi ed ei he some kind
o
pe o mance
es be o e
and
a e he expe imen
o
close obse a ions
du ing he ongoing p ojec wo k we e likely o be pe cei -
ed as a con adic ion and as a clea o ence agains he
ules. Fu he mo e, a s uden ques ionnai e was expec ed
o
be in bes acco dance wi h he sel -e alua ion concep
S.-A . Tydsk . Bed y sl.
1982,
13(3)
o
he unde lying Theo y Y
app oach.
The pe cei ed
e -
ec i eness
o
he case
me hod
expe imen was
measu ed
sepa a ely o cogni i e
and
a ec i e objec i es
discussed
ea lie .
Pe cei ed inc eases in knowledge and
echnical
compe ence
We ha e al eady men ioned
ha
in he ea lie
s ages
o
he expe imen , he p e ailing opinion claimed
supe io i-
y o adi ional eache -cen ed cou ses when
knowledge
and echnical compe ence we e o be imp o ed.
Howe e ,
his opinion was
no
con i med by judgemen s
o
he
pa -
icipan s, as
is
shown in Table 4.
Bo h g oups, he business s uden s and he enginee ing
s uden s, a ed he case me hod expe imen mo e
e ec i e
han compa able uni e si y cou ses in ega d o
knowledge
inc ease
and
de eloping echnical compe ence. Al hough
he business
and
enginee ing s uden s e alua ed he
case
me hod nea ly he same in e ms
o
mean i em sco es,
hey
pe cei ed i s di e ence om adi ional cou ses a he
di -
e en ly. Table 4 shows
ha
he business s uden s
in
he
expe imen e alua ed adi ional cou ses a
less
a ou ably
han hei enginee ing colleagues. The easons a e no
qui e
clea . Whe he hose judgemen s e lec ue quali y
di -
e ences in cou ses augh in he wo disciplines
conside ed,
o
whe he hey a e due
o
pe sonali y di e ences
be ween
business
and
enginee ing s uden s,
canno
be decided
on
he
da a
a ailable. We suppose
ha
ano he explana ion
is
a mo e plausible.
The
in ended concep
o
he
case
me hod expe imen was ealized almos in i s pu e
o m
in he business g oup; howe e , o he enginee ing
g oup
some modi ica ions in he di ec ion
o
a adi ional
cou se
we e una oidable, because hey
had
o be acquain ed
wi h
some business concep s. The e was
an
objec i e eason,
hen, which migh explain why he sepa a e esponden
g oups pe cei ed he supe io i y
o
he case me hod
di e en ly.
One should emembe
ha
a mix u e
o
lea ning
si ua-
ions we e used du ing he case me hod expe imen .
When
each
o
hose app oaches we e e alua ed sepa a ely
by
he
esponden s, he ollowing indings esul . .
The esul s shown in Table 5 lead
o
some in e es ing
conclusions. Lea ning a angemen s p o iding close
and
di ec con ac wi h coope a ing companies we e anked
highes in e ec i eness.
On
such occasions, pa icipan s
could expe ience immedia e sa is ac ion
o
hei in o ma-
ion needs and ob ain impo an help o hei ongoing
ask
g oup wo k. F om his poin
o
iew he a ou able
abo e-
a e age e alua ions o he i s h ee i ems in Table 5
a e
unde s andable.
Among he
o he
h ee lea ning si ua ions, eamwo k
was e alua ed as
mo e
e ec i e
han
indi idual wo k ?n
he p ojec , al hough he la e was ce ainly an essen ial
p e equisi e o he i s . Conside ing
ha
s uden s
had
conside able di icul ies a he s a
o
he case me hod
ex-
pe imen in handling p oblem-sol ing in au onomous
ask
g oups acco ding o he p inciples
o
sel -di ec ion
an_d
sel -
con ol, he esul
o
hei judgemen s
a
he end
1s
su -
p isingly posi i e.
Apa
om he inc ease in
kn_owl~dge
and echnical compe ence gained om he g oup
s1 uauon,
he pe cei ed e ec i eness also poin s
o
success ul
lea n-
ing p ocesses in he
a ea
o
in e pe sonal compe ence
and
S.A . J. Bus. Mgm 1982 13(3)
Table 4 Pe cei ed inc eases
in
knowledge and
echnical compe ence acco ding o 7-poin - a ing
scales o case me hod expe imen compa ed wi h
adi ional uni e si y cou ses
Pe cei ed mean inc eases by means
o
...
Case
me hod
expe imen T adi ional cou ses
Knowledge
and
Business Enginee ing Business Enginee ing
echnical compe ence
g oup
g oup
g oup
g oup
Inc ease in knowledge
and p oblem-sol ing
abili y S,7 6,0 4,3
s,s
Inc ease in abili y
o
deal wi h eal
company
condi ions S,7
s,s
1,7 3,5
Inc ease in abili y in
scheduling
s,o
4,S 2,0 3,S
Table 5 Pe cei ed inc eases
in
knowledge
and
echnical compe ence acco ding o 7-poin a ing
scales o di e en ypes o lea ning si ua ions
us-
ed
in case me hod expe imen
Types
o
lea ning
si ua ions used
in
Mean
inc ease in knowledge and echnical
compe ence as pe cei ed by
...
Business
g oup
Enginee ing
g oup
case me hod expe imen
Rank
Mean
sco es
Rank
Mean
sco es
Semina s in coope a ing
companies wi h
op
managemen
In o ma ion isi s
o
he
wo k-place
and
depa -
men s
o
he
coope a ing
companies
Uni e si y semina s
wi h
op
managemen
o
he
coope a ing
compa-
nies
Wo king in la gely
au onomous ask
g oups
Indi idual wo king
on
he p ojec
Discussion in plena y
mee ings
2
3
4
s
6
6,7
6,0
S,7
S,3
5,0
4,0
3
2
4
s
6
6,7
5,3
6,S
S,3
4,0
3,0
mo i a ion -
wi hou
hese
no
such inc ease would ha e
been possible.
We
shall ha e a close look
a
he o he
c i e ia
o
e ec i eness la e .
F om
he
s uden s'
poin
o
iew, 'discussion in plena y
mee ings' guided
by
uni e si y
s a ,
was clea ly he leas
e ec i e
o
all
he
lea ning si ua ions used in
he
case
me hod expe imen . This esul needs some in e p e a ion.
Fi s
o
all, i should be
bo ne
in
mind
ha
he unc ions
o
he
'plena y
mee ings' we e qui e di e en om hose
o
ask
g oup
sessions
and
o he
a angemen s. Thei ac-
complishmen ga e less ise
o
pe cep ions
o
immedia e
inc eases in knowledge
and
echnical compe ence.
Howe e , he e
is
no
doub
ha
he compa a i ely low e -
ec i eness was also in luenced
by
some speci ic p oblems
associa ed wi h his ype
o
lea ning a angemen .
Fo
ex-
133
ample, de iciencies in coope a ion be ween he business
and
he enginee ing g oups, di icul ies in ob aining needed in-
o ma ion and, p obably, ini ial p oblems in ge ing ac-
quain ed wi h he mode a o app oach ollowed in plena y
mee ings.
Pe cei ed inc eases
in
in e pe sonal compe ence
The
pe cei ed e ec i eness
o
he case
me hod
is
e en
highe in he a ea
o
in e pe sonal compe ence, when com-
pa ed wi h adi ional cou ses.
The esul s shown in Table 6 we e o be expec ed because
adi ional cou ses, which
a e
no
designed
o
imp o e in-
e pe sonal compe ence, a e e alua ed e y low in e ec-
i eness. Fu he , in hese s uden s' expe ience, business
cou ses seem o be poo e in his espec
han
enginee ing
cou ses. The highe a ings o he case me hod expe imen
a e pa icula ly imp essi e when he i s wo i ems in Table
6 a e conside ed. These indica e s ong inc eases in in-
e pe sonal compe ence ela ed
o
eam-wo k
and
o
coope a ion wi h company membe s.
The e
a e
su icien easons
o
belie e
ha
he
esponden s eac ed e y sensi i ely
o
di e en condi ions.
As was poin ed
ou
ea lie ,
among
he wo g oups con-
side ed,
he
business
g oup
had
mo e
and
be e
oppo -
uni y o p ac ice eam-wo k acco ding o ou concep . This
ac may explain why he business g oup expe ienced highe
inc eases in hei in e pe sonal compe ence o eam-wo k
han
he enginee ing g oup. Ano he example
is
he
ela i ely less a ou able a ing
on
he side
o
bo h
g oups
when hey had o e alua e he case me hod expe imen wi h
ega d
o
pe cei ed p og ess in coope a ion wi h each
o he . Those judgemen s
can
be aced back
o
ac ual ba -
ie s we ha e men ioned.
On
he whole, Table 6 leads
o
he
conclusion
ha
he
case me hod expe imen was pe cei ed by he esponden s
as a e y e ec i e ool o inc easing hei in e pe sonal
compe ence.
I
in e pe sonal compe ence is a p e equisi e
o expe ience, inc easing knowledge
and
imp o ing
echnical compe ence
by
means
o
eam-wo k
and
coope a ing wi h o he s, as A gy is
11
has poin ed ou , hen
Table 6 Pe cei ed inc eases
in
in e pe sonal com-
pe ence acco ding o 7-poin a ing scales o case
me hod expe imen
as
compa ed wi h adi ional
uni e si y cou ses
In e pe sonal
compe ence
Inc ease in abili y
o
do
eam-wo k
Inc ease in abili y
o
coope a e
wi h com-
pany
manage s
and
expe s
Inc ease in abili y
o
coope a e wi h en-
ginee ing s uden s
and
business s uden s
espec i ely
Pe cei ed mean inc ease by means
o
. . .
Case me hod
expe imen
T adi ional cou ses
Business Enginee ing Business Enginee ing
g oup
g oup
g oup
g oup
6,0 4,3 1,3
2,S
S,7
s.s
1,7 3,5
4,0 3,3 1,3 1,3