Learning companies whole, not framework by framework.

I have taught my class, Business Strategy and Analytics, for over ten years. I started with off-the-shelf cases, which never quite covered the themes I wanted to cover in the way I wanted to cover them, especially since I interwove strategy and data analytics. Over time I wrote my own short cases to fit my own syllabus and content. That model worked really well, but I faced two major issues. First, there was a lost opportunity with the students: the cases used invented companies to make stylised points, which meant we were forgoing chances to learn about new industries and real companies. Second, I was so busy covering strategy frameworks that I feared my students were not learning the craft of strategy-making.

When I reflected on my ten-plus years in industry before graduate school, I realised I had learned about companies, industries, and strategic thinking and positioning without really learning the names of the frameworks. I learned because we were constantly thinking about different companies and industries, and because we evaluated each company as a whole, rather than framework by framework. My hope of bringing that experience into the classroom was the impetus for starting CaseLens.

CaseLens is how I now put a steady stream of real, current companies in front of my students: cases rich enough to demand the whole toolkit at once. I hope it does the same for your classroom.