Keep your research or case studies clear, readable and relevant. That’s the advice to MBA students from Caitlin Ferreira, programme director for the modular MBA at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business (GSB).
A professor at another school says reading MBA research is often like “wading through glue”. Students are so intent on jamming in every imaginable fact and opinion that they forget some poor soul has to read it and make sense of it. “Straightforward, simple language is always better than convoluted gobbledygook,” he says.
Ferreira says excellent MBA research has five key components. The first is that it must tell a story. “It should provide a clear narrative for the target audience, using plain language and data visualisation techniques that make the content readily understandable.”
Next, the research must be backed by strong academic rigour, stemming from a solid theoretical foundation. Methodological decisions must be defensible.
Third, says Ferreira, the research should have clear relevance and practical impact. The GSB has moved away from a traditional MBA academic dissertation to an industry report — an in-depth analysis of a business challenge. The goal, says Ferreira, is to “integrate academic rigour and business relevance”. Students are often asked to present their findings at industry events.
Fourth, students should clearly identify actionable insights, recommendations, and specific and feasible solutions.
And finally, research should be closely aligned with the principles of sustainability and driving social impact in Africa. Ferreira says there must be “a key focus on addressing not just business growth, but also long-term resilience and the wellbeing of communities”.
GSB director Catherine Duggan says several MBA students have co-authored case studies, which document development of a particular person, group, company or situation over a period of time. Some of these GSB-authored studies are taught in business schools around the world.
Claire Barnardo, manager of the GSB’s Case Writing Centre, says studies allow students to encounter real challenges in real organisations. “Cases bring messy, real-life dilemmas that companies are grappling with into academia in a unique intersection of the business world and the academic space.
“Cases compel students to debate relevant solutions to current challenges in ways that make for a lively and engaging classroom discussion. The impact of learning via cases stays with students long after the case has been taught.”
She adds: “Wicked problems make great cases. Challenges that keep business leaders up at night ignite opinion and fuel the learning journey. Ultimately, cases help students exercise the application of knowledge and critical saying.”
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