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Effective Decision-Making: A Case Study

Effective decision-making:, leading an organization through timely and impactful action.

Senior leaders at a top New England insurance provider need to develop the skills and behaviors for better, faster decision-making. This virtually delivered program spans four half-day sessions and includes individual assignments, facilitator-led presentations, and simulation decision-making. Over the past two months, this program touched over 100 leaders, providing them with actionable models and frameworks to use back on the job.

For one of New England’s most iconic insurers, senior leaders are challenged to make timely, effective decisions. These leaders face decisions on three levels: ones they translate to their teams, ones they make themselves, and ones they influence. But in a quickly changing, highly regulated market, risk aversion can lead to slow and ineffective decisions. How can senior leaders practice in a safe environment the quick, yet informed, decision-making necessary for the job while simultaneously learning new models and techniques — and without the learning experience burdening their precious time?

The Effective Decision-Making program was artfully designed to immerse senior leaders in 16 hours of hands-on experience, including reflection and feedback activities, applicable exercises, supporting content, and participation in a business simulation to practice the core content of the program. Participants work together in small groups to complete these activities within a limited time frame, replicating the work environment in which these leaders must succeed. Continuous reflection and group discussion around results create real-time learning for leaders. Application exercises then facilitate the simulation experience and their work back on the job. The program employs a variety of learning methodologies, including:

• Individual assignments that incorporate content and frameworks designed to develop effective decision-making skills.
• Guided reflection activities to encourage self-awareness and commitments for action.
• Large group conversations — live discussions focused on peer input around key learning points.
• Small group activities, including virtual role plays designed to build critical interpersonal and leadership skills.
• A dynamic business simulation in which participants are charged with translating, making, and influencing difficult decisions.
• Facilitator-led discussions and presentations.

Learning Objectives

Participants develop and improve skills to:

• Cultivate a leadership mindset that empowers, inspires, and challenges others.
• Translate decisions for stronger team alignment and performance.
• Make better decisions under pressure.
• Influence individuals across the organization.
• Better understand how one’s leadership actions impact business results

Design Highlights

Program agenda.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, this program was delivered virtually. However, this didn't preclude the need to give leaders an opportunity to connect with, and learn from, one another. In response to those needs, Insight Experience developed a fully remote, yet highly interactive, offering delivered over four half-day sessions.

Interactive Virtual Learning Format

Effective Decision-Making was designed to promote both individual and group activities and reflection. Participants access the program via a video-conferencing platform that allows them to work together both in large and small groups. Learning content and group discussions are done as one large group, enabling consistency in learning and opportunities to hear from all participants. The business simulation decision-making and reflection activities are conducted in small groups, allowing teams to develop deeper connections and conversations.

Simulation Overview

Participants assume the role of a General Manager for InfoMaster, a message management provider. Their leadership challenge as the GM is to translate the broader IIC organizational goals into strategy for their business, support that strategy though the development of organizational capabilities and product offerings, manage multiple divisions and stakeholders, and consider their contribution and responsibility to the broader organization of which they are a part. 

Success in the simulation is based on how well teams:

• Understand and translate organizational strategy into goals and plans for their business unit.
• Align organizational initiatives and product development with broader strategies.
• Develop employee capabilities required to execute strategic goals.
• Hold stakeholders accountable to commitments and results.
• Communicate with stakeholders and involve others in plans and decision-making.
• Develop their network and their influence within IIC to help support initiatives for the organization

History and Results

Effective Decision-Making was developed in 2020 as an experience for senior-level leaders. After a successful pilot, the program was then rolled out to two more cohorts in 2021 and 2022. The senior-level leaders who participated in the program then requested we offer the same program to their direct reports. After some small adjustments to make the program more appropriate for director-level leaders, the program was launched in 2022 for approximately 100 directors.

Here is what some participants have said about this program:

• “ One of the better programs we've done here at [our organization]. Pace was very quick but content was excellent and approach made it fun .”
• “ Loved the content and the flow. Very nicely organized and managed. Thank you! ”
• “ Really enjoyed the collaborative nature of the simulation.”
• “ It was wonderful and I felt it is a great opportunity. Learnt and reinforced leadership training and what it would take to be successful.”
• “One of the best I've experienced — especially appreciated how the reality of [our organization] was incorporated and it was with similarly situated peers.”
• “This program was great! It gave good insight into how to enhance my skills as leader by adopting the leadership mindset.”
• “Loved the fast pace, having a sim group that had various backgrounds in the company and seeing the results of our decisions at the corporate level.”
• “Great program — I love the concepts highlighted during these sessions.”

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Teaching Resources Library

Case studies.

The teaching business case studies available here are narratives that facilitate class discussion about a particular business or management issue. Teaching cases are meant to spur debate among students rather than promote a particular point of view or steer students in a specific direction.  Some of the case studies in this collection highlight the decision-making process in a business or management setting. Other cases are descriptive or demonstrative in nature, showcasing something that has happened or is happening in a particular business or management environment. Whether decision-based or demonstrative, case studies give students the chance to be in the shoes of a protagonist. With the help of context and detailed data, students can analyze what they would and would not do in a particular situation, why, and how.

Case Studies By Category

• 14 min read

Data-Driven Decision-Making Case Studies: Insights from Real-World Examples

Data has become crucial for making informed decisions in today's fast-paced and ever-changing business environment. Companies use data to gain valuable insights, improve processes, and foster innovation. By studying successful examples of data-driven decision-making, we can gain valuable insights and comprehend the impact of data-driven strategies on business outcomes.

Define Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM)

Are you tired of making business decisions based on gut instincts and guesswork? It's time to adopt Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM). DDDM is a strategic approach that leverages collected data to inform and guide your business decisions. You can gain insights by identifying patterns and making informed choices using relevant and accurate data. "This can enhance the precision and efficiency of your decision-making procedure." allowing you to optimize outcomes, mitigate risks, and adapt more dynamically to changing circumstances in today's data-rich environment. Switch to DDDM and give your business the competitive edge it needs!

Importance of DDDM in Modern Businesses

In today's fast-paced and competitive business world, making informed and accurate decisions is more critical than ever. Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM) is a powerful tool to help modern businesses achieve this goal. By using data and insights to inform business decisions rather than relying on guesswork, companies "Businesses that strategically position themselves to gain a competitive advantage are more likely to achieve success." With DDDM, businesses can make data-backed decisions, leading to better outcomes and tremendous success. So, if you want to stay ahead of your competition and make helpful decisions that drive success, embracing DDDM is the way to go!

Brief Overview of the Success Stories to be Discussed

Discover the success stories showcasing how businesses leverage advanced technologies to drive growth and profitability. Join me for an engaging and thought-provoking session where we will delve into the intricacies of these fascinating case studies. Your active participation will help us uncover valuable insights and unlock new perspectives that can benefit your work. "Make the most of this valuable opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills!"

1. Netflix's Personalized Recommendations

2. Amazon's Supply Chain Optimization

3. Starbucks Location Analytics

4. American Express Fraud Detection

5. Zara's Fast Fashion Foresight.

You can benefit greatly from this unique opportunity to learn from some of the most innovative companies in the industry. Ensure you take advantage of this chance to expand your knowledge and skills!

Case Study 1: Netflix's Personalized Recommendation

Overview of netflix's challenges in content delivery.

Netflix faced challenges delivering content due to the diverse viewer preferences and vast content library. However, the company has been working hard to address these challenges and ensure users can discover content that aligns with their tastes. By doing so, Netflix aims to improve user satisfaction and retention rates.

How Netflix Used Viewer Data to Tailor Recommendations

By leveraging extensive viewer data, Netflix confidently tackled the challenge of recommending relevant content to its users. The platform thoroughly analyzed user behavior, viewing history, and preferences to create highly sophisticated algorithms. These algorithms were based on machine learning and could personalize content recommendations for each user. This approach significantly increased the likelihood of viewers engaging with content that resonated with their interests.

The Impact on Customer Retention and Satisfaction

The personalized content recommendations profoundly affected customer retention and satisfaction rates. Netflix enhanced the value of its service by providing users with content that closely matched their preferences. This created a stronger bond between users and the platform, leading to longer subscription durations and increased satisfaction.

Lessons Learned and Key Takeaways

Data is a Strategic Asset: Netflix's strategic use of data has wholly revolutionized content delivery. By utilizing excellent viewer data, they have successfully met the needs and preferences of each viewer in an incredibly effective manner.

Personalization Enhances Customer Experience: Personalized recommendations are essential to enhancing the overall customer experience. They can increase engagement, satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. Make no mistake - if you want to take your business to new heights, personalized recommendations are a must!

Continuous Adaptation is Crucial: It is crucial to adapt to achieve success, as Netflix continuously demonstrates. With the ever-evolving preferences of viewers, it is imperative to perform ongoing analysis and make necessary adjustments to algorithms to ensure that recommendations stay consistently relevant.

Balancing Privacy and Personalization: When utilizing viewer data, it is crucial to hit the right balance between personalization and privacy. Netflix has accomplished this by delivering highly personalized recommendations without compromising user privacy.

Netflix's approach to content delivery serves as an inspiration for the transformative power of data-driven decision-making. The personalized recommendations derived from customer data have proven to be a game changer regarding customer retention and satisfaction. The significance of adaptability, strategic use of data, and the balance between personalization and privacy, as highlighted by Netflix's success, can serve as a guide for other businesses looking to impact their customers positively.

Case study 2: amazon's supply chain optimization.

Understanding Amazon's Complex Supply Chain

Amazon has a complex supply chain involves various stages, from sourcing the products to delivering them to customers. The company manages a vast network of fulfillment centers, distribution hubs, and transportation systems. The complexity arises due to the need to manage different types of products, fluctuating demand, and the commitment to fast and efficient delivery.

Implementation of Predictive Analytics for Inventory Management

Using predictive analytics, Amazon has optimized inventory management by accurately forecasting future demand by analyzing historical data, current market trends, and seasonality. This has helped them prevent stockouts and overstock situations, improving their overall business efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Results Achieved in Cost Savings and Delivery Times

Anticipating the future, the implementation of predictive analytics is expected to yield significant results. Amazon will likely achieve cost savings by minimizing excess inventory and improving warehouse efficiency. Additionally, streamlined inventory management contributes to faster order fulfillment, which reduces delivery times and enhances the customer experience. We can expect a boost in efficiency and a better customer experience shortly.

Insights Gained and How Businesses Can Apply Similar Strategies 

Data-Driven Decision-Making: In today's business landscape, data-driven decision-making has become the cornerstone of success. If you want your business to thrive, you must leverage advanced analytics to gain actionable insights into your supply chains. This will enable you to make proactive and strategic decisions to enhance your projects. Don't fall behind the competition - take charge and start leveraging the power of data-driven decision-making now.

Dynamic Inventory Optimization: Incorporating a dynamic approach to inventory management that relies on predictive analytics is "Businesses must prioritize their competitive edge and remain ahead of the industry. This is crucial to ensure success and longevity.". It helps them to quickly adjust to changing market conditions and meet the ever-evolving demands of consumers. This not only optimizes the utilization of resources but also reduces wastage, making it a sound strategy crucial for any business that wishes to survive in today's competitive market landscape.

Focus on Customer-Centric Logistics: To improve customer satisfaction, businesses can focus on optimizing logistics and reducing delivery times. Amazon's customer-centric approach demonstrates the importance of fast and reliable delivery. Companies can boost customer loyalty and drive growth by enhancing the customer experience.

Investment in Technology: To stay ahead in supply chain optimization, businesses must adopt cutting-edge technologies like AI and machine learning. Amazon's supply chain success is a testament to the power of continuous investment in technology. So, if you want to thrive in today's competitive market, it's high time you leverage these technologies to your advantage.

Amazon's journey toward optimizing its supply chain through predictive analytics has tremendously impacted cost savings and delivery times. Other businesses can achieve similar results by utilizing data-driven decision-making, implementing dynamic inventory management, prioritizing customer-centric logistics, and investing in advanced technologies.

Case study 3: starbucks location analytics.

The Problem with Traditional Site Selection

The traditional approach to retail site selection, which relied on broad demographic data and market trends, must be improved in identifying optimal locations. Adopting a more precise approach that considers specific local factors influencing consumer behavior and store performance is imperative to ensure success.

How Starbucks Leveraged Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Starbucks has transformed its approach to selecting store locations by leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This innovative technology has enabled Starbucks to systematically evaluate and visualize location-specific data, such as foot traffic patterns, nearby businesses, demographics, and local economic factors. By conducting this comprehensive analysis, Starbucks can gain a more nuanced understanding of potential store locations and make informed decisions.

Outcomes in Terms of New Store Performance and Sales

Starbucks, the renowned coffeehouse chain, has achieved notable success in its site selection strategy by implementing a Geographic Information System (GIS). GIS technology has enabled Starbucks to strategically place its new stores in locations that cater to the preferences and traffic patterns of the local population. As a result, the company has witnessed a significant improvement in the performance of its new stores, surpassing the sales of those selected through traditional methods. The successful implementation of GIS in site selection has contributed to optimizing location decisions, leading to a more efficient and effective expansion strategy for Starbucks.

Broader Implications for Retail Location Decision-Making

Precision in Site Selection: Geographic Information System (GIS) technology has opened new doors for retailers to make informed decisions. By leveraging GIS, businesses can analyze and interpret specific geographic data to optimize their site selection process. This helps them understand local nuances and customer behavior more precisely, allowing them to make data-driven decisions that lead to better business outcomes.

Adaptability to Local Factors: To establish a closer relationship with their customers, retailers must consider various local factors such as competition, demographics, and cultural preferences. By doing so, they can customize their offerings and marketing strategies to fit the local communities' specific needs and preferences. This approach can lead to better customer engagement and loyalty and, ultimately, higher sales for the retailer.

Cost Efficiency: Regarding retail businesses, selecting the right location for a store is crucial for success. Optimal site selection can significantly reduce the risk of underperforming stores and minimize the financial impact of poor location decisions. Retail businesses can enhance their overall cost efficiency and profitability by doing so. This is why it is essential for companies to carefully analyze and consider factors before making any site selection decisions.

Strategic Expansion: Geographic Information System (GIS) provides retailers with a powerful tool to make informed decisions about expanding their business. By leveraging location-based data, retailers can discover new markets and potential locations for growth. This data-driven approach helps retailers create a more sustainable and prosperous expansion plan, resulting in long-term prosperity for the business.

Enhanced Customer Experience: Retailers can improve the shopping experience for their customers by strategically selecting store locations that cater to their preferences and habits. Retailers can attract more foot traffic and enhance customer satisfaction by offering conveniently located stores. In this case, it can increase sales and customer loyalty.

To make it more understandable, Starbucks has been using fantastic GIS technology to help them pick the best locations for their stores. It's like a digital map that allows them to look at much different information, like how many people live nearby, how much traffic there is, and what other businesses are in the area. By using this technology, Starbucks can make better choices about where to put their stores and how they can be successful. Other businesses can also use GIS to make better decisions about where to open new stores and how to compete in the changing world of retail.

Case study 4: american express fraud detection.

Rise in Credit Card Fraud and the Challenge for Card Issuers

As more and more people turn to digital transactions and online commerce, it's essential to be aware of the increased incidence of credit card fraud. Protect yourself and others from financial crimes by staying informed and proactively safeguarding your financial information. Thus, posing a significant challenge for card issuers. Fraudsters are constantly devising new and innovative tactics to steal sensitive information and exploit vulnerabilities in payment systems. This makes it imperative for financial institutions to stay ahead of the game in detecting and preventing fraudulent activities. Today, with advanced technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence, card issuers can analyze big data that can identify patterns and anomalies and indicate fraudulent behavior. By adopting a proactive approach to fraud detection and prevention, financial institutions can safeguard their customers' personal information and financial assets, thus building trust and loyalty among their clients.

American Express's Use of Machine Learning for Early Detection

American Express always prioritizes the security of its customers' financial transactions. The company has employed advanced machine-learning algorithms to analyze vast amounts of real-time transaction data to achieve this. These algorithms can identify patterns, anomalies, and behavioral indicators typically associated with fraudulent activities. By continuously learning from new data, the system adapts to evolving fraud tactics and enhances its ability to detect irregularities early on. This advanced technology is a critical component of American Express's fraud prevention strategy, and it helps the company safeguard its customers against potential financial losses.

Effectiveness in Preventing Fraud and Protecting Customers

American Express utilizes an advanced fraud detection system powered by machine learning that has demonstrated exceptional efficacy in preventing fraudulent activities and safeguarding customers. By detecting fraudulent transactions early, the company can promptly take necessary measures, such as notifying customers of suspicious activities or blocking them altogether, thus reinforcing trust in the company's commitment to security and ensuring customer satisfaction.

What Companies Can Learn About Proactive Data Monitoring

Invest in Advanced Analytics: Advanced analytics, such as machine learning, helps companies proactively monitor data for potential fraud indicators and unusual patterns. It identifies issues before they become significant problems, saving the company millions. It also identifies new business opportunities, market trends, and operational inefficiencies, enhancing customer satisfaction and the bottom line.

Real-Time Analysis: Real-time data analysis is a powerful tool for detecting and responding to suspicious activities. By monitoring data in real-time, organizations can quickly "Identify possible threats and take prompt action to reduce their impact." we can overcome any challenges that come our way and pave the path to success. This approach reduces the window of vulnerability and enhances the effectiveness of fraud prevention measures. Therefore, real-time data analysis can help organizations prevent fraudsters from exploiting them. It's important to stay vigilant and proactive in protecting yourself and your finances from potential threats. Please take action now and don't give them the chance to cause any harm. Remember, it's better to be safe than sorry. their interests.

Continuous Learning Systems: Adopting systems that can learn and adapt to new fraud patterns is highly recommended. This approach ensures that the monitoring mechanisms remain up-to-date and effective despite the constantly evolving threats. Embracing such systems can protect businesses. The objective is to safeguard individuals and organizations against financial losses and reputational harm resulting from fraudulent activities.

Customer Communication: Implementing solid and effective communication methods is essential to inform customers of any potential fraud promptly. Through transparent communication, customers can be informed of the situation and take immediate action, building trust between them and the organization.

Collaboration with Industry Partners: Collaborating with industry partners and sharing insights on emerging fraud trends is essential. By working together, we can enhance our ability to combat fraud and protect the entire ecosystem. We can stay informed and better equipped to prevent fraudulent activities through a collective effort.

Balancing Security and User Experience: It's crucial to balance strong security measures with a seamless user experience for online platform security. While taking all necessary steps to prevent fraud and unauthorized access to your system is critical, ensuring that your legitimate customers don't face any inconvenience or dissatisfaction due to stringent security protocols is equally essential. Therefore, adopting a multi-layered approach to security is recommended to shield your system from potential threats without making the user experience cumbersome or frustrating. This may involve utilizing two-factor and risk-based authentication and real-time fraud detection. Furthermore, educating users on secure online practices and equipping them with the necessary tools and resources to protect their personal information and transactions is essential.

American Express has implemented machine learning techniques to detect and prevent fraud at an early stage. This is an excellent example for businesses seeking to improve their proactive data monitoring capabilities. By adopting advanced analytical tools, real-time analysis, continuous learning systems, and effective communication, companies can establish a solid and proactive strategy to combat emerging threats in the digital realm.

Case study 5: zara's fast fashion foresight.

Fast Fashion Industry Challenges in Demand Forecasting

The fast fashion industry, known for producing trendy and affordable clothing rapidly, faces significant challenges in accurately predicting consumer demand. One of the main reasons for this is the constantly changing nature of fashion trends. What is popular today may be out of fashion tomorrow, making it difficult for companies to plan their production processes effectively.

Additionally, fast fashion products have short life cycles, meaning they are only in style for a limited time. As a result, companies need to be able to respond to market shifts and adjust their production accordingly quickly. This can be challenging, as traditional forecasting methods rely on historical data, which may need to be more relevant in a fast-changing market.

To overcome these challenges, the fast fashion industry needs innovative and agile forecasting methods to keep up with the dynamic nature of consumer preferences. This may involve leveraging data analytics and machine learning algorithms to identify emerging trends and predict future demand. Companies can enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and provide excellent customer value.

Zara's Integration of Real-Time Sales Data into Production Decisions

Zara, one of the world's leading fashion retailers, has redefined the fashion industry by leveraging real-time sales data. Zara has integrated real-time sales data into its production decisions, allowing the company to stay ahead of the competition. Zara's vertically integrated supply chain and responsive production model enable it to capture up-to-the-minute sales data from its stores worldwide. This data is then fed back to the design and production teams, who use it to rapidly adjust inventory levels and introduce new designs based on current demand trends. Using real-time sales data, Zara can create a customer-centric approach, ensuring its customers always have access to the latest and most stylish designs.

Benefits Seen in Reduced Waste and Increased Sales

Zara has adopted a real-time analytics approach that has proven to be highly beneficial. The company's production is now closely aligned with actual customer demand, which results in a significant reduction in overstock and markdowns. This approach has minimized the environmental impact of excessive inventory. In addition, the quick response to emerging trends and consumer preferences has led to an increase in full-price sales, boosting revenue and profitability for Zara.

Strategies for Incorporating Real-Time Analytics into Product Development

Connected Supply Chain: Establishing a connected and transparent supply chain that enables seamless real-time data flow from sales channels to production and design teams is imperative. This will ensure that all the teams are on the same page and can make quick, informed decisions based on accurate, up-to-date information. Failure to do so can result in costly delays, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. So, let's prioritize this and set up a robust supply chain that works for us!

Agile Production Processes: To maintain a competitive edge, it is crucial to adopt constructive and flexible production processes that can quickly respond to changes in demand. This involves embracing shorter production cycles and smaller batch sizes, which makes us more efficient and proactive in meeting customer needs.

Advanced Data Analytics: To optimize your sales strategies, you can use advanced data analytics tools to process and analyze real-time sales data efficiently. You can accurately forecast demand and make data-driven decisions by implementing predictive modeling and machine learning algorithms.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Promoting collaboration among different organizational departments is crucial to ensure the sales, marketing, design, and production teams have a unified interpretation of real-time data. This way, they can collectively make informed decisions that are in the company's best interest. The organization can improve its efficiency, productivity, and profitability by promoting open communication and collaboration between departments.

Customer Feedback Integration: One way to enhance the accuracy of real-time analytics is to consider customer feedback and preferences. Social media listening and direct customer interactions can provide valuable insights into emerging trends and demands.

Technology Integration: As we look towards the future, it's becoming increasingly clear that investing in technologies that facilitate real-time data collection and processing will be crucial. With the rise of automation and the growing need for instant information, businesses that have point-of-sale systems, inventory management software, and communication tools that streamline information flow will be better equipped to thrive in the fast-paced and ever-changing world of tomorrow. So, it's never too soon to start thinking about how you can integrate these technologies into your business strategy.

Zara's outstanding achievement in the fast fashion industry is a remarkable example of how incorporating real-time sales data into production decisions can lead to immense success. By reducing waste, swiftly responding to market trends, and utilizing advanced analytics, Zara has set a benchmark for other companies in integrating real-time insights into their product development strategies. This approach enhances efficiency and competitiveness in the highly dynamic and ever-evolving fashion industry.

In the constantly shifting business realm, the adage' knowledge is power' has never been more accurate, particularly about tangible, data-derived knowledge. data-driven decision making (dddm) presents an approach where critical business decisions are made not on intuition or experience alone, but on deep dives into data analysis. empirical evidence garnered through this method provides actionable insights leading to strategic, evidence-based decisions..

The stories of Netflix, Amazon, Starbucks, American Express, and Zara demonstrate the immense potential of Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM). By analyzing vast data points and leveraging advanced analytics, these companies transformed their businesses and achieved unparalleled success.

For instance, Netflix utilized DDDM to create tailor-made recommendations, engaging existing users and attracting new ones. Amazon used data analytics to optimize its supply chain, lowering costs and accelerating shipping times. Starbucks leveraged location analytics to predict the profitability of new store locations with impressive accuracy. American Express used machine learning algorithms to identify frauds faster than ever, saving millions in potential losses. Lastly, Zara demonstrated agility in the competitive fast fashion market by adapting its production and supply chain to meet real-time demand.

As seen in these success stories, data-driven decision-making can powerfully impact business, from customer engagement to trend forecasting. They underscore the importance of meticulous data analysis in navigating the present and forecasting an ever-changing future, paving the way for unparalleled business success. Companies can draw inspiration from these cases and embark on their DDDM journey to achieve similar outcomes.

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7 Favorite Business Case Studies to Teach—and Why

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• Case Teaching
• Course Materials

FEATURED CASE STUDIES

The Army Crew Team . Emily Michelle David of CEIBS

ATH Technologies . Devin Shanthikumar of Paul Merage School of Business

Fabritek 1992 . Rob Austin of Ivey Business School

Lincoln Electric Co . Karin Schnarr of Wilfrid Laurier University

Pal’s Sudden Service—Scaling an Organizational Model to Drive Growth . Gary Pisano of Harvard Business School

The United States Air Force: ‘Chaos’ in the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron . Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School

Warren E. Buffett, 2015 . Robert F. Bruner of Darden School of Business

To dig into what makes a compelling case study, we asked seven experienced educators who teach with—and many who write—business case studies: “What is your favorite case to teach and why?”

The resulting list of case study favorites ranges in topics from operations management and organizational structure to rebel leaders and whodunnit dramas.

1. The Army Crew Team

Emily Michelle David, Assistant Professor of Management, China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)

“I love teaching  The Army Crew Team  case because it beautifully demonstrates how a team can be so much less than the sum of its parts.

I deliver the case to executives in a nearby state-of-the-art rowing facility that features rowing machines, professional coaches, and shiny red eight-person shells.

After going through the case, they hear testimonies from former members of Chinese national crew teams before carrying their own boat to the river for a test race.

The rich learning environment helps to vividly underscore one of the case’s core messages: competition can be a double-edged sword if not properly managed.

Executives in Emily Michelle David’s organizational behavior class participate in rowing activities at a nearby facility as part of her case delivery.

Despite working for an elite headhunting firm, the executives in my most recent class were surprised to realize how much they’ve allowed their own team-building responsibilities to lapse. In the MBA pre-course, this case often leads to a rich discussion about common traps that newcomers fall into (for example, trying to do too much, too soon), which helps to poise them to both stand out in the MBA as well as prepare them for the lateral team building they will soon engage in.

Finally, I love that the post-script always gets a good laugh and serves as an early lesson that organizational behavior courses will seldom give you foolproof solutions for specific problems but will, instead, arm you with the ability to think through issues more critically.”

2. ATH Technologies

Devin Shanthikumar, Associate Professor of Accounting, Paul Merage School of Business

“As a professor at UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, and before that at Harvard Business School, I have probably taught over 100 cases. I would like to say that my favorite case is my own,   Compass Box Whisky Company . But as fun as that case is, one case beats it:  ATH Technologies  by Robert Simons and Jennifer Packard.

ATH presents a young entrepreneurial company that is bought by a much larger company. As part of the merger, ATH gets an ‘earn-out’ deal—common among high-tech industries. The company, and the class, must decide what to do to achieve the stretch earn-out goals.

ATH captures a scenario we all want to be in at some point in our careers—being part of a young, exciting, growing organization. And a scenario we all will likely face—having stretch goals that seem almost unreachable.

It forces us, as a class, to really struggle with what to do at each stage.

After we read and discuss the A case, we find out what happens next, and discuss the B case, then the C, then D, and even E. At every stage, we can:

see how our decisions play out,

figure out how to build on our successes, and

address our failures.

The case is exciting, the class discussion is dynamic and energetic, and in the end, we all go home with a memorable ‘ah-ha!’ moment.

I have taught many great cases over my career, but none are quite as fun, memorable, and effective as ATH .”

3. Fabritek 1992

Rob Austin, Professor of Information Systems, Ivey Business School

“This might seem like an odd choice, but my favorite case to teach is an old operations case called  Fabritek 1992 .

The latest version of Fabritek 1992 is dated 2009, but it is my understanding that this is a rewrite of a case that is older (probably much older). There is a Fabritek 1969 in the HBP catalog—same basic case, older dates, and numbers. That 1969 version lists no authors, so I suspect the case goes even further back; the 1969 version is, I’m guessing, a rewrite of an even older version.

There are many things I appreciate about the case. Here are a few:

It operates as a learning opportunity at many levels. At first it looks like a not-very-glamorous production job scheduling case. By the end of the case discussion, though, we’re into (operations) strategy and more. It starts out technical, then explodes into much broader relevance. As I tell participants when I’m teaching HBP's Teaching with Cases seminars —where I often use Fabritek as an example—when people first encounter this case, they almost always underestimate it.

It has great characters—especially Arthur Moreno, who looks like a troublemaker, but who, discussion reveals, might just be the smartest guy in the factory. Alums of the Harvard MBA program have told me that they remember Arthur Moreno many years later.

Almost every word in the case is important. It’s only four and a half pages of text and three pages of exhibits. This economy of words and sparsity of style have always seemed like poetry to me. I should note that this super concise, every-word-matters approach is not the ideal we usually aspire to when we write cases. Often, we include extra or superfluous information because part of our teaching objective is to provide practice in separating what matters from what doesn’t in a case. Fabritek takes a different approach, though, which fits it well.

It has a dramatic structure. It unfolds like a detective story, a sort of whodunnit. Something is wrong. There is a quality problem, and we’re not sure who or what is responsible. One person, Arthur Moreno, looks very guilty (probably too obviously guilty), but as we dig into the situation, there are many more possibilities. We spend in-class time analyzing the data (there’s a bit of math, so it covers that base, too) to determine which hypotheses are best supported by the data. And, realistically, the data doesn’t support any of the hypotheses perfectly, just some of them more than others. Also, there’s a plot twist at the end (I won’t reveal it, but here’s a hint: Arthur Moreno isn’t nearly the biggest problem in the final analysis). I have had students tell me the surprising realization at the end of the discussion gives them ‘goosebumps.’

Finally, through the unexpected plot twist, it imparts what I call a ‘wisdom lesson’ to young managers: not to be too sure of themselves and to regard the experiences of others, especially experts out on the factory floor, with great seriousness.”

4. Lincoln Electric Co.

Karin Schnarr, Assistant Professor of Policy, Wilfrid Laurier University

“As a strategy professor, my favorite case to teach is the classic 1975 Harvard case  Lincoln Electric Co.  by Norman Berg.

I use it to demonstrate to students the theory linkage between strategy and organizational structure, management processes, and leadership behavior.

This case may be an odd choice for a favorite. It occurs decades before my students were born. It is pages longer than we are told students are now willing to read. It is about manufacturing arc welding equipment in Cleveland, Ohio—a hard sell for a Canadian business classroom.

Yet, I have never come across a case that so perfectly illustrates what I want students to learn about how a company can be designed from an organizational perspective to successfully implement its strategy.

And in a time where so much focus continues to be on how to maximize shareholder value, it is refreshing to be able to discuss a publicly-traded company that is successfully pursuing a strategy that provides a fair value to shareholders while distributing value to employees through a large bonus pool, as well as value to customers by continually lowering prices.

However, to make the case resonate with today’s students, I work to make it relevant to the contemporary business environment. I link the case to multimedia clips about Lincoln Electric’s current manufacturing practices, processes, and leadership practices. My students can then see that a model that has been in place for generations is still viable and highly successful, even in our very different competitive situation.”

5. Pal’s Sudden Service—Scaling an Organizational Model to Drive Growth

Gary Pisano, Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

“My favorite case to teach these days is  Pal’s Sudden Service—Scaling an Organizational Model to Drive Growth .

I love teaching this case for three reasons:

1. It demonstrates how a company in a super-tough, highly competitive business can do very well by focusing on creating unique operating capabilities. In theory, Pal’s should have no chance against behemoths like McDonalds or Wendy’s—but it thrives because it has built a unique operating system. It’s a great example of a strategic approach to operations in action.

2. The case shows how a strategic approach to human resource and talent development at all levels really matters. This company competes in an industry not known for engaging its front-line workers. The case shows how engaging these workers can really pay off.

3. Finally, Pal’s is really unusual in its approach to growth. Most companies set growth goals (usually arbitrary ones) and then try to figure out how to ‘backfill’ the human resource and talent management gaps. They trust you can always find someone to do the job. Pal’s tackles the growth problem completely the other way around. They rigorously select and train their future managers. Only when they have a manager ready to take on their own store do they open a new one. They pace their growth off their capacity to develop talent. I find this really fascinating and so do the students I teach this case to.”

6. The United States Air Force: ‘Chaos’ in the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron

Francesca Gino, Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

“My favorite case to teach is  The United States Air Force: ‘Chaos’ in the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron .

The case surprises students because it is about a leader, known in the unit by the nickname Chaos , who inspired his squadron to be innovative and to change in a culture that is all about not rocking the boat, and where there is a deep sense that rules should simply be followed.

For years, I studied ‘rebels,’ people who do not accept the status quo; rather, they approach work with curiosity and produce positive change in their organizations. Chaos is a rebel leader who got the level of cultural change right. Many of the leaders I’ve met over the years complain about the ‘corporate culture,’ or at least point to clear weaknesses of it; but then they throw their hands up in the air and forget about changing what they can.

Chaos is different—he didn’t go after the ‘Air Force’ culture. That would be like boiling the ocean.

Instead, he focused on his unit of control and command: The 99th squadron. He focused on enabling that group to do what it needed to do within the confines of the bigger Air Force culture. In the process, he inspired everyone on his team to be the best they can be at work.

The case leaves the classroom buzzing and inspired to take action.”

7. Warren E. Buffett, 2015

Robert F. Bruner, Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business

“I love teaching   Warren E. Buffett, 2015  because it energizes, exercises, and surprises students.

Buffett looms large in the business firmament and therefore attracts anyone who is eager to learn his secrets for successful investing. This generates the kind of energy that helps to break the ice among students and instructors early in a course and to lay the groundwork for good case discussion practices.

Studying Buffett’s approach to investing helps to introduce and exercise important themes that will resonate throughout a course. The case challenges students to define for themselves what it means to create value. The case discussion can easily be tailored for novices or for more advanced students.

Either way, this is not hero worship: The case affords a critical examination of the financial performance of Buffett’s firm, Berkshire Hathaway, and reveals both triumphs and stumbles. Most importantly, students can critique the purported benefits of Buffett’s conglomeration strategy and the sustainability of his investment record as the size of the firm grows very large.

By the end of the class session, students seem surprised with what they have discovered. They buzz over the paradoxes in Buffett’s philosophy and performance record. And they come away with sober respect for Buffett’s acumen and for the challenges of creating value for investors.

Surely, such sobriety is a meta-message for any mastery of finance.”

More Educator Favorites

Emily Michelle David is an assistant professor of management at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). Her current research focuses on discovering how to make workplaces more welcoming for people of all backgrounds and personality profiles to maximize performance and avoid employee burnout. David’s work has been published in a number of scholarly journals, and she has worked as an in-house researcher at both NASA and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Devin Shanthikumar  is an associate professor and the accounting area coordinator at UCI Paul Merage School of Business. She teaches undergraduate, MBA, and executive-level courses in managerial accounting. Shanthikumar previously served on the faculty at Harvard Business School, where she taught both financial accounting and managerial accounting for MBAs, and wrote cases that are used in accounting courses across the country.

Robert D. Austin is a professor of information systems at Ivey Business School and an affiliated faculty member at Harvard Medical School. He has published widely, authoring nine books, more than 50 cases and notes, three Harvard online products, and two popular massive open online courses (MOOCs) running on the Coursera platform.

Karin Schnarr is an assistant professor of policy and the director of the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program at the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada where she teaches strategic management at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels. Schnarr has published several award-winning and best-selling cases and regularly presents at international conferences on case writing and scholarship.

Gary P. Pisano is the Harry E. Figgie, Jr. Professor of Business Administration and senior associate dean of faculty development at Harvard Business School, where he has been on the faculty since 1988. Pisano is an expert in the fields of technology and operations strategy, the management of innovation, and competitive strategy. His research and consulting experience span a range of industries including aerospace, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, health care, nutrition, computers, software, telecommunications, and semiconductors.

Francesca Gino studies how people can have more productive, creative, and fulfilling lives. She is a professor at Harvard Business School and the author, most recently, of  Rebel Talent: Why It Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life . Gino regularly gives keynote speeches, delivers corporate training programs, and serves in advisory roles for firms and not-for-profit organizations across the globe.

Robert F. Bruner is a university professor at the University of Virginia, distinguished professor of business administration, and dean emeritus of the Darden School of Business. He has also held visiting appointments at Harvard and Columbia universities in the United States, at INSEAD in France, and at IESE in Spain. He is the author, co-author, or editor of more than 20 books on finance, management, and teaching. Currently, he teaches and writes in finance and management.

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Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies of 2021

Two cases about Hertz claimed top spots in 2021's Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies

Two cases on the uses of debt and equity at Hertz claimed top spots in the CRDT’s (Case Research and Development Team) 2021 top 40 review of cases.

Hertz (A) took the top spot. The case details the financial structure of the rental car company through the end of 2019. Hertz (B), which ranked third in CRDT’s list, describes the company’s struggles during the early part of the COVID pandemic and its eventual need to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

The success of the Hertz cases was unprecedented for the top 40 list. Usually, cases take a number of years to gain popularity, but the Hertz cases claimed top spots in their first year of release. Hertz (A) also became the first ‘cooked’ case to top the annual review, as all of the other winners had been web-based ‘raw’ cases.

Besides introducing students to the complicated financing required to maintain an enormous fleet of cars, the Hertz cases also expanded the diversity of case protagonists. Kathyrn Marinello was the CEO of Hertz during this period and the CFO, Jamere Jackson is black.

Sandwiched between the two Hertz cases, Coffee 2016, a perennial best seller, finished second. “Glory, Glory, Man United!” a case about an English football team’s IPO made a surprise move to number four.  Cases on search fund boards, the future of malls,  Norway’s Sovereign Wealth fund, Prodigy Finance, the Mayo Clinic, and Cadbury rounded out the top ten.

Other year-end data for 2021 showed:

• Online “raw” case usage remained steady as compared to 2020 with over 35K users from 170 countries and all 50 U.S. states interacting with 196 cases.
• Fifty four percent of raw case users came from outside the U.S..
• The Yale School of Management (SOM) case study directory pages received over 160K page views from 177 countries with approximately a third originating in India followed by the U.S. and the Philippines.
• Twenty-six of the cases in the list are raw cases.
• A third of the cases feature a woman protagonist.
• Orders for Yale SOM case studies increased by almost 50% compared to 2020.
• The top 40 cases were supervised by 19 different Yale SOM faculty members, several supervising multiple cases.

CRDT compiled the Top 40 list by combining data from its case store, Google Analytics, and other measures of interest and adoption.

All of this year’s Top 40 cases are available for purchase from the Yale Management Media store .

And the Top 40 cases studies of 2021 are:

1.   Hertz Global Holdings (A): Uses of Debt and Equity

2.   Coffee 2016

3.   Hertz Global Holdings (B): Uses of Debt and Equity 2020

4.   Glory, Glory Man United!

5.   Search Fund Company Boards: How CEOs Can Build Boards to Help Them Thrive

6.   The Future of Malls: Was Decline Inevitable?

7.   Strategy for Norway's Pension Fund Global

8.   Prodigy Finance

9.   Design at Mayo

10. Cadbury

11. City Hospital Emergency Room

13. Volkswagen

14. Marina Bay Sands

15. Shake Shack IPO

16. Mastercard

17. Netflix

18. Ant Financial

19. AXA: Creating the New CR Metrics

20. IBM Corporate Service Corps

21. Business Leadership in South Africa's 1994 Reforms

22. Alternative Meat Industry

23. Children's Premier

24. Khalil Tawil and Umi (A)

25. Palm Oil 2016

26. Teach For All: Designing a Global Network

27. What's Next? Search Fund Entrepreneurs Reflect on Life After Exit

28. Searching for a Search Fund Structure: A Student Takes a Tour of Various Options

30. Project Sammaan

31. Commonfund ESG

32. Polaroid

33. Connecticut Green Bank 2018: After the Raid

34. FieldFresh Foods

35. The Alibaba Group

36. 360 State Street: Real Options

37. Herman Miller

38. AgBiome

39. Nathan Cummings Foundation

40. Toyota 2010

Decision Making: a Theoretical Review

• Regular Article
• Published: 15 November 2021
• Volume 56 , pages 609–629, ( 2022 )

Cite this article

• Matteo Morelli 1 ,
• Maria Casagrande   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4430-3367 2 &
• Giuseppe Forte 1 , 3  

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Decision-making is a crucial skill that has a central role in everyday life and is necessary for adaptation to the environment and autonomy. It is the ability to choose between two or more options, and it has been studied through several theoretical approaches and by different disciplines. In this overview article, we contend a theoretical review regarding most theorizing and research on decision-making. Specifically, we focused on different levels of analyses, including different theoretical approaches and neuropsychological aspects. Moreover, common methodological measures adopted to study decision-making were reported. This theoretical review emphasizes multiple levels of analysis and aims to summarize evidence regarding this fundamental human process. Although several aspects of the field are reported, more features of decision-making process remain uncertain and need to be clarified. Further experimental studies are necessary for understanding this process better and for integrating and refining the existing theories.

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Morelli, M., Casagrande, M. & Forte, G. Decision Making: a Theoretical Review. Integr. psych. behav. 56 , 609–629 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-021-09669-x

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Strategic Decision Making – A Case Study

Michael w. jones.

Dr. Michael W. Jones is a Professor of Strategy and Policy with the United States Naval War College in Monterey, California.  His specialty is the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars; however, for the past twenty years he has researched and written on a wide array of conflicts; examining them through the political, grand strategic, strategic, and operational levels of warfare.

Throughout history, professional military officers have studied the past to learn strategic planning and decision making. While history remains the best means to study strategy, it is problematic due to imperfect knowledge of actual events and personal biases infecting hindsight. If these are some of the problems, what are solutions to using history in a more effective manner as a tool to sharpen strategic thinking? This paper examines how practitioners can develop strategy by demonstrating a methodology for constructing alternate courses of action in a historical case study. Studying options, using information known at the time and that could have been gleaned with a greater investment in intelligence, is one of the building blocks to developing a strategically analytical mind. Gaming-out options starts with identifying the enemy’s most likely and most dangerous strategic course of action. From this point one can develop a theory of victory (TOV), meaning a concept of what conditions are necessary to defeat the enemy’s strategy, such as gaining command of the sea or winning a decisive land battle. With a theory of victory, one can then develop an overall strategy, effectively a blueprint, to accomplish it. The strategy is then honed by comparison to the enemy’s most likely response. This analysis results in alternate courses of action that are in turn honed until the most efficient and effective strategy to achieve the policy objective has been determined. The goal is to implement a history-driven process that can be carried forward to developing future strategic contingencies.

The 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War serves as our model because its historical record provides clear data of the belligerents’ policy objectives, orders of battle, their internal political structure, the geostrategic landscape, the theater’s infrastructure, and clear geographical features that dictated Japan’s lines of attack. Simplifying the exercise is that this war was a limited conventional struggle between two great powers with little to no interference by allied or third-party nations. Furthermore, the belligerents foresaw a military confrontation well before the first shots and had time to develop and resource a chosen strategy. Due to limitations of space this paper will be confined to an overview of five Russian strategic options.

Nine months prior to the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, General Alexiev Kuropatkin, Russia’s Minister of War, toured the Far East and predicted a Japanese attack. The Russian Imperial Navy had also anticipated war with Japan and gone so far as conducting war games to assess the likelihood of victory.[i] Their foresight provides the temporal starting point to examining Russian strategic options to counter a possible Japanese offensive.

The question is: how does one build strategic options? Following Sun Tzu’s prescription to “know thyself and thy enemy” and Carl von Clausewitz’s admonition that policy is the primary determinate of the nature of war, the Russians first needed to discern Japan’s policy objective. By knowing what they sought to gain from the war, Russian leaders could then determine Japan’s optimal TOV and thereafter their strategy. Russian planners could have further dissected this strategy’s operational components, discerning Japan’s course of action by determining the strategic end state and logically discerning how the Japanese military would arrive at it. From this point, Kuropatkin could then develop Russia’s optimal strategic counter. The methodology worked in the following manner. Prior to Japan’s surprise attack on the Russian fleet based at Port Arthur (now Lushan, China), the Japanese government had publicly opposed Russian encroachment into the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. In the case of war the obvious Japanese policy would be to drive the Russian government and military permanently out of these regions and supplant their authority. Defeating Russian forces in Manchuria was their only means to accomplish the policy. This strategic end state required control of the sea to project the army ashore and then secure a land victory to break Russia’s will. Owing to Russia’s drastically larger manpower and financial resources, the Japanese recognized the need for a relatively short war that only decisive battles could deliver. Japan’s most likely strategic course of action informs analysis of Russia’s options to counter it and achieve its policy objective of retaining control of Manchuria and increasing influence in the Far East.

Strategic Naval Option 1: Decisive Naval Battle

The United States’ legendary naval theorist, Alfred Thayer Mahan, argued that Russia’s best option was to prepare for and execute a decisive naval battle using the seven battleships of its Pacific Squadron. Arguably the Russians had critical advantages over the Japanese at sea. Overall, Russia possessed a much larger fleet and if properly concentrated, as Mahan advocated, it could have traded ships with Japan and still won the war. If Russia was victorious at sea, Japan could not have landed on the Asian mainland, hence Russia would have retained Manchuria and achieved a quick, decisive victory! Because Japan could only win the war on land, Russia had the advantage of being able to risk its fleet and if defeated, fall back on the army to deny the Japanese their objective.

The key to adopting Mahan’s strategy was immediate action the moment Kuropatkin realized war was to occur in the near future. First, the Russians should have appointed their best admiral, the dynamic, charismatic and already internationally renowned Vice-Admiral Ossipovitch Makarov, to command the Russian Pacific Squadron at Port Arthur. The history of the war revealed what Russian leaders already knew of Makarov’s capabilities. In one month of command, before his ship, the Petropavlosk , struck a mine and carried him down with it, he drastically improved the sailors’ seamanship, gunnery, and morale to an extent that the Russian Pacific Squadron could challenge the Japanese navy on an equal footing. Second, Kuropatkin should have ordered and resourced a naval “intelligence preparation of the battlefield” (IPB) of the Japanese navy’s order of battle and capabilities to identify his own navy’s requirements. To win control of the sea, Russia needed overwhelming superiority of battleships, a problem Russia could have been rectified with ships idling in European waters. A reinforced fleet, with Makarov at the helm, would have been fully capable of winning decisively at sea. Seeking out the Japanese fleet for a decisive battle would have been relatively easy, because it was bound to protecting the army coming ashore. Makarov could have struck immediately after Japan fired the first shots or waited until a substantial force had come ashore and then destroyed the Japanese warships, leaving a significant portion of the army stranded in Korea. Kuropatkin’s strategic, operational, and tactical naval options would have abounded with proper preparation, which Russia was wholly capable of doing because they foresaw the coming war, possessed the world’s third largest navy, and were blessed with an excellent fighting admiral.

Strategic Naval Option 2: Commerce Raiding

If the Russians had deemed decisive naval battle too risky, a secondary naval option would have been a commerce war. Japan was particularly vulnerable to this strategic option due to its relatively small merchant marine, the refusal of neutral vessels to carry Japanese war materials, and the reality of its navy having to guard against the possibility of a Russian fleet sortie from Port Arthur. Mahan rightly assessed that Russia’s flawed disposition of its commerce raiding cruisers, deployed alongside the battleships based at Port Arthur, rather than dispersed to unguarded Vladivostok, meant it was unprepared to seize opportunity after Japan attacked. Implementing this strategy, though, would have required forethought beyond what Mahan discusses. As with the prior strategy, European based cruisers should have been shifted to Vladivostok in the ten months prior to war to have made this a viable option. Makarov could have conducted exercises, identified his ablest commanders, and used the naval IPB to discern the best operational approaches to this strategic option. Russia did none of these preparations and found itself with ad hoc commerce raiding operations which proved a dedicated strategy of this nature had much potential to change the course of the war, if it had been properly planned for and resourced. For example, three Russian cruisers sank Japanese transports carrying critical war materials such as siege guns for Port Arthur and American made locomotives Japan needed to project its army into Manchuria. Some analysts concluded that loss of the siege guns alone delayed Port Arthur’s fall by months and drastically increased casualties. With proper coordination, the Russian battleships of the Russian Pacific Squadron could have threatened the Japanese army’s sea lines of communication on the western flank of the Korean peninsula to pin Japan’s limited naval forces. If the Japanese navy hunted the commerce raiders they would have exposed the army to a sortie from the main Russian fleet. To leave the raiders unmolested could have crippled the lifeline to Japan, rendering the Japanese forces already ashore vulnerable to a Russian army riposte. Once again, Russia’s failure to explore strategic options before the war left it unprepared in another strategic dimension. Japan was able overcome Russia’s deadly commerce raiders because they were so few and the lethargy of the Russian Pacific Squadron after Makarov’s death allowed them to eventually dispatch naval forces to find and sink the Russian cruisers.

Strategic Land Option 1: Trade Space for Time + Eventual Decisive Battle

Irrespective of the naval options, Russia could have analyzed three land strategies. Kuropatkin’s chosen strategy was a limited withdrawal along the Russian line of communication – the South Manchurian Railway – to await reinforcements before shifting to the strategic offensive. Kuropatkin assessed that in the initial months of the war, Japanese forces outnumbered his men in theater; therefore, he would gain time and preserve his army’s strength by the classic method of trading space. Time would allow Russian engineers and laborers to improve the Trans-Siberian railway, Asiatic Russia’s lifeline to its European counterpart. This strategy necessitated withdrawal of all Russian forces in southern Manchuria to the city of Liaoyang, roughly 120 miles from the Yalu River. The merit of Kuropatkin’s strategy was that it accomplished his goal of buying time to increase Russian numbers over the Japanese. At the Battle of Liaoyang, the Russians possessed 158,000 soldiers and 609 guns against 125,000 Japanese and 170 guns.[ii] Yet the Russian army was defeated at this potentially decisive battle and the subsequent larger engagement at Mukden because it was an untested and poorly trained force, led by a commander who conceded every strategic, operational, and tactical initiative to his opponent!

What Kuropatkin had gained in time and men in his wholesale retreat, he lost in infrastructure (ports and railroads), key terrain (landing sites, mountain passes, and choke points), and opportunities to hone the army’s operational and tactical skill. Retreating into southern Manchuria left all amphibious landing zones throughout Korea and the Liaotung Peninsula undefended. After the Japanese came ashore they found almost every avenue of approach to Dalny, a commercial port and the most significant logistical hub of the entire war, open, with the limited exception of one regiment at Nanshan, where the Liaotung Peninsula narrows to its most defendable point. While the small Russian force fought a heroic defense, it was outnumbered 10:1. Kuropatkin had left Port Arthur’s garrison to defend itself and simply abandoned Dalny, potentially dooming the Russian Pacific Squadron. Perhaps the worst effect of Kuropatkin’s strategy was that the token resistance he did offer was fodder for Japanese victories. Russian battlefield defeats boosted Japan’s international standing, allowing it to float critical loans, unify its people, and devastate Russian morale on the home front, eventually culminating in revolution.

Strategic Land Option 2: Scorched Earth + Trade Space for Time + Eventual Decisive Battle

Assessing his army as initially too weak to fight a decisive battle, Kuropatkin could have moved his forces deeper into Manchuria, beyond Japan’s logistical reach, while destroying all infrastructure in southern Manchuria. Planning for this strategic option would have included sending the Pacific Squadron back to Europe to preserve this valuable asset and avoiding the disastrous effects on Russian morale stemming from its loss. With no fear of abandoning the fleet, Kuropatkin would have possessed a free hand to withdraw the army and destroy war resources without immense political pressure to hold ground. A scorched earth methodology would have destroyed infrastructure Japan required to project its army into southern Manchuria. For example, after capturing Dalny, Japanese General Yasukata Oku reported, “Over 100 warehouses, barracks…were found uninjured. Over 290 railway cars still usable…. Docks and piers uninjured.”[iii] Ashmead-Bartlett Ellis, a British reporter, confirmed Dalny’s value to the Japanese war effort, reporting “Every day numerous trains steam out of the station laden with troops and stores for Oyama (Field-Marshall Iwao Oyama) and his half-a-million of men.” Ellis went on to describe the docks, harbor, and breakwaters as “splendid.”[iv] Furthermore, Dalny’s rail line connected it to Port Arthur and to the South Manchurian Railroad which ran through the towns of Liaoyang and Mukden, sites of the war’s two largest battles. In his memoirs, Kuropatkin would inadvertently incriminate himself regarding leaving the infrastructure intact referencing, “the delivery of heavy howitzers [that destroyed Russian defenses] and the landing of other siege material was greatly facilitated by the existence of Dalny.”[v] Japan’s use of Dalny as a logistical hub illustrates that a scorched-earth methodology would have increased Japan’s war costs and drawn-out the war in Russia’s favor.

If the Russian army had been safely beyond Japan’s reach, Kuropatkin could have improved the Trans-Siberian Railroad while training and equipping his force for a counteroffensive. A primary factor in Japan’s preemptive strike was the recognition that steady improvements in the Trans-Siberian railroad would eventually permit Russia to deploy a force that could overwhelm their manpower and resources. At the outset of the war, the Trans-Siberian Railroad lacked 600 of the necessary 900 locomotives deemed sufficient to sustain a massive force. It had a large gap at Lake Baikal and was single tracked. Through prodigious effort, the Russian supply situation had drastically improved by March of 1905; however, by this stage Kuropatkin’s many defeats had helped spark revolt in European Russia and the army was a demoralized force.[vi] Avoiding costly human losses and husbanding material and manpower until the railroad was prepared to sustain a large army, would have allowed the Russians a transition to the offensive with overwhelming force against a foe attempting to sustain hundreds of thousands of men across too much desolated space, with its manpower and finances exhausted by a long war.

Strategic Land Option 3: Active Forward Defense + Eventual Decisive Battle

Perhaps the most daring, yet rewarding, land option would have been for Russia to conduct an active defense based on defending against Japanese amphibious landings, and waging a fighting withdrawal until reinforcements arrived from Europe to tip the military balance toward a strategic offensive. Preventing the Japanese from coming ashore in sizeable numbers would have preserved Manchuria’s infrastructure, saved the battleship fleet at Port Arthur, and provided Kuropatkin’s forces with all the advantages of the central position. Denying the Japanese easy and early victories would have bolstered the army’s morale and skill, dried up Japanese war loans, and perhaps forestalled the Russian Revolution of 1905, which denied it the option of extending the war.

In the first two months of the war, the Japanese offensive was most vulnerable because it had to conduct a risky series of complimentary amphibious operations. The Japanese First Army initially landed in central Korea, distant from Russian counterattacks, then marched north along dirt tracks, with only Korean coolies providing logistical support. These initial troops seized inlets that allowed the navy to keep advancing the army’s logistical base closer to the Yalu River, at the base of the Liaotung Peninsula. Victory at the Yalu would protect the eastern flank of the Second and Fourth Armies as they came ashore at beaches near Dalny and Port Arthur. If the Russians had contested northern Korea and defended the Yalu River, rather than Kuropatkin’s pitting of a mere 19,000 men against 42,000 Japanese, the Russians could have stalled the entire Japanese offensive, making time a weapon in their favor.

This Russian strategic option would have rested on a combination of prepared forward defenses supported by quick reaction forces (QRF). First, Russian intelligence needed to conduct an IPB of the Korean and Liaotung Peninsula’s topography to determine landing sites, lines of communications, and advantageous defensive terrain. Defending the beaches with a combination of garrison forces and QRFs would have drastically increased Japanese casualties and potentially slowed their advance along the Korean Peninsula to a crawl. On almost every beach the Japanese army was exposed coming ashore. For example, the Japanese Second Army landed in chest high water and had to wade ashore, across a long and vulnerable stretch. Their equipment continued to be offloaded on sandy beaches until the Japanese captured Dalny. If the Russians had opted to defend against amphibious landings, they may have been able to inflict a disaster similar to the British army’s debacle in World War I at Gallipoli. If driven back, the Russians could have fought from a belt of defensive positions to bleed the Japanese army and extend the war, thereby draining Japanese financial resources and exhausting their nation. The Russian army was fully capable of such a defense as it proved at the Battle of Nanshan and the siege of Port Arthur. Drastically outnumbered in both operations, the Russian defenders inflicted massive casualties on the Japanese. What would have been the strategic ramifications of such battles being fought before the Japanese had time to offload their entire army onto the continent and were bottled up on beachheads and narrow lines of communication, all the while Russian reinforcements poured in from Europe to seek the final decisive blow?

For military leaders, prognosticating a future war and predetermining strategy is extremely difficult, but if correctly anticipated, such insights provide opportunity to analyze, plan, resource, and even war game scenarios. In the 1930s, the United States Navy anticipated a naval battle similar to Midway, allowing its students, in particular Chester Nimitz, to study options to defeat the Japanese. This exercise bore fruit in perhaps America’s greatest naval victory. The Navy could not be certain of the future, but the evidence they observed allowed them to visualize realistic scenarios which were the basis of planning. Similar to Nimitz, Kuropatkin also foresaw war but unlike America’s great admiral he failed to subject his strategy to productive counter-thesis. While some may decry analyzing alternative historical strategies as smoke and mirrors, mentally exercising options not taken in the past helps develop critical skills applicable to future wars. A great challenge in the historical method is that historians tend to write on the paths taken, not hypothetical alternatives. And since historical information is the intellectual fuel for analyzing war, one must cobble together evidence and use logic to develop plausible alternatives. This methodology is hard for many analysts to internalize. How can one use strategies that did not take place? Fortunately, the Russo-Japanese War provides ample information to study a range of strategic options. Starting with the belligerents’ policy objectives and working through net assessments, strategic options begin to coalesce. In the Russo-Japanese War Kuropatkin possessed the resources to defeat Japan’s military, but he lacked a means to analyze the best strategic course of action.

[i] John W. Steinberg, Bruce W. Menning, David Schimmelpenninck van der Oye, David Wolff, and Shinji Yokote, eds., The Russo-Japanese War in Global Perspective (Boston: Brill Academic Publishers, 2005), 59. [ii] Warner, Denis and Peggy, The Tide at Sunrise, A History of the Russo-Japanese War 1904-05, (London: Frank Cass, 1974), 354. [iii] Ashmead-Bartlett Ellis, “The Times” 04 Jun 1904, Issue Number 37412, 7. https://bit.ly/2Qgjdhk [iv] Ibid, 9-11. [v] Kuropatkin, Alexiev. 1909. The Russian Army and The Japanese War, Being Historical and Critical comments on the Military Policy and Power of Russia and on the Campaign in the Far East. Translated by Captain A.B. Lindsay. Edited by Major E.D. Swinton, vol 1. New York: E.P. Dutton and Company, 1909, 127. Kuropatkin blamed other ministers for building Dalny’s infrastructure which he neglected to defend and/or destroy!

Using Systems Thinking for Translating Evidence into Practice: A Case Study of Embedding Shared Decision Making within a Federally Qualified Health Center Network

The following is a mixed-methods case study that examines how Access Community Health Network (ACCESS), a large federally qualified health center located in the Chicago metropolitan area, used a systems approach to incorporate Shared Decision Making into its practice model. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods including a survey of ACCESS staff and providers, as well as interviews with a range of providers and leadership, the study sought to answer the question: How successfully has ACCESS, as a complex primary care system, made Shared Decision Making an integral part of its Patient Centered Medical Home practice model?

With a high degree of consistency across both the survey and interview data, the study concludes that ACCESS has successfully shifted its culture towards Shared Decision Making and, over the course of the past several years, made it a part of its PCMH practice model. At the same time, there are still areas for improvement and ways that ACCESS can further embed SDM within its practice model. Opportunities exist to use this study as a foundation for further exploring the impact of SDM on patients and health outcomes (not a part of this study). Further, the results can be used by other complex health systems as a model for how to successfully integrate and translate best practice or innovation into care models.

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Case Study: How UMass Amherst Transformed Data Culture

The University of Massachusetts Amherst possesses a wealth of data across budgets, enrollment, student retention, admissions, and more. This new case study from HeliosCampus explores how the University consolidated data through Flagship Analytics, the University's analytics platform, leading to improved decision-making, better budget use, and better communication across departments.

"Data itself can be mind-numbingly boring," says Chris Misra, Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and CIO. "But what it enables and the student outcomes that can be supported from accurately understanding it — that is interesting. There are real students positively impacted. What you don’t see is the student who was on a DFW for physics who got the help they needed…that those stories are happening is what matters to me."

Read the full case study: No Exceptions:  How UMass Amherst Transformed Their Data Culture