After a recent conversation with one of our students I came to the realization that one of the most unique pieces of the classroom experience at Ivey is rooted in the core of the case method …
Think of a cases as a training simulator for business leaders and decision making (in the same way pilots train to fly in flight simulators.) What Ivey does, is to put you in a unique ‘simulation’ or case every day, where you are asked to wear the hat of the decision maker in the company, and jump into the ‘game’ from his/her perspective to solve the business issue presented in the case. One day, you might be the VP, Marketing at a CPG firm launching a new brand, the next day, COO of an automobile manufacturer assessing whether a factory’s capacity justifies keeping the plant run, and the next day CFO of a major Canadian bank looking at international acquisition opportunities – you get the picture! Not only does the case method expose you to real challenges and hundreds of industries, but the environment and discussion is oriented around action: after providing some background on the industry and context around the issue – what will you do? This is the core discussion surrounding every case and highlights the practicality of training in a case based Program .
The Ivey environment provides the ideal training for the next generation of business leaders who have an opportunity to test their decisions in a risk free environment. The classroom is a place where mistakes don’t cost anything, and the opportunity to learn not only from these mistakes, but from one another, is truly invaluable training for a career as a leader in any organization. It isn’t about finding out what the company did (that may not even be the right answer!) but the true value of the experience is in developing a sound decision making framework.
Exposure to hundreds of different cases in the year at Ivey is ultimately a process that truly transforms the way you organize and manage complexity to tackle challenges, make and communicate decisions/direction/vision, and the confidence to take action and to inspire others to act. I hope you’ll take advantage of the opportunity to see the case method in action at one of our First Class on the Road events, or a Class Visit day soon!