WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR CASE METHOD RESEARCH & APPLICATION

23 Mackintosh Ave NEEDHAM (BOSTON) MA 02492-1218 U.S.A.
Tel. +781-444-8982 / Fax: +781-444-1548 / E-Mail: wacra@msn.com

 

ABOUT WACRA® ...

History

Professionals and academicians from fifty countries have participated in international (summer) conferences on Case Method Research & Application in Lausanne, Switzerland (1980), London, UK (1984, 1985, 1987), Boston, U.S.A. (1988, 1989), Enschede, Netherlands (1990), Berlin Germany (1991), Limerick, Ireland (1992), Bratislava, Slovakia - Vienna, Austria (1993), Montreal, Canada (1994), Leysin, Switzerland (1995), Warsaw, Poland (1996), Edinburgh, Scotland (1997), Marseille, France (1998) and Cáceres, Spain (1999).

Since 1998, WACRA® and ACT - The Academy for Creative Teaching - cooperate in a series of winter conferences on Creative
Teaching in Lucerne, Switzerland. ACT3, the 3rd international conference on Creative Teaching is scheduled for January 5-8, 2000
at the Grand Hotel National in Lucerne, Switzerland and ACT4 will be hosted by the Wirtschaftsuniversität (Business School) in Vienna, Austria in early January of 2001.

The year 2000 summer conference will take place from July 2 - 5, 2000 at The Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. WACRA ‘2000 will begin with a pre- conference event in Munich, Germany. Delegates have the opportunity to travel by train on the tracks of the famous Orient Express to Vienna, Austria, spend one full day and and two nights in Vienna and then travel on board of the ‘Majestic Imperator,’ the train de luxe of Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Sisi to Budapest, Hungary. The main conference will take place at the Central European University in Budapest. A post conference cultural-educational tour will take participants to different parts of Hungary, Slovakia and will end in Vienna, Austria.  In 2001 the University of Lund in Lund, Sweden will host the conference. Advance planning includes activities in Sweden (main conference site), Denmark and Norway. For those whoreally like long range planning: locations in Cuba, Japan or Greece are under consideration for the year 2002.Professionals and academicians from fifty countries have participated in international (summer) conferences on Case Method Research & Application in Lausanne, Switzerland (1980), London, UK (1984, 1985, 1987), Boston, U.S.A. (1988, 1989), Enschede, Netherlands (1990), Berlin Germany (1991), Limerick, Ireland (1992), Bratislava, Slovakia - Vienna, Austria (1993), Montreal, Canada (1994), Leysin, Switzerland (1995), Warsaw, Poland (1996), Edinburgh, Scotland (1997), and Marseille, France (1998).

Since 1998, WACRA® and ACT - The Academy for Creative Teaching - cooperate in a series of winter conferences on Creative Teaching in Lucerne, Switzerland. ACT3, the 3rd international conference on Creative Teaching is scheduled for January 5-8, 2000 at the Grand Hotel National in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The 1999 summer conference will take place from July 4 - 8, 1999 at The University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain. For WACRA'2000, plans have been made to begin the (pre-) conference in Munich, Germany, travel by train to Vienna, Austria (overnight stop) to Budapest, Hungary, retracing the famous Orient Express. The main conference will take place at the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. In 2001 the University of Lund in Lund, Sweden will host the conference. Advance planning includes activities in Sweden (main conference site), Denmark and Norway. For those who really like long range planning: locations in Japan or Greece are under consideration for the year 2002.
 

The Case Method

The Case Method can be defined in a broad sense by contrasting it with the lecture method. Instead of textbooks, the Case Method uses partial, historical descriptions of specific situations enabling students to discover and develop their own unique framework for problem-solving. The Case Method achieves this goal efficiently and effectively. Data and information are presented in narrative form to encourage student involvement by solving problems actively, by identifying sources of information necessary for problem-solving, by engaging in critical thinking and through group work. (The group work contributes to the development of individuals able and willing to work collegially, etc.). Although "cases" have been used in one form or another by both law and medicine for a long time, the Case Method in the teaching of management and other disciplines is relatively new. The Harvard Business School is well known for its innovative role in this regard. The method has applications far beyond the managerial, business orientation so familiar to many.

New applications for the Case Method in disciplines other than management and business are being explored and research is being conducted on this basis. The Case Method is increasingly applied in higher education and educational administration, the instru ction (and operation) of the social sciences, the arts, engineering, agriculture, strategic policy planning, and personnel development in different parts of the world.

The development and increasing affordability of new communication technologies is changing the educational environment for teachers, trainers and students. Instutions worldwide are investigating and investing in distance education, video-based instruction , and computer-assisted instruction. Nine volumes of international case method research papers, cases and presentations attest to WACRA®'s success in providing an important forum in "managing change in multi-cultural settings" and in promoting cross cultural dialogue and development in Higher Education and training.
 

Objectives

The objectives of WACRA® are to explain, research and advance the use of the case method in teaching, planning and training at all levels; to promote and encourage research using the case method, with special emphasis placed on studying the teaching effec tiveness in varied teaching-learning systems; to coordinate development of interactive pedagogical methods involving the case method, simulations and games; to augment the available body of research and teaching materials; to foster interdisciplinary appl ications and to encourage cooperation with the public sector, the business community and other case method oriented professional specialties on a worldwide basis.

Functions

WACRA® 's main function at the present time is to coordinate research, to facilitate the organization of forums, public discussions, workshops, training sessions, lectures and conferences and develop a worldwide network. WACRA® organizes annual conferences at various locations around the world to provide opportunities and encourage the exchange of ideas, the presentation of planned, on-going and completed research, and the sharing of applications, simulations and games. Papers and manuscripts accepted (double blind peer review - acceptance rate for publication on average is between thirty and forty percent) and presented at the annual conferences are published. The WACRA® NEWSLETTER informs members about ongoing research projects, employment (exchange) opportunities, new publications and releases, curriculum development and other developments in interactive pedagogy. WACRA® supports and cooperates with national Case Method Organizations, with Case Clearing Houses worldwide.

Affiliated Associations

Affiliated Associations are BACRA - Baltic Association for Case Method Research & Application at Kaunas University in Panevezys, Lithuania, CZACRA - Czech Association for Case Method Research & Application at Mendel University for Agriculture and Forestry in Brno, Czech Republic and NACRA - North American Case Research Assoc iation at the University of Tampa, Florida, U.S.A.

Advantages of Membership

Membership in WACRA® is open to all individuals and organizations wishing to advance the objectives of the association. As a member you receive the WACRA® NEWSLETTER, substantial discounts on WACRA® publications, preferential rates at all WACRA® sponsored meetings, notices of all activities and calls for papers. As a member you can receive training and assistance in case writing and teaching; once you are a member, payment of full registration fee for any meeting includes membership in WACRA® for the following calendar. You have the opportunity for networking, consulting and to associate with other professionals working with cases, simulations and games on a truly international scale.

Membership

Membership in WACRA® is open to all individuals and organizations in all countries who wish to advance the objectives of the association and to advance professional standards in the field. The various classes of membership and annual dues which provide for the continuing support of WACRA®, are as follows:

Regular Member US $65: Any individual (teacher, researcher, government official or representative, business executive, attorney, consultant) who wishes to assist actively in attaining the goals of WACRA®.

Organization Member US $350: A special class of membership through which other existing associations or organizations can lend their support in meeting the goals of WACRA®. Organizations eligible for this class of membership include foundations, educational, governmental units, professional, business, and industrial groups.

Sustaining Member US $500: A special class of membership available to any individual or organization wishing to offer more substantial financial support to WACRA®.

Associate Member US $55: Advanced students.

You are cordially invited to join, to participate and to share your expertise and experiences with colleagues from around the world.